spike

name	spike
description	Use when the goal is to investigate, map constraints, and return evidence without committing to implementation. Uses write tools, shell execution, and may spawn subagents. Invoke with enable_write_tools=true and enable_subagent_tools=true.
status	draft

Spike Workflow

Trigger

Start when requirements, constraints, or codebase shape are unclear enough that implementation would be guesswork.

Inputs

• topic — question or domain to investigate
• timebox — explicit exploration limit
• sources — code/docs/systems allowed for review
• validate — expected research deliverable

Purpose

Reduce uncertainty and return an evidence-backed recommendation or boundary without quietly slipping into implementation.

Four Points

• WHAT: Produce grounded findings about the topic.
• HOW: Read targeted sources, map constraints, compare options, summarize evidence.
• DON'T WANT: Unapproved implementation, speculative architecture, or source-free opinions.
• VALIDATE: Findings cite the reviewed sources and end with a concrete recommendation or explicit open questions.

Behavior Scenario

n/a — research-only workflow unless the spike is explicitly paired with a behavior scenario in a separate implementation workflow.

TDD Mode

n/a — no behavior change is implemented in this workflow.

Steps

1. Confirm the research question, timebox, and allowed sources.
2. Gather only the evidence required to answer the question.
3. Compare viable options or boundaries.
4. Return a concise recommendation, explicit non-recommendation, and cited evidence.
5. If implementation becomes necessary, stop and hand off to a feature/bugfix/refactor workflow.

Adapters

• Claude Code: markdown workflow only; researcher/planner style work stays read-only.
• OpenCode: markdown workflow only; no orchestration claims.
• OMP/Pi: markdown-only guidance.

Exit Gate

Stop only when the research question is answered with cited evidence or the remaining unknowns are stated explicitly.

Failure

Stop and report when the allowed sources cannot answer the question, the timebox is exhausted without evidence, or the work would require implementation to continue.