springfield

name	springfield
description	Orchestrates autonomous development workflows through specialized character-based phases - research (Lisa), complexity assessment (Mayor Quimby), planning (Professor Frink), documentation (Martin Prince), implementation (Ralph), and quality validation (Comic Book Guy). Handles multi-step development tasks end-to-end with automatic error recovery, kickback routing, and iterative refinement. Use for complex feature development, bug fixes requiring investigation, or any task benefiting from structured research-plan-implement-validate cycles. Use when this capability is needed.
metadata	{"author":"bradleygolden"}

Springfield - Autonomous Workflow Orchestration

"I'm learnding!" - Ralph Wiggum

Springfield orchestrates autonomous development workflows through character-based phases: research, planning, documentation, implementation, and validation.

Table of Contents

1. How Springfield Works
2. Workflow Phases
   • Phase: Lisa (Research)
   • Phase: Mayor Quimby (Decide Complexity)
   • Phase: Professor Frink (Plan)
   • Phase: Principal Skinner (Review)
   • Phase: Martin Prince (Documentation)
   • Phase: Ralph (Implement)
   • Phase: Comic Book Guy (QA)
3. Workflow State Machine
4. Error Handling
5. Springfield Philosophy

How Springfield Works

Springfield orchestrates development through a CLI-controlled workflow. All orchestration flows through the Springfield CLI script.

Workflow:

1. Infer task from conversation (use AskUserQuestion if unclear)
2. Initialize session: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/springfield.sh init "TASK_DESCRIPTION"
3. Run autonomous workflow: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/springfield.sh auto
4. Monitor output and report results

The CLI handles all phase execution, state management, and error handling automatically.

Workflow Phases

The CLI executes these phases in sequence:

Phase: Lisa (Research)

Researches the codebase to understand task context and identify relevant patterns. See REFERENCE-LISA.md.

Phase: Mayor Quimby (Decide Complexity)

Reviews research and decides: SIMPLE or COMPLEX? See REFERENCE-QUIMBY.md.

Phase: Professor Frink (Plan)

Creates implementation plans using scientific methodology. See REFERENCE-FRINK.md.

Phase: Principal Skinner (Review)

Reviews Frink's plan for complex tasks with strict standards. See REFERENCE-SKINNER.md.

Phase: Martin Prince (Documentation)

Creates prospective documentation before implementation. See REFERENCE-MARTIN.md.

Phase: Ralph (Implement)

Runs the implementation loop iteratively with small changes and regular commits. See REFERENCE-RALPH.md.

Phase: Comic Book Guy (QA)

Validates implementation against acceptance criteria. Verdicts: APPROVED, KICK_BACK, or ESCALATE. See REFERENCE-COMIC-BOOK-GUY.md.

Workflow State Machine

lisa → quimby → frink → [skinner → frink] → martin → ralph → comic-book-guy
                         (complex only)                             ↓
                                                             APPROVED ✓
                                                             KICK_BACK → (lisa|frink|ralph)
                                                             ESCALATE → USER

Error Handling

• Max 100 orchestration loop iterations (balance: enough for complex workflows with kickbacks, prevents runaway loops)
• Character scripts exit non-zero → mark failed in state.json
• Ralph timeout: 60 minutes max (typical feature implementation timeframe, prevents stuck sessions)
• Kickback limits: Max 2 per target, then ESCALATE (allows refinement attempts, prevents infinite kickback loops)

Springfield Philosophy

Springfield orchestrates autonomous development through eventual consistency and iterative refinement. Each phase is handled by a different character, with Ralph running the implementation loop. See REFERENCE.md for the Ralph pattern philosophy.

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