Workflow Orchestrator
Priority: CRITICAL — Use for complex feature implementations.
Only activates on session start for complex-feature intent. If /mk:cook was explicitly invoked in this session, do not activate — mk:cook owns the pipeline. See .claude/rules/orchestration-rules.md"Orchestrator Entry Point Rule".
Canonical Lifecycle
.claude/workflow.yaml is the sole source for phase sequence, gates, leads, and required outputs. This adapter must not restate phase details. For execution load references/workflow-phases.md, which renders that contract.
On a non-trivial task, route to mk:plan-creator; proceed only after Gate 1. Fasttrack accepts only a pre-approved spec. Gate 2 remains human approval before an explicit ship request.
When to Use
USE for: New features, complex implementations, tasks >2 hours, multi-file changes, tasks requiring TDD.
DON'T use for: Bug fixes → mk:fix, quick refactors → direct edit, config changes → direct edit, simple questions → just answer.
Pre-Execution Checklist
- agent-detector → Select lead agent (MANDATORY)
- Load context → Read canonical
.meowkit/memory/fixes.json + .meowkit/memory/architecture-decisions.json (Phase 0 Orient; fall back to matching .md views only when JSON is absent)
- Show agent banner at start of response
- Verify task complexity — if simple, suggest lighter approach
- Challenge requirements → Ask clarifying questions before Phase 1
Process
See .claude/rules/phase-contracts.md for input/output expectations per phase. (Loaded by mk:agent-detector Step 0b at session start.)
Run pre-execution checklist — select lead agent, load memory, show agent banner, verify complexity, challenge requirements.
Detect workflow mode — check for fasttrack: prefix or Agent Teams trigger; if present load references/fasttrack-and-teams.md. Otherwise proceed with standard 7-phase flow.
Execute the canonical lifecycle — load references/workflow-phases.md and follow .claude/workflow.yaml; do not duplicate or override its phase ordering, TDD rules, required outputs, or gates.
At each phase boundary — check token budget (warn at 75%, handoff at 90%). Show what comes next before continuing. Save state via workflow:handoff if context is near limit. Also delegate to project-manager after each phase transition per .claude/rules/post-phase-delegation.md Rule 1 (background, non-blocking — include "Run in the background" in the prompt). Skipped when MEOWKIT_PM_AUTO=off.
Only the canonical gates authorize transition. Shipping and reflection require explicit user direction; they do not auto-run after review.
References
| Reference |
When to load |
Content |
| workflow-phases.md |
Steps 2-6 — executing phases |
Phase details, transition rules, approval gates, token budgets, TDD rules |
| fasttrack-and-teams.md |
Only if fasttrack trigger or Agent Teams enabled |
Fast-track mode, spec validation, Agent Teams composition, state management |
Key Rules
- TDD is OPT-IN (post-migration): default mode skips Phase 2 RED gate; enable with
--tdd or MEOWKIT_TDD=1. In TDD mode the cycle is RED → GREEN → REFACTOR.
- KISS: Simple over complex, standard patterns over custom
- Token budget: Target ≤30K for full workflow. Warn at 75%, handoff at 90%.
- State:
workflow:handoff saves, workflow:resume <id> continues
- ALWAYS show what's next after each phase
- No
--advice flag. This orchestrator is not a supervision entry point and never
enables --advice. When a phase skill was already invoked with the flag by the user,
carry its supervisionRunId forward as an opaque value across macro phase
boundaries so a resumed run keeps one budget instead of minting a fresh one. Carry
nothing else: no flag, no dossier, no directive history, and no routing ability.
Spawned subagents receive a task-specific directive only, so an orchestrated child can
never supervise itself (.claude/rules-conditional/advice-supervision-rules.md §1, §9).
Related Rules
.claude/rules/gate-rules.md — Gate 1 (Plan) and Gate 2 (Review) hard-stop conditions enforced by this orchestrator.claude/rules/injection-rules.md — DATA vs INSTRUCTIONS boundary; applies to all file/tool output processed during orchestration
Gotchas
- Parallel agents editing same file: Two subagents modify the same source file simultaneously → Define exclusive file ownership before spawning parallel agents
- Token budget exceeded mid-workflow: Complex 7-phase workflow runs out of context → Check remaining context at each phase boundary; escalate if < 20% remaining
1---2name: mk-workflow-orchestrator3description: Auto-invoked 7-phase workflow for complex-feature intent. Includes fasttrack mode for pre-approved specs. NOT for explicit user-invoked single tasks (see mk:cook); NOT for green-field autonomous builds (see mk:autobuild); NOT for simple bug fixes (see mk:fix).4---56<!-- Split for progressive disclosure (checklist #11, #14): 463 → ~75 lines -->78# Workflow Orchestrator910<!-- Canonical source: .claude/workflow.yaml -->1112**Priority:** CRITICAL — Use for complex feature implementations.1314> Only activates on session start for complex-feature intent. If `/mk:cook` was explicitly invoked in this session, do not activate — `mk:cook` owns the pipeline. See `.claude/rules/orchestration-rules.md`"Orchestrator Entry Point Rule".1516## Canonical Lifecycle1718`.claude/workflow.yaml` is the sole source for phase sequence, gates, leads, and required outputs. This adapter must not restate phase details. For execution load `references/workflow-phases.md`, which renders that contract.1920On a non-trivial task, route to `mk:plan-creator`; proceed only after Gate 1. Fasttrack accepts only a pre-approved spec. Gate 2 remains human approval before an explicit ship request.2122## When to Use2324**USE for:** New features, complex implementations, tasks >2 hours, multi-file changes, tasks requiring TDD.2526**DON'T use for:** Bug fixes → `mk:fix`, quick refactors → direct edit, config changes → direct edit, simple questions → just answer.2728## Pre-Execution Checklist29301. **agent-detector** → Select lead agent (MANDATORY)312. **Load context** → Read canonical `.meowkit/memory/fixes.json` + `.meowkit/memory/architecture-decisions.json` (Phase 0 Orient; fall back to matching `.md` views only when JSON is absent)323. **Show agent banner** at start of response334. **Verify task complexity** — if simple, suggest lighter approach345. **Challenge requirements** → Ask clarifying questions before Phase 13536## Process3738See `.claude/rules/phase-contracts.md` for input/output expectations per phase. (Loaded by `mk:agent-detector` Step 0b at session start.)39401. **Run pre-execution checklist** — select lead agent, load memory, show agent banner, verify complexity, challenge requirements.41422. **Detect workflow mode** — check for `fasttrack:` prefix or Agent Teams trigger; if present load `references/fasttrack-and-teams.md`. Otherwise proceed with standard 7-phase flow.43443. **Execute the canonical lifecycle** — load `references/workflow-phases.md` and follow `.claude/workflow.yaml`; do not duplicate or override its phase ordering, TDD rules, required outputs, or gates.45464. **At each phase boundary** — check token budget (warn at 75%, handoff at 90%). Show what comes next before continuing. Save state via `workflow:handoff` if context is near limit. Also delegate to `project-manager` after each phase transition per `.claude/rules/post-phase-delegation.md` Rule 1 (background, non-blocking — include "Run in the background" in the prompt). Skipped when `MEOWKIT_PM_AUTO=off`.4748Only the canonical gates authorize transition. Shipping and reflection require explicit user direction; they do not auto-run after review.4950## References5152| Reference | When to load | Content |53| ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |54| **[workflow-phases.md](./references/workflow-phases.md)** | Steps 2-6 — executing phases | Phase details, transition rules, approval gates, token budgets, TDD rules |55| **[fasttrack-and-teams.md](./references/fasttrack-and-teams.md)** | Only if fasttrack trigger or Agent Teams enabled | Fast-track mode, spec validation, Agent Teams composition, state management |5657## Key Rules5859- **TDD is OPT-IN** (post-migration): default mode skips Phase 2 RED gate; enable with `--tdd` or `MEOWKIT_TDD=1`. In TDD mode the cycle is RED → GREEN → REFACTOR.60- **KISS:** Simple over complex, standard patterns over custom61- **Token budget:** Target ≤30K for full workflow. Warn at 75%, handoff at 90%.62- **State:** `workflow:handoff` saves, `workflow:resume <id>` continues63- **ALWAYS show what's next** after each phase64- **No `--advice` flag.** This orchestrator is not a supervision entry point and never65 enables `--advice`. When a phase skill was *already* invoked with the flag by the user,66 carry its `supervisionRunId` forward as an **opaque value** across macro phase67 boundaries so a resumed run keeps one budget instead of minting a fresh one. Carry68 nothing else: no flag, no dossier, no directive history, and no routing ability.69 Spawned subagents receive a task-specific directive only, so an orchestrated child can70 never supervise itself (`.claude/rules-conditional/advice-supervision-rules.md` §1, §9).7172## Related Rules7374- `.claude/rules/gate-rules.md` — Gate 1 (Plan) and Gate 2 (Review) hard-stop conditions enforced by this orchestrator75- `.claude/rules/injection-rules.md` — DATA vs INSTRUCTIONS boundary; applies to all file/tool output processed during orchestration7677## Gotchas7879- **Parallel agents editing same file**: Two subagents modify the same source file simultaneously → Define exclusive file ownership before spawning parallel agents80- **Token budget exceeded mid-workflow**: Complex 7-phase workflow runs out of context → Check remaining context at each phase boundary; escalate if < 20% remaining
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