ultrawork - SKILL.md Agent Skill

name: ultrawork description: Parallel execution engine for high-throughput task completion

Ultrawork is a parallel execution engine for high-throughput task completion. It is a component, not a standalone persistence or verification mode: it provides parallelism, context discipline, and smart delegation guidance, but not durable goal tracking, Team's tmux worker lifecycle, Ralph's legacy persistence loop, architect sign-off, or long-running completion guarantees. - Multiple independent tasks can run simultaneously - User says "ulw", "ultrawork", or explicitly wants parallel execution - Task benefits from concurrent execution plus lightweight evidence before wrap-up - You need a direct-tool lane plus optional background evidence lanes without entering Team or a durable goal workflow - Task needs durable goal tracking, ledger checkpoints, or resume across stories -- use `ultragoal` instead - Task needs coordinated tmux workers, shared task state, mailbox/dispatch coordination, or long-running parallel execution -- use `team` instead - Task requires a full autonomous pipeline -- use `autopilot` instead (default loop: `deep-interview -> ralplan -> ultragoal`, with `team` only when needed) - Task intentionally requires the legacy persistent single-owner completion/verification loop -- use `ralph` explicitly; do not present it as the default durable path - There is only one sequential task with no parallelism opportunity -- execute directly, use `ultragoal` for durable tracking, or delegate to a single `executor` - The request is still in plan-consensus mode -- keep planning artifacts in `ralplan` until execution is explicitly authorized Sequential task execution wastes time when tasks are independent. Ultrawork keeps the execution branch fast while tightening the protocol: gather enough context first, define pass/fail acceptance criteria before editing, decide deliberately between local execution and delegation, and finish with evidence rather than vibes. - Gather enough context before implementation. Start with the task intent, desired outcome, constraints, likely touchpoints, and any uncertainty that would change the execution path. - If uncertainty is still material after a quick repo read, do a focused evidence pass first instead of immediately editing. - Define pass/fail acceptance criteria before launching execution lanes. Include the command, artifact, or manual check that will prove success. - Prefer direct tool work when the task is small, coupled, or blocked on immediate local context. Delegate only when the work is independent enough to benefit from parallel execution. - When useful, run a direct-tool lane and one or more background evidence lanes at the same time. Evidence lanes can cover docs, tests, regression mapping, or bounded repo analysis. - Fire independent agent calls simultaneously -- never serialize independent work. - Always pass the `model` parameter explicitly when delegating. - Read `docs/shared/agent-tiers.md` before first delegation for agent selection guidance. - Auto-delegate `researcher` when official docs, version-aware framework guidance, best practices, or external dependency behavior materially affect task correctness; treat it as an evidence lane, not a replacement primary workflow. - Use `run_in_background: true` for operations over ~30 seconds (installs, builds, tests). - Run quick commands (git status, file reads, simple checks) in the foreground. - Apply the shared workflow guidance pattern: outcome-first framing, concise visible updates for speculative/blocked lanes, local overrides for the active workflow branch, evidence-backed validation, explicit stop rules, and continuation of clear safe execution branches instead of restarting or re-asking. - If the user says `continue`, continue the active workflow branch rather than restarting discovery or re-asking settled questions. 1. **Read agent reference**: Load `docs/shared/agent-tiers.md` for tier selection. 2. **Context + certainty check**: - State the task intent in one sentence. - List the constraints and unknowns that could invalidate a quick fix. - If confidence is low, explore first and narrow the task before editing. 3. **Define acceptance criteria before execution**: - What must be true at the end? - Which command or artifact proves it? - Which manual QA check is required, if any? 4. **Classify the work by dependency shape**: - Independent tasks -> parallel lanes. - Shared-file or prerequisite-heavy tasks -> local execution or staged lanes. 5. **Choose self vs delegate deliberately**: - Work locally when the next step depends on immediate repo context, shared files, or tight iteration. - Delegate when the task slice is bounded, independent, and materially improves throughput. 6. **Run execution lanes**: - Direct-tool lane for immediate implementation or verification work. - Background evidence lanes for tests, docs, repo analysis, or regression checks. 7. **Run dependent tasks sequentially**: Wait for prerequisites before launching dependent work. 8. **Close with lightweight evidence**: - Build/typecheck passes when relevant. - Affected tests pass. - Manual QA notes are recorded when the task needs a human-visible or behavior-level check. - No new errors introduced. - Use LOW-tier delegation for simple lookups and bounded evidence gathering. - Use STANDARD-tier delegation for standard implementation and regression work. - Use THOROUGH-tier delegation for complex analysis, architectural review, or risky multi-file changes. - Prefer a direct-tool lane when the immediate next step is blocked on local context. - Prefer background evidence lanes when you can learn something useful in parallel with implementation. - Use `run_in_background: true` for package installs, builds, and test suites. - Use foreground execution for quick status checks and file operations.

State Management

Use the CLI-first state surface (omx state ... --json) for ultrawork lifecycle state. If explicit MCP compatibility tools are already available, equivalent omx_state calls are optional compatibility, not the default.

On start: omx state write --input '{"mode":"ultrawork","active":true,"reinforcement_count":1,"started_at":"<now>"}' --json
On each reinforcement/loop step: omx state write --input '{"mode":"ultrawork","reinforcement_count":<current>}' --json
On completion: omx state write --input '{"mode":"ultrawork","active":false}' --json
On cancellation/cleanup: run $cancel (which should call omx state clear --input '{"mode":"ultrawork"}' --json)

Two-track execution with acceptance criteria up front: ``` Acceptance criteria: - `npm run build` passes - `node --test dist/scripts/__tests__/codex-native-hook.test.js` passes - Manual QA: verify `$ultrawork` activation message still points to the session state file

Direct-tool lane:

update skills/ultrawork/SKILL.md

Background evidence lane:

use /prompts:test-engineer for this scoped task

Why good: Context is grounded first, acceptance criteria are explicit, and the direct-tool lane runs alongside a bounded evidence lane.
</Good>

<Good>
Correct use of self-vs-delegate judgment:

Shared-file edit in progress across src/scripts/codex-native-hook.ts and its test -> keep implementation local. Independent regression mapping for keyword-detector coverage -> delegate to a test-engineer lane.

Why good: Shared-file work stays local; independent evidence work fans out.
</Good>

<Bad>
Parallelizing before the task is grounded:

use /prompts:executor for this scoped task use /prompts:test-engineer for this scoped task

Why bad: No context snapshot, no pass/fail target, and delegation starts before the work is shaped.
</Bad>

<Bad>
Claiming success without evidence or manual QA:

Made the changes. Ultrawork should be updated now.

Why bad: No verification output, no acceptance evidence, and no manual QA note when the behavior is user-visible.
</Bad>
</Examples>

<Escalation_And_Stop_Conditions>
- When ultrawork is invoked directly, apply lightweight verification only -- build/typecheck passes when relevant, affected tests pass, and manual QA notes are captured when needed.
- Ultrawork does not own persistence, durable ledgers, architect verification, deslop, full QA, or the full verified-completion promise. Do not claim those guarantees from direct ultrawork alone.
- Escalate to `ultragoal` when the work needs durable goal state, story checkpoints, or resume across implementation steps.
- Escalate to `team` when the work needs coordinated tmux workers, shared task state, or durable multi-worker lifecycle control.
- Escalate to explicitly requested `ralph` only for the supported legacy single-owner persistence/verification fallback.
- Ralph owns persistence, architect verification, deslop, and the full verified-completion promise only when explicitly selected as the supported legacy fallback; direct ultrawork does not own those guarantees.
- If a task fails repeatedly across retries, report the issue rather than retrying indefinitely.
- Escalate to the user when tasks have unclear dependencies, conflicting requirements, or a materially branching acceptance target.
</Escalation_And_Stop_Conditions>

<Final_Checklist>
- [ ] Task intent and constraints were grounded before editing
- [ ] Pass/fail acceptance criteria were stated before execution
- [ ] Parallel lanes were used only for independent work
- [ ] Build/typecheck passes when relevant
- [ ] Affected tests pass
- [ ] Manual QA notes recorded when behavior is user-visible
- [ ] No new errors introduced
- [ ] Completion claim stays inside ultrawork's lightweight-verification boundary
</Final_Checklist>

<Advanced>
## Relationship to Other Modes

ultrawork (this skill) -- provides: in-session parallel execution discipline + lightweight evidence

ultragoal (durable goal execution) -- owns: goal ledger, checkpoints, resume across stories, final gate discipline -- may use: team for parallel lanes when a story benefits from coordinated workers

team (tmux coordinated execution) -- owns: worker panes, shared task state, mailbox/dispatch, lifecycle control -- can return: checkpoint-ready evidence to an Ultragoal leader

autopilot (strict autonomous delivery loop) -- default flow: deep-interview -> ralplan -> ultragoal -> code-review -> ultraqa -- may use: team only when an Ultragoal story needs parallel execution

ralph (supported legacy explicit fallback) -- owns: single-owner persistence loop + architect verification when intentionally selected

ecomode (deprecated compatibility-only) -- do not route users there from ultrawork; it is not the current model-selection path


Ultrawork is the parallelism and execution-discipline layer. Ultragoal is the current default durable goal/ledger follow-up. Team is the coordinated tmux parallel runtime, often nested under an Ultragoal story when durable work needs multiple lanes. Autopilot orchestrates the full default lifecycle through deep-interview, ralplan, ultragoal, code-review, and ultraqa. Ralph remains active as an explicit legacy fallback for persistent single-owner verification, but it is not the recommended default durable path. Ecomode is deprecated compatibility-only and should not be advertised as the ultrawork model-selection route.
</Advanced>