autoresearch

name	autoresearch
category	research
status	active
description	Stateful validator-gated research loop that keeps nudging until explicit validation evidence exists. Use when a research output is a bounded deliverable that must pass a script or professor-critic validator, not for ordinary pre-planning docs lookup.
agent_created	true
triggers	["autoresearch","validator-gated research","research loop","keep researching until valid"]

Ported from oh-my-codex autoresearch. OMX runtime conventions ($macro invocation, omx CLI, .omx/ state directory) are replaced with WorkBuddy idioms (Skill tool, Agent tool, task list, .workbuddy/memory).

Autoresearch

Autoresearch is a skill-first, stateful research loop. It keeps the useful measured-research loop, but runs as a native WorkBuddy workflow (task list + .omw/ artifacts) instead of a direct CLI or tmux launch surface.

Boundary with planning research

Use autoresearch when the research output itself is a bounded deliverable that must pass an explicit validator. Do not recommend it for ordinary pre-planning docs lookup or general best-practice checks; use the research skill for that. If autoresearch is intentionally run before architecture planning, its approved artifact should feed evidence into ralplan; it should not become a final architecture/component unless the user explicitly asks for ongoing research automation.

Use when

• You want a persistent research loop.
• The task should keep nudging until explicit validation evidence exists.
• You want init-time choice between script validation and prompt+architect validation.

Do not use when

• You want a generic research/docs lookup (use research).
• You have not decided the validation regime yet.

Core contract

1. Init chooses validation mode. Pick exactly one:
   • mission-validator-script
   • prompt-architect-artifact
2. Persist mode state in .omw/autoresearch/<slug>/autoresearch-state.json including:
   • validation_mode
   • completion_artifact_path
   • mission_validator_command or validator_prompt
   • optional output_artifact_path
3. Completion is artifact-gated. The loop does not stop because the model says "done", because a hook fired once, or because several turns were no-ops.
4. Intake + execution use skills: invoke the deep-interview skill (skill: deep-interview) with an autoresearch intake to clarify the mission + evaluator, then run the loop.

Completion artifact contract

mission-validator-script

The completion artifact must exist and record a passing validator result, for example:

{
  "status": "passed",
  "passed": true,
  "summary": "metric improved beyond baseline"
}

prompt-architect-artifact

The completion artifact must include both an architect approval verdict and an output artifact path, for example:

{
  "validator_prompt": "Review the research output against the mission.",
  "architect_review": { "verdict": "approved" },
  "output_artifact_path": ".omw/autoresearch/<slug>/report.md"
}

Recommended flow

1. Invoke the deep-interview skill (skill: deep-interview) with the --autoresearch intake to clarify mission + evaluator.
2. Materialize .omw/autoresearch/<slug>/mission.md, sandbox.md, and result.json.
3. Start autoresearch with the chosen validation mode stored in mode state (.omw/autoresearch/<slug>/autoresearch-state.json).
4. Use the task list to keep nudging the loop, re-running validation, until the completion artifact satisfies the chosen validation mode.
5. Finish only after the validator artifact is complete.

Migration note

• There is no direct omx autoresearch CLI in WorkBuddy.
• No detached tmux or split-pane launch.
• No noop-count completion gate — completion is strictly artifact/validator-gated.