TaskOutput

A built-in definition supplied to the request when the tools option was omitted.

Captured description

DEPRECATED: Background tasks return their output file path in the tool result, and you receive a <task-notification> with the same path when the task completes.

  • For bash tasks: prefer using the Read tool on that output file path — it contains stdout/stderr.

  • For local_agent tasks: use the Agent tool result directly. Do NOT Read the .output file — it is a symlink to the full subagent conversation transcript (JSONL) and will overflow your context window.

  • For remote_agent tasks: prefer using the Read tool on the output file path — it contains the streamed remote session output (same as bash).

  • Retrieves output from a running or completed task (background shell, agent, or remote session)

  • Takes a task_id parameter identifying the task

  • Returns the task output along with status information

  • Use block=true (default) to wait for task completion

  • Use block=false for non-blocking check of current status

  • Task IDs can be found using the /tasks command

  • Works with all task types: background shells, async agents, and remote sessions

Input schema

JSON 
{
  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "task_id": {
      "description": "The task ID to get output from",
      "type": "string"
    },
    "block": {
      "description": "Whether to wait for completion",
      "default": true,
      "type": "boolean"
    },
    "timeout": {
      "description": "Max wait time in ms",
      "default": 30000,
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 0,
      "maximum": 600000
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "task_id",
    "block",
    "timeout"
  ],
  "additionalProperties": false
}

Independent estimate

~523 tokens

The captured tool object was counted against the common baseline. This value supports comparison and is not additive.