ralph

name	ralph
description	Single-owner execute-fix-verify loop for one clear task. Use with /ralph when one agent should keep going until evidence or blocker.

Ralph

Use /ralph when one owner should complete one clear task end-to-end.

When to use

• A plan or concrete task already exists
• The work is a single logical unit (not parallelisable)
• You need persistent execution until done or blocked

Do not use when

• Work has independent parallel lanes — use /team
• 5+ mechanical tasks — use /ultrawork
• No plan exists yet — use /ralplan first

Input

Accept a plan from /ralplan, a ticket, or a concrete task description. If a /ralplan plan exists, use its acceptance criteria as your definition of done.

Steps

1. Register the loop FIRST — before editing any file, read [OMP SESSION] from SessionStart context and run omp ralph start "<task>" --max-iterations 10 --session-id "<session>". This is mandatory even for small tasks: it tracks the loop so omp ralph status/cancel and /team nudges can see it, binds nested execution to the active /goal, and enforces the iteration cap. Skipping it leaves the loop invisible to the CLI. State what "done" looks like, then start writing code.
2. Implement one slice at a time, in plan order.
3. Verify after each slice — run tests, lint, type-check. Do not batch verification to the end.
4. Fix any failures immediately before moving to the next slice.
5. Record slice completion — after a verified slice, omp ralph tick may be used for completed-slice bookkeeping only. The agent-stop hook is the sole writer of the loop iteration counter and enforces the cap.
6. Repeat until all slices complete with evidence, or a blocker is hit.
7. Final verification — run the full test suite one last time after all slices.
8. End the loop — run omp ralph cancel once done or blocked, so the tracked state is cleared.

Circuit breaker

If the same issue fails 3 times after 3 different fix attempts, stop. Report:

• What was tried
• Why each attempt failed
• What information is missing

Do not keep trying the same approach. Escalate the blocker.

Scope freeze

If you discover work outside the original plan:

• Note it in your output under "Known gaps"
• Do not chase it — finish the planned work first
• If it blocks the plan, stop and report

Rules

• Never claim "done" without running verification
• Commit working increments — don't batch everything into one commit
• Read test output — don't assume green means pass

Final checklist

Before claiming done:

• Every plan slice implemented and verified individually
• Full test suite passes after all slices
• No lint or type errors introduced
• Evidence of completion attached (test output, build log)

Output

• Done — what was completed
• Evidence — test output, build logs, or behaviour proof
• Known gaps — anything intentionally left or discovered but out of scope