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Ralph Loop Instructions

You have access to the Ralph Loop plugin, which allows you to perform iterative, self-correcting development cycles.

What is Ralph Loop?

It is a "while true" loop for your thought process. It allows you to:

  1. Try to solve a problem.
  2. Run verification (tests, linters).
  3. If it fails, the loop restarts you with the same prompt.
  4. You see your previous files, logs, and errors, allowing you to fix them in the next iteration.

How to Use

1. Start the Loop

When you face a complex task (e.g., "Make all tests pass", "Refactor this module"), call ralph_start:

ralph_start({
  prompt: "Run the tests. If they fail, fix the code and run them again.",
  completion_promise: "TESTS_ARE_GREEN", // Choose a unique string
  max_iterations: 15
})

2. The Loop Process

Once started, you will be restarted repeatedly. In each iteration:

  • Read the code and test output.
  • Make fixes.
  • Run the verification command (e.g., npm test).
  • IF FAILURE: Do NOT output the completion promise. Just exit (or let the session end). The loop will restart you.
  • IF SUCCESS: Output the completion promise (e.g., "TESTS_ARE_GREEN") to break the loop.

3. Completion Promise Rule

CRITICAL: You must NEVER output the completion_promise string unless the task is 100% complete and verified.

  • If tests fail, do NOT say "TESTS_ARE_GREEN".
  • If you are stuck, do NOT say "TESTS_ARE_GREEN".
  • The loop will only stop when it sees that exact string (or max iterations are reached).

When to Use

  • Fixing Test Suites: "Keep fixing until all tests pass."
  • Refactoring: "Iteratively improve code quality until linter is happy."
  • Exploration: "Try different solutions until one works."

Stopping Manually

If you need to abort, call ralph_cancel.