Sprint workflow

Sprint Workflow

Overview

Sprint Workflow describes the convergent diffusion execution model used by the Sprint plugin. A sprint progresses through six distinct phases -- from loading specifications through architectural planning, parallel implementation, testing, review, and finalization.

Prerequisites

• Sprint plugin installed (/plugin install sprint)
• Project onboarded via /sprint:setup (creates .claude/project-goals.md and .claude/project-map.md)
• Sprint created via /sprint:new with a completed specs.md
• Understanding of the agent system (see the agent-patterns skill)

Instructions

1. Phase 0 -- Load Specifications. The orchestrator locates the sprint directory at .claude/sprint/[N]/, reads specs.md for requirements, reads status.md if resuming a prior iteration, and detects the project type for framework-specific agent selection. See ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/sprint-phases.md for the full phase reference.
2. Phase 1 -- Architectural Planning. The project-architect agent reads project-map.md for architecture context and project-goals.md for business objectives. It produces specification files (api-contract.md, backend-specs.md, frontend-specs.md) and returns SPAWN REQUEST blocks for implementation agents.
3. Phase 2 -- Implementation. The orchestrator spawns implementation agents in parallel based on the architect's SPAWN REQUEST blocks. Agents include python-dev, nextjs-dev, cicd-agent, and allpurpose-agent. Each agent reads its assigned spec files and the shared api-contract.md, then returns a structured report.
4. Phase 3 -- Testing. Testing agents execute sequentially: qa-test-agent runs first (API and unit tests), then ui-test-agent runs browser-based E2E tests. Framework-specific diagnostics agents (e.g., nextjs-diagnostics-agent) run in parallel with UI tests. All agents produce test reports.
5. Phase 4 -- Review and Iteration. The architect reviews all agent reports, analyzes conformity against specifications, updates specs (removing completed items, adding fixes for failures), and updates status.md. The architect then decides: spawn more implementation agents, run more tests, or finalize.
6. Phase 5 -- Finalization. The orchestrator writes the final status.md summary, ensures all spec files are in a consistent state, cleans up temporary files like manual-test-report.md, and signals FINALIZE to end the sprint.
7. Convergence model. Each iteration reduces noise: completed work is removed from specs, working code is preserved, and only failures are re-addressed. Most sprints converge within 3-5 iterations. After 5 iterations without convergence, the orchestrator pauses and prompts for manual intervention.

Output

• Phase-by-phase execution log showing agent spawns, reports, and decisions
• Updated status.md after each iteration reflecting completed and remaining work
• Specification files that shrink with each iteration as requirements are satisfied
• Final status.md summary upon sprint completion
• FINALIZE signal to the orchestrator when all specs are satisfied

Error Handling

Error	Cause	Solution
Sprint stuck in iteration loop (hits 5 iterations)	Specs too broad or contain unresolvable conflicts	Review status.md for blocking issues; narrow scope or resolve conflicting requirements
Phase 2 agents not spawned	Architect SPAWN REQUEST missing or malformed	Verify architect agent produced valid SPAWN REQUEST blocks with correct agent names
Tests fail repeatedly on same issue	Implementation does not match contract	Compare agent output against api-contract.md; check for schema mismatches
Sprint cannot find specs	Wrong sprint directory number	Verify .claude/sprint/[N]/specs.md exists; run /sprint:new if needed
Architect skips testing phase	Testing section missing from specs.md	Add QA: required and UI Testing: required to the specs (see spec-writing skill)

Examples

Starting a new sprint:

/sprint:new       # Creates .claude/sprint/1/specs.md
# Edit specs.md with requirements
/sprint           # Executes the full phase lifecycle

Resuming after iteration pause:

# Review .claude/sprint/1/status.md for blockers
# Adjust specs.md to narrow scope or fix conflicts
/sprint           # Resumes from Phase 0, reads updated specs and status

Typical convergence flow:

Iteration 1: Architect plans → 3 agents implement → tests find 2 failures
Iteration 2: Architect narrows specs to 2 fixes → agents patch → tests pass
Iteration 3: All specs satisfied → FINALIZE

Resources

• ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/sprint-phases.md -- Detailed reference for all six phases with agent assignments and handoff rules
• Agent patterns skill for SPAWN REQUEST format and report structure
• Spec writing skill for authoring effective specs.md files
• API contract skill for designing the shared interface between agents