{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7224097136","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2610.37224","title":"Spine: Compiling Subtask Trees into Structured Context for Long-Horizon Coding Agents","display_name":"Spine: Compiling Subtask Trees into Structured Context for Long-Horizon Coding Agents","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-10-27","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7224097136","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2610.37224"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2610.37224","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.37224","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.37224","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"volume":null,"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["arxiv","datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.37224","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5047554822","display_name":"Jiahong Xiang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5239-2540","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5239-2540"]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Xiang, Jiahong","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5006539729","display_name":"Kunqiu Chen","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3820-4785","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3820-4785"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I3045169105","display_name":"Southern University of Science and Technology","ror":"https://ror.org/049tv2d57","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I3045169105"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Chen, Kunqiu","raw_affiliation_strings":["Southern University of Science and Technology , Shenzhen , China,"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Southern University of Science and Technology , Shenzhen , China,","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I3045169105"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5160002881","display_name":"Lingming Zhang","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I157725225","display_name":"University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign","ror":"https://ror.org/047426m28","country_code":"US","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I157725225"]}],"countries":["US"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhang, Lingming","raw_affiliation_strings":["University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , IL , USA,"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , IL , USA,","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I157725225"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5134847494","display_name":"Yuqun Zhang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2239-6723","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2239-6723"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I3045169105","display_name":"Southern University of Science and Technology","ror":"https://ror.org/049tv2d57","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I3045169105"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhang, Yuqun","raw_affiliation_strings":["Southern University of Science and Technology , Shenzhen , China,"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Southern University of Science and Technology , Shenzhen , China,","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I3045169105"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":2,"institutions_distinct_count":2,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10260","display_name":"Software Engineering Research","score":0.9496999979019165,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10260","display_name":"Software Engineering Research","score":0.9496999979019165,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10906","display_name":"AI-based Problem Solving and Planning","score":0.011699999682605267,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10430","display_name":"Software Engineering Techniques and Practices","score":0.010599999688565731,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/codex","display_name":"codices","score":0.7580000162124634},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/software-engineering-tasks","display_name":"software engineering tasks","score":0.6299999952316284},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/llm-based-agents","display_name":"LLM agents","score":0.4020000100135803}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.7940999865531921},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C179518139","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5140297","display_name":"Coding (social sciences)","level":2,"score":0.5490000247955322},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779343474","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3109175","display_name":"Context (archaeology)","level":2,"score":0.5461000204086304},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C113174947","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2859736","display_name":"Tree (set theory)","level":2,"score":0.4918000102043152},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C163797641","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2067937","display_name":"Tree structure","level":3,"score":0.4318000078201294},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.4025999903678894},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C127705205","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5748245","display_name":"Heuristics","level":2,"score":0.38659998774528503},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C80444323","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2878974","display_name":"Theoretical computer science","level":1,"score":0.3758000135421753},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C160145156","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q778586","display_name":"Executable","level":2,"score":0.37119999527931213},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199360897","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9143","display_name":"Programming language","level":1,"score":0.3684000074863434},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777904410","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7397","display_name":"Software","level":2,"score":0.34709998965263367},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C57273362","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q576722","display_name":"Decoding methods","level":2,"score":0.3425999879837036},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C171018156","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7370306","display_name":"Rotation formalisms in three dimensions","level":2,"score":0.3418000042438507},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C62354387","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q875399","display_name":"Boundary (topology)","level":2,"score":0.3156000077724457},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.30320000648498535},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C53833338","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1061424","display_name":"Context switch","level":2,"score":0.30230000615119934},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C86532276","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1184065","display_name":"Delegation","level":2,"score":0.3001999855041504},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108010975","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q500094","display_name":"Pruning","level":2,"score":0.3001999855041504},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C175291020","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1156822","display_name":"Offset (computer science)","level":2,"score":0.2937999963760376},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776937656","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2229669","display_name":"Nesting (process)","level":2,"score":0.28679999709129333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776214188","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q408386","display_name":"Inference","level":2,"score":0.2806999981403351},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C152124472","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1204361","display_name":"Redundancy (engineering)","level":2,"score":0.27730000019073486},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C207024777","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q621673","display_name":"Search tree","level":3,"score":0.2768000066280365},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C120314980","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q180634","display_name":"Distributed computing","level":1,"score":0.2678000032901764},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C56951928","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3539213","display_name":"Trimming","level":2,"score":0.2635999917984009},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177774035","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1246948","display_name":"Granularity","level":2,"score":0.25769999623298645}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2610.37224","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.37224","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.37224","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2610.37224","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2610.37224","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2610.37224","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2610.37224","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.37224","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.37224","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":true,"grobid_xml":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7224097136.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7224097136.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W7172377187","https://openalex.org/W7204277428","https://openalex.org/W7212191441","https://openalex.org/W7221759575","https://openalex.org/W7215726049","https://openalex.org/W7125680675","https://openalex.org/W7204205512","https://openalex.org/W7160420485","https://openalex.org/W7204833327","https://openalex.org/W7117632226"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Long-horizon":[0],"coding":[1],"tasks":[2],"contain":[3],"nested":[4,98],"subtasks.":[5,36],"Typically,":[6],"agents":[7,46],"record":[8],"interactions":[9,144],"sequentially":[10],"into":[11,135,160,223],"a":[12,114,208,226],"growing":[13],"history,":[14],"causing":[15],"context":[16,77,137],"inflation":[17],"and":[18,64,72,81,124,145,192,234,244],"performance":[19],"degradation.":[20],"Compressing":[21],"or":[22],"trimming":[23],"the":[24,93,133,185,198,245],"history":[25],"without":[26],"explicit":[27,86],"subtask":[28,50,56,79,87,118],"boundaries":[29,88],"can":[30],"discard":[31],"information":[32],"needed":[33],"by":[34,47,176,182,190,242,250],"unfinished":[35,142],"Conversely,":[37],"recursive":[38],"subagent":[39],"delegation":[40,103],"isolates":[41],"completed":[42,147],"subtasks":[43,99],"through":[44,89,225],"child":[45],"assigning":[48],"every":[49],"boundary":[51],"to":[52,96,162,211],"delegation,":[53],"which":[54],"conflates":[55],"granularity":[57],"with":[58,78,150,169,230,253],"executing":[59],"agent":[60,84,95],"choice,":[61],"adding":[62],"execution":[63,111],"coordination":[65],"overhead.":[66],"We":[67,157,219],"introduce":[68],"Spine,":[69],"an":[70],"interface":[71],"runtime":[73,109],"that":[74],"align":[75],"model":[76,129,136],"nesting":[80],"completion.":[82],"An":[83],"declares":[85],"work":[90],"scopes,":[91],"allowing":[92],"same":[94],"execute":[97],"inline":[100],"while":[101,153,178],"reserving":[102],"for":[104],"independent":[105],"parallel":[106],"tasks.":[107,202],"The":[108],"organizes":[110],"in":[112,139],"SpineTree,":[113],"persistent":[115],"tree":[116,134],"recording":[117],"relations,":[119],"local":[120],"interactions,":[121],"completion":[122],"states,":[123],"returned":[125],"results.":[126],"Before":[127],"each":[128],"call,":[130],"it":[131,205,238],"compiles":[132],"just":[138],"time,":[140],"retaining":[141],"subtasks'":[143,148],"replacing":[146],"details":[149],"their":[151],"results,":[152],"preserving":[154],"prefix-cache":[155],"reuse.":[156],"integrate":[158,221],"Spine":[159,222],"Codex":[161],"build":[163],"SpineCodex.":[164],"With":[165],"GPT-5.6":[166],"Sol,":[167],"compared":[168,252],"native":[170,254],"Codex,":[171],"SpineCodex":[172],"improves":[173,184,193,239],"SWE-Milestone":[174,240],"Score":[175,210,241],"11.8%":[177],"reducing":[179],"total":[180,217],"cost":[181],"32.4%,":[183],"average":[186,246],"ProgramBench":[187,247],"test-pass":[188,248],"rate":[189,249],"17.3%,":[191],"Mean@5":[194],"on":[195],"eight":[196],"of":[197],"ten":[199],"evaluated":[200],"FrontierSWE":[201],"On":[203],"SWE-Milestone,":[204],"also":[206,220],"achieves":[207],"comparable":[209],"Recursive":[212],"Subagent":[213],"at":[214],"73.7%":[215],"lower":[216],"cost.":[218],"Pi":[224],"reusable":[227],"software":[228],"package:":[229],"Gemini":[231],"3.8":[232,236],"Flash":[233],"Qwen":[235],"27B,":[237],"9.5-17.5%":[243],"4.3-8.7%":[251],"Pi.":[255]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-10-31T12:09:11.096373","created_date":"2026-10-29T00:00:00"}