From flow-next
Scaffolds or updates a repo-local Ralph autonomous harness under scripts/ralph/. Detects version mismatches between local setup and plugin, prompting user to refresh, skip, or acknowledge.
How this skill is triggered — by the user, by Claude, or both
Slash command
/flow-next:flow-next-ralph-initThe summary Claude sees in its skill listing — used to decide when to auto-load this skill
Scaffold or update repo-local Ralph harness. Opt-in only.
Scaffold or update repo-local Ralph harness. Opt-in only.
Compare .flow/meta.json setup_version to the plugin version; on mismatch, escalate once per plugin version. Fail-open throughout: a missing jq, .flow/meta.json, or plugin manifest silently continues.
SETUP_VER=$(jq -r '.setup_version // empty' .flow/meta.json 2>/dev/null)
PLUGIN_JSON="${DROID_PLUGIN_ROOT:-${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}}/.claude-plugin/plugin.json"
PLUGIN_VER=$(jq -r '.version' "$PLUGIN_JSON" 2>/dev/null || echo "unknown")
VERSION_ACK=$(jq -r '.version_ack // empty' .flow/meta.json 2>/dev/null)
if [[ -n "$SETUP_VER" && "$PLUGIN_VER" != "unknown" && "$SETUP_VER" != "$PLUGIN_VER" ]]; then
if [[ "${FLOW_RALPH:-}" == "1" || -n "${REVIEW_RECEIPT_PATH:-}" \
|| "${FLOW_AUTONOMOUS:-}" == "1" || "${ARGUMENTS:-}" == *mode:autonomous* \
|| "$VERSION_ACK" == "$PLUGIN_VER" ]]; then
echo "Local setup v${SETUP_VER} differs from plugin v${PLUGIN_VER}. Run /flow-next:setup to refresh local scripts." >&2
else
echo "FLOW_SETUP_ASK ${SETUP_VER} ${PLUGIN_VER}"
fi
fi
If the block printed a FLOW_SETUP_ASK line, before proceeding ask the user with AskUserQuestion (local setup differs from the plugin; refresh now?), offering exactly the options Refresh now, Remind me next version, Skip this run, then continue the skill whichever is chosen:
/flow-next:setup in this session (do not run setup yourself), then continue once it finishes.PJ="${DROID_PLUGIN_ROOT:-${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}}/.claude-plugin/plugin.json"
PV=$(jq -r '.version' "$PJ" 2>/dev/null)
[[ -n "$PV" && "$PV" != "null" ]] && rm -f .flow/meta.json.tmp && jq --arg v "$PV" '.version_ack = $v' .flow/meta.json > .flow/meta.json.tmp && mv .flow/meta.json.tmp .flow/meta.json
Any other output (the one-line differs notice, or nothing) is non-blocking: continue.
The plugin root resolves once via the cross-platform env-var fallback (Droid uses DROID_PLUGIN_ROOT; Claude Code documents CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT as its compat alias). Subsequent blocks use $PLUGIN_ROOT:
PLUGIN_ROOT="${DROID_PLUGIN_ROOT:-${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}}"
scripts/ralph/ in the current repo.scripts/ralph/ already exists, offer to update (preserves config.env).templates/ into scripts/ralph/.flowctl, flowctl.cmd, flowctl.py (from $PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/) and pick-python.sh (from $PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/lib/) into scripts/ralph/ — flat, so the resolver lands at scripts/ralph/pick-python.sh (NOT scripts/ralph/lib/) where ralph.sh and the hook wrapper source it.scripts/ralph/ralph.sh, scripts/ralph/ralph_once.sh, and scripts/ralph/flowctl.Resolve repo root: git rev-parse --show-toplevel
Check if scripts/ralph/ exists:
Detect available review backends (skip if UPDATE_MODE=1):
HAVE_RP=$(which rp-cli >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo 1 || echo 0)
HAVE_CODEX=$(which codex >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo 1 || echo 0)
HAVE_COPILOT=$(which copilot >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo 1 || echo 0)
HAVE_CURSOR=$(which cursor-agent >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo 1 || echo 0)
Determine review backend (skip if UPDATE_MODE=1):
Multiple review backends available. Which one?
a) RepoPrompt (macOS, visual builder)
b) Codex CLI (cross-platform, GPT 5.5 High)
c) GitHub Copilot CLI (cross-platform, Claude/GPT via Copilot)
d) Cursor CLI (cross-platform, runs cursor-agent; gpt-5.5-high via Cursor subscription)
(Reply: "a", "rp", "b", "codex", "c", "copilot", "d", "cursor", or just tell me)
Wait for response. Default if empty/ambiguous: prefer rp > codex > copilot > cursor.rpcodexcopilotcursornoneCopy files using bash (MUST use cp, NOT Write tool):
If UPDATE_MODE=1 (updating):
# Backup config.env
cp scripts/ralph/config.env /tmp/ralph-config-backup.env
# Update templates (preserves runs/)
cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/flow-next-ralph-init/templates/ralph.sh" scripts/ralph/
cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/flow-next-ralph-init/templates/ralph_once.sh" scripts/ralph/
cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/flow-next-ralph-init/templates/prompt_plan.md" scripts/ralph/
cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/flow-next-ralph-init/templates/prompt_work.md" scripts/ralph/
cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/flow-next-ralph-init/templates/prompt_completion.md" scripts/ralph/
cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/flow-next-ralph-init/templates/watch-filter.py" scripts/ralph/
cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl.cmd" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl.py" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/lib/pick-python.sh" scripts/ralph/
mkdir -p scripts/ralph/hooks
cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/hooks/ralph-guard.py" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/hooks/ralph-guard" scripts/ralph/hooks/
chmod +x scripts/ralph/ralph.sh scripts/ralph/ralph_once.sh scripts/ralph/flowctl scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard.py scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard
# Restore config.env
cp /tmp/ralph-config-backup.env scripts/ralph/config.env
If UPDATE_MODE=0 (fresh install):
mkdir -p scripts/ralph/runs scripts/ralph/hooks
cp -R "$PLUGIN_ROOT/skills/flow-next-ralph-init/templates/." scripts/ralph/
cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl.cmd" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl.py" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/lib/pick-python.sh" scripts/ralph/
cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/hooks/ralph-guard.py" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/hooks/ralph-guard" scripts/ralph/hooks/
chmod +x scripts/ralph/ralph.sh scripts/ralph/ralph_once.sh scripts/ralph/flowctl scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard.py scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard
Note: cp -R templates/. copies all files including dotfiles (.gitignore).
Edit scripts/ralph/config.env to set the chosen review backend (skip if UPDATE_MODE=1):
PLAN_REVIEW={{PLAN_REVIEW}} with PLAN_REVIEW=<chosen>WORK_REVIEW={{WORK_REVIEW}} with WORK_REVIEW=<chosen>COMPLETION_REVIEW={{COMPLETION_REVIEW}} with COMPLETION_REVIEW=<chosen>Print next steps (run from terminal, NOT inside Claude Code):
If UPDATE_MODE=1:
Ralph updated! Your config.env was preserved.
Changes in this version:
- Removed local hooks requirement (plugin hooks work when installed normally)
Run from terminal:
- ./scripts/ralph/ralph_once.sh (one iteration, observe)
- ./scripts/ralph/ralph.sh (full loop, AFK)
If UPDATE_MODE=0:
Ralph initialized!
Next steps (run from terminal, NOT inside Claude Code):
- Edit scripts/ralph/config.env to customize settings
- ./scripts/ralph/ralph_once.sh (one iteration, observe)
- ./scripts/ralph/ralph.sh (full loop, AFK)
Maintenance:
- Re-run /flow-next:ralph-init after plugin updates to refresh scripts
- Uninstall (run manually): rm -rf scripts/ralph/
npx claudepluginhub gmickel/flow-next --plugin flow-nextRuns a coding agent in an autonomous loop via /ralph, gated by a preflight check for CLI readiness. Use for long-running autonomous development from a wide, outcome-focused prompt.
Set up and configure Geoffrey Huntley's original Ralph Wiggum autonomous coding loop in any directory with proper structure, prompts, and backpressure.
Documents Ralph plugin arguments (--quick, --commit), execution modes (normal/quick), state management (.ralph-state.json), commit behavior, task loops, and error handling.