How to run unattended agents
Start unattended cloud agents from schedules, Slack, Linear, GitHub, GitHub Actions, the Oz CLI, or the Automation Platform API, then inspect every run.
Warp cloud agents can run unattended from schedules, team tools, CI, the Oz CLI, or the API. Use them when you want an agent to keep working after you leave your terminal, react to external events, or run recurring maintenance without a human starting each run.
Every unattended workflow creates a cloud agent run that your team can inspect later. Open runs from the Runs page in the Oz web app, the Agent Management Panel in the Warp app, or the session link posted back to the tool that triggered the agent.
Choose a trigger
Use this table to decide where an unattended agent should start.
| Trigger | Use it when | Where to configure | Where to inspect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled agents | Work should run on a predictable cadence, like weekly triage, nightly dependency checks, or monthly cleanup. | Scheduled Agents or the Scheduled Agents quickstart | Oz web app Runs page, Agent Management Panel in the Warp app, schedule history, and cloud agent session links |
| Slack | A teammate should delegate work from a Slack message or thread. | Slack integration | Slack thread updates, Oz web app Runs page, Agent Management Panel in the Warp app, and the shared run session |
| Linear | An issue, comment, or assignment should start the agent. | Linear integration | Linear issue updates, Oz web app Runs page, Agent Management Panel in the Warp app, and the shared run session |
| GitHub | Someone should delegate work by mentioning @warp-agent on an issue, pull request, or review comment. | GitHub integration | GitHub thread comments, Oz web app Runs page, Agent Management Panel in the Warp app, and the shared run session |
| GitHub Actions | A repository event, PR workflow, issue workflow, or CI failure should start the agent. | GitHub Actions | GitHub Actions logs, PR or issue comments, Oz web app, and cloud agent runs |
| Oz CLI | You want to start a named cloud run from a terminal, script, or local automation. | Oz CLI | CLI output, Oz web app Runs page, Agent Management Panel in the Warp app, and cloud agent session links |
| Warp Platform API | Your internal system should create, query, or monitor runs programmatically. | Warp Platform API | Your system, API results, Oz web app, and run sessions |
Choose a workflow pattern
Run recurring maintenance
Use Scheduled Agents for tasks that should happen on a fixed cadence. Good fits include:
- dependency update checks
- stale issue or PR triage
- repository hygiene
- documentation refreshes
- recurring reports or audits
Each scheduled run starts a fresh cloud agent session and records its own task history, so you can review what ran, when it ran, and what the agent did.
Delegate work from Slack or Linear
Use Slack or Linear when the task starts from team conversation or issue context. These integrations are best for:
- turning a Slack thread into an implementation task
- asking an agent to investigate a Linear issue
- generating a PR from a bug report or product request
- letting teammates monitor progress without opening Warp
The agent posts progress updates back to the source thread or issue and provides a shared run link for deeper inspection.
Delegate work from a GitHub thread
Use the GitHub integration when the task starts from an issue, a pull request, or a review comment. Mention @warp-agent in the thread and the agent picks up that context, replies in place, and reports any pull request it opens. This fits:
- asking for a fix from a review comment without leaving the diff
- turning a bug report issue into a pull request
- answering a question about the code in the issue where it was asked
Mentioning the agent again in the same thread continues the existing run instead of starting a new one.
React to GitHub events
Use GitHub Actions when the trigger should be tied to a repository event and the run should happen inside your CI pipeline.
For example:
- review a PR when it opens
- respond to an
@warp-agentcomment - summarize issues on a schedule
- attempt a fix when CI fails
- suggest fixes for review comments
The GitHub Action can pass event data, prior step output, and repository context into the agent prompt. The agent can comment, review, or open branches depending on the workflow permissions you grant.
Start runs from scripts or internal systems
Use the Oz CLI for scripts and terminal workflows. Use the Warp Platform API when another service should create or monitor runs. This is useful for:
- internal dashboards
- custom webhooks
- CI systems outside GitHub Actions
- recurring jobs managed by your own scheduler
- workflows that need to query run status or results programmatically
Name cloud runs consistently with --name so your team can filter and review related runs later.
Define the run before deploying
Before deploying an unattended agent, define:
- Trigger - What starts the run: schedule, Slack, Linear, GitHub event, CLI command, API request, or another automation.
- Context - Which repository, issue, thread, PR, logs, or files the agent needs.
- Environment - Where the agent runs, including repos, image, setup commands, secrets, and any MCP servers.
- Permissions - What the agent can read or write in GitHub, Slack, Linear, or other systems.
- Output - Whether the agent should comment, open a PR, generate an artifact, post a summary, or only report findings.
- Review path - Where a human will inspect the run, validate results, and approve changes.
If the agent can change code or infrastructure, keep the instructions narrow and make validation explicit.
Review unattended runs
Unattended does not mean invisible. Use these surfaces to review what happened:
- Oz web app - View runs, schedules, run metadata, and session transcripts from a browser or mobile device.
- Managing cloud agents - Filter runs by source, status, day, creator, or trigger.
- Cloud agent session sharing - Inspect the prompt, plan, commands, logs, output, and follow-up messages where available.
- Warp Platform API - Query runs and build internal monitoring around status, runtime, or outcomes.
When a run creates a PR, include the cloud run link in the PR description or a comment. See Attach agent session context to GitHub PRs for a template.
Start with one reviewable workflow
Start with one narrow workflow before deploying many unattended agents:
- Pick one trigger and one repository.
- Use a focused prompt or skill.
- Run it manually or with Run now before enabling a recurring schedule.
- Confirm the run has the right environment, secrets, and permissions.
- Check the output and session transcript.
- Add a review or approval step before merging code changes.
- Expand the workflow only after the first runs are predictable.
Next steps
- Scheduled Agents quickstart - Create your first recurring agent in the Oz web app.
- Integrations quickstart - Trigger agents from Slack or Linear.
- GitHub integration - Set up
@warp-agentmentions on issues and pull requests. - GitHub Actions quickstart - Add an agent to a PR review workflow.
- Multi-agent orchestration - Fan unattended parent runs out to child agents when the work is large enough to shard.
- Viewing cloud agent runs - Inspect and share unattended run sessions.