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Agent skill

Ralph Specum Research

by tzachbon in tzachbon/smart-ralph

This skill should be used only when the user explicitly asks to use $ralph-specum-research, or explicitly asks Ralph Specum in Codex to run the research phase.

MITAuto-check passedAgent Workflows

Install Ralph Specum Research

skills CLI
$ npx skills add tzachbon/smart-ralph --skill ralph-specum-research -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install tzachbon/smart-ralph ralph-specum-research --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/tzachbon/smart-ralph.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/plugins/ralph-specum-codex/skills/ralph-specum-research .claude/skills/ralph-specum-research && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
ralph-specum-research
GitHub stars
559
Token cost
~1.4k tokens
SKILL.md length
678 words
Files
2
Skills in repo
26
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

This skill should be used only when the user explicitly asks to use $ralph-specum-research, or explicitly asks Ralph Specum in Codex to run the research phase.

  • Works in 12 steps: Resolve the active spec. If none exists,… → Read the goal, .progress.md, current… → Run phase_gate.py mode through… → …
  • Explicitly asks to use $ralph-specum-research
  • SKILL.md covers Contract, Action, Output Shape and Response Handoff
  • Calls go

What it does

Ralph Specum Research is an agent skill from tzachbon/smart-ralph. This skill should be used only when the user explicitly asks to use $ralph-specum-research, or explicitly asks Ralph Specum in Codex to run the research phase.

Its SKILL.md is about 1.4k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 2 other files (for example `agents/openai.yaml`).

It sits in Agent Workflows. The repository describes itself as: Spec-driven development with smart compaction. Claude Code plugin combining Ralph Wiggum loop with structured specification workflow. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Explicitly asks to use $ralph-specum-research
  • Explicitly asks Ralph Specum in Codex to run the research phase

Example prompts

  • “/ralph-specum-research”

Workflow steps

12 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

  1. Resolve the active spec. If none exists, stop and tell the user to start a spec first.
  2. Read the goal, .progress.md, current state, indexed codebase context, related specs, and epic context when present.
  3. Run phase_gate.py mode through "$RALPH_CODEX_PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/phase_gate.py" with STATE and exact --quick, exact --interactive, or no…
  4. Run skill discovery pass 1 when the state lacks an applicable revision. Select explicitly named skills and record harness-shadowed…
  5. Load "$RALPH_CODEX_PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/interview-framework-codex/SKILL.md", its required algorithm and domain-modeling references, and all…
  6. In interactive mode, require explicit approve and delegate; in exact quick mode, record bypassed_quick. In both modes, run phase_gate.py…
  7. Delegate research generation to a research-analyst sub-agent. Keep the existing child packet, identity tuple, and receipt behavior…
  8. Read the sub-agent's output and validate it exists.
  9. Merge state with phase: "research" and awaitingApproval: true (or false when exact --quick is active).
  10. Update .progress.md with the research summary, blockers, learnings, next step, skill discovery, and verification tooling notes when…
  11. If spec commits are enabled, commit only the spec artifacts.
  12. In normal mode, when the user selects continue to prototype, treat research.md as approved and route to $ralph-specum-prototype…

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit ac7251a. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    Shell commands in SKILL.md call:

    • go

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Ralph Specum Research loads about 1.4k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 46 tokens; SKILL.md has 678 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~46
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~1.4k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from tzachbon/smart-ralph at commit ac7251a, republished under its MIT licence (© tzachbon). 678 words, ~1,366 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/ralph-specum-research/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 1 other file; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
ralph-specum-research
description
This skill should be used only when the user explicitly asks to use `$ralph-specum-research`, or explicitly asks Ralph Specum in Codex to run the research phase.
metadata.surface
helper
metadata.action
research

Ralph Specum Research

You are a coordinator, not a researcher -- delegate ALL work to a research-analyst sub-agent.

Derive RALPH_CODEX_PLUGIN_ROOT from this loaded skill by resolving two parent directories from the SKILL.md directory. Never derive it from the project working directory.

Contract

  • Resolve the active spec by explicit path, exact name, or .current-spec
  • Respect .claude/ralph-specum.local.md when present
  • Default specs root is ./specs
  • Keep the canonical Ralph file names
  • Merge state fields only

Action

  1. Resolve the active spec. If none exists, stop and tell the user to start a spec first.
  2. Read the goal, .progress.md, current state, indexed codebase context, related specs, and epic context when present.
  3. Run phase_gate.py mode through "$RALPH_CODEX_PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/phase_gate.py" with STATE and exact --quick, exact --interactive, or no flag. Reject both, -q, variants, and natural-language substitutes.
  4. Run skill discovery pass 1 when the state lacks an applicable revision. Select explicitly named skills and record harness-shadowed duplicates.
  5. Load "$RALPH_CODEX_PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/interview-framework-codex/SKILL.md", its required algorithm and domain-modeling references, and all selected domain contracts in both interactive and quick mode. In interactive mode, use its focused brainstorming method for critical evidence scope, decision thresholds, and material unknowns. Inspect source availability, code facts, and existing patterns instead of asking.
  6. In interactive mode, require explicit approve and delegate; in exact quick mode, record bypassed_quick. In both modes, run phase_gate.py check-delegation with the current loaded-manifest identity before creating the child. Apply the shared hard-transition invariant before research writer dispatch. A failed check-delegation in either mode stops this invocation before phase transition, child dispatch, or target-artifact write; after a normal-mode failure, only the next explicit invocation creates a fresh manifest/interview identity. After an exact --quick delegation failure, the next explicit invocation reruns discovery, records a fresh phaseSkillLoad and interview identity, and does not reuse a terminal bypassed_quick interview or its discovery revision. Only a matching in-progress collecting or awaiting_confirmation interview is resumable. Exact --quick retains its existing question-and-approval bypass and discovery, manifest, delegation, and writer checks.
  7. Delegate research generation to a research-analyst sub-agent. Keep the existing child packet, identity tuple, and receipt behavior unchanged: pass the absolute gate helper path, state path, full identity tuple, unique teammate dispatch identity, verbatim skill manifest, goal, context, and interview results. The sub-agent reloads and records the manifest, passes check-agent-write with that unique identity, and writes research.md. Do NOT write research.md yourself.
  8. Read the sub-agent's output and validate it exists.
  9. Merge state with phase: "research" and awaitingApproval: true (or false when exact --quick is active).
  10. Update .progress.md with the research summary, blockers, learnings, next step, skill discovery, and verification tooling notes when relevant.
  11. If spec commits are enabled, commit only the spec artifacts.
  12. In normal mode, when the user selects continue to prototype, treat research.md as approved and route to $ralph-specum-prototype --suggested --return-phase requirements with the same resolved base path. Let that skill own prototype behavior and its return handoff.
Show full SKILL.md (198 more words)Show less
Stop Behavior
  • Without --quick: STOP HERE. Display the walkthrough summary and approval prompt. Do NOT continue to requirements. Wait for the user to explicitly approve and request the next phase.
  • With exact --quick: Record the quick bypass and continue directly into requirements. Do not request a prototype from research; quick mode has one post-requirements request only.

Output Shape

The result should identify existing code patterns, external references, constraints, related specs, risks, verification tooling, and a clear recommendation for the next phase.

Response Handoff

  • After writing research.md, name research.md and summarize the research briefly.
  • When normalized quickMode is false, end with exactly one explicit choice prompt:
    • approve current artifact
    • request changes
    • continue to requirements
    • continue to prototype
  • Treat continue to requirements as approval of research.md.
  • Treat continue to prototype as approval of research.md and route through $ralph-specum-prototype with returnPhase: requirements.
  • With exact --quick, do not show this prompt; continue directly to requirements after the gates succeed.
  • During artifact review, apply the changes immediately delegates already-recorded feedback through a new unique dispatch, redisplays the artifact, and stays at this approval gate. Ask one focused change question only when no feedback is pending. Control-only continue, proceed, and go ahead approve nothing.

© tzachbon, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 1 other file in plugins/ralph-specum-codex/skills/ralph-specum-research of tzachbon/smart-ralph.

  • SKILL.md
  • agents/openai.yaml

Open the folder on GitHubat commit ac7251a

Compare with similar skills

Ralph Specum Research next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Ralph Specum Research compared with similar skills
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Ralph Specum Research this skilltzachbon/smart-ralph559—~1.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
MCP Server Builderanthropics/skills180k63 repos~2.3kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0
Hook Development for Claude Code Pluginsanthropics/claude-plugins-official38k10 repos~4.1kAutomated safety check: NotesApache-2.0
Using Superpowersfarm-fe/farm5.6k36 repos~1.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Executing Plans Inlineobra/superpowers297k2 repos~5.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Skill CreatorAzure/azqr79689 repos~8.2kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0

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Categories

Questions about Ralph Specum Research

What does Ralph Specum Research do?

This skill should be used only when the user explicitly asks to use $ralph-specum-research, or explicitly asks Ralph Specum in Codex to run the research phase. Ralph Specum Research is an agent skill from tzachbon/smart-ralph. This skill should be used only when the user explicitly asks to use $ralph-specum-research, or explicitly asks Ralph Specum in Codex to run the research phase.

When should I use Ralph Specum Research?

Ralph Specum Research fits situations like: explicitly asks to use $ralph-specum-research; explicitly asks Ralph Specum in Codex to run the research phase.

How do I install Ralph Specum Research in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add tzachbon/smart-ralph --skill ralph-specum-research -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (plugins/ralph-specum-codex/skills/ralph-specum-research in tzachbon/smart-ralph) into .claude/skills/ralph-specum-research in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Ralph Specum Research in Codex?

Run `npx skills add tzachbon/smart-ralph --skill ralph-specum-research -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (plugins/ralph-specum-codex/skills/ralph-specum-research in tzachbon/smart-ralph) into .agents/skills/ralph-specum-research in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Ralph Specum Research in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add tzachbon/smart-ralph --skill ralph-specum-research -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/ralph-specum-research, .gemini/skills/ralph-specum-research, .github/skills/ralph-specum-research and .opencode/skills/ralph-specum-research in your project.

What does Ralph Specum Research need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Ralph Specum Research needs the command-line tools its instructions call (go).

Does Ralph Specum Research access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Ralph Specum Research safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Ralph Specum Research use?

Ralph Specum Research is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Ralph Specum Research use?

About 1.4k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 5.5k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Ralph Specum Research?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Ralph Specum Research: MCP Server Builder (anthropics/skills, 180k stars), Hook Development for Claude Code Plugins (anthropics/claude-plugins-official, 38k stars), Using Superpowers (farm-fe/farm, 5.6k stars) and Executing Plans Inline (obra/superpowers, 297k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Ralph Specum Research?

tzachbon (a GitHub user) maintains it in tzachbon/smart-ralph, which has 559 GitHub stars. The repository holds 26 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on September 16, 2026.

Source: tzachbon/smart-ralph on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.