/rune:arc-hierarchy — Hierarchical Plan Execution

Orchestrates sequential execution of child plans (produced by /rune:devise with --shatter) in dependency order. Each child is executed via a full /rune:arc pipeline. The parent plan serves as the execution manifest.

Load skills: rune-orchestration, chome-pattern, zsh-compat, polling-guard

FC-1: Detection of hierarchical plans belongs HERE — not in arc-preflight.md. Standard /rune:arc runs NEVER see hierarchical logic. Users invoke this skill explicitly when they have a shattered parent plan.

Usage

/rune:arc-hierarchy plans/2026-02-23-feature-auth-plan.md
/rune:arc-hierarchy plans/parent.md --resume       # Resume after interruption
/rune:arc-hierarchy plans/parent.md --dry-run      # Preview execution order only
/rune:arc-hierarchy plans/parent.md --no-merge     # Skip auto-merge on children
/rune:arc-hierarchy plans/parent.md --no-forge     # Skip forge phase on each child arc
/rune:arc-hierarchy plans/parent.md --no-test      # Skip test phase on each child arc

Flags

Flag	Description	Default
--resume	Resume from current execution table state	Off
--dry-run	Show execution order and contracts, exit without running	Off
--no-merge	Pass --no-merge to each child arc run	Off
--no-forge	Pass --no-forge to each child arc run (skip forge phase)	Off
--no-test	Pass --no-test to each child arc run (skip test phase)	Off

Note: --no-pr is always passed to child arc runs — the parent hierarchy manages the single feature PR. --draft, --bot-review, and --no-bot-review are not forwarded to children; configure them on the final parent PR instead.

Parent Plan Detection

A plan is hierarchical if its YAML frontmatter contains both:

hierarchical: true
children_dir: plans/children/

Parse with extractYamlFrontmatter(content). If frontmatter is missing either field, this skill exits with guidance to run /rune:devise --shatter first.

Reference Files

• hierarchy-parser.md — parseExecutionTable, updateExecutionTable, findNextExecutable, parseDependencyContractMatrix, artifact verification
• branch-strategy.md — feature branch creation, child branch management, merge, cleanup
• prerequisite-verification.md — verifyPrerequisites, verifyProvides, resolution strategies
• coherence-check.md — pre-execution contract coherence validation
• session-state.md — session identity resolution, state file schema, liveness check
• main-loop.md — 7 sub-phases (7a-7g): prerequisite verification, branch management, arc invocation, provides verification, merge

---

Orchestration Loop

Workflow Lock (writer)

const lockConflicts = Bash(`cd "${CWD}" && source plugins/rune/scripts/lib/workflow-lock.sh && rune_check_conflicts "writer"`)
if (lockConflicts.includes("CONFLICT")) {
  AskUserQuestion({ question: `Active workflow conflict:\n${lockConflicts}\nProceed anyway?` })
}
Bash(`cd "${CWD}" && source plugins/rune/scripts/lib/workflow-lock.sh && rune_acquire_lock "arc-hierarchy" "writer"`)

Phase 0: Parse Arguments

const args = "$ARGUMENTS".trim()
const planPath = args.replace(/--\S+/g, '').trim()
const resumeMode = args.includes('--resume')
const dryRun = args.includes('--dry-run')
const noMerge = args.includes('--no-merge')

// Extract passthrough flags for forwarding to each child arc invocation
// Narrower allowlist than arc-batch: --no-pr is always hardcoded, PR-related flags excluded
const ARC_HIERARCHY_ALLOWED_FLAGS = ['--no-forge', '--no-test']
const arcPassthroughFlags = ARC_HIERARCHY_ALLOWED_FLAGS.filter(f => args.includes(f))
// arcPassthroughFlags is an array of validated flags (e.g., ['--no-forge'])
// Stored as a space-joined string in the state file; --no-pr is always appended separately

// Guard: empty path check BEFORE validation (BACK-001 fix)
if (!planPath) {
  error("Usage: /rune:arc-hierarchy <parent-plan-path>")
  return
}

// SEC-1: validate path before any file operations
const pathValidation = validatePlanPath(planPath)
if (!pathValidation.valid) {
  error(`Invalid plan path: ${pathValidation.reason}`)
  return
}

Phase 1: Detect Hierarchical Plan

const planContent = Read(planPath)
if (!planContent) {
  error(`Cannot read parent plan: ${planPath}`)
  return
}

const frontmatter = extractYamlFrontmatter(planContent)
if (!frontmatter?.hierarchical || !frontmatter?.children_dir) {
  error("This plan is not hierarchical.")
  error("Expected frontmatter: `hierarchical: true` and `children_dir: plans/children/`")
  error("Run /rune:devise --shatter to decompose a plan into child plans first.")
  return
}

const childrenDir = frontmatter.children_dir

Phase 2: Parse Execution State

// See hierarchy-parser.md for full pseudocode
const executionTable = parseExecutionTable(planContent)
const contractMatrix = parseDependencyContractMatrix(planContent)

if (executionTable.length === 0) {
  error("No execution table found in parent plan. Expected a | Seq | Child Plan | Status | ... table.")
  return
}

const totalChildren = executionTable.length
const completedChildren = executionTable.filter(e => e.status === "completed").length
const pendingChildren = executionTable.filter(e => e.status === "pending").length

log(`Execution table: ${totalChildren} children, ${completedChildren} completed, ${pendingChildren} pending`)

Phase 3: Dry Run (if --dry-run)

if (dryRun) {
  log("Dry run — execution order (topological):")
  let remaining = [...executionTable]
  let order = 0
  let simulatedCompleted = new Set(
    executionTable.filter(e => e.status === "completed").map(e => e.seq)
  )

  while (true) {
    const next = findNextExecutable(remaining.map(e =>
      simulatedCompleted.has(e.seq) ? { ...e, status: "completed" } : e
    ))
    if (!next) break
    order++
    log(`  ${order}. [${next.seq}] ${next.path}`)
    simulatedCompleted.add(next.seq)
    remaining = remaining.filter(e => e.seq !== next.seq)
  }

  if (contractMatrix.length > 0) {
    log("\nContract Matrix:")
    for (const entry of contractMatrix) {
      const requires = entry.requires.length > 0 ? entry.requires.map(a => `${a.type}:${a.name}`).join(", ") : "—"
      const provides = entry.provides.length > 0 ? entry.provides.map(a => `${a.type}:${a.name}`).join(", ") : "—"
      log(`  ${entry.child}: requires=[${requires}] provides=[${provides}]`)
    }
  }

  if (arcPassthroughFlags.length > 0) {
    log(`\nForwarded flags to each child arc: ${arcPassthroughFlags.join(' ')} --no-pr`)
  } else {
    log(`\nForwarded flags to each child arc: --no-pr (always)`)
  }

  return
}

Phase 4: Pre-Execution Coherence Check

// See coherence-check.md for full pseudocode
const coherenceResult = runCoherenceCheck(planContent, executionTable, contractMatrix)
if (coherenceResult.errors.length > 0) {
  warn("Coherence check found issues:")
  for (const err of coherenceResult.errors) {
    warn(`  [${err.severity}] ${err.message}`)
  }

  const hasBlockingErrors = coherenceResult.errors.some(e => e.severity === "error")
  if (hasBlockingErrors) {
    const userChoice = AskUserQuestion({
      questions: [{
        question: "Coherence check found blocking errors. How to proceed?",
        header: "Coherence",
        options: [
          { label: "Abort — fix parent plan first", description: "Review coherence-check.md output" },
          { label: "Continue anyway (risky)", description: "Proceed despite errors" }
        ],
        multiSelect: false
      }]
    })

    // BACK-002 FIX: Handle user response — abort if user chooses to fix first
    if (userChoice !== "Continue anyway (risky)") {
      error("Aborting due to coherence check blocking errors. Fix parent plan and re-run.")
      return
    }
    warn("User chose to continue despite blocking errors.")
  }
}

Phase 5: Session Identity + State File

Resolves CHOME, PID, and session ID. Checks for conflicting sessions (abort if another session owns the state file, unless --resume). Writes .rune/arc-hierarchy-loop.local.md with all session isolation fields.

See session-state.md for the full protocol.

Phase 6: Feature Branch Setup

// See branch-strategy.md for full pseudocode
const featureBranch = createFeatureBranch(frontmatter.title || planPath)
log(`Feature branch created: ${featureBranch}`)

Phase 7: Main Execution Loop

Iterates through child plans in topological order. Each iteration: find next executable child, verify prerequisites, create child branch, update execution table, invoke /rune:arc, verify provides contracts, merge child branch, mark completed. Safety cap prevents infinite loops. Sub-phases:

• 7a: Prerequisite verification (cycle detection after 2 failures)
• 7b: Child branch creation
• 7c: Execution table + state file + JSON sidecar updates
• 7d: Arc invocation for child plan
• 7e: Provides contract verification (4-branch user choice on failure)
• 7f: Merge child branch to feature branch
• 7g: Mark completed in execution table

See main-loop.md for the full protocol.

Phase 8: Finalize

const finalContent = Read(planPath)
const finalTable = parseExecutionTable(finalContent)
const completedCount = finalTable.filter(e => e.status === "completed").length
const failedCount = finalTable.filter(e => e.status === "failed").length
const partialCount = finalTable.filter(e => e.status === "partial").length
const skippedCount = finalTable.filter(e => e.status === "skipped").length

log(`\n── Hierarchy Execution Complete ──`)
log(`  Completed: ${completedCount}/${totalChildren}`)
if (failedCount > 0) log(`  Failed: ${failedCount}`)
if (partialCount > 0) log(`  Partial: ${partialCount}`)
if (skippedCount > 0) log(`  Skipped: ${skippedCount}`)

if (completedCount === totalChildren) {
  // All children succeeded — finalize feature branch
  finalizeFeatureBranch(featureBranch)
  log("The Tarnished has claimed the Elden Throne for the full feature.")
} else {
  warn("Not all children completed. Feature branch left in place for manual review.")
  log(`Feature branch: ${featureBranch}`)
}

// Clean up state file and JSON sidecar
Bash(`rm -f "${stateFile}" ".rune/arc-hierarchy-exec-table.json"`)

// Release workflow lock
Bash(`cd "${CWD}" && source plugins/rune/scripts/lib/workflow-lock.sh && rune_release_lock "arc-hierarchy"`)

---

State File Format

.rune/arc-hierarchy-loop.local.md — YAML frontmatter:

---
active: true
status: active
parent_plan: plans/2026-02-23-feature-auth-plan.md
children_dir: plans/children/
current_child: 02-api-plan.md
feature_branch: feat/hierarchical-auth
execution_table_path: plans/2026-02-23-feature-auth-plan.md
no_merge: false
arc_passthrough_flags: --no-forge
config_dir: /Users/user/.claude
owner_pid: 12345
session_id: abc-123-def-456
started_at: "2026-02-23T00:00:00Z"
---

Arc hierarchy loop state. Do not edit manually.
Use /rune:cancel-arc-hierarchy to stop execution.

JSON Sidecar: .rune/arc-hierarchy-exec-table.json — machine-readable execution table for the stop hook (jq-based parsing). Updated by the orchestrator at Phase 7c before each child arc. The Markdown table in the parent plan remains the human-readable source of truth.

Session isolation fields (CLAUDE.md §11 — CRITICAL):

• config_dir — resolved CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR. Isolates different Claude Code installations.
• owner_pid — $PPID in Bash (Claude Code process PID). Isolates parallel sessions.
• session_id — CLAUDE_SESSION_ID. Diagnostic only — not verifiable in bash.

---

Error Handling

Scenario	Behavior
Path traversal in planPath	Abort immediately (SEC-1)
Not a hierarchical plan	Abort with guidance to /rune:devise --shatter
Another session active	Abort unless --resume
Coherence check errors	AskUserQuestion — user chooses abort or continue
Prerequisites missing	Resolution strategies: pause/self-heal/backtrack/skip (see prerequisite-verification.md)
Provides verification fails	Mark as partial, AskUserQuestion for resolution
Circular dependency detected	Warn, list blocked children, abort loop
Failed predecessor	Warn, list blocked children, offer to skip dependents
Safety cap hit	Abort with diagnostic output