Autonomous Run

Autonomous run — bounded overnight execution

This skill is for a finite approved implementation, not a recurring watcher. For recurring work use the autonomous-loops profile. For unresolved product or architecture decisions, run Wayfinder first.

Hard gate

Do not begin implementation unless all of these are true:

1. The terminal spec is committed under docs/specs/ with status: accepted, accepted_by, and accepted_at. An agent may author only status: draft.
2. A separate implementation-ticket ID is named. The decision ticket is not executable work.
3. The operator explicitly invokes or authorizes start. Producing or checking a spec never self-authorizes implementation.

Linear and every other external system still follow the installed write-consent rule. The v1 controller has no external-write adapter at all.

Prepare the contract

If scripts/autonomous-run.py exists, use it. Its installed template is .harness/templates/autonomous-run.json (the harness source checkout uses templates/autonomous-run.json):

python3 scripts/autonomous-run.py prepare --run-id <short-id> --spec docs/specs/<name>.md --ticket <implementation-ticket> --maker codex --checker claude --template .harness/templates/autonomous-run.json

This only creates a manifest. Review its exact allowed/denied paths, verifier, models, attempt cap, wall-clock limit, budgets, and optional scope.resources keys such as port:3000 or db:local/test. Resource keys coordinate cooperating local runs; they do not replace operating- system port binding or database isolation. Commit the manifest before execution; the controller refuses an uncommitted contract. Concurrent worktrees share writable Git metadata needed for local commits, so this guard prevents accidental collisions between cooperating runs; it is not a security boundary for mutually untrusted makers.

Start and supervise

Only after explicit operator authorization:

python3 scripts/autonomous-run.py start .harness/runs/<short-id>.json

The controller creates an isolated local branch/worktree, launches a fresh maker, validates its receipt, scope and Git transition, then creates a disposable detached worktree for the sandboxed deterministic verifier and a fresh checker. A rejection becomes the next maker's input. Three failed attempts, invalid state, denied scope, immutable-deadline or reported-budget exhaustion, Git metadata drift, or checker mutation escalates instead of widening authority. Verification fails closed unless macOS sandbox-exec or Linux bubblewrap is available.

Before start creates local Git or state artifacts, and before resume restarts work, the controller serializes a repository-local collision scan. Ancestor/descendant fixed prefixes from scope.allowed_paths conflict; a glob with no fixed prefix reserves the repository; identical resource keys conflict. Live malformed state fails closed, while stopped or demonstrably dead controllers no longer reserve their scopes.

Use status <id>, stop <id>, or resume <id>. Stop/resume retains the worktree and audit state. An accepted run ends at a local commit for human review: never push, open a PR, merge, deploy, rewrite history, or write to Linear from this workflow.

Report

Give the run ID, status, attempt count, branch/worktree, accepted commit or escalation reason, and the actual verification evidence. State explicitly that external actions were not taken.