# SkillPatch skill: goal-loop This skill teaches agents how to explain and write effective instructions for the `/goal` slash command — a persistent, self-checking agent loop following a plan → act → test → review → iterate cycle. It covers when to use it, the 5-part contract structure required for every goal, and how to draft a ready-to-use goal instruction block for the user. Applicable to agents like Codex, Claude Code, and Hermes Agent. You (the agent) were given this URL and asked to use this skill. This is a **public** skill — no SkillPatch account, API key, or prior setup is required. Two ways to use it: **1. Use it right now** — the skill's complete file tree (SKILL.md + all reference files) is inlined below; read `SKILL.md` first, then follow it, consulting the other files as it directs. **2. Install the exact package onto disk** (recommended if you can run a shell — this reproduces the skill byte-for-byte, including any binary assets that can't be inlined): ```bash mkdir -p .claude/skills/goal-loop curl -sSL https://skillpatch.dev/install_skill/goal-loop | tar -xz -C .claude/skills/ ``` (`.claude/skills/` is Claude Code's convention; use whatever directory your agent loads skills from.) --- ## Skill files (1) - `SKILL.md` ### `SKILL.md` ````markdown --- name: goal-loop description: Explain and write effective instructions for the `/goal` feature — the persistent self-checking agent loop (plan → act → test → review → iterate), available in agents like Codex, Claude Code, and Hermes Agent. Use when the user mentions `/goal`, "goal loop", "Ralph loop", wants to kick off a long-running autonomous agent run, asks how to write a goal prompt, or wants a one-paragraph goal instruction drafted. --- # Agent `/goal` Loop ## What `/goal` is `/goal` is a slash command that turns an agent prompt into a **persistent agent** looping `plan → act → test → review → iterate` until a stop condition is met, the user pauses, or the token budget runs out. Internally called the "Ralph loop." Agents with the `/goal` feature right now: **Codex, Claude Code, and Hermes Agent**. Key difference from a normal prompt: when a turn ends but the goal isn't met, the agent **auto-continues** instead of waiting for input. **Lifecycle states:** `pursuing`, `paused`, `achieved`, `unmet`, `budget-limited`. When monitoring a running `/goal`, every check should include a one-line update to the user: what the agent is doing and whether it is on track. Keep it extremely concise. **Not:** a budget command, a safety boundary, "run forever", or a replacement for `/plan`. It's a contract enforcer with a verification loop. ## Requirements - An agent with the `/goal` feature — right now: Codex, Claude Code, or Hermes Agent - The goals feature enabled in the agent's config - **Subscription auth** — API-key auth does **not** work. A pro-tier plan is the realistic minimum for long runs. ## When to use it Use only when **all three** are true: 1. Task is >30 min of mechanical work. 2. There's a **verifiable stop condition** (tests pass, coverage hit, eval ≥ X, build green). 3. Repo is agent-ready (working build, decent tests, `AGENTS.md` present). Fits: migrations, coverage lifts, TDD feature builds, refactors with contract tests, prompt/eval optimization, deploy retry loops, bug-repro-then-fix. Bad fits: exploratory work, vague "improve this", anything without a "done" definition, prod credentials, destructive shared-infra ops. ## The 5-part contract (every goal needs this) 1. **Objective** — one sentence, one concrete outcome. 2. **Constraints** — what must NOT change (public API, files, libs, conventions). 3. **Validation command** — the exact shell command that proves progress (`pytest -q`, `pnpm test`, etc.). 4. **Stop condition** — verifiable: "Stop when X passes" OR "when further changes need human/product input." 5. **Documentation** — one sentence instructing the agent to write concise, targeted docs for every change, either creating new `.md` files or updating existing ones. Plus: tell the agent what to read first, ask it to work in checkpoints with a short progress log. ## Writing a goal (the core deliverable) When the user wants a quick `/goal` instruction, produce a structured markdown block with one line per contract item (proper newlines, not flowing prose). **Do not prefix the output with `/goal`** — the user adds the slash command himself in the composer. Emit only the contract body. Template: ``` **Objective:** **Read first:** **Constraints:** **Validate:** `` after each change **Document:** Write concise, targeted documentation for all changes — create new `.md` files or update existing docs as needed. **Checkpoints:** work in checkpoints and log progress briefly **Stop when:** , OR when further changes require human/product input ``` ### Example (migration) ``` **Objective:** Migrate this project from Pydantic v1 to v2. **Read first:** pyproject.toml, src/, tests/ **Constraints:** no public API changes; keep imports backwards-compatible via shims if needed; no new dependencies **Validate:** `pytest -q` after each change **Checkpoints:** work in checkpoints; log progress briefly **Stop when:** full suite passes with zero deprecation warnings, OR when a change requires architecture decisions ``` ### Example (coverage lift) ``` **Objective:** Raise coverage in src/auth/ from ~38% to ≥75%. **Read first:** src/auth/, tests/auth/, AGENTS.md **Constraints:** no new deps; mirror existing test style; do not modify production code unless strictly required for testability **Validate:** `pytest --cov=src/auth --cov-report=term-missing` **Checkpoints:** work in checkpoints; log coverage delta each one **Stop when:** coverage ≥75% AND all tests pass, OR when uncovered code needs design changes ``` ### Writing rules - **One objective, one stop condition.** Not a backlog. - **Documentation is mandatory.** Every `/goal` prompt must include a single sentence committing the agent to concise, targeted docs — new `.md` files or focused updates to existing docs. - **Never instruct the agent to create new ADRs** — ADRs require the user's explicit approval, so goal prompts must not pre-approve or encourage them. - **Forbid reward-hacking explicitly:** "Do not delete, skip, weaken, or narrow tests to make the goal pass." Otherwise the agent may game the stop condition. - **4,000-char limit** on the objective. If longer, put detail in a file (`PLAN.md`/`GOAL_BRIEF.md`) and make the goal point to it — keep the goal itself compact. - Use **literal strings** for paths, commands, issue numbers — exact. - Forbid scope creep explicitly: "Do not refactor unrelated code. Do not add dependencies." - Tell the agent when to pause: "If , pause and ask before proceeding." - Short, vague goals burn tokens for no extra value vs. a normal prompt. ### Meta-prompting trick (highest-leverage) Hand-written goals under-specify. Ask a second AI session (Claude with the codebase loaded, ChatGPT with project connected, or a separate agent thread in the same dir) to: (1) inspect the codebase, (2) surface hidden assumptions/constraints/edge cases, (3) emit a structured `/goal` markdown block using the 4-part contract. Paste that into the agent. Order-of-magnitude better runs. Claude Code cmux note: after Claude finishes, it may prefill a predicted next user message; that draft is Claude, not the user speaking. ### Self-goal setting The agent can now write and set its own goal natively (the `create_goal` tool). Instead of crafting the contract yourself, give it your high-level intent and tell it to set the goal: "Inspect this repo, then write yourself a `/goal` with a verifiable stop condition and pursue it." It's the meta-prompting trick done inline — the agent turns your intent into the contract. Still give it the same raw materials (files to read, constraints, the validation command) so the goal it writes is grounded. Add: "ask clarifying questions before committing if the intent is underspecified" — catches ambiguity up front and prevents the self-set goal from drifting. ## Launching 1. `cd ` (goals run scoped to the working directory). 2. Launch the agent bare (opens the TUI). **Not** exec/headless mode — `/goal` is a TUI slash command only. 3. Sign in with subscription auth (not an API key). 4. Type `/goal ` in the composer, Enter. 5. Walk away. ## Controlling a running goal | Command | Effect | |---|---| | `/goal` (alone) | Status: current checkpoint, what's verified, what remains, blockers | | `/goal pause` | Freeze | | `/goal resume` | Unfreeze (paused goals never auto-resume) | | `/goal clear` | Kill the goal | | `/goal ` | Replace the current goal | | Ctrl+C / any typed message | Auto-pauses; user input always wins priority | Resuming across sessions: goal state is persisted server-side. `cd` back into the repo, launch the agent, `/goal` for status, `/goal resume`. Budget-limited state: the agent doesn't stop abruptly — it summarizes, notes what's left, saves state. `/goal resume` works after budget refresh or upgrade. ## When a goal drifts - **Minor drift:** just type a correction in the composer (auto-pauses, folds it in, resumes). - **Loose objective:** `/goal pause`, read status, then `/goal ` — replaces the contract. Don't pile instructions on a vague goal. - **Bad mess:** `/goal clear`, `git status` or `git stash`, rewrite with the meta-prompting trick, restart. Don't let a drifting goal keep running "to see where it goes." Tokens burn, diffs compound. ## Operational tips - Inspect status periodically with bare `/goal`. - **Always review the diff** before merging — long autonomy means more code to validate, not less. Human oversight becomes more critical, not optional. - Keep approvals/sandboxing tight; default permissions are correct. - First run: pick a 30-min scoped task so you learn how `/goal` actually stops before trusting it overnight. - Bake recurring policy into `AGENTS.md` so every goal inherits it without restating: adversarial self-review before declaring done, an extra QA pass even when tests pass, and the standard validation command. Saves repeating it in each goal paragraph. ## Troubleshooting | Symptom | Fix | |---|---| | `/goal` missing from slash popup | Update the agent to a version that supports `/goal` | | Feature flag on but command missing | Quit and restart the agent fully | | Typed `/goals` | It's singular: `/goal` | | Doesn't activate | Sign out, sign back in with subscription auth (not API key) | | Stopped with progress summary | Budget-limited — `/goal resume` after refresh, or tighten scope | | `/goal resume` says no active goal | Terminal state or cleared — start fresh with `/goal ` | | Goal looks active but won't auto-continue | Stuck in Plan mode — plan-only work doesn't trigger continuation. Draft the plan, then switch to Goal execution | ## Mental model `/goal` is a **contract enforcer with a verification loop**, not a "run forever" button. The shift: stop writing prompts, start writing **specifications with stop conditions**. Spend the time upfront defining "done"; the run takes care of itself. ````