Autonomous AI development loop for Claude Code with intelligent exit detection

Autonomous AI development loop with intelligent exit detection and rate limiting

Ralph is an implementation of the Geoffrey Huntley's technique for Claude Code that enables continuous autonomous development cycles he named after Ralph Wiggum. It enables continuous autonomous development cycles where Claude Code iteratively improves your project until completion, with built-in safeguards to prevent infinite loops and API overuse.

Install once, use everywhere - Ralph becomes a global command available in any directory.

Version: v0.9.8 - Active Development Core Features: Working and tested Test Coverage: 276 tests, 100% pass rate

• Autonomous development loops with intelligent exit detection
• Rate limiting with hourly reset (100 calls/hour, configurable)
• Circuit breaker with advanced error detection (prevents runaway loops)
• Response analyzer with semantic understanding and two-stage error filtering
• JSON output format support with automatic fallback to text parsing
• Session continuity with --continue flag for context preservation
• Modern CLI flags: --output-format, --allowed-tools, --no-continue
• Multi-line error matching for accurate stuck loop detection
• 5-hour API limit handling with user prompts
• tmux integration for live monitoring
• PRD import functionality
• CI/CD pipeline with GitHub Actions
• 276 passing tests across 11 test files

v0.9.8 - Modern CLI for PRD Import

• Modernized ralph_import.sh to use Claude Code CLI JSON output format
• JSON output format support with --output-format json for structured responses
• Enhanced error handling with structured JSON error messages
• Improved file verification with JSON-derived status information
• Backward compatibility with older CLI versions (automatic text fallback)
• Added 11 new tests for modern CLI features
• Test count: 276 (up from 265)

v0.9.7 - Session Lifecycle Management

• Complete session lifecycle management with automatic reset triggers
• Session auto-reset on: circuit breaker open, manual interrupt, project completion
• Added --reset-session CLI flag for manual session reset
• Session history tracking (last 50 transitions) for debugging
• Added 26 new tests for session continuity features

v0.9.6 - JSON Output & Session Management

• Extended parse_json_response() to support Claude Code CLI JSON format
• Added session management functions: store_session_id(), get_last_session_id(), should_resume_session()
• Cross-platform epoch time utilities in date_utils.sh
• Added 16 new tests covering Claude CLI format and session management

v0.9.5 - PRD Import Tests

• Added 22 comprehensive tests for ralph_import.sh PRD conversion script
• Tests cover: file format support, output file creation, project naming, error handling

v0.9.4 - Project Setup Tests

• Added 36 comprehensive tests for setup.sh project initialization script
• Tests cover: directory creation, template copying, git initialization

v0.9.3 - Installation Tests

• Added 14 comprehensive tests for install.sh global installation script
• Tests cover: directory creation, command installation, dependency detection

v0.9.2 - Prompt File Fix

• Fixed critical bug: replaced non-existent --prompt-file CLI flag with -p flag
• Modern CLI mode now correctly passes prompt content via -p "$(cat file)"
• Added error handling for missing prompt files in build_claude_command()

v0.9.1 - Modern CLI Commands (Phase 1.1)

• JSON output format support with --output-format json (default)
• Session continuity using --continue flag for cross-loop context
• Tool permissions via --allowed-tools flag
• CI/CD pipeline with kcov coverage reporting

v0.9.0 - Circuit Breaker Enhancements

• Fixed multi-line error matching in stuck loop detection
• Eliminated JSON field false positives (e.g., "is_error": false)
• Added two-stage error filtering for accurate detection

• Expanding test coverage
• Log rotation functionality
• Dry-run mode
• Configuration file support (.ralphrc)
• Metrics and analytics tracking
• Desktop notifications
• Git backup and rollback system

Timeline to v1.0: ~4 weeks | Full roadmap | Contributions welcome!

• Autonomous Development Loop - Continuously executes Claude Code with your project requirements
• Intelligent Exit Detection - Automatically stops when project objectives are complete
• Session Continuity - Preserves context across loop iterations with automatic session management
• Rate Limiting - Built-in API call management with hourly limits and countdown timers
• 5-Hour API Limit Handling - Detects Claude's 5-hour usage limit and offers wait/exit options
• Live Monitoring - Real-time dashboard showing loop status, progress, and logs
• Task Management - Structured approach with prioritized task lists and progress tracking
• Project Templates - Quick setup for new projects with best-practice structure
• Comprehensive Logging - Detailed execution logs with timestamps and status tracking
• Configurable Timeouts - Set execution timeout for Claude Code operations (1-120 minutes)
• Verbose Progress Mode - Optional detailed progress updates during execution
• Response Analyzer - AI-powered analysis of Claude Code responses with semantic understanding
• Circuit Breaker - Advanced error detection with two-stage filtering, multi-line error matching, and automatic recovery
• CI/CD Integration - GitHub Actions workflow with automated testing

Ralph has two phases: one-time installation and per-project setup.

INSTALL ONCE              USE MANY TIMES
+-----------------+          +----------------------+
| ./install.sh    |    ->    | ralph-setup project1 |
|                 |          | ralph-setup project2 |
| Adds global     |          | ralph-setup project3 |
| commands        |          | ...                  |
+-----------------+          +----------------------+

Install Ralph globally on your system:

git clone https://github.com/frankbria/ralph-claude-code.git
cd ralph-claude-code
./install.sh

This adds ralph, ralph-monitor, and ralph-setup commands to your PATH.

Note: You only need to do this once per system. After installation, you can delete the cloned repository if desired.

For each new project you want Ralph to work on:

# Convert existing PRD/specs to Ralph format (recommended)
ralph-import my-requirements.md my-project
cd my-project

# Review and adjust the generated files:
# - PROMPT.md (Ralph instructions)
# - @fix_plan.md (task priorities)
# - specs/requirements.md (technical specs)

# Start autonomous development
ralph --monitor

# Create blank Ralph project
ralph-setup my-awesome-project
cd my-awesome-project

# Configure your project requirements manually
# Edit PROMPT.md with your project goals
# Edit specs/ with detailed specifications
# Edit @fix_plan.md with initial priorities

# Start autonomous development
ralph --monitor

Once Ralph is installed and your project is initialized:

# Navigate to any Ralph project and run:
ralph --monitor              # Integrated tmux monitoring (recommended)

# Or use separate terminals:
ralph                        # Terminal 1: Ralph loop
ralph-monitor               # Terminal 2: Live monitor dashboard

Ralph operates on a simple but powerful cycle:

1. Read Instructions - Loads PROMPT.md with your project requirements
2. Execute Claude Code - Runs Claude Code with current context and priorities
3. Track Progress - Updates task lists and logs execution results
4. Evaluate Completion - Checks for exit conditions and project completion signals
5. Repeat - Continues until project is complete or limits are reached

Ralph automatically stops when it detects:

• All tasks in @fix_plan.md marked complete
• Multiple consecutive "done" signals from Claude Code
• Too many test-focused loops (indicating feature completeness)
• Strong completion indicators in responses
• Claude API 5-hour usage limit reached (with user prompt to wait or exit)

Ralph can convert existing PRDs, specifications, or requirement documents into the proper Ralph format using Claude Code.

• Markdown (.md) - Product requirements, technical specs
• Text files (.txt) - Plain text requirements
• JSON (.json) - Structured requirement data
• Word documents (.docx) - Business requirements
• PDFs (.pdf) - Design documents, specifications
• Any text-based format - Ralph will intelligently parse the content

# Convert a markdown PRD
ralph-import product-requirements.md my-app

# Convert a text specification
ralph-import requirements.txt webapp

# Convert a JSON API spec
ralph-import api-spec.json backend-service

# Let Ralph auto-name the project from filename
ralph-import design-doc.pdf

Ralph-import creates a complete project with:

• PROMPT.md - Converted into Ralph development instructions
• @fix_plan.md - Requirements broken down into prioritized tasks
• specs/requirements.md - Technical specifications extracted from your document
• Standard Ralph structure - All necessary directories and template files

The conversion is intelligent and preserves your original requirements while making them actionable for autonomous development.

Ralph-import uses modern Claude Code CLI features for improved reliability:

• JSON Output Format: Structured responses enable precise parsing of conversion results
• Automatic Fallback: Gracefully handles older CLI versions with text-based parsing
• Enhanced Error Reporting: Extracts specific error messages and codes from JSON responses
• Session Tracking: Captures session IDs for potential continuation of interrupted conversions

Note: These features require Claude Code CLI version 2.0.76 or later. Older versions will work with standard text output.

Ralph includes intelligent rate limiting and circuit breaker functionality:

# Default: 100 calls per hour
ralph --calls 50

# With integrated monitoring
ralph --monitor --calls 50

# Check current usage
ralph --status

The circuit breaker automatically:

• Detects API errors and rate limit issues with advanced two-stage filtering
• Opens circuit after 3 loops with no progress or 5 loops with same errors
• Eliminates false positives from JSON fields containing "error"
• Accurately detects stuck loops with multi-line error matching
• Gradually recovers with half-open monitoring state
• Provides detailed error tracking and logging with state history

When Claude's 5-hour usage limit is reached, Ralph:

1. Detects the limit error automatically
2. Prompts you to choose:
   • Option 1: Wait 60 minutes for the limit to reset (with countdown timer)
   • Option 2: Exit gracefully (or auto-exits after 30-second timeout)
3. Prevents endless retry loops that waste time

# Use custom prompt file
ralph --prompt my_custom_instructions.md

# With integrated monitoring
ralph --monitor --prompt my_custom_instructions.md

# Set Claude Code execution timeout (default: 15 minutes)
ralph --timeout 30  # 30-minute timeout for complex tasks

# With monitoring and custom timeout
ralph --monitor --timeout 60  # 60-minute timeout

# Short timeout for quick iterations
ralph --verbose --timeout 5  # 5-minute timeout with progress

# Enable detailed progress updates during execution
ralph --verbose

# Combine with other options
ralph --monitor --verbose --timeout 30

Ralph maintains session context across loop iterations for improved coherence:

# Sessions are enabled by default with --continue flag
ralph --monitor                 # Uses session continuity

# Start fresh without session context
ralph --no-continue             # Isolated iterations

# Reset session manually (clears context)
ralph --reset-session           # Clears current session

# Check session status
cat .ralph_session              # View current session file
cat .ralph_session_history      # View session transition history

Session Auto-Reset Triggers:

• Circuit breaker opens (stagnation detected)
• Manual interrupt (Ctrl+C / SIGINT)
• Project completion (graceful exit)
• Manual circuit breaker reset (--reset-circuit)

Sessions are persisted to .ralph_session with a 24-hour expiration. The last 50 session transitions are logged to .ralph_session_history for debugging.

Modify these variables in ~/.ralph/ralph_loop.sh:

Exit Detection Thresholds:

MAX_CONSECUTIVE_TEST_LOOPS=3     # Exit after 3 test-only loops
MAX_CONSECUTIVE_DONE_SIGNALS=2   # Exit after 2 "done" signals
TEST_PERCENTAGE_THRESHOLD=30     # Flag if 30%+ loops are test-only

Circuit Breaker Thresholds:

CB_NO_PROGRESS_THRESHOLD=3       # Open circuit after 3 loops with no file changes
CB_SAME_ERROR_THRESHOLD=5        # Open circuit after 5 loops with repeated errors
CB_OUTPUT_DECLINE_THRESHOLD=70   # Open circuit if output declines by >70%

Ralph creates a standardized structure for each project:

my-project/
├── PROMPT.md           # Main development instructions for Ralph
├── @fix_plan.md        # Prioritized task list (@ prefix = Ralph control file)
├── @AGENT.md           # Build and run instructions
├── specs/              # Project specifications and requirements
│   └── stdlib/         # Standard library specifications
├── src/                # Source code implementation
├── examples/           # Usage examples and test cases
├── logs/               # Ralph execution logs
└── docs/generated/     # Auto-generated documentation

1. Be Specific - Clear requirements lead to better results
2. Prioritize - Use @fix_plan.md to guide Ralph's focus
3. Set Boundaries - Define what's in/out of scope
4. Include Examples - Show expected inputs/outputs

• Place detailed requirements in specs/
• Use @fix_plan.md for prioritized task tracking
• Keep @AGENT.md updated with build instructions
• Document key decisions and architecture

• Use ralph-monitor for live status updates
• Check logs in logs/ for detailed execution history
• Monitor status.json for programmatic access
• Watch for exit condition signals

• Bash 4.0+ - For script execution
• Claude Code CLI - npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
• tmux - Terminal multiplexer for integrated monitoring (recommended)
• jq - JSON processing for status tracking
• Git - Version control (projects are initialized as git repos)
• Standard Unix tools - grep, date, etc.

See TESTING.md for the comprehensive testing guide.

If you want to run the test suite:

# Install BATS testing framework
npm install -g bats bats-support bats-assert

# Run all tests (276 tests)
npm test

# Run specific test suites
bats tests/unit/test_rate_limiting.bats
bats tests/unit/test_exit_detection.bats
bats tests/unit/test_json_parsing.bats
bats tests/unit/test_cli_modern.bats
bats tests/unit/test_cli_parsing.bats
bats tests/unit/test_session_continuity.bats
bats tests/integration/test_loop_execution.bats
bats tests/integration/test_prd_import.bats
bats tests/integration/test_project_setup.bats
bats tests/integration/test_installation.bats

# Run error detection and circuit breaker tests
./tests/test_error_detection.sh
./tests/test_stuck_loop_detection.sh

Current test status:

• 276 tests across 11 test files
• 100% pass rate (276/276 passing)
• Comprehensive unit and integration tests
• Specialized tests for JSON parsing, CLI flags, circuit breaker, and installation workflows

Note on Coverage: Bash code coverage measurement with kcov has fundamental limitations when tracing subprocess executions. Test pass rate (100%) is the quality gate. See bats-core#15 for details.

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt-get install tmux

# macOS
brew install tmux

# CentOS/RHEL
sudo yum install tmux

# Integrated tmux monitoring (recommended)
ralph --monitor

# Manual monitoring in separate terminal
ralph-monitor

Shows real-time:

• Current loop count and status
• API calls used vs. limit
• Recent log entries
• Rate limit countdown

tmux Controls:

• Ctrl+B then D - Detach from session (keeps Ralph running)
• Ctrl+B then ←/→ - Switch between panes
• tmux list-sessions - View active sessions
• tmux attach -t <session-name> - Reattach to session

# JSON status output
ralph --status

# Manual log inspection
tail -f logs/ralph.log

• Rate Limits - Ralph automatically waits and displays countdown
• 5-Hour API Limit - Ralph detects and prompts for user action (wait or exit)
• Stuck Loops - Check @fix_plan.md for unclear or conflicting tasks
• Early Exit - Review exit thresholds if Ralph stops too soon
• Execution Timeouts - Increase --timeout value for complex operations
• Missing Dependencies - Ensure Claude Code CLI and tmux are installed
• tmux Session Lost - Use tmux list-sessions and tmux attach to reconnect

Ralph is actively seeking contributors! We're working toward v1.0.0 with clear priorities and a detailed roadmap.

See CONTRIBUTING.md for the complete contributor guide including:

• Getting started and setup instructions
• Development workflow and commit conventions
• Code style guidelines
• Testing requirements (100% pass rate mandatory)
• Pull request process and code review guidelines
• Quality standards and checklists

# Fork and clone
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/ralph-claude-code.git
cd ralph-claude-code

# Install dependencies and run tests
npm install
npm test  # All 276 tests must pass

1. Test Implementation - Help expand test coverage
2. Feature Development - Log rotation, dry-run mode, config files, metrics
3. Documentation - Tutorials, troubleshooting guides, examples
4. Real-World Testing - Use Ralph, report bugs, share feedback

Every contribution matters - from fixing typos to implementing major features!

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

• Inspired by the Ralph technique created by Geoffrey Huntley
• Built for Claude Code by Anthropic
• Community feedback and contributions

• Claude Code - The AI coding assistant that powers Ralph
• Aider - Original Ralph technique implementation

./install.sh              # Install Ralph globally
./install.sh uninstall    # Remove Ralph from system
./install.sh --help       # Show installation help

ralph [OPTIONS]
  -h, --help              Show help message
  -c, --calls NUM         Set max calls per hour (default: 100)
  -p, --prompt FILE       Set prompt file (default: PROMPT.md)
  -s, --status            Show current status and exit
  -m, --monitor           Start with tmux session and live monitor
  -v, --verbose           Show detailed progress updates during execution
  -t, --timeout MIN       Set Claude Code execution timeout in minutes (1-120, default: 15)
  --output-format FORMAT  Set output format: json (default) or text
  --allowed-tools TOOLS   Set allowed Claude tools (default: Write,Bash(git *),Read)
  --no-continue           Disable session continuity (start fresh each loop)
  --reset-circuit         Reset the circuit breaker
  --circuit-status        Show circuit breaker status
  --reset-session         Reset session state manually

ralph-setup project-name     # Create new Ralph project
ralph-import prd.md project  # Convert PRD/specs to Ralph project
ralph --monitor              # Start with integrated monitoring
ralph --status               # Check current loop status
ralph --verbose              # Enable detailed progress updates
ralph --timeout 30           # Set 30-minute execution timeout
ralph --calls 50             # Limit to 50 API calls per hour
ralph --reset-session        # Reset session state manually
ralph-monitor                # Manual monitoring dashboard

tmux list-sessions        # View active Ralph sessions
tmux attach -t <name>     # Reattach to detached session
# Ctrl+B then D           # Detach from session (keeps running)

Ralph is under active development with a clear path to v1.0.0. See IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md for the complete roadmap.

What's Delivered:

• Core loop functionality with intelligent exit detection
• Rate limiting (100 calls/hour) and circuit breaker pattern
• Response analyzer with semantic understanding
• 276 comprehensive tests (100% pass rate)
• tmux integration and live monitoring
• PRD import functionality with modern CLI JSON parsing
• Installation system and project templates
• Modern CLI commands with JSON output support
• CI/CD pipeline with GitHub Actions
• Comprehensive installation test suite
• Session lifecycle management with auto-reset triggers

Test Coverage Breakdown:

• Unit Tests: 154 (CLI parsing, JSON, exit detection, rate limiting, session continuity)
• Integration Tests: 122 (loop execution, edge cases, installation, project setup, PRD import)
• Test Files: 11

Enhanced Testing

• Installation and setup workflow tests
• tmux integration tests
• Monitor dashboard tests

Core Features

• Log rotation functionality
• Dry-run mode
• Configuration file support - .ralphrc

Advanced Features & Polish

• Metrics and analytics tracking
• Desktop notifications
• Git backup and rollback system
• End-to-end tests
• Final documentation and release prep

See IMPLEMENTATION_STATUS.md for detailed progress tracking.

Ralph is seeking contributors! See CONTRIBUTING.md for the complete guide. Priority areas:

1. Test Implementation - Help expand test coverage (see plan)
2. Feature Development - Log rotation, dry-run mode, config files
3. Documentation - Usage examples, tutorials, troubleshooting guides
4. Bug Reports - Real-world usage feedback and edge cases

Ready to let AI build your project? Start with ./install.sh and let Ralph take it from there!