Ralph init

Scaffold or update repo-local Ralph harness. Opt-in only.

Preamble

The plugin root resolves once via the cross-platform env-var fallback (Droid uses DROID_PLUGIN_ROOT; Claude Code documents CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT as its compat alias). Subsequent blocks use $PLUGIN_ROOT:

PLUGIN_ROOT="${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}"

Rules

• Every write lands under scripts/ralph/ in the current repo. A file written anywhere else has broken this.
• If scripts/ralph/ already exists, offer to update (preserves config.env).
• Copy templates from templates/ into scripts/ralph/ (includes ralphctl.py for pause/resume/stop/status).
• Copy flowctl, flowctl.cmd, flowctl.py, flowctl_bootstrap.py, flowctl-help.txt, and the flowctl_tracker/ package (from $PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/) and pick-python.sh (from $PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/lib/) into scripts/ralph/ — flat, so the resolver lands at scripts/ralph/pick-python.sh where ralph.sh and the hook wrapper source it. A pick-python.sh that landed under scripts/ralph/lib/ has broken this.
• Set executable bit on scripts/ralph/ralph.sh, scripts/ralph/ralph_once.sh, scripts/ralph/flowctl, and scripts/ralph/ralphctl.py.
• Hook registration is agent-driven skill prose only. The plugin ships no hooks by default; you (the host agent) merge the guard entries into the project's host settings via Read+Edit, idempotently, without clobbering unrelated hooks. The boundary is hard: there is no flowctl subcommand for hook install/remove/status and no hook machinery in Python. A settings file whose hooks object now holds only flow-next entries, or a hook-install subcommand added to the CLI, has broken this.

Workflow

1. Resolve repo root: git rev-parse --show-toplevel

2. Check if scripts/ralph/ exists:

   • If exists: ask "Update existing Ralph setup? (preserves config.env and runs/) [y/n]"
     • If no: stop
     • If yes: set UPDATE_MODE=1
   • If not exists: set UPDATE_MODE=0

3. Detect available review backends (skip if UPDATE_MODE=1):

   if command -v rpce-cli >/dev/null 2>&1 \
     || [ -x "$HOME/RepoPrompt/repoprompt_ce_cli" ] \
     || [ -x "$HOME/Library/Application Support/RepoPrompt CE/repoprompt_ce_cli" ] \
     || command -v rp-cli >/dev/null 2>&1; then HAVE_RP=1; else HAVE_RP=0; fi
   HAVE_CODEX=$(which codex >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo 1 || echo 0)
   HAVE_COPILOT=$(which copilot >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo 1 || echo 0)
   HAVE_CURSOR=$(which cursor-agent >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo 1 || echo 0)
   

4. Determine review backend (skip if UPDATE_MODE=1):

   • If several are available, ask the user. Show only the options whose CLIs were detected:

     Multiple review backends available. Which one?
     a) RepoPrompt (macOS, visual builder)
     b) Codex CLI (cross-platform, reviewer models via a Codex subscription)
     c) GitHub Copilot CLI (cross-platform, Claude/GPT via Copilot)
     d) Cursor CLI (cross-platform, runs cursor-agent; reviewer models via a Cursor subscription)
     
     (Reply: "a", "rp", "b", "codex", "c", "copilot", "d", "cursor", or just tell me)
     

     Wait for response. Default if empty/ambiguous: prefer rp > codex > copilot > cursor.
   • If only the RepoPrompt CLI ladder resolves: use rp
   • If only codex available: use codex
   • If only copilot available: use copilot
   • If only cursor-agent available: use cursor
   • If none available: use none

5. Copy files using bash — the copies run through cp, never the Write tool. A template reproduced by writing its contents has broken this:

   If UPDATE_MODE=1 (updating):

   # Backup config.env
   cp scripts/ralph/config.env /tmp/ralph-config-backup.env
   
   # Update templates (preserves runs/)
   cp "${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}/templates/flow-next-ralph-init/ralph.sh" scripts/ralph/
   cp "${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}/templates/flow-next-ralph-init/ralph_once.sh" scripts/ralph/
   cp "${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}/templates/flow-next-ralph-init/prompt_plan.md" scripts/ralph/
   cp "${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}/templates/flow-next-ralph-init/prompt_work.md" scripts/ralph/
   cp "${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}/templates/flow-next-ralph-init/prompt_completion.md" scripts/ralph/
   cp "${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}/templates/flow-next-ralph-init/watch-filter.py" scripts/ralph/
   cp "${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}/templates/flow-next-ralph-init/ralphctl.py" scripts/ralph/
   cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl.cmd" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl.py" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl_bootstrap.py" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl-help.txt" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/lib/pick-python.sh" scripts/ralph/
   rm -rf scripts/ralph/flowctl_tracker && cp -R "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl_tracker" scripts/ralph/flowctl_tracker
   # fn-139.5: verify the tracker package post-copy - fail loudly here, never
   # later as an ImportError mid-run
   python3 "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/lib/verify_tracker_manifest.py" scripts/ralph
   mkdir -p scripts/ralph/hooks
   cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/hooks/ralph-guard.py" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/hooks/ralph-guard" scripts/ralph/hooks/
   chmod +x scripts/ralph/ralph.sh scripts/ralph/ralph_once.sh scripts/ralph/flowctl scripts/ralph/ralphctl.py scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard.py scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard
   
   # Restore config.env
   cp /tmp/ralph-config-backup.env scripts/ralph/config.env
   

   If UPDATE_MODE=0 (fresh install):

   mkdir -p scripts/ralph/runs scripts/ralph/hooks
   cp -R "${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}/templates/flow-next-ralph-init/." scripts/ralph/
   cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl.cmd" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl.py" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl_bootstrap.py" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl-help.txt" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/lib/pick-python.sh" scripts/ralph/
   rm -rf scripts/ralph/flowctl_tracker && cp -R "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/flowctl_tracker" scripts/ralph/flowctl_tracker
   # fn-139.5: verify the tracker package post-copy - fail loudly here, never
   # later as an ImportError mid-run
   python3 "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/lib/verify_tracker_manifest.py" scripts/ralph
   cp "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/hooks/ralph-guard.py" "$PLUGIN_ROOT/scripts/hooks/ralph-guard" scripts/ralph/hooks/
   chmod +x scripts/ralph/ralph.sh scripts/ralph/ralph_once.sh scripts/ralph/flowctl scripts/ralph/ralphctl.py scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard.py scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard
   

   Note: cp -R templates/. copies all files including dotfiles (.gitignore).

6. Edit scripts/ralph/config.env to set the chosen review backend (skip if UPDATE_MODE=1):

   • Replace PLAN_REVIEW={{PLAN_REVIEW}} with PLAN_REVIEW=<chosen>
   • Replace WORK_REVIEW={{WORK_REVIEW}} with WORK_REVIEW=<chosen>
   • Replace COMPLETION_REVIEW={{COMPLETION_REVIEW}} with COMPLETION_REVIEW=<chosen>

7. Register project hooks (agent-driven; required for the guard to fire).

   Detect host (same signals as /flow-next:setup Step 0 when available; otherwise probe the settings paths below). Then Read the target file, merge the flow-next Ralph guard entries, Edit/Write the result. The host's existing hooks survive the merge — a settings file whose hooks object now contains only flow-next entries has broken this. Idempotent: if an entry's command already contains scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard, leave that matcher group alone (or refresh the command string to the canonical form below if it drifted).

   Fingerprint for "this is a flow-next Ralph guard entry": the hook command string contains scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard (wrapper and/or .py fallback).

   Canonical guard command (same on every host that can run bash wrappers):

   if [ -f scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard ]; then bash scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard; elif [ -f scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard.py ]; then scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard.py; fi
   

   Timeout: 5 seconds. Type: command.

   Claude Code → merge into .claude/settings.json

   Target: project file .claude/settings.json (create {"hooks":{}} skeleton if missing; preserve every non-hooks key).

   Merge these four event groups under hooks (Claude schema). Matchers use regex OR so Droid interop and Claude share one entry shape:

   Event	Matcher	Notes
   PreToolUse	Bash|Execute	shell (Claude Bash, Droid Execute)
   PreToolUse	Edit|Write	file tools (Claude host names)
   PostToolUse	Bash|Execute	shell
   PostToolUse	Edit|Write	file tools (receipt-path gate parity)
   Stop	(no matcher)	stop gate
   SubagentStop	(no matcher)	subagent stop gate

   Each event's array entry is one matcher group with a single hook object {type, command, timeout} using the canonical command above.

   Consent gate: Claude Code's project-hooks trust prompt is the human consent surface. Do not invent a second consent ceremony. After merge, tell the user they may need to accept/trust project hooks in the host UI for them to load this session.

   Factory Droid → merge into .factory/hooks.json

   Target (verified against Factory hooks-reference): project file .factory/hooks.json. Prefer that path. Fallback only if the project already stores hooks under the hooks key of .factory/settings.json and has no .factory/hooks.json — merge there instead; never invent a third path.

   Host-appropriate matchers for Droid (Factory's shell tool is Execute; file tools include Create / ApplyPatch). The guard body accepts the full dual-platform sets (Bash/Execute, Edit/Write/Create/ApplyPatch).

   Event	Matcher	Notes
   PreToolUse	Bash|Execute	shell
   PreToolUse	Edit|Write|Create|ApplyPatch	Droid file tools
   PostToolUse	Bash|Execute	shell
   PostToolUse	Edit|Write|Create|ApplyPatch	file tools (receipt-path gate)
   Stop	(no matcher)	stop gate
   SubagentStop	(no matcher)	subagent stop gate

   Prefer project-relative command as above (Ralph harness is repo-local). If the host requires absolute paths, rewrite with "$FACTORY_PROJECT_DIR"/scripts/ralph/hooks/... but keep the same fingerprint substring scripts/ralph/hooks/ralph-guard.

   Codex → write/merge project .codex/hooks.json

   Codex has no Claude-schema plugin hooks auto-load from the marketplace plugin. Project scope is .codex/hooks.json.

   Codex subset (no SubagentStop; no Edit/Write matchers — Codex only intercepts shell):

   Event	Matcher
   PreToolUse	Bash|Execute
   PostToolUse	Bash|Execute
   Stop	(no matcher)

   The top-level JSON is exactly {"hooks":{...}} — a sibling description key has broken this (Codex rejects unknown fields and disables all hooks).

   If .codex/config.toml exists, ensure exactly one hooks = true under [features] (drop deprecated codex_hooks). Same normalization intent as setup's historical Codex hooks step; do it with a careful edit, not a second copy of setup's python block unless you need it.

   Cursor / Grok

   • Cursor: Ralph hooks are unsupported (Cursor hook schema is afterFileEdit / beforeShellExecution). Scaffold scripts/ralph/ only; print that the guard will not fire on Cursor; do not invent a Cursor-format hook file.
   • Grok Build: reads Claude-compat plugin/project surfaces; use the Claude Code path (.claude/settings.json).

   Re-run / update

   On UPDATE_MODE=1 still re-merge hooks so a project that had scaffold but lost settings entries is repaired. Skip only when every required event already has a fingerprinted entry with the canonical command.

   Done when: the host's registered event set matches its platform (Codex without SubagentStop or file-tool matchers; Droid with its own file-tool matchers; Cursor scaffold-only plus the printed will-not-fire note), every entry carries the canonical command, and unrelated hooks are still present.

8. Print next steps — the run ends by printing them, never by starting the loop inside the session. A session that executed ralph.sh has broken this:

   If UPDATE_MODE=1:

   Ralph updated! Your config.env was preserved.
   
   Hooks: project settings were re-merged (idempotent). Accept the host's
   project-hooks trust prompt if it appears.
   
   Run from terminal:
   - ./scripts/ralph/ralph_once.sh (one iteration, observe)
   - ./scripts/ralph/ralph.sh (full loop, AFK)
   - ./scripts/ralph/ralphctl.py status|pause|resume|stop  (run control; not flowctl)
   

   If UPDATE_MODE=0:

   Ralph initialized!
   
   Next steps (run from terminal, NOT inside the agent session):
   - Accept project-hooks trust if the host prompts (required once)
   - Edit scripts/ralph/config.env to customize settings
   - ./scripts/ralph/ralph_once.sh (one iteration, observe)
   - ./scripts/ralph/ralph.sh (full loop, AFK)
   - ./scripts/ralph/ralphctl.py status|pause|resume|stop  (run control; not flowctl)
   
   Maintenance:
   - Re-run /flow-next:ralph-init after plugin updates to refresh scripts + re-merge hooks
   - Uninstall: /flow-next:uninstall removes hook entries; then manually rm -rf scripts/ralph/ if desired