--- description: "Meta-skill that enforces the 6-phase core loop (discover → elaborate → plan → build → verify → release) with hard gates. Use to coordinate multi-phase projects with guaranteed quality checkpoints. One-time command for the entire project lifecycle." alwaysApply: false --- # Orchestrate > **HARD GATE** — **HARD GATE** — Do NOT invoke orchestrate-project unless you have a clear multi-phase workflow. Single-skill tasks should use dedicated skills instead. Orchestrate is for complex, multi-stage work that requires coordination across phases. The orchestrate skill coordinates projects through a prescriptive 6-phase core loop with hard gates, ensuring consistent quality and preventing scope creep. ## Quick Start ```bash # Start a new project (initializes specs/ YAML cockpit and begins discover phase) claude /orchestrate --mode standard # Or resume an existing project at the current phase claude /orchestrate --mode standard --resume # For low-risk scenarios (hotfixes, refactors on well-tested code) claude /orchestrate --mode fast-track ``` ## The 6-Phase Core Loop 1. **DISCOVER** (3-6 hours): Understand problem. Deliverables: `requirements/VISION_LATEST.yaml`, `requirements/SCOPE_LATEST.yaml`, `plans/TECH_STACK_LATEST.md`. 2. **ELABORATE** (3-6 hours): Research solutions. Deliverables: Prior art in scope YAML, ADRs in `specs/adr/`. 3. **PLAN** (2-4 hours): Write verifiable plan. Deliverables: `release-plan.yaml`, `epics/eNN-*.yaml` with `verify:` per task. 4. **BUILD** (1-8 hours): Execute plan. Runs build-epic once per story in WSJF order. Deliverables: Code; update `execution-status.yaml`. 5. **VERIFY** (1-3 hours): Validate success criteria. Deliverables: UAT evidence, `specs/EVALS-*.md` if used. 6. **RELEASE** (30 min - 2 hours): Ship to production. Deliverables: Release tag (vX.Y.Z), `state.yaml` `release.last_tag`. ### Checkpoint / resume Track progress via `specs/state.yaml` `project_cycle`: - `project_cycle.current_phase`: current phase (1–6) - `project_cycle.completed_phases`: completed phase numbers - `handoff.next_skill`: skill for the current phase - On resume, read `project_cycle.current_phase` and continue from there See [REFERENCE.md](REFERENCE.md) for detailed phase specifications and gate types. ## How Orchestrate Works 1. **Maintains state.yaml** — Tracks current phase, `active_epic`, `active_flow`, decisions, risks. 2. **Spawns appropriate skills** — Routes by `model:` frontmatter. Decisions pass only via `specs/state.yaml` `handoff` between spawns. 3. **Methodology lenses** — If `specs/tech-architecture/e*-TEST_PLAN_LATEST.md` or ADRs exist, apply at phase gates. 4. **Enforces gates** — Hard stops if success criteria not met. 5. **The Gatekeeper** — Between stories in BUILD: read `specs/execution-status.yaml`; previous story must be `done` before starting the next; use `build-epic` for the 8-step epic cycle. 6. **Pauses for confirmation** — After each phase, asks "Ready to proceed?". 7. **Snapshots** — `bash scripts/bp-yaml-snapshot.sh` before major release cuts. ## Orchestration Modes - **Standard**: Enforce all gates. Use for new features and major refactors. - **Fast-Track**: Skip negotiable gates. Use for hotfixes and minor improvements. - **Ad-Hoc**: Warnings only. Use for prototyping and spikes (non-production). See [REFERENCE.md](REFERENCE.md) for full mode behaviors. ## Verification All phases complete with artifacts: ```bash verify: test -f specs/state.yaml && test -f specs/release-plan.yaml && test -f specs/product/SCOPE_LATEST.yaml && ls specs/epics/*.yaml 1>/dev/null && echo "✅ All phases complete" ``` --- # Orchestrate Reference: Phases, Modes, and Workflows Detailed documentation for the `orchestrate-project` meta-skill. ## The 6-Phase Core Loop ### PHASE 1: DISCOVER - **Goal**: Understand the problem completely and map existing context. - **Deliverables**: `requirements/VISION_LATEST.yaml`, `requirements/SCOPE_LATEST.yaml`, `plans/TECH_STACK_LATEST.md`. - **Skills**: `survey-context`, `elaborate-spec`, `grill-me`. - **Gate**: Confirm ("Is the problem clear?"). ### PHASE 2: ELABORATE - **Goal**: Research solutions and lock architectural design. - **Deliverables**: Prior art in scope YAML, ADRs in `specs/adr/`. - **Skills**: `grill-me`, `model-domain`, `define-language`, `deepen-architecture`, `design-interface`. - **Gate**: Quality ≥94% (via `request-review`) + Confirm ("Are decisions locked?"). ### PHASE 3: PLAN - **Goal**: Write a verifiable implementation plan with success criteria. - **Deliverables**: `release-plan.yaml`, `epics/eNN-*.yaml` with `verify:` per task. - **Skills**: `scope-work`, `slice-tasks`, `plan-work`. - **Gate**: Quality (request-review ≥94%) + slopcheck [SUS]/[SLOP]. ### PHASE 4: BUILD - **Goal**: Execute the plan story-by-story using the 8-step `build-epic` cycle with TDD and vertical slices. - **Deliverables**: Code; `execution-status.yaml` updated per story; `specs/metrics/cycle-times.yaml` row per story. - **Skills**: `build-epic` (conductor) → per-story: `survey-context`, `plan-work`, `kickoff-branch`, `develop-tdd`, `verify-work`, `audit-code`, `commit-message`, `release-branch`. - **BCP tracking**: `plan-release` sizes each story in Business Complexity Points (BCP) before the build queue; `plan-work` confirms and writes the size to `state.yaml` as `epic_cycle.story_bcps`. See `docs/references/bcp.md` for the canonical sizing method. - **Timestamps**: `survey-context` stamps `metrics.story_start`; `release-branch` stamps `metrics.story_end` and writes BCP/hr to `specs/metrics/cycle-times.yaml`. - **next_skill**: Each critical-path skill writes `handoff.next_skill` to `state.yaml`. Agents resume by reading `state.yaml` — no guessing. - **Dashboard**: `npm run dashboard` (TUI) or `npm run dashboard:web` (browser, port 7742) shows live pipeline, epic queue, BCP metrics, and cycle-time ledger. - **Gate**: Integration tests PASS; all 8 build-epic steps completed per story. ### PHASE 5: VERIFY - **Goal**: Validate success criteria and ensure production readiness. - **Deliverables**: UAT evidence, eval results. - **Skills**: `run-evals`, `verify-work`, `audit-code`, `request-review` (optional). - **Gate**: Verification Script confirmed; `verify-work` not on `main`/`master`. ### PHASE 6: RELEASE (Integrate) - **Goal**: Ship to `main` with full traceability. - **Deliverables**: Release tag (vX.Y.Z), release notes via semantic-release. - **Skills**: `commit-message`, `release-branch`. - **Git arc**: 1. Plan on `main` (Discover / Plan) 2. `kickoff-branch` → worktree + feature branch + clean baseline 3. Build / Verify / Review on feature branch 4. Integrate: **solo-local** (`scripts/land-branch.sh`) or **team-pr** (`gh pr create` → squash merge) 5. Cleanup worktree; **end on `main`** in primary repo root - **Gate**: Safety ("About to land on main. Confirm?"). --- ## Orchestration Modes ### Mode 1: Standard (Enforce All Gates) **Use Case**: New features, major refactors, architectural changes. **Behavior**: - All Confirm gates require explicit user approval. - All Quality gates are hard stops if threshold is not met. - No shortcuts or phase skipping. ### Mode 2: Fast-Track (Skip Negotiable Gates) **Use Case**: Hotfixes, minor improvements, refactors on well-tested code. **Behavior**: - Skip Discover if `requirements/SCOPE_LATEST.yaml` exists. - Skip Elaborate if design decisions are already locked. - Skip Verify if coverage ≥95% + all tests PASS. - Soft gates auto-approve if baseline conditions are met. ### Mode 3: Ad-Hoc (Legacy, Warnings Only) **Use Case**: Exploration, prototyping, spikes (NOT for production). **Behavior**: - Gates emit warnings but do not block execution. - User can manually skip any phase. - No enforced quality thresholds. --- ## Gate & Checkpoint Types *See `docs/references/gates.md` and `docs/references/checkpoints.md` for full specs.* - **Confirm**: Requires human "yes/no" decision. - **Quality**: Automated threshold check (e.g., coverage, audit score). - **Safety**: Destructive actions require risk acknowledgment. - **Transition**: Mandatory artifact presence check. - **slopcheck**: Identification of [SUS] (Suspicious) or [SLOP] (High-risk) packages. --- ## Error Recovery & State Orchestrate maintains `specs/state.yaml` to track: - **Current flow / epic**: `active_flow`, `active_epic_id`, `epic_cycle`. - **Handoff**: `last_step_completed`, `open_decisions`, `required_reading`, `next_skill`. - **Git**: `branch`, `hash` for session continuity. - **Progress**: Story status lives in `execution-status.yaml` only. In the event of a crash or exit, run `claude /orchestrate --resume` to pick up exactly where the session left off.