Agent Step Sequencer

Multi-step scheduler for in-depth requests. Enables step-based actions with heartbeat integration—survives gateway reset mid-step.

Core Pattern

1. Interpret when user request requires multiple steps
2. Suggest step plan, wait for confirmation
3. Persist state.json (with plan format)
4. Agent invokes scripts/step-sequencer-check.py immediately (no wait for heartbeat)
5. Heartbeat (e.g. every 5 min) also invokes the script—keeps sequencer aligned with email jobs and other heartbeat tasks

Critical: If gateway resets mid-step, next heartbeat reads state and resumes correctly.

Plan Format

Agent builds a plan when user approves. During approval, agent asks: Use 2-minute delay between steps? Recommended for rate-limit–sensitive API calls. User chooses; agent sets stepDelayMinutes (0 or 2) in state. Each step has title, instruction, and optionally requiredOutputs (paths relative to workspace that must exist before the step is marked DONE):