/ouroboros:ouroboros-run

Execute a Seed specification through the Ouroboros workflow engine as a background job. A completed run enqueues formal evaluation by default, and a rejection continues through a bounded Ralph loop.

Usage

/ouroboros:ouroboros-run [seed_file_or_content]

Instructions

Loading MCP tools (deferred-schema guard)

Ouroboros tools may be deferred, and a schema loaded on one turn can unload by the next. Immediately before each ouroboros_* call, load it with the active runtime's tool-discovery capability: "+ouroboros execute" for ouroboros_start_execute_seed, ouroboros_job_wait, ouroboros_job_result, and ouroboros_ac_tree_hud; "+ouroboros session signal" for ouroboros_session_signal_targets and ouroboros_session_signal. A call whose schema is not loaded fails with "Invalid tool parameters". If the tool is already callable, discovery is a no-op and an empty result is expected. Use the Fallback (No MCP Server) section only when the tools are genuinely absent.

Execution Steps

1. Do not create or switch branches yourself. For a background execution job, use_worktree defaults to true: the server runs the task in its own worktree and reports worktree_path / worktree_branch in the job result. Tell the user the task was isolated only when those fields are present. A dispatch_mode="plugin" response delegates to a child session and carries no worktree.

2. Get the Seed. Read a given file path with the active runtime's inspect_code capability, use inline YAML directly, or otherwise take the most recently generated Seed in the conversation.

   Before a fresh start, do not ask about an efficiency policy unless the user raised it or execution.default_policy in ~/.ouroboros/config.yaml is explicitly ask. Otherwise omit both arguments: the server applies the configured default (quality-first when nothing is configured), and its start receipt names the running policy and the change command. If the user did choose, or the config says ask, map the choice in outcome language:

   • Efficient execution: start parallel/decomposed work economically and strengthen the route only when recovery requires it. Send efficiency_mode="adaptive" and frugality_assurance="observe".
   • Quality-first execution: keep child work at the parent starting tier. Send efficiency_mode="quality_first" and frugality_assurance="off".

   frugality_assurance="strict" is a separate explicit opt-in because it may spend extra work on proof; never infer it from the efficiency choice. Do not ask again on resume: the server restores the persisted policy and rejects a resume-time change.

3. Start background execution:

   Tool: ouroboros_start_execute_seed
   Arguments:
     seed_content: <the seed YAML>
     efficiency_mode: <only when chosen: adaptive or quality_first>
     frugality_assurance: <only when chosen: observe, off, or explicit strict>
     session_id: <only when resuming an existing session>
   

   Omit model_tier by default so the runtime selects automatically. Include model_tier: <user choice> only when the user explicitly requested a tier. The call returns at once with job_id, session_id, and execution_id.

4. Hand off. Relay the server's start receipt (IDs, backends, Efficiency Mode with any change command, dashboard). Then add:

   • Live view: if execution.tui_autolaunch: true (or legacy top-level tui_autolaunch: true) is set, run ouroboros tui open; otherwise offer it once without blocking. If it prints a manual command (headless, SSH), relay that once.
   • Observation: a confirmed read-only observer (step 5), or durable catch-up mode.
   • This conversation stays available: the user can refine requirements, review code, or work on an unrelated task in an isolated worktree; check for active-worker conflicts before editing this run's workspace.

5. Delegate observation to exactly one observer. The start result carries response.meta.job_observer, a read-only observer contract with its own wait and result tools, instructions, restrictions, and fallback. If the structured meta is missing, recover the contract from the final <!-- ouroboros-job-observer-v1 base64 ... --> content sentinel and fail closed: if there is more than one sentinel or it is not at the end of the text, the bounded payload does not decode to an object whose only key is job_observer, that contract fails canonical v1 validation (it must equal, field for field, the v1 contract the server builds from its own job_id, cursor, session_id, execution_id, and follow_result_job_keys, so a changed tool, argument, or instruction, or an extra field, fails), its job_id differs from the visible start receipt, or the structured and inline contracts differ, do not spawn an observer and report a transport-integrity failure. Never rebuild the contract from visible IDs.

   With a valid contract and an independent child-session primitive, spawn exactly one observer through the active runtime's orchestrate_subagents capability and pass the contract unchanged. It owns the job cursor, follows the contract (including follow_result_job_keys for chained evaluation and Ralph), and stays read-only. Claim an observer only after the spawn returns a live child ID/path. The main session must not poll the same job while the observer owns it. If plugin mode already delegated the whole execution (no job_id), follow that child's lifecycle instead.

   • A wait call or a parent job-status poll is not a spawn. The contract's host_lifecycle and the runtime's orchestrate_subagents guidance name the concrete spawn and wait mechanics; pass the contract unchanged in the child message. After the live child ID returns, if the runtime cannot wake a parent turn that already ended when the child posts (a child message only queues for the parent), keep the parent turn open with the host's child-wait primitive in waits of at most 60 seconds. Relay meaningful updates and wait again until the terminal summary. User input may interrupt the wait; handle it and resume unless the user asks to stop live observation or replaces the request. Then end only the relay loop, keep the durable job running, and offer next-turn or explicit-status catch-up. If the observer child fails, is cancelled, or exits early, use that same catch-up instead of waiting indefinitely. The relay loop must not poll Ouroboros job tools or touch the observer's cursor.

   If no child can be created, do not claim an observer or promise live messages. The detached worker survives the stdio MCP turn: say progress is durable and will be caught up on the next turn or an explicit status request. Keep the turn open only when the user explicitly asked for live watching (step 6).

   Relaying observer events. Relay each meaningful event in 1-2 lines; suppress unchanged heartbeats, raw tool output, commands, and reasoning.

   • run_configuration: runtime/harness, starting model or tier when known, efficiency mode, frugality assurance.
   • execution_plan: total ACs, dependency/parallel levels, and the first scheduled AC summaries.
   • discovery_summary: bounded targets and purpose.
   • level_started / level_completed, ac_routing / harness_changed ("currently running with"), ac_attempt_judged: only real changes.
   • ac_accepted / ac_rejected: the AC's final acceptance and compact disposition evidence.
   • attention_required: surface immediately (see Active Conductor below).
   • Synapse .queued / .delivering: pending, not applied yet. .applied / .completed: confirm and relay any bounded AC reply. .rejected / .delivery_uncertain: surface immediately; never claim the AC changed course.

   These are English canonical host instructions: render every relay in the user's current conversation language, keeping event codes and mode values only when exact diagnostics help.

6. Fallback: live relay in the main session. Only when there is no observer contract or no child primitive, and the user explicitly asked to keep watching this turn. Never run it beside a delegated observer; otherwise end the turn and catch up from the same cursor next turn.

   Tool: ouroboros_job_wait
   Arguments:
     job_id: <job_id>
     cursor: <latest cursor, or 0>
     timeout_seconds: 180
     view: "summary"
     stream: "linked"
     wait_for: "attention_or_ac_change"
   

   Replace the cursor from response.meta.cursor after every call. Treat response.meta as the source of truth and response.text only as a hint. If response.meta.changed is false, repeat silently; otherwise emit one compact line (phase, AC/sub-AC counts, new current-work hint), never raw JSON, the full tree, or an ETA. On completed, failed, cancelled, or interrupted, say so explicitly and go to step 8.

7. Drill-down only. Use ouroboros_ac_tree_hud when the user asks for details or progress looks stuck, never in the routine loop. view is "compact", "summary", or "tree" (add max_nodes: 30); treat unchanged cursor=<cursor> as a silent no-op.

   Tool: ouroboros_ac_tree_hud
   Arguments:
     session_id: <session_id>
     cursor: <cursor>
     view: "summary"
   

8. Fetch the final result in the polling owner (the observer by default, the main session only on the step 6 fallback):

   Tool: ouroboros_job_result
   Arguments:
     job_id: <job_id>
   

   Present status, session ID, and summary. Its QA verdict (skippable with skip_qa: true at start) is not the formal 3-stage evaluator.

   If the result meta has chained_evaluate_job_id, the polling owner follows that job and fetches its result: render APPROVED when final_approved: true, otherwise not approved with the failed ACs or reason. If the evaluate job failed or timed out, keep the run success and show Next: ooo evaluate <session_id> as the manual retry. If the evaluation has chained_ralph_job_id, follow it too and report approval or the bounded Ralph stop reason; a rejected first evaluation does not make the run blocked.

   Without chained_evaluate_job_id, show:

   • PASS: Next: ooo evaluate <session_id> for formal 3-stage verification
   • REVISE: the differences/suggestions, then Next: Fix the issues above, then ooo run to retry -- or ooo unstuck if blocked
   • FAIL/ESCALATE: Next: Review failures above, then ooo run to retry -- or ooo unstuck if blocked

Synapse intent refinement

Synapse is the ouroboros_session_signal channel that delivers bounded user intent to one running AC. When the user adds implementation intent during an active run, the main session picks the target; never ask the user for internal AC or session IDs.

1. Call ouroboros_session_signal_targets(execution_id=...) with the execution_id from the start result or observer contract.
2. Match the user's meaning against each target's ac_content, display path, and current HUD activity. Select one active target directly; with several, select only a materially more relevant one, and ask a short clarification only for a genuine tie.
3. Additive implementation refinement: call ouroboros_session_signal with the target's exact scope/attempt/execution guards, contract_effect="additive", source="user", mode="redirect", fallback_mode="after_turn", expected_contract_version when discovery supplies it, and one stable idempotency key for this user turn. If the target went stale, rediscover once instead of asking for IDs.
4. Read-only question or assurance request: use mode="inform" and contract_effect="additive", and omit fallback_mode (valid only for redirect). Relay the bounded reply from the completed event.
5. Tell the user which AC was selected and the effective mode; say it was reflected only after .applied or .completed.

Never use Synapse to change approved goals, ACs, constraints, or non-goals; those need an approved shared successor or replacement contract.

Active Conductor attention handling

recommended_host_actions is the authoritative menu; never invent a mutating tool call.

1. VERIFY with at most one short-lived read-only host child using the supplied evidence IDs. Without a verifier primitive, surface the attention and stop before mutation.
2. DECIDE among the ordered menu actions only after engine-owned retry/routing is closed.
3. LOG phase="selected" through ouroboros_record_conductor_decision before ACT. A specification change in run mode needs explicit user approval with its receipt bound.
4. ACT only when the menu names a currently registered MCP tool. A corrective successor preserves the approved contract unless the user approved the shared specification change.
5. LOG exactly one terminal completed, failed, or declined outcome. Never silently retry a failed conductor action.

Fallback (No MCP Server)

Tell the user:

Ouroboros MCP server is not configured.
To enable full execution mode, run: /ouroboros:setup

Without MCP, you can still:
- Use /ouroboros:interview for requirement clarification
- Use /ouroboros:seed to generate specifications
- Manually implement the seed specification

RFC #1392 State Breadcrumb Footer

End the final response with exactly one line ◆ <current state> → next: <recommended action>. Derive the state from live session state via ouroboros_session_status when available, otherwise from this skill's actual outcome. Never use a linear Step N of M footer; when the next step is a real choice, list 2-3 options.