Parallel Execution Optimizer
Use this skill when speed comes from doing independent work at the same time: repo inspection, file reads, API checks, browser checks, build/test lanes, deploy readbacks, or multi-worktree implementation passes.
Core Pattern
Turn urgency into a dependency graph before acting.
- Define the objective and done signal.
- Split work into lanes.
- Mark each lane as parallel, sequential, or gated.
- Run independent reads/checks together.
- Keep writes isolated by file, worktree, branch, service, or dataset.
- Merge only after evidence shows the lanes are compatible.
- End with a verification table, not a vague speed claim.
Lane Matrix
Before a large push, write a compact matrix:
Lane | Can run in parallel? | Write surface | Risk | Verification
Repo scan | yes | none | low | rg/git status outputs
Backend patch | maybe | src/api | medium | unit tests
Frontend patch | maybe | app/components | medium | browser screenshot
Deploy readback | after build | remote service | high | live URL + logs
Only run lanes in parallel when their write surfaces do not collide.
Execution Rules
- Batch file reads, searches, status checks, and metadata queries.
- Use isolated worktrees for large unrelated implementation lanes.
- Start long-running tests, builds, backfills, and deploys in separate sessions, then poll them deliberately.
- If a lane discovers a blocker that changes the plan, pause dependent lanes and update the matrix.
- Never let a background process outlive the turn unless the user explicitly asked for a continuing service.
- Do not parallelize destructive commands, migrations, writes to the same table, or live customer-impacting deploys without an explicit gate.
Output Shape
Use this when reporting:
Parallel execution result:
- Lanes run: 5
- Lanes completed: 4
- Blocked lane: deploy readback, waiting on DNS propagation
- Fast path found: batched repo scan + focused tests
- Verification: lint pass, unit pass, live smoke pass
Failure Modes
- More concurrency that creates conflicting edits.
- Benchmarking the tool instead of the task.
- Treating "fast" as done before correctness is proven.
- Forgetting to poll running sessions.
- Hiding skipped checks behind a success summary.