# Humanize

> Iterative development with AI review. Provides RLCR (Ralph-Loop with Codex Review) for implementation planning and code review loops.

- Skill: `polyarch/humanize` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add polyarch/humanize`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/polyarch/humanize/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: polyarch (https://skillmd.com/u/polyarch)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/polyarch/humanize

---


# Humanize - Iterative Development with AI Review

Humanize creates a feedback loop where AI implements your plan while another AI independently reviews the work, ensuring quality through continuous refinement.

## Runtime Root

The installer hydrates this skill with an absolute runtime root path:

```bash
{{HUMANIZE_RUNTIME_ROOT}}
```

All command examples below use `{{HUMANIZE_RUNTIME_ROOT}}`.

## Core Philosophy

**Iteration over Perfection**: Instead of expecting perfect output in one shot, Humanize leverages an iterative feedback loop where:
- AI implements your plan
- Another AI independently reviews progress
- Issues are caught and addressed early
- Work continues until all acceptance criteria are met

## Available Workflows

### 1. RLCR Loop - Iterative Development with Review

The RLCR (Ralph-Loop with Codex Review) loop has two phases:

**Phase 1: Implementation**
- AI works on the implementation plan
- AI writes a summary of work completed
- Codex reviews the summary for completeness and correctness
- If issues found → feedback loop continues
- If Codex outputs "COMPLETE" → enters Review Phase

**Phase 2: Code Review**
- `codex review --base <branch>` checks code quality
- Issues marked with `[P0-9]` severity markers
- If issues found → AI fixes them and continues
- If no issues → loop completes with Finalize Phase
- On Codex CLI `0.114.0+` with `codex_hooks` enabled, Humanize installs a native `Stop` hook so exit gating runs automatically

### 2. Generate Plan - Structured Plan from Draft

Transforms a rough draft document into a structured implementation plan with:
- Clear goal description
- Acceptance criteria in AC-X format with TDD-style positive/negative tests
- Path boundaries (upper/lower bounds, allowed choices)
- Feasibility hints and conceptual approach
- Dependencies and milestone sequencing

## Commands Reference

### Start RLCR Loop

```bash
# With a plan file
"{{HUMANIZE_RUNTIME_ROOT}}/scripts/setup-rlcr-loop.sh" path/to/plan.md

# Or without plan (review-only mode)
"{{HUMANIZE_RUNTIME_ROOT}}/scripts/setup-rlcr-loop.sh" --skip-impl
```

After each round, write the required summary and stop/exit normally. Humanize's native Codex `Stop` hook handles review gating automatically.

**Common Options:**
- `--max N` - Maximum iterations before auto-stop (default: 42)
- `--codex-model MODEL:EFFORT` - Codex model and reasoning effort for `codex exec` (default: gpt-5.5:high)
- Review phase `codex review` uses `gpt-5.5:high`
- `--codex-timeout SECONDS` - Timeout for each Codex review (default: 5400)
- `--base-branch BRANCH` - Base branch for code review (auto-detects if not specified)
- `--full-review-round N` - Interval for full alignment checks (default: 5)
- `--skip-impl` - Skip implementation phase, go directly to code review
- `--track-plan-file` - Enforce plan-file immutability when tracked in git
- `--push-every-round` - Require git push after each round
- `--claude-answer-codex` - Let Claude answer Codex Open Questions directly (default is AskUserQuestion)
- `--agent-teams` - Enable Agent Teams mode
- `--yolo` - Skip Plan Understanding Quiz and enable --claude-answer-codex
- `--skip-quiz` - Skip the Plan Understanding Quiz only
- `--privacy` - Disable methodology analysis at loop exit (default: analysis enabled)

### Cancel RLCR Loop

```bash
"{{HUMANIZE_RUNTIME_ROOT}}/scripts/cancel-rlcr-loop.sh"
# or force cancel during finalize phase
"{{HUMANIZE_RUNTIME_ROOT}}/scripts/cancel-rlcr-loop.sh" --force
```

### Generate Plan from Draft

```bash
"{{HUMANIZE_RUNTIME_ROOT}}/scripts/validate-gen-plan-io.sh" --input path/to/draft.md --output path/to/plan.md
```

Then follow the workflow in this skill to generate the structured plan content.

### Ask Codex (One-shot Consultation)

```bash
"{{HUMANIZE_RUNTIME_ROOT}}/scripts/ask-codex.sh" [--codex-model MODEL:EFFORT] [--codex-timeout SECONDS] "your question"
```

## Plan File Structure

A good plan file should include:

```markdown
# Plan Title

## Goal Description
Clear description of what needs to be accomplished

## Acceptance Criteria

- AC-1: First criterion
  - Positive Tests (expected to PASS):
    - Test case that should succeed
  - Negative Tests (expected to FAIL):
    - Test case that should fail

## Path Boundaries

### Upper Bound (Maximum Scope)
Most comprehensive acceptable implementation

### Lower Bound (Minimum Scope)
Minimum viable implementation

### Allowed Choices
- Can use: technologies, approaches allowed
- Cannot use: prohibited technologies

## Dependencies and Sequence

### Milestones
1. Milestone 1: Description
   - Phase A: ...
   - Phase B: ...

## Implementation Notes
- Code should NOT contain plan terminology like "AC-", "Milestone", "Step"
```

## Goal Tracker System

The RLCR loop uses a Goal Tracker to prevent goal drift:

- **IMMUTABLE SECTION**: Ultimate Goal and Acceptance Criteria (set in Round 0, never changed)
- **MUTABLE SECTION**: Active Tasks, Completed Items, Deferred Items, Plan Evolution Log

### Key Principles

1. **Acceptance Criteria**: Each task maps to a specific AC
2. **Plan Evolution Log**: Document any plan changes with justification
3. **Explicit Deferrals**: Deferred tasks require strong justification
4. **Full Alignment Checks**: Every N rounds (default: 5), comprehensive goal alignment audit

## Important Rules

1. **Write summaries**: Always write work summary to the specified file before exiting
2. **Maintain Goal Tracker**: Keep goal-tracker.md up-to-date with progress
3. **Be thorough**: Include details about implementation, files changed, tests added
4. **No cheating**: Don't try to exit by editing state files or running cancel commands
5. **Use the native Stop hook on Codex**: After writing the required summary, stop/exit normally so Codex runs the Humanize Stop hook
6. **Trust the process**: External review helps improve implementation quality

## Prerequisites

- `codex` - OpenAI Codex CLI (for review)


## Directory Structure

Humanize stores all data in `.humanize/`:

```
.humanize/
├── rlcr/           # RLCR loop data
│   └── <timestamp>/
│       ├── state.md
│       ├── goal-tracker.md
│       ├── round-N-summary.md
│       ├── round-N-review-result.md
│       ├── finalize-state.md
│       ├── finalize-summary.md
│       ├── methodology-analysis-state.md
│       ├── methodology-analysis-report.md
│       ├── methodology-analysis-done.md
│       └── complete-state.md
└── skill/          # One-shot skill results
    └── <timestamp>/
        ├── input.md
        ├── output.md
        └── metadata.md
```

## Monitoring

Use the monitor script to track loop progress:

```bash
source "{{HUMANIZE_RUNTIME_ROOT}}/scripts/humanize.sh"
humanize monitor rlcr   # Monitor RLCR loop
```

## Exit Codes

### ask-codex.sh
- `0` - Success
- `1` - Validation error
- `124` - Timeout

### validate-gen-plan-io.sh
- `0` - Success
- `1` - Input file not found
- `2` - Input file is empty
- `3` - Output directory does not exist
- `4` - Output file already exists
- `5` - No write permission
- `6` - Invalid arguments
- `7` - Plan template file not found