Machine collaboration
Machine collaboration in Cmdop is one joined machine asking another for work in plain language, rather than you driving each computer by hand. The asking agent sends a request; the target agent does the work in its own files and tools and replies. You can ask one machine, several in parallel, or a fleet-wide orchestrator.
A joined machine is not only something you reach. Machines in the same fleet can ask each other for work, so a task that spans computers does not have to be driven hop by hop from your keyboard.
This is a conversation between agents, not a remote shell. The asking machine sends a request in natural language; the target machine’s agent does the work in its own context, with its own files and tools, and replies.
The three shapes
| Shape | When you want it |
|---|---|
| Ask one machine | A question or task that belongs to one specific computer |
| Ask several in parallel | The same question across many machines, with per-machine results |
| Ask the orchestrator | A goal that spans the fleet, where you do not want to name the machines yourself |
The orchestrator is addressed as a machine named server. It is the fleet-level
contact: it can see the roster and route work to the machines that should handle
it. It is not a physical computer and cannot be attached to as a terminal.
What gates it
Machine-to-machine requests use the asking machine’s existing fleet membership — no new credential is minted for them. Two separate gates then apply:
- The target’s connection PIN, when armed, decides who may drive that machine.
- The target’s permission policy decides what the resulting work may do. Note that inbound requests from another machine run under Cmdop’s built-in danger gate rather than your configured rule set — see Permissions.
Ask versus attach
Asking a machine and attaching to one are different operations with different requirements. Asking routes through the relay and works for any online joined machine. Attaching an interactive terminal needs the target reachable at its own relay door, which a LAN-only machine is not. See Connect.
Common questions
Can one machine ask another machine to do work?
Yes. A joined machine can ask another online joined machine for bounded work in natural language. The target machine’s agent performs the work in its own context and replies; this is not a copied shell from the asking machine.
When should I ask the fleet orchestrator?
Use the orchestrator when the goal spans several machines and you do not want to choose each target yourself. Keep the result machine-aware: the orchestrator is a fleet-level contact, not a physical computer or an attachable terminal.
Is machine collaboration the same as terminal attach?
No. Asking routes through the relay to an online joined machine. Terminal attach also needs the target reachable at its own relay door and uses a different authentication path.
Related
- Fleets
- Machine-to-machine requests
- MCP — exposing the same fleet access to an external client.
Cmdop