Ultrawork Mode
Overview
Ultrawork enforces verification-first development - a strict mode where every completion claim requires concrete evidence.
Core Principles
- No implementation without planning - Explore codebase, design approach, decompose into tasks
- No completion without evidence - Every criterion needs proof (command output, test results)
- No partial work accepted - "Should work" or "basic implementation" triggers automatic rejection
Workflow Phases
PLANNING → EXECUTION → VERIFICATION → COMPLETE
↑ │
└── (Ralph Loop on fail) ←┘
| Phase | Description | Key Outputs |
|---|---|---|
| Planning | Explore → Design → Task decomposition | design.md, tasks/*.json |
| Execution | Workers implement tasks in parallel waves | Code changes, evidence |
| Verification | Verifier audits ALL evidence against criteria | PASS/FAIL decision |
Activation
Start ultrawork with the /ultrawork command:
/ultrawork "your goal" # Interactive: asks questions, user approves plan
/ultrawork --auto "your goal" # Auto: decides autonomously, no confirmations
/ultrawork --plan-only "goal" # Planning only, no execution
Mode Selection
| Mode | Best For | User Interaction |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive (default) | Complex features, unclear requirements | Questions + approval |
Auto (--auto) | Well-defined tasks, CI/CD | None |
Plan-only (--plan-only) | Design review before implementation | Planning only |
When to Use
USE ultrawork for:
- Multi-file implementations (3+ files)
- Architecture changes or refactoring
- New features with design decisions
- Work requiring verification trails
DON'T use ultrawork for:
- Single-file edits or bug fixes
- Documentation updates
- Quick questions or exploration
- Tasks completable in < 5 minutes
Zero Tolerance Rules
Verification automatically FAILS if output contains blocked patterns.
See references/blocked-patterns.md for complete list.
Common blocked phrases:
- "should work", "probably works"
- "basic implementation", "simplified version"
- "TODO", "FIXME", "not implemented"
Evidence Requirements
Every completion claim requires concrete proof.
| Claim | Required Evidence |
|---|---|
| "Tests pass" | npm test output with exit code 0 |
| "Build succeeds" | Build command output with exit code 0 |
| "Feature works" | Demo, test output, or screenshot |
| "Bug fixed" | Before/after comparison |
See references/verification-protocol.md for detailed verification requirements.
Session State
Each session has isolated state in ~/.claude/ultrawork/sessions/${CLAUDE_SESSION_ID}/.
See references/state-schema.md for complete schema documentation.
Key files:
session.json- Phase, options, metadatacontext.json- Exploration summariesexploration/*.md- Detailed findingstasks/*.json- Task definitions and evidence
Related Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
/ultrawork-status | Check current phase and progress |
/ultrawork-evidence | View collected evidence log |
/ultrawork-clean | Clean up sessions (interactive/all/stale) |
/ultrawork-exec | Execute existing plan |
/ultrawork-plan | Planning phase only |
Additional Resources
Reference Files
references/blocked-patterns.md- Complete list of blocked phrases and whyreferences/verification-protocol.md- Detailed verification requirementsreferences/state-schema.md- Session and task JSON schemas