bernstein-run

name	bernstein-run
description	Run a verified multi-agent goal with Bernstein. Use when a task is too large for a single agent session: Bernstein decomposes the goal into tasks, spawns CLI coding agents in parallel git worktrees, verifies their output, and merges results. Also use to check run status, costs, and to verify a finished run against its lineage and audit chain.

Run a verified multi-agent goal

Bernstein is a deterministic multi-agent orchestrator for CLI coding agents. This skill wraps the three-step operator loop: submit a goal, monitor progress, and verify the finished run against its Merkle-chained lineage journal and HMAC audit chain.

Prerequisites

• bernstein on PATH (pip install bernstein or uv tool install bernstein).
• Run commands from the project root (the directory holding .sdd/ after the first run).
• First-time setup: bernstein init scaffolds config and templates.

Workflow

1. Submit

bernstein run -g "<goal>"

• The goal is a plain-English description of what to build or fix.
• Bernstein plans tasks, assigns roles (backend, frontend, qa, security, devops), and spawns agents in isolated git worktrees.
• Preview without spending: bernstein run --dry-run -g "<goal>".

2. Monitor

bernstein status
bernstein cost

• status shows task summary and agent health.
• cost shows the spend so far against configured budgets.

3. Verify

bernstein lineage verify <run_id>
bernstein audit verify

• lineage verify recomputes the run's Merkle hash chain and every HMAC tag; exit 0 means the chain is intact and non-empty.
• audit verify checks the HMAC audit chain and Merkle tree across the whole workspace; run it before trusting or shipping the result.

Report the run as complete only when both verifications exit 0.

Verifying this skill's own install

Installs of this skill are receipt-backed. To prove the skill content the session is driving matches what was installed:

bernstein skills package verify --dest <path-to-this-skill-directory>

Exit 0 means the installed tree's content address matches a receipt anchored in the lineage spine and audit chain.

Notes

• Never mark a goal done from agent output alone; the lineage and audit verifications are the completion evidence.
• If bernstein is not installed, say so and point at the prerequisites above; do not attempt to reimplement orchestration inline.
• See references/worked-examples.md for end-to-end transcripts and per-host invocation notes.