---
name: autodev
description: 'Manage bounded autonomous dev loops.'
---
# $autodev

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

- `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.
- `$evolve` runs the Codex v2 autonomous improvement loop.
- `$rpi` runs one Codex research -> plan -> implement -> validate lifecycle.

In Codex, `$autodev` hands work to `$evolve` or `$rpi` as skill invocations.
Treat `ao evolve` and `ao rpi` as terminal wrapper commands, not as the Codex
default handoff path.

## Codex Lifecycle Guard

When this skill runs in Codex hookless mode (`CODEX_THREAD_ID` is set or
`CODEX_INTERNAL_ORIGINATOR_OVERRIDE` is `Codex Desktop`), ensure startup context
before editing or validating the contract:

```bash
ao codex ensure-start 2>/dev/null || true
```

## 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` |
| run one bounded lifecycle | use `$rpi` |

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

## Execution Steps

### Step 1: Detect the contract

```bash
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:

```bash
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:

```bash
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 `$rpi "<goal>"`.
- For the repeated autonomous loop, run `$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

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

```text
ao autodev init "Continuously improve AgentOps skills within explicit scope."
ao autodev validate
$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. |