Ralph specum start

Skill tzachbon/smart-ralph/plugins/ralph-specum-codex/skills/ralph-specum-start

Spec-driven development with smart compaction. Claude Code plugin combining Ralph Wiggum loop with structured specification workflow.

Install

npx -y skills add tzachbon/smart-ralph --skill ralph-specum-start

Assembled from the repository path, not quoted from the project. Check it against their README if it does not work.

What its author says it does

Copied from the file, not written here

This skill should be used only when the user explicitly asks to use `$ralph-specum-start`, or explicitly asks Ralph Specum in Codex to start or resume a spec.

SKILL.md

2.9 KB, as published. Nobody here has run it

Ralph Specum Start

Use this for the start and new entrypoints.

Contract

Read .claude/ralph-specum.local.md when present
Default specs root is ./specs
Keep .current-spec in the default specs root
Keep the standard Ralph files stable
Merge .ralph-state.json. Do not replace the full object

Action

Parse explicit name, goal, --quick, commit flags, optional specs root, and optional --tasks-size fine|coarse.
Resolve the target by explicit path, exact name, or .current-spec.
If the same name exists in multiple configured roots, stop and require a full path.
Check active epic context from specs/.current-epic when no explicit spec was chosen.
For large or cross-cutting goals, route to triage instead of forcing a single spec.
new is an alias here. Create the spec directory if needed.
Initialize or merge state with:
- source: "spec"
- name
- basePath
- phase: "research"
- taskIndex: 0
- totalTasks: 0
- taskIteration: 1
- maxTaskIterations: settings default or 5
- globalIteration: 1
- maxGlobalIterations: 100
- commitSpec: settings auto_commit_spec or true
- relatedSpecs: []
- awaitingApproval: true when the run will stop after setup and wait for explicit direction
- awaitingApproval: false when quick mode or explicit autonomy will continue without pausing
- preserve or set quickMode
- preserve or set granularity when --tasks-size was supplied
- preserve or set epicName when starting from an epic suggestion
Update .current-spec.
Write .progress.md with goal, current phase, next step, blockers, learnings, and skill discovery results when used.
On resume, prefer tasks.md and present files over stale state when they disagree.
In quick mode, generate missing artifacts in order, skip normal approval pauses, and continue into implementation in the same run.
Without quick mode or explicit autonomy: STOP HERE after setup. Do NOT proceed to research. Wait for the user to explicitly ask to continue. This is non-negotiable.

Branch Isolation

If the user wants isolation, offer a feature branch in place or a worktree with a feature branch.
If a worktree is created, stop after creation and ask the user to continue from that worktree.

Response Handoff

After creating or resuming the spec, name the resolved spec path and summarize the current state briefly.
End with exactly one explicit choice prompt:
- request changes
- continue to research
Do not run research until the user explicitly asks to continue or explicitly asked for quick or autonomous flow.