autodev

/autodev

/autodev manages the repo-local operational contract for autonomous development. It does not replace /evolve or /rpi.

Loop position

The config/intent layer the [operating loop](../../docs/architecture/operating-loop.md) reads each tick — NOT a loop itself. /autodev defines and validates the contract declared in PROGRAM.md/AUTODEV.md — mutable scope, immutable scope, validation commands, escalation rules, stop conditions. The drivers ([/evolve](../evolve/SKILL.md) and Factory, the daemon) consume that contract and run the loop; autodev does not run it. Loop discipline still applies under autonomy: no parallel wave without the wave-validity check; no slice closes without a passing test mapped to a Given/When/Then; capture goes through the promotion ratchet, not into a landfill.

• PROGRAM.md or AUTODEV.md defines the contract: mutable scope, immutable

scope, experiment unit, validation commands, decision policy, escalation rules, and stop conditions.

• ao autodev creates, inspects, and validates that contract.
• ao evolve runs the v2 autonomous improvement loop.
• ao rpi runs one research -> plan -> implement -> validate lifecycle.

Routing

Use this split when the user asks whether the old evolve flow should become a new command or skill:

| Intent | Action | |--------|--------| | define or repair the repo-local autonomous policy | use /autodev and ao autodev | | run the autonomous improvement loop | use /evolve or ao evolve | | run one bounded lifecycle | use /rpi or ao rpi |

PROGRAM.md takes precedence over AUTODEV.md. Treat AUTODEV.md as the compatibility alias.

Execution Steps

Step 1: Detect the contract

if [ -f PROGRAM.md ]; then
  PROGRAM_PATH=PROGRAM.md
elif [ -f AUTODEV.md ]; then
  PROGRAM_PATH=AUTODEV.md
else
  PROGRAM_PATH=
fi

If a contract exists, validate before using it:

ao autodev validate --json ${PROGRAM_PATH:+--file "$PROGRAM_PATH"}

If no contract exists and the user asked to initialize or define the loop, create one:

ao autodev init "<objective>"

Infer the objective from the user request when it is clear. Ask only when the objective cannot be discovered from repo context and inventing it would make the contract misleading.

Step 2: Repair or explain validation failures

When validation fails, inspect the missing fields and patch the program file if the user asked to create or fix the contract. Required sections:

• Objective
• Mutable Scope
• Immutable Scope
• Experiment Unit
• Validation Commands
• Decision Policy
• Escalation Rules
• Stop Conditions

Prefer narrow mutable scope and concrete validation commands. If the needed work crosses immutable scope, create or update a bead instead of silently widening the contract.

Step 3: Hand off to the loop

After ao autodev validate passes:

• For one lifecycle, run /rpi "<goal>" or ao rpi ....
• For the repeated autonomous loop, run /evolve or ao evolve --max-cycles <n>.
• If both PROGRAM.md and GOALS.md exist, GOALS.md is strategic fitness and

PROGRAM.md is the operational execution layer.

Do not mark an autonomous cycle successful only because the main tests pass. The program validation bundle and stop conditions must also be satisfied.

Examples

User: turn this postmortem/analyze/plan/pre-mortem/implement/validate loop into
a v2 command.
Agent: Explain that `ao evolve` runs the loop, then create or validate
`PROGRAM.md` with `/autodev` so the loop has explicit scope and gates.

ao autodev init "Continuously improve AgentOps skills within explicit scope."
ao autodev validate
ao evolve --max-cycles 1

Troubleshooting

| Problem | Response | |---------|----------| | PROGRAM.md not found | Run ao autodev init "<objective>" when setup is requested. | | validation reports missing sections | Patch the missing required sections, then rerun ao autodev validate --json. | | requested work is outside immutable scope | Stop direct edits and create a bead or ask for an explicit contract change. | | user asks "is this evolve?" | Answer: autodev defines the loop contract; evolve runs the loop. |

Reference Documents

• [references/autodev.feature](references/autodev.feature) — Executable spec: contract-bounded unattended loop, manages-not-replaces evolve/rpi, loop-discipline-under-autonomy (soc-qk4b)
• [references/autodev-cli.feature](references/autodev-cli.feature) — Executable spec: ao autodev CLI command behavior, linked to cmd tests (soc-jnfgi)