tools-only Phase 1 Checkpoint 1: Local ZERG Analysis
Date: January 25, 2026 Status: Complete
Repository Overview
Location: /Users/klambros/PycharmProjects/ZERG Purpose: Parallel Claude Code execution orchestration
Directory Structure
ZERG/
├── .zerg/
│ ├── config.yaml ✅ Implemented
│ └── orchestrator.py ❌ MISSING (critical)
├── .claude/
│ └── commands/
│ ├── init.md ✅ Prompt template
│ ├── plan.md ✅ Prompt template
│ ├── design.md ✅ Prompt template
│ ├── rush.md ✅ Prompt template
│ ├── worker.md ✅ Prompt template
│ └── status.md ✅ Prompt template
├── .devcontainer/
│ ├── Dockerfile ✅ Implemented
│ ├── docker-compose.yaml ✅ Implemented
│ ├── devcontainer.json ✅ Implemented
│ └── scripts/
│ ├── install_mcps.sh ✅ Implemented
│ └── setup_env.sh ✅ Implemented
├── .gsd/
│ ├── PROJECT.md ✅ Implemented
│ └── INFRASTRUCTURE.md ✅ Implemented
├── zerg/ ❌ EMPTY Python package
│ └── __init__.py ❌ Empty
├── ARCHITECTURE.md ✅ Implemented (comprehensive)
├── README.md ✅ Implemented
└── requirements.txt ✅ Implemented
Implementation Status
Fully Implemented
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| ARCHITECTURE.md | Comprehensive design documentation |
| Devcontainer config | Dockerfile, docker-compose, scripts |
| MCP server config | Installation script for MCP servers |
| Environment passthrough | Claude API key, config mounting |
| Slash command templates | 6 prompt templates for workflow |
| Project infrastructure | .gsd/PROJECT.md, INFRASTRUCTURE.md |
Partially Implemented (Templates Only)
| Component | Status | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| Slash commands | Prompts exist | No execution logic |
| Task graph schema | Documented | No validator |
| Worker protocol | Described | No implementation |
| Level synchronization | Described | No execution |
| Quality gates | Stub to echo | No verification |
Not Implemented
| Component | Impact |
|---|---|
| orchestrator.py | Cannot execute any tasks |
| Task graph generation | Cannot create work items |
| Worker assignment | Cannot distribute tasks |
| Git worktree automation | Cannot isolate workers |
| Health monitoring | Cannot detect failures |
| Level merge logic | Cannot combine worker output |
| Status aggregation | Cannot report progress |
Design Decisions (From ARCHITECTURE.md)
Preserved Decisions
| Decision | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Git worktrees per worker | Prevents conflicts without file locking |
| Level-based execution | Dependency ordering via waves |
| Exclusive file ownership | Design-time conflict prevention |
| Spec as memory | Stateless workers, restartable |
| Native Tasks integration | Claude Code persistence via shared volume |
| Random port allocation | 49152-65535 range, orchestrator tracks |
Structure Decisions
| Aspect | Design |
|---|---|
| Five levels | foundation → core → integration → testing → quality |
| Context threshold | 70% triggers handoff |
| Verification | verification_command per task |
| Merge gates | Quality check between levels |
Technical Debt
Critical
| Issue | Impact |
|---|---|
| Missing orchestrator.py | No execution capability |
| No execution code | All templates, no runtime |
| No task graph validator | Invalid graphs accepted |
Moderate
| Issue | Impact |
|---|---|
| Quality gates stub | No actual verification |
| No error recovery | Only basic retry |
| No context detection | Workers don't know project type |
| MCP install failures ignored | Silent failures |
Minor
| Issue | Impact |
|---|---|
| .DS_Store files | Git clutter |
| Hardcoded paths | Limited portability |
| No .gitignore for worktrees | Worktrees tracked |
Foundation to Preserve
These design elements align with external best practices and should be preserved:
- Spec as memory: Workers share files not conversation (matches superpowers, SuperClaude)
- Exclusive file ownership: Design-time conflict prevention (unique to ZERG)
- Level-based execution: Dependency ordering via waves (unique to ZERG)
- Git worktrees: Branch isolation (matches packnplay, superpowers)
- Native Tasks integration: Claude Code persistence (matches ecosystem)
- Verification commands: Task completion criteria (matches superpowers)
- 70% context threshold: Handoff trigger (unique to ZERG)
- Port allocation strategy: 49152-65535 ephemeral range (standard practice)
Conclusion
ZERG has a well-designed architecture with comprehensive documentation. The critical gap is implementation: no orchestrator runtime exists. The devcontainer infrastructure is working and can be preserved. The slash command templates provide workflow structure but need execution logic.
Recommendation: Implement orchestrator.py as the first priority, using patterns from packnplay (worktrees) and superpowers (task execution) while preserving ZERG's unique level-based synchronization design.