Long Running Orchestrator

Long-Running Orchestrator

Use this workflow when a task is expected to span context compactions, multiple Claude Code sessions, or simply too long to hold in a single context window.

Workflow

1. Initialize the ledger.
   • Ensure ledger/current.md exists.
   • Write a single-paragraph objective, the success criteria, and a checklist plan.
2. Run the work in small, durable steps.
   • Make one focused change at a time.
   • After each meaningful step, append a dated note to ledger/current.md (or run bash scripts/checkpoint.sh).
   • Update verification status in ledger/verification.md whenever a test or build run produces a meaningful result.
3. Guard against runaway.
   • The cost-ceiling-guard hook (long-running-pack) tracks cumulative tool calls in ~/.claude-harnesses/cost-ledger.json and forces a stop when the threshold is hit.
   • When a stop is forced, summarize state in ledger/current.md before doing anything else.
4. Resume cleanly across sessions.
   • The first action of any resume session is to read ledger/current.md and ledger/decisions.md.
   • State briefly what was last done and what comes next.
5. Complete only when:
   • The objective in the ledger is met.
   • Verification has run, with results recorded.
   • A summary of changed files, residual risks, and follow-ups is written.

Constraints

• Never claim progress that is not reflected in the ledger.
• Never silently widen scope; if the user asks for a related-but-different change, write a new objective rather than extending the current one.

Final Report

• objective
• final ledger pointer
• verification results
• residual risks and follow-ups