| name | spec-execute-next |
| description | Autonomously pick the highest-value ready spec, drive it to an outcome-labeled PR, reset the workspace |
| argument-hint | [focus hint, e.g. 'frontend only'] |
Execute Next Best Task
Orchestrator-of-orchestrators: select ONE ready item, delegate the whole execution to spec-execute / spec-continue (their rules apply verbatim - this skill adds only selection and cleanup), then reset the workspace. Designed for autonomous and scheduled runs.
Steps
- Preflight.
git status --porcelain clean (dirty - halt and surface; never sweep foreign work into a task). git switch <base> && git pull && git fetch --prune.
- Inventory.
- Candidates:
approved specs in the project's spec area (profile specs_dir; else detect) - the primary pool - plus in-progress specs with no open PR (to finish; finishing beats starting). Never proposed (unreviewed - the owner approves via spec-approve first), completed, cancelled, or superseded. Skip idea-collection notes without a concrete ticket-sized item.
- In-flight work:
gh pr list --state open --json number,title,headRefName,labels,updatedAt; per-PR file scope via gh pr view <n> --json files --jq '.files[].path'.
- Select ONE.
- Value order: explicit priority marker - mid-flight spec with no open PR (finishing beats starting) - unblocks queued work - smaller effort at equal value. A focus-hint argument narrows the pool, never overrides the conflict gate.
- Conflict gate, skip the candidate if: it already has an open PR (
ai:manual / ai:failed PRs need the owner, not a re-run); its file scope overlaps any open PR's files; it needs a decision the spec leaves open (that is ai:manual before even starting).
- Interactive session - confirm the choice plus runner-up in one question. Autonomous run - proceed. No eligible candidate - report per-candidate skip reasons and stop (skip step 5's sync, still end clean).
- Execute until outcome. Mid-flight spec -
spec-continue; otherwise spec-execute. Run until the PR carries exactly one ai:* label. Never merge.
- Reset (runs regardless of outcome).
git switch <base> && git pull && git fetch --prune. Close any spec whose PR merged since the last run (spec-close) so the queue and docs reflect reality. Re-sync intelligence outputs when the project uses intelligence-sync (bash <umbrella>/sync/scripts/sync.sh). Report: task picked + why; PR URL + outcome label; what needs the owner; runner-up for the next run.
Verify
- Exactly one task progressed to an outcome label; workspace back on a clean, current base.
Scope / hand-off
- All execution rules -
spec-execute; the merge - git-merge-pr after owner accept. The approved queue this skill drains is filled by spec-approve (the owner's gate-1 decision).
CRITICAL
- ONE task per invocation; the next starts only after reset and fresh context.
- The conflict gate is non-negotiable - when in doubt about overlap, pick the next candidate.
- Never block other agents' open PRs.
