# Rick Review > Multi-agent Rick & Morty council code review for TypeScript projects — up to 7 specialized agents review the diff in parallel, writes a versioned report at docs/rick//review/current.md. Use before merging a branch, or call with a PR number to review that PR. - Skill: `bambooxlotus/rick-review` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 23 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add bambooxlotus/rick-review` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/bambooxlotus/rick-review/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: AI & ML - Author: bambooxlotus (https://skillmd.com/u/bambooxlotus) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/bambooxlotus/rick-review --- # Rick Review Multi-agent code review. Up to seven Rick & Morty council agents review in parallel — three always run, four are routed by what the diff actually touches. You orchestrate, run three **skepsis** passes (cite → relevance → intent), and write a versioned report. ## Quick Start ``` /rick-review # reviews current branch / staged changes /rick-review 213 # reviews PR #213 /rick-review --committed-only # force committed-only scope even if working tree is dirty ``` ## Branches Four implicit branches. Each short-circuits later steps; read this map first so you don't ambush yourself with a step that no longer applies. - **Mode:** PR (`$ARGUMENTS=`) vs current-branch. PR mode triggers Step 1's branch auto-swap and Step 3.5(b)'s PR-body extract. - **Council size:** rickest rick (small, non-sensitive diff) vs full council. Rickest skips Step 5.5 deny-list and collapses Step 6's contradiction check. - **Version:** N=1 vs N≥2. N=1 skips Step 5.5 (no prior kills to echo). - **Intel:** with vs without rick-intel dossier (Step 1.5). Affects the Step 8 header line and Step 7.7's intent cross-reference. ## Labels Canonical label vocabulary — Step 5, Step 8, Step 4.7, and OUTPUT.md all reference these. Don't redefine. | Label | When | | ------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `Skipped (out of scope)` | Agent's trigger didn't fire (e.g. sec slice empty → Evil Morty skipped) | | `Skipped (rickest rick)` | Council slot bypassed because `$RICKEST=true` | | `working-tree` | Diff scope: merge-base to working tree (catches uncommitted edits) | | `committed-only` | Diff scope: `$BASE...HEAD` | | `committed-only (rickest rick)` | Rickest gate fired on top of committed-only scope (suffix added in Step 4.7) | ## Step 1 — Detect Context ```bash git branch --show-current git status --short gh pr view --json number,title,headRefName,baseRefName 2>/dev/null ``` If `$ARGUMENTS` starts with a number: `gh pr view ${ARGUMENTS%% *} --json number,title,headRefName,baseRefName` (the `%% *` drops trailing tokens like `--committed-only` that Step 4 reads separately; passing the whole `$ARGUMENTS` makes gh error on unknown flags). Capture `baseRefName` as `$BASE`. Stacked PRs diff against their direct parent, not `main`. **Branch auto-swap (PR mode only):** if `headRefName` from the PR differs from the current local branch, run `gh pr checkout {number}`. This fetches the PR head (handles forks correctly) and switches to it; git refuses the checkout when uncommitted work would be clobbered, so surface that error and stop if it fails. On success, print `Switched to {headRefName} for PR #{number}` and continue. Never silently review the wrong branch. If no PR: detect default branch with `git symbolic-ref refs/remotes/origin/HEAD | sed 's@^refs/remotes/origin/@@'`. Fallback to `main` if that fails. Use as `$BASE`. ## Step 1.5 — Intel Lookup Check for an intel dossier per [`../rick-intel/LOOKUP.md`](../rick-intel/LOOKUP.md). If one exists, read its Story Context + Scope. Hold the AB-id, parent epic title, and one-line scope summary for inclusion in the report header (Step 8). The council agents review the _diff_, not the story — don't inject intel into agent prompts. No intel? Skip silently; the report header omits the story line. ## Step 2 — Resolve `REVIEW_NAME` See [RESOLVE-FOLDER.md](RESOLVE-FOLDER.md). Same folder identity threads through `/rick-plan`, `/rick-save`, `/rick-fix`, `/rick-review-comments`, `/rick-recap`. ## Step 3 — Output Path and Version Canonical report: `docs/rick//review/current.md` (overwritten each run). Versioning: list `docs/rick//review/v*.md`, parse the integer from each `v.md` (ignore `-pre` suffixes), `N` = max integer + 1. Sort by parsed integer, not lexically — `v10.md` sorts before `v2.md` and `tail -1` gives `v9.md` at v10+, silently overwriting an existing snapshot. If no prior versions, this is `v1`. Output files (full list and shape in Step 8 + OUTPUT.md): `current.md`, `VERSIONS.md`, `v.md`, `agents/v/.md`. Create `docs/rick//review/agents/v/` before launching agents. ## Step 3.5 — Gather System Context Before launching agents, collect context they can't safely infer. Each subsection is gated — skip when its trigger doesn't fire. Section (a) contributes to `$SYSTEM_CONTEXT` (prepended to every agent's prompt in Step 5). Section (b) is held as `$PR_INTENT` for Step 7.7's cross-reference only. ### a) Settled FIXED findings — only when prior versions exist ```bash SETTLED_FIXED=$(awk '/✓ FIXED/' docs/rick//review/v*.md 2>/dev/null | sort -u) ``` If non-empty, wrap in this block and hold as `$SYSTEM_CONTEXT`: ``` Settled decisions from prior reviews of this branch (do NOT recommend reverting without new evidence): ``` ### b) PR description intent — only when a PR was detected in Step 1 PR bodies routinely explain _why_ something looks missing — scope splits ("except seed script"), deferred validation, intentional trade-offs. Read once upfront so Step 7.7 can cross-reference. Do not inject into agent prompts — PR narratives anchor agents on validating stated intent instead of scanning for anomalies the author didn't call out. Same reason Step 1.5 keeps intel out of agent prompts. ```bash PR_BODY=$(gh pr view --json body --jq '.body' 2>/dev/null) ``` If non-empty, extract verbatim text (no rewriting) from these sections: - `## Summary` - `## Security Notes` / `## Security Considerations` - `## Performance Notes` / `## Performance Impact` - `## Testing Instructions` / `## Testing` - `## Deployment Notes` / `## Rollback Plan` - `## Additional Context` - Any header line matching `WORK ITEM:` Hold as `$PR_INTENT` for Step 7.7 only. If no PR was detected, `$PR_INTENT` stays empty and Step 7.7 skips the PR body block. ## Step 4 — Build diff slices Produce `/tmp/rr-files.txt` plus four per-agent slice files (`broad`, `data`, `api`, `sec`). Full procedure (scope detection, slices, slice cap) in [SLICING.md](SLICING.md). **Completion:** `/tmp/rr-files.txt` and `/tmp/rr-diff-{broad,data,api,sec}.txt` exist; `$BASE_REF` and `$SCOPE_LABEL` set. ## Step 4.5 — Shell Pre-Scan Catch mechanically obvious nits before any agent fires. See [PRE-SCAN.md](PRE-SCAN.md) for the pattern catalog (`console.*`, `// TODO/FIXME`, `@ts-ignore`, ` as any`) and the awk script that produces `$PRESCAN`. Hits go two places: appended directly to the P3 table in Step 7, and wrapped in this block held as `$PRESCAN_FINDINGS` (prepended to every agent's prompt in Step 5, so agents don't burn tokens re-searching for what shell already caught): ``` Shell pre-scan already caught these — the orchestrator will file them at P3. Do NOT re-flag: ``` ## Step 4.7 — Rickest Rick Mode The full council is overkill on a 10-line bug fix. **Rickest rick mode** routes small, non-sensitive diffs to one Rick C-137. "Rickest" = the smartest Rick across the multiverse, not the fastest: one top-tier Rick covers every lens better than three generalist reviewers plus specialists. Run the rickest gate per [SLICING.md](SLICING.md#rickest-gate-step-47). True when: diff ≤ 50 lines AND ≤ 5 files AND specialized slices (data/api/sec) all empty. When `$RICKEST=true`: - Step 5 launches only Rick C-137. - Step 5.5 skipped (single agent, nothing to echo). - Step 6's cross-agent contradiction check collapses (the cite check still runs). - Other six council slots render as `Skipped (rickest rick)` per Labels. **Completion:** `$RICKEST` set; `$SCOPE_LABEL` suffixed if true. ## Step 5 — Route the Council (parallel) **If `$RICKEST=true` from Step 4.7:** launch only the Rick C-137 row below. Treat every other row as `Skipped (rickest rick)`. Skip Step 5.5. Context assembly still runs — Rick C-137 gets the same substitutes and prepends, just solo. Read [AGENTS.md](AGENTS.md) for each agent's full prompt template. Two mechanics: **substitute** `{}` placeholders into the template, **prepend** `$` blocks in front of it. All triggered agents get the same context regardless of slice. **Substitute** (placeholders declared in AGENTS.md): - `{CHANGED_FILES_LIST}` — full `/tmp/rr-files.txt` - `{SCOPED_DIFF}` — the agent's slice file from the table below - `{CLAUDE_MD_CORE}` — `CLAUDE.md` excerpt (read once, inject all agents) - `{REVIEW_NAME}` — from Step 2 - `{SCOPE_LABEL}` — from Labels **Prepend** (blocks bolted onto the front of the prompt, each when non-empty): - `$SYSTEM_CONTEXT` — Step 3.5(a) settled FIXED (revert-prevention) - `$PRESCAN_FINDINGS` — Step 4.5 shell-verified nits (broad-slice agents must NOT re-scan for these) - `$DENY_LIST` block — Step 5.5, N≥2 full council only (kill-prevention) | Agent | Slice | Trigger | | -------------- | ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Rick C-137 | `/tmp/rr-diff-broad.txt` | Always | | Doofus Rick | `/tmp/rr-diff-broad.txt` | Always | | Smart Morty | `/tmp/rr-diff-broad.txt` | Always | | Rick Prime | `/tmp/rr-diff-broad.txt` | `grep -qE '^\+(import\|export).*from .*\.\./' /tmp/rr-diff-broad.txt` OR `comm -13 <(git ls-tree $BASE --name-only src/ \| sort) <(git ls-tree HEAD --name-only src/ \| sort) \| grep -q .` (new top-level `src/` dir) | | Pickle Rick | `/tmp/rr-diff-data.txt` | `[ -s /tmp/rr-diff-data.txt ]` | | Scientist Rick | `/tmp/rr-diff-api.txt` | `[ -s /tmp/rr-diff-api.txt ]` | | Evil Morty | `/tmp/rr-diff-sec.txt` | `[ -s /tmp/rr-diff-sec.txt ]` OR `grep -qE 'password\|token\|secret\|jwt\|session\|encrypt' /tmp/rr-diff-broad.txt` | **Model.** Omit the `model` field on every Agent call — all agents inherit the parent session's model. Launch all triggered agents in a single batched Agent tool call with `subagent_type: general-purpose`. Untriggered agents → `Skipped (out of scope)` (per Labels), not `Clean`. ## Step 5.5 — Cross-version Deny-list (N >= 2, full council only) Skipped when N=1 or `$RICKEST=true`. Otherwise, gather every prior "Killed in Step 7.5" bullet so agents stop re-raising findings the relevance check already discarded. Agents are stateless across versions: on `deren-starter`'s `63-sentry-wiring` branch, v11 through v14 each re-killed the same hedge-gated finding, burning council budget every round. Kill-prevention lens (don't re-raise parasites). Step 3.5(a) is the revert-prevention lens (don't undo FIXED decisions). Both ship, they catch different misbehaviors. ```bash DENY_LIST=$(awk '/^### Killed in Step 7\.5/{flag=1; next} /^#+ /{flag=0} flag && /^- /' docs/rick//review/v*.md | sort -u) ``` Empty? Skip the preamble. Otherwise prepend exactly this block to every agent's prompt, before the Step 5 placeholders: ``` Prior reviews of this branch killed the following findings via the Step 7.5 relevance check. Do NOT re-raise them unless the cited code has materially changed since the kill. Hedge-gated kills are particularly likely to look novel on re-read; they are not. ``` `sort -u` dedupes kills that recurred across multiple prior versions. The awk stop condition `/^#+ /` catches any subsequent heading at any level. ## Step 6 — Skepsis: cite check Every finding is a **parasite** until proven real. First skepsis pass: does the cite match the code as it stands today? **Short-circuit:** every agent returned `Clean` → skip to Step 7. **Pre-existing code filter (mandatory).** For each finding, locate the cited line in the diff slice the agent reviewed: - Appears as a `+` (added) or `-`/`+` pair (modified) → in scope. - Appears as context (no prefix) or absent from the slice → existed identically on `$BASE` → **kill**. - Whitespace-only changes don't count as "changed." **Verification budget.** Apply the per-severity budget and grep recipe in [PARASITE-CHECK.md](PARASITE-CHECK.md). When `$RICKEST=true`, the budget still applies — only the cross-agent contradiction step (P0 check 4) is vacuous. **Completion:** every finding marked REAL / PARASITE / DOWNGRADE; parasites removed silently from the report (don't list them). ## Step 7 — Aggregate 1. Dedupe findings only when (a) file matches AND (b) line ranges overlap or are equal (treat `47` and `47-50` as overlapping) AND (c) the Issue text names the same defect. Different defects at the same line stay separate. Mark anything flagged by 2+ agents with `**` — cross-cutting confirmation. 2. Group P0 / P1 / P2 / P3 (CRITICAL / HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW). 3. Within each tier, sort cross-cutting (`**`) rows to the top. 4. Append `$PRESCAN` rows (Step 4.5) directly to the P3 table — shell-verified, no parasite check needed. If a row's `file:line` exactly matches an agent-reported P3 with the same defect, drop the duplicate (keep the shell-verified one — its citation is mechanically guaranteed). ## Step 7.5 — Skepsis: relevance check Step 6 answered "is the cite real." This step answers "does it matter in production today, before any future change?" **Auto-keep.** Any row with `**` (cross-cutting) survives. Skip checks. For each non-`**` row, run the primary check first; auto-kills are mechanical fallbacks. **Check 1 — Impact restatement (primary).** Restate the finding in one sentence answering "what fails in production today, before any future change?" If the honest restatement needs "would," "could," "if," "after" → **demote one tier**. P3 demoted here is **killed**. **Auto-kill 1 — Self-defeat scan.** Issue text contains "already covered," "tested elsewhere," "not a real defect," "documentation-level," "structurally cannot" → **KILL**. The agent told you it's not real. **Auto-kill 2 — Hedge scan.** Issue text contains "if a future edit," "in case someone changes," "for symmetry," "for parity," "for completeness," "hypothetical" → **demote one tier**. P3 demoted is **killed**. Don't add present-tense consequence phrases ("could silently," "after a refactor") to this list — those describe real-today bugs, Check 1 handles them. Re-number rows after kills and demotions. Tier counts Step 8 prints to chat and writes to VERSIONS.md are these post-7.5 numbers, not Step 7's raw aggregate. Append in the report: ``` ### Killed in Step 7.5 (real, but didn't matter) - [one-line summary]: [which check killed it] ``` (The exact `### Killed in Step 7.5` heading is the anchor Step 5.5's deny-list awk script greps for. Don't rename it.) **Completion:** every non-`**` row evaluated; kills and demotions applied; sub-heading appended (or omitted when no kills). ## Step 7.7 — Skepsis: intent check Final skepsis pass: does the surviving finding contradict **documented intent** — the PR description body (`$PR_INTENT` from Step 3.5(b)) or the rick-intel dossier (Step 1.5)? Skip if neither source exists. See [INTENT-CROSS-REF.md](INTENT-CROSS-REF.md) for the full demote / strengthen / mitigation / scope-flag rules across both sources. **Completion:** every P0/P1 survivor compared against `$PR_INTENT` and the intel dossier; row either annotated (`(addressed in PR body)`, `(out of scope per intel)`, `(strengthened — PR body promised X)`) or left intact. Tier counts Step 8 prints are post-7.7. ## Step 8 — Write Report and Print **Verdict:** `NEEDS FIXES` if any P0 or P1 survives Step 7.5. Otherwise `APPROVED`. ### Files to write (single batch) All independent — write in one assistant response with parallel tool calls: - `docs/rick//review/current.md` (canonical) - `docs/rick//review/v.md` (snapshot of the canonical) - `docs/rick//review/agents/v/.md` (one per ran agent) - Append to `docs/rick//review/VERSIONS.md` via the **Edit tool** — never Write (Write would clobber v1…v(N-1) history if the payload contains only the new line): ``` - v | | | P0: P1: P2: P3: | ``` ### Canonical report shape See [OUTPUT.md](OUTPUT.md) for the full structure and VERSIONS.md entry format. The Agents column uses the Labels vocabulary from the top of this skill. ### Print to chat ``` Reviewed (v): P0: P1: P2: P3:. Verdict: . Report: docs/rick//review/current.md ``` Then stop. No "want me to start fixing the P0s." That's `rick-fix`'s job.