// Use when modifying the ship loop, debugging ship stages, changing clean/test/rebase behavior, or understanding how spectre-build --ship works end-to-end
Use when modifying build loop code, debugging stats/token tracking, adding CLI features, changing iteration prompts, or understanding how spectre-build works end-to-end
Use when modifying the plan loop, debugging plan stages, changing clarification flow, scope isolation, or understanding how spectre-build --plan works end-to-end
Use when user wants to search for existing knowledge, recall a specific learning, or discover what knowledge is available.
Use when planning product scaling, adding GUI/server layers, multi-model support, adversarial reviews, live steering, telemetry, scheduling/triggers, or node-based pipeline editors to spectre-build
Use when working with pipeline stages, completion strategies, build loop orchestration, or the web GUI for spectre-build
Use this skill when you see @name or /name patterns in user input without file identifiers. This means the user is trying to call a subagent or slash command using Spectre Agent Tools. The @ prefix dispatches to a subagent (e.g., '@tdd-agent write tests', '@code-reviewer check this file'). The / prefix executes a slash command (e.g., '/spectre:scope', '/spectre:plan'). Both require Spectre CLI to run specialized agents and predefined prompts.
| name | feature-ship-loop |
| description | Use when modifying the ship loop, debugging ship stages, changing clean/test/rebase behavior, or understanding how spectre-build --ship works end-to-end |
| user-invocable | false |
Trigger: ship loop, --ship, ship pipeline, clean stage, test stage, rebase stage, land branch, run_ship_pipeline, create_ship_pipeline, ship hooks, notify_ship_complete, clean_discover, clean_investigate, clean_execute, test_plan, test_execute, test_verify, test_commit, sub-stage, subagent dispatch Confidence: high Created: 2026-02-18 Updated: 2026-02-18 Version: 3
The --ship flag on spectre-build runs an 8-stage autonomous loop that takes a feature branch from "works on branch" to "landed on main" without human babysitting. It automates the manual ceremony of running /spectre:clean, /spectre:test, and /spectre:rebase in sequence.
The 8 stages are organized into three logical groups:
Key insight: The ship loop does NOT use --tasks (work is generated from the branch's codebase state). It takes optional --context files and auto-detects the parent branch. The agent handles all git/gh commands via prompts — Python orchestrates, the agent acts.
| Problem | How Ship Loop Solves It |
|---|---|
3 manual /spectre:* commands with babysitting between each | Runs autonomously: clean → test → rebase in one invocation |
| Dead code and duplication accumulate on feature branches | Clean group systematically discovers, investigates (with parallel subagents), and removes dead code/duplication |
| Test coverage gaps before landing | Test group plans risk-tiered tests (P0-P3), dispatches parallel subagents to write them, verifies, and commits |
| Rebase + PR creation is error-prone | Rebase stage handles rebase, conflict resolution, PR creation or local merge |
| Session interruptions lose progress | Session persistence + spectre-build resume for ship sessions |
spectre-build --ship --context scope.md --max-iterations 15
git merge-base{parent_branch}..HEAD)spectre-build
# Select "ship" from mode prompt
# Prompted for optional context files
# Confirms detected parent branch
spectre-build ship.md
Where ship.md has YAML frontmatter: ship: true
spectre-build resume # prompts for confirmation
spectre-build resume -y # skip confirmation
parse_args()
├─ --ship → run_ship_pipeline() [cli.py:1294]
├─ interactive "ship" → _detect_parent_branch() + confirm + run_ship_pipeline() [cli.py:1365]
├─ manifest.ship → run_ship_pipeline() [cli.py:1143]
└─ resume session.get("ship") → run_ship_pipeline(resume_context=...) [cli.py:1032]
run_ship_pipeline() [cli.py:859]
├─ _detect_parent_branch() → fail fast if None
├─ working_set_scope = f"{parent_branch}..HEAD"
├─ context dict: parent_branch, working_set_scope, context_files, clean_summary, test_summary
├─ create_ship_pipeline() [loader.py:411] → PipelineConfig(name="ship")
├─ create_ship_event_handler(stats) [stats.py:245]
├─ PipelineExecutor(config, runner, on_event, context, ship_before_stage, ship_after_stage)
└─ executor.run(stats) → (exit_code, total_iterations)
create_ship_pipeline(max_iterations=10) → PipelineConfig
clean_discover: JsonCompletion(["CLEAN_DISCOVER_TASK_COMPLETE", "CLEAN_DISCOVER_COMPLETE"])
transitions: TASK→clean_discover, COMPLETE→clean_investigate
prompt: prompts/shipping/clean_discover.md, max=max_iterations
clean_investigate: JsonCompletion(["CLEAN_INVESTIGATE_TASK_COMPLETE", "CLEAN_INVESTIGATE_COMPLETE"])
transitions: TASK→clean_investigate, COMPLETE→clean_execute
prompt: prompts/shipping/clean_investigate.md, max=max_iterations
** Dispatches parallel subagents for investigation **
clean_execute: JsonCompletion(["CLEAN_EXECUTE_TASK_COMPLETE", "CLEAN_EXECUTE_COMPLETE"])
transitions: TASK→clean_execute, COMPLETE→test_plan
prompt: prompts/shipping/clean_execute.md, max=max_iterations
test_plan: JsonCompletion(["TEST_PLAN_TASK_COMPLETE", "TEST_PLAN_COMPLETE"])
transitions: TASK→test_plan, COMPLETE→test_execute
prompt: prompts/shipping/test_plan.md, max=max_iterations
test_execute: JsonCompletion(["TEST_EXECUTE_TASK_COMPLETE", "TEST_EXECUTE_COMPLETE"])
transitions: TASK→test_execute, COMPLETE→test_verify
prompt: prompts/shipping/test_execute.md, max=max_iterations
** Dispatches parallel @spectre:tester subagents **
test_verify: JsonCompletion(["TEST_VERIFY_TASK_COMPLETE", "TEST_VERIFY_COMPLETE"])
transitions: TASK→test_verify, COMPLETE→test_commit
prompt: prompts/shipping/test_verify.md, max=min(max_iterations, 3)
test_commit: JsonCompletion(["TEST_COMMIT_COMPLETE"])
transitions: COMPLETE→rebase
prompt: prompts/shipping/test_commit.md, max=1
rebase: JsonCompletion(["SHIP_COMPLETE"])
transitions: {} (end)
prompt: prompts/shipping/rebase.md, max=min(max_iterations, 3)
start_stage: "clean_discover"
end_signals: ["SHIP_COMPLETE"]
All stages: denied_tools = PLAN_DENIED_TOOLS
Config (before pipeline)
→ context["parent_branch"] = detected parent
→ context["working_set_scope"] = commit range
ship_before_stage("clean_discover") → snapshot HEAD
clean_discover → scope + dead code + duplication analysis
clean_investigate → parallel subagent investigation of SUSPECT findings
clean_execute → apply approved changes + lint
ship_after_stage("clean_execute") → context["clean_summary"] = git diff summary
ship_before_stage("test_plan") → snapshot HEAD
test_plan → risk assessment + batching strategy
test_execute → parallel subagent test writing
test_verify → run suite, fix failures
test_commit → stage and commit all test files
ship_after_stage("test_commit") → context["test_summary"] = git diff summary
rebase → reads parent_branch, clean_summary, test_summary
→ rebase, verify, land via PR or local merge
→ SHIP_COMPLETE → pipeline ends
ship_before_stage(stage_name, context):
clean_discover → snapshots HEAD (start of clean group)test_plan → snapshots HEAD (start of test group)ship_after_stage(stage_name, context, result):
clean_execute → captures context["clean_summary"] via git diff from snapshottest_commit → captures context["test_summary"] via git diff from snapshotTwo stages use the Task tool to dispatch parallel subagents:
clean_investigate: Chunks SUSPECT findings into 2-5 groups, dispatches up to 4 parallel investigation subagents. Each receives area name, file list, patterns, and an investigation template. Reports: CONFIRMED_SAFE / NEEDS_VALIDATION / KEEP. Optional second wave for high-risk SAFE_TO_REMOVE items.
test_execute: Partitions test plan by risk tier, dispatches one @spectre:tester per batch in a SINGLE message with multiple Task tool calls. P0: 1 file/agent, P1: 2-3 files/agent, P2: 3-5 files/agent. Aims for 3-5 agents medium scope, up to 8 large scope.
Tries git merge-base {candidate} HEAD for each of: main, master, develop. For each candidate with a merge-base, counts commits between the merge-base and HEAD via git rev-list --count. Returns the candidate with the fewest commits (nearest ancestor), or None (fail fast with clear error).
gh pr create --base {parent_branch} with PR template detectiongit merge --ff-only with stash approval via read -p if target branch is dirtygit branch safety-backup-pre-rebase| File | Purpose | When to Modify |
|---|---|---|
build-loop/src/build_loop/cli.py | --ship flag, run_ship_pipeline(), _detect_parent_branch(), ship routing in main/resume/manifest/interactive, session save/load, format_session_summary | Adding CLI flags, changing orchestration, modifying session fields |
build-loop/src/build_loop/pipeline/loader.py | create_ship_pipeline() factory (8 stages), PLAN_DENIED_TOOLS, transitions, denied tools | Adding/modifying stages, changing signals or iteration limits |
build-loop/src/build_loop/hooks.py | ship_before_stage(), ship_after_stage(), _collect_stage_summary() | Changing what context flows between stages |
build-loop/src/build_loop/prompts/shipping/clean_discover.md | Scope + dead code + duplication analysis | Changing clean discovery behavior |
build-loop/src/build_loop/prompts/shipping/clean_investigate.md | Parallel subagent investigation of SUSPECT findings | Changing investigation or subagent dispatch |
build-loop/src/build_loop/prompts/shipping/clean_execute.md | Apply approved changes + lint compliance | Changing execution or commit behavior |
build-loop/src/build_loop/prompts/shipping/test_plan.md | Risk assessment + batching strategy for parallel test writing | Changing test planning or risk tiers |
build-loop/src/build_loop/prompts/shipping/test_execute.md | Parallel @spectre:tester subagent dispatch | Changing test execution or subagent dispatch |
build-loop/src/build_loop/prompts/shipping/test_verify.md | Run test suite, diagnose/fix failures, re-verify | Changing verification behavior |
build-loop/src/build_loop/prompts/shipping/test_commit.md | Stage and commit all test files | Changing commit behavior |
build-loop/src/build_loop/prompts/shipping/rebase.md | Single-window rebase prompt, {parent_branch}, {clean_summary}, {test_summary} vars | Changing rebase/landing behavior, PR template logic |
build-loop/src/build_loop/stats.py | ship_loops field, create_ship_event_handler(), print_summary() ship display | Adding ship-specific metrics |
build-loop/src/build_loop/notify.py | notify_ship_complete() | Changing notification message or sound |
build-loop/src/build_loop/manifest.py | ship: bool field in BuildManifest, parsed from frontmatter | Adding manifest fields |
build-loop/src/build_loop/prompts/shipping/clean.md | DEPRECATED — original monolithic clean prompt, kept for custom YAML pipeline compat | Do not use for new work |
build-loop/src/build_loop/prompts/shipping/test.md | DEPRECATED — original monolithic test prompt, kept for custom YAML pipeline compat | Do not use for new work |
prompts/shipping/ directoryStageConfig to create_ship_pipeline() in loader.py with JsonCompletion strategyship_before_stage()/ship_after_stage() in hooks.pyend_signals if the new stage is terminaltest_ship_pipeline.py, test_ship_hooks.py, prompt testsprompts/shipping/clean_discover.md — scope, dead code, duplication analysisprompts/shipping/clean_investigate.md — subagent dispatch for investigationprompts/shipping/clean_execute.md — apply changes, lint, commitprompts/shipping/test_plan.md — risk assessment, batching strategyprompts/shipping/test_execute.md — subagent dispatch for test writingprompts/shipping/test_verify.md — suite run, failure diagnosisprompts/shipping/test_commit.md — stage and commitprompts/shipping/rebase.md — single window, emits SHIP_COMPLETEhooks.py ship_after_stage() to change what flows between groupsEdit create_ship_pipeline() in loader.py:
max_iterations (default 10)min(max_iterations, 3) — verification should be quick1 — single commit operationmin(max_iterations, 3) — keep low, single context window--tasks for ship: Ship generates work from codebase state, unlike build which requires a tasks file. save_session() passes tasks_file="" for ship sessions.--plan which requires --context, ship works without context files. They're just extra guidance for clean/test stages.main, master, develop and returns the one with fewest commits between merge-base and HEAD. No --parent override flag exists (yet). Fails on detached HEAD or non-standard branch names.run_ship_pipeline() context dict (cli.py) must have keys matching all {variable} placeholders in all 8 sub-stage prompts + rebase.PLAN_DENIED_TOOLS no longer blocks Task — this enables subagent dispatch in clean_investigate and test_execute. Per-stage denied_tools is wired through Stage.run_iteration() → AgentRunner.run_iteration().ship_before_stage matches clean_discover and test_plan (group starts). ship_after_stage matches clean_execute and test_commit (group ends). All other sub-stages are no-ops.ship_before_stage/ship_after_stage catch exceptions and log warnings, never crash the pipeline (PipelineExecutor wraps hook calls in try/except).notify_ship_complete() must be called from main (cli.py:1314), resume (cli.py:1084), and manifest (cli.py:1158). Missing any one = silent completion for that entry point.resume_context is passed directly (cli.py:897-898), bypassing _detect_parent_branch(). The parent branch from the original session is preserved in ship_context.