# Hybrid Ralph

> Hybrid architecture combining Ralph's PRD format with Planning-with-Files' structured approach. Auto-generates PRDs from task descriptions, manages parallel story execution with dependency resolution, and provides context-filtered agents for efficient multi-story development.

- Skill: `taoidle/hybrid-ralph` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 38 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add taoidle/hybrid-ralph`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/taoidle/hybrid-ralph/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Product & Planning
- Author: taoidle (https://skillmd.com/u/taoidle)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/taoidle/hybrid-ralph

---


# Hybrid Ralph + Planning-with-Files

A hybrid architecture combining the best of three approaches:

## Auto-Recovery Protocol (CRITICAL)

**At the START of any interaction**, perform this check to recover context after compression/truncation:

1. Check if `.hybrid-execution-context.md` exists in the current directory
2. If YES:
   - Read the file content using Read tool
   - Display: "Detected ongoing hybrid task execution"
   - Show current batch and pending stories from the file
   - Resume story execution based on the state
   - If unsure of state, suggest: `/hybrid:resume --auto`

3. If NO but `prd.json` exists:
   - Run: `uv run python "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/hybrid-ralph/scripts/hybrid-context-reminder.py" both`
   - This will generate the context file and display current state

This ensures context recovery even after:
- Context compression (AI summarizes old messages)
- Context truncation (old messages deleted)
- New conversation session
- Claude Code restart

- **Ralph**: Structured PRD format (prd.json), progress tracking patterns, small task philosophy
- **Planning-with-Files**: 3-file planning pattern (task_plan.md, findings.md, progress.txt), Git Worktree support
- **Claude Code Native**: Task tool with subagents for parallel story execution

## Quick Start

### Automatic PRD Generation

Generate a PRD from your task description:

```
/hybrid:auto Implement a user authentication system with login, registration, and password reset
```

This will:
1. Launch a Planning Agent to analyze your task
2. Generate a PRD with user stories
3. Show the PRD for review
4. Wait for your approval

### Manual PRD Loading

Load an existing PRD file:

```
/hybrid:manual path/to/prd.json
```

### Approval and Execution

After reviewing the PRD:

```
/approve
```

This begins parallel execution of stories according to the dependency graph.

## Architecture

### File Structure

```
project-root/
├── prd.json                 # Product Requirements Document
├── findings.md              # Research findings (tagged by story)
├── progress.txt             # Progress tracking
├── .current-story           # Currently executing story
├── .locks/                  # File locks for concurrent access
└── .agent-outputs/          # Individual agent logs
```

### The PRD Format

The `prd.json` file contains:

- **metadata**: Creation date, version, description
- **goal**: One-sentence project goal
- **objectives**: List of specific objectives
- **stories**: Array of user stories with:
  - `id`: Unique story identifier (story-001, story-002, etc.)
  - `title`: Short story title
  - `description`: Detailed story description
  - `priority`: high, medium, or low
  - `dependencies`: Array of story IDs this story depends on
  - `status`: pending, in_progress, or complete
  - `acceptance_criteria`: List of completion criteria
  - `context_estimate`: small, medium, large, or xlarge
  - `tags`: Array of tags for categorization

### Parallel Execution Model

Stories are organized into **execution batches**:

1. **Batch 1**: Stories with no dependencies (run in parallel)
2. **Batch 2+**: Stories whose dependencies are complete (run in parallel)

```
Batch 1 (Parallel):
  - story-001: Design database schema
  - story-002: Design API endpoints

Batch 2 (After story-001 complete):
  - story-003: Implement database schema

Batch 3 (After story-002, story-003 complete):
  - story-004: Implement API endpoints
```

### Context Filtering

Each agent receives **only relevant context**:

- Their story description and acceptance criteria
- Summaries of completed dependencies
- Findings tagged with their story ID

This keeps context windows focused and efficient.

## Core Python Modules

### context_filter (migrated to src/plan_cascade/state/)

Context filtering functionality is now provided by the main package.

```bash
# Get story details
uv run python -m plan_cascade.state.context_filter get-story story-001

# Get context for a story
uv run python -m plan_cascade.state.context_filter get-context story-001

# Get execution batch
uv run python -m plan_cascade.state.context_filter get-batch 1

# Show full execution plan
uv run python -m plan_cascade.state.context_filter plan-batches
```

### state_manager.py

Thread-safe file operations with platform-specific locking.

```bash
# Read PRD
uv run python state_manager.py read-prd

# Mark story complete
uv run python state_manager.py mark-complete story-001

# Get all story statuses
uv run python state_manager.py get-statuses
```

### prd_generator.py

Generates PRD from task descriptions and manages story dependencies.

```bash
# Validate PRD
uv run python prd_generator.py validate

# Show execution batches
uv run python prd_generator.py batches

# Create sample PRD
uv run python prd_generator.py sample
```

### orchestrator.py

Manages parallel execution of stories.

```bash
# Show execution plan
uv run python orchestrator.py plan

# Show execution status
uv run python orchestrator.py status

# Execute a batch
uv run python orchestrator.py execute-batch 1
```

## Commands Reference

### /hybrid:auto

Generate PRD from task description and enter review mode. Auto-generates user stories with priorities, dependencies, and acceptance criteria for parallel execution.

```
/hybrid:auto [options] <task description> [design-doc-path]
```

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| `--flow <quick\|standard\|full>` | Execution flow depth controlling quality gate strictness |
| `--tdd <off\|on\|auto>` | Test-Driven Development mode |
| `--confirm` | Require batch confirmation during execution |
| `--no-confirm` | Disable batch confirmation |
| `--spec <off\|auto\|on>` | Spec interview before PRD generation |
| `--first-principles` | Enable first-principles questioning in spec interview |
| `--max-questions N` | Max questions in spec interview |
| `--agent <name>` | Agent to use for PRD generation |
| `design-doc-path` | Optional path to existing design document |

Parameters are saved to `prd.json` and propagated to `/approve`.

### /hybrid:manual

Load an existing PRD file and enter review mode.

```
/hybrid:manual [path/to/prd.json]
```

### /hybrid:worktree

Start a new task in an isolated Git worktree with Hybrid Ralph PRD mode. Creates worktree, branch, loads existing PRD or auto-generates from description.

```
/hybrid:worktree [options] <task-name> <target-branch> <prd-path-or-description> [design-doc-path]
```

**Arguments:**
- `task-name`: Name for the worktree (e.g., "feature-auth", "fix-api-bug")
- `target-branch`: Branch to merge into (default: auto-detect main/master)
- `prd-path-or-description`: Either a task description to generate PRD, or path to existing PRD file

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| `--flow <quick\|standard\|full>` | Execution flow depth controlling quality gate strictness |
| `--tdd <off\|on\|auto>` | Test-Driven Development mode |
| `--confirm` | Require batch confirmation during execution |
| `--no-confirm` | Disable batch confirmation |
| `--spec <off\|auto\|on>` | Spec interview before PRD generation |
| `--first-principles` | Enable first-principles questioning in spec interview |
| `--max-questions N` | Max questions in spec interview |
| `--agent <name>` | Agent to use for PRD generation |
| `design-doc-path` | Optional path to existing design document |

Parameters are saved to the worktree's `prd.json`, ensuring isolation from other tasks.

### /approve

Approve PRD and begin parallel story execution. Analyzes dependencies, creates execution batches, launches background Task agents, and monitors progress.

```
/approve [options]
```

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| `--flow <quick\|standard\|full>` | Override execution flow depth (quality gate strictness) |
| `--tdd <off\|on\|auto>` | Control TDD mode for story execution |
| `--confirm` | Require confirmation before each batch |
| `--no-confirm` | Disable batch confirmation (even in full flow) |
| `--agent <name>` | Global agent override for all stories |
| `--impl-agent <name>` | Agent for implementation phase |
| `--retry-agent <name>` | Agent for retry phase (after failures) |
| `--no-verify` | Skip AI verification gate |
| `--verify-agent <name>` | Agent for verification phase |
| `--no-review` | Skip code review gate |
| `--no-fallback` | Disable agent fallback chain |
| `--auto-run` | Use Python-based full-auto execution with retry |

**Flow Levels:**

| Flow | Gate Mode | AI Verification | Code Review | Test Enforcement |
|------|-----------|-----------------|-------------|------------------|
| `quick` | soft (warnings) | disabled | no | no |
| `standard` | soft (warnings) | enabled | no | no |
| `full` | hard (blocking) | enabled | required | required |

**Execution Modes:**

| Mode | Description |
|------|-------------|
| Auto | Automatically progresses through batches, pauses on errors |
| Manual | Requires user approval before each batch |
| Full Auto | Python-based execution with auto-retry (up to 3 attempts) |

### /hybrid:complete

Complete a worktree task. Verifies all stories are complete, commits code changes (excluding planning files), merges to target branch, and removes worktree.

```
/hybrid:complete [target-branch]
```

### /edit

Edit the PRD in your default editor. Opens prd.json, validates after saving, and re-displays review.

```
/edit
```

### /status

Show execution status of all stories. Displays batch progress, individual story states, completion percentage, and recent activity.

```
/status
```

### /show-dependencies

Display the dependency graph for all stories in the PRD. Shows visual ASCII graph, critical path analysis, and detects issues like circular dependencies.

```
/show-dependencies
```

## Workflows

### Complete Workflow

```
1. /hybrid:auto "Implement feature X"
   ↓
2. Review generated PRD
   ↓
3. /edit (if needed) or /approve
   ↓
4. Agents execute stories in parallel batches
   ↓
5. Monitor with /status
   ↓
6. All stories complete
```

### Manual PRD Workflow

```
1. Create prd.json (or use template)
   ↓
2. /hybrid:manual prd.json
   ↓
3. Review and edit as needed
   ↓
4. /approve
   ↓
5. Execution begins
```

## Findings Tagging

When updating `findings.md`, tag sections with relevant story IDs:

```markdown
<!-- @tags: story-001,story-002 -->

## Database Schema Discovery

The existing schema uses UUIDs for primary keys...
```

This allows agents to receive only relevant findings.

## Progress Tracking

Track progress in `progress.txt`:

```
[2024-01-15 10:00:00] story-001: [IN_PROGRESS] story-001
[2024-01-15 10:15:00] story-001: [COMPLETE] story-001
[2024-01-15 10:15:00] story-002: [IN_PROGRESS] story-002
```

## File Locking

The state manager uses platform-specific locking:

- **Linux/Mac**: fcntl for advisory file locking
- **Windows**: msvcrt for file locking
- **Fallback**: PID-based lock files

Lock files are stored in `.locks/` directory.

## Error Handling

### Validation Errors

If PRD validation fails:

1. Check for duplicate story IDs
2. Verify all dependencies exist
3. Ensure required fields are present
4. Use `/edit` to fix issues

### Execution Failures

If a story fails:

1. Check `.agent-outputs/<story-id>.log`
2. Review progress.txt for error messages
3. Fix issues manually or with agent help
4. Re-run the story

### Dependency Cycles

If dependency cycles are detected:

1. Review `/show-dependencies` output
2. Use `/edit` to break cycles
3. Re-validate with `/hybrid:manual`

## Best Practices

1. **Write Clear Descriptions**: Agents work better with specific, detailed descriptions
2. **Use Acceptance Criteria**: Define what "done" means for each story
3. **Tag Findings**: Always tag findings with relevant story IDs
4. **Update Progress**: Mark stories complete promptly
5. **Review Before Approval**: Always review the PRD before approving

## Integration with Planning-with-Files

This skill integrates seamlessly with planning-with-files:

- **Standard Mode**: Use alongside existing task_plan.md, findings.md, progress.md
- **Worktree Mode**: Each worktree can have its own PRD and story execution
- **Session Recovery**: Resume work after /clear with `/hybrid:manual`

## Templates

Use the provided templates as starting points:

- `templates/prd.json.example` - Example PRD structure
- `templates/prd_review.md` - PRD review display template
- `templates/findings.md` - Structured findings template

## Troubleshooting

### PRD Not Found

```
Error: No PRD found in current directory
```

Solution: Use `/hybrid:auto` to generate or `/hybrid:manual` to load.

### Lock Timeout

```
TimeoutError: Could not acquire lock within 30s
```

Solution: Run `uv run python state_manager.py cleanup-locks` to remove stale locks.

### Dependency Not Found

```
Validation Error: Unknown dependency 'story-005'
```

Solution: Edit PRD to fix dependency reference or add missing story.

## See Also

- [planning-with-files](../planning-with-files/SKILL.md) - Base planning skill
- [Ralph Loop](https://github.com/anthropics/ralph-loop) - Original Ralph concept