opc-architecture

name	opc-architecture
description	Understand OPC (Orchestrated Parallel Claude) architecture: hooks, skills, scripts, and DB extending Claude Code. Use when building or debugging OPC orchestration. Trigger phrases: "how does OPC work", "hook architecture", "agent spawning mechanism".
user-invocable	false

OPC Architecture Understanding

OPC (Orchestrated Parallel Claude) extends Claude Code - it does NOT replace it.

Core Concept

Claude Code CLI is the execution engine. OPC adds orchestration via:

• Hooks - Intercept Claude Code events (PreToolUse, PostToolUse, SessionStart, etc.)
• Skills - Load prompts into Claude Code
• Scripts - Called by hooks/skills for coordination
• Database - Store state between Claude Code instances

How Agents Work

When you spawn an agent:

1. Main Claude Code instance (your terminal) runs hook on Task tool
2. Hook calls subprocess.Popen(["claude", "-p", "prompt"])
3. A NEW Claude Code instance spawns as child process
4. Child runs independently, reads/writes to coordination DB
5. Parent tracks child via PID in DB

$ claude                         ← Main Claude Code (your terminal)
    ↓ Task tool triggers hook
    ↓ subprocess.Popen(["claude", "-p", "..."])
        ├── claude -p "research..."   ← Child agent 1
        ├── claude -p "implement..."  ← Child agent 2
        └── claude -p "test..."       ← Child agent 3

What OPC Is NOT

• OPC is NOT a separate application
• OPC does NOT run without Claude Code
• OPC does NOT intercept Claude API calls directly
• OPC does NOT modify Claude Code's internal behavior

What OPC IS

• OPC IS hooks that Claude Code loads from .claude/hooks/
• OPC IS skills that Claude Code loads from .claude/skills/
• OPC IS scripts that hooks/skills call for coordination
• OPC IS a database backend for state across Claude Code instances

Key Files

.claude/
├── hooks/           ← TypeScript hooks that Claude Code runs
├── skills/          ← SKILL.md prompts that Claude Code loads
├── settings.json    ← Hook registration, Claude Code reads this
└── cache/           ← State files, agent outputs

opc/
├── scripts/         ← Python scripts called by hooks
├── docker-compose.yml ← PostgreSQL, Redis, PgBouncer
└── init-db.sql      ← Database schema

Coordination Flow

1. User runs claude in terminal
2. Claude Code loads hooks from .claude/settings.json
3. User says "spawn a research agent"
4. Claude uses Task tool
5. PreToolUse hook fires, checks resources
6. Hook spawns claude -p "research..." as subprocess
7. Hook stores PID in PostgreSQL
8. Child agent runs, writes output to .claude/cache/agents/<id>/
9. Child completes, broadcasts "done" to PostgreSQL
10. Parent checks DB, reads child's output file

Remember

• Every "agent" is just another claude -p process
• Hooks intercept events, they don't create new functionality
• All coordination happens via files and PostgreSQL
• Claude Code is always the execution engine