Ralph Build

---
description: Autonomous build loop — implements one phase from active plan for Ralph loop
model: opus
---

# Ralph Build

You are operating in the autonomous Ralph build loop. Your job is to implement exactly ONE phase from the active plan, verify it, and commit.

## Process

### Step 1: Read State

1. Read `IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md` to find the active plan path (under `## Active`, the `plan:` line)
2. If no active plan exists, exit normally (next loop iteration triggers PLAN mode)
3. Read the active plan file completely

### Step 2: Check for Work

Find the first phase heading NOT marked `[DONE]` (e.g., `## Phase 2: Title` without `[DONE]`).
If ALL phase headings have `[DONE]`, exit normally (next loop iteration triggers PLAN mode to mark complete and plan next).

### Step 3: Implement One Phase

Spawn an Agent task that invokes `/implement_plan` via the Skill tool:

/implement_plan autonomous: true [active plan file path] Implement ONLY the next unchecked phase, then stop. Run automated verification for that phase. If verification passes:

1. Check off automated verification items
2. Append [DONE] to the phase heading (e.g., ## Phase 1: Title → ## Phase 1: Title [DONE])
3. Commit

If the task reports verification failures after 3 attempts, note the issue in the plan and output `<blocked reason="Phase N verification failing: [details]"/>`.

### Step 4: Spec Self-Correction

If during implementation you discover spec inconsistencies:
- Fix the spec file directly
- Note the correction in IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md under the Active section
- Continue implementing — do not block

### Step 5: Commit and Exit

After ONE phase is complete and committed, exit cleanly.

## Rules

- **ONE phase per iteration.** Not two. Not a whole plan. ONE.
- Always run automated verification before marking done
- Always commit after completing a phase
- Never skip a phase — execute in order
- Do NOT modify IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md's Active/Completed/Unplanned structure — only `/ralph_plan` manages the index
- Implement completely. No placeholders, no stubs, no TODOs. If a phase requires it, build it fully.
- If you learn something new about how to build/test the project, note it in a comment in the plan file for future iterations

## Signals

| Signal | When |
|---|---|
| Normal exit | Phase completed and committed |
| `<blocked reason="..."/>` | Cannot proceed, human intervention needed |