Goal
Understand how all the tools work together.
The ACFS Flywheel
This isn't just a collection of tools. It's a compounding loop:
PlanBeads
CoordinateAgent Mail
ExecuteNTM + Agents
RememberCASS Memory
ScanUBS
Each cycle makes the next one better.
The Eight Tools (And When To Use Them)
1. NTM
- Your CockpitntmUse it to:
- Spawn agent sessions
- Send prompts to multiple agents
- Orchestrate parallel work
2. MCP Agent Mail
- CoordinationamUse it to:
- Multiple agents need to share context
- You want agents to "talk" to each other
- Coordinating complex multi-agent workflows
3. UBS
- Quality GuardrailsubsUse it to:
- Scan code for bugs before committing
- Run comprehensive static analysis
- Catch issues early
ubs . # Scan current directory
4. CASS
- Session SearchcassUse it to:
- Search across all agent session history
- Find previous solutions
- Review what agents have done
cass search "authentication error" --robot --limit 5
5. CASS Memory (CM)
- Procedural MemorycmUse it to:
- Build persistent agent memory
- Distill learnings from sessions
- Give agents context from past work
cm context "Building an API" # Get relevant memories cm reflect # Update procedural memory
6. Beads Viewer
- Task ManagementbvUse it to:
- Track tasks and issues
- Kanban view of work
- Keep agents focused on goals
bv --robot-triage # Deterministic triage output
7. CAAM
- Account SwitchingcaamUse it to:
- You hit rate limits
- You want to switch between accounts
- Testing with different credentials
caam status # See current accounts caam activate claude backup-account
8. SLB
- Safety GuardrailsslbUse it to:
- Dangerous commands (when you want them reviewed)
- Two-person rule for destructive operations
- Optional safety layer
A Complete Workflow
Here's how a real session might look:
bash
1# 1. Plan your work2bv --robot-triage # Check tasks3bd ready # See what's ready to work on45# 2. Start your agents6ntm spawn myproject --cc=2 --cod=178# 3. Set context9cm context "Implementing user authentication" --json1011# 4. Send initial prompt12ntm send myproject "Let's implement user authentication.13Here's the context: [paste cm output]"1415# 5. Monitor and guide16ntm attach myproject # Watch progress1718# 6. Scan before committing19ubs . # Check for bugs2021# 7. Update memory22cm reflect # Distill learnings2324# 8. Close the task25bd close <task-id>
The Flywheel Effect
With each cycle:
CASS remembers what worked
CM distills reusable patterns
UBS catches more issues
Agent Mail improves coordination
NTM sessions become more effective
Note
This is why it's called a flywheel - it gets better the more you use it.
Your First Real Task
You're ready! Here's how to start your first project:
bash
1# 1. Create a project directory2mkcd /data/projects/my-first-project34# 2. Initialize git5git init67# 3. Initialize beads for task tracking8bd init910# (Recommended) Create a dedicated Beads sync branch11# Beads uses git worktrees for syncing; syncing to your current branch (often `main`)12# can cause worktree conflicts. Once you have a `main` branch and a remote, run:13git branch beads-sync main14git push -u origin beads-sync15bd config set sync.branch beads-sync1617# 4. Spawn your agents18ntm spawn my-first-project --cc=2 --cod=1 --gmi=11920# 5. Start building!21ntm send my-first-project "Let's build something awesome.22What kind of project should we create?"
Getting Help
acfs doctorCheck everything is workingntm --helpNTM helponboardRe-run this tutorial anytime