Ralph Specum Start

Ralph Specum Start

Use this for the start and new entrypoints.

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

• Read .claude/ralph-specum.local.md when present
• Default specs root is ./specs
• Keep .current-spec in the default specs root
• Keep the standard Ralph files stable
• Merge .ralph-state.json. Do not replace the full object

Action

1. Parse explicit name, goal, exact --quick or exact --interactive, --resume <prototype-id>, commit flags, optional specs root, and optional --tasks-size fine|coarse. Reject both mode flags together, -q, variants, and natural-language substitutes.
2. Classify new versus resume intent, then resolve the classified target by explicit path, exact name, or .current-spec. A new-spec request does not inherit or recover the existing current spec.
3. If the same name exists in multiple configured roots, stop and require a full path.
4. Check active epic context from specs/.current-epic when no explicit spec was chosen.
5. For large or cross-cutting goals, route to triage instead of forcing a single spec.
6. new is an alias here. Create the spec directory if needed.
7. Initialize or merge state with:
   • source: "spec"
   • name
   • exact goal text used by the context gate
   • basePath
   • phase: "research"
   • taskIndex: 0
   • totalTasks: 0
   • taskIteration: 1
   • maxTaskIterations: settings default or 5
   • globalIteration: 1
   • maxGlobalIterations: 100
   • commitSpec: settings auto_commit_spec or true
   • relatedSpecs: []
   • awaitingApproval: false while the goal interview is active
   • preserve or set quickMode
   • preserve or set granularity when --tasks-size was supplied
   • preserve or set epicName when starting from an epic suggestion
8. Update .current-spec.
9. Write .progress.md with goal, current phase, next step, blockers, learnings, and skill discovery results.
10. On resume, prefer tasks.md and present files over stale state when they disagree.
11. Run phase_gate.py mode through "$RALPH_CODEX_PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/phase_gate.py" with STATE and the exact supplied mode flag. No flag normalizes invalid legacy quick state to interactive.
12. Run skill discovery pass 1 against the goal. Collect plugin skills, project .agents/skills, project .claude/skills, and the current Codex harness catalog. Always select explicitly named skills and record shadowed duplicates.
13. Load "$RALPH_CODEX_PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/interview-framework-codex/SKILL.md", its required algorithm and domain-modeling references, and every selected domain contract in both interactive and quick mode. In interactive mode, follow that algorithm for the start goal territory: outcome and observable success, material scope boundaries, critical constraints, and viable high-level approach. Ask no spec-path, branch, task-size, or discoverable question.
14. 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 a research-analyst child. Apply the shared hard-transition invariant before fresh or resumed research 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.
15. Keep the existing child packet, identity tuple, and receipt behavior unchanged: pass the absolute helper path, state path, identity tuple, a unique teammate dispatch identity, and the verbatim phaseSkillLoad manifest. The child must record its loads and pass check-agent-write with that unique identity before writing research.md.
16. Validate research.md, merge phase: "research" and awaitingApproval: true in interactive mode or false in exact quick mode, update progress, and present artifact approval when interactive.
17. In exact quick mode, record the quick bypass, generate missing artifacts in order, skip normal approval pauses, and continue into implementation in the same run.