---
namespace: aiwg
name: flow-guided-implementation-7d93803cfbd1
platforms: [all]
description: Orchestrate autonomous issue-to-code implementation using existing tools and agents with bounded iteration
---

> **Declarative Flow (#1539):** This flow's orchestration is now also expressed as a
> declarative YAML Flow at `flows/flow-guided-implementation.playbook.yaml` (source of truth for the step
> sequence + gates). This SKILL.md remains the discoverable trigger surface and prose
> reference. See epic #1534.

# /flow-guided-implementation

Orchestrate autonomous issue-to-code implementation using existing tools and agents with bounded iteration.

## Usage

```
/flow-guided-implementation [issue-description]
/flow-guided-implementation --issue <url>
/flow-guided-implementation --max-retries 5
```

## Parameters

| Parameter | Default | Description |
|-----------|---------|-------------|
| `[issue-description]` | - | Natural language description of what to implement |
| `--issue <url>` | - | GitHub/Gitea issue URL to fetch |
| `--max-retries` | 3 | Maximum iterations per task before escalating |
| `--skip-review` | false | Skip code review (faster, less safe) |
| `--dry-run` | false | Plan only, don't execute changes |

## Design Principles

From issue requirements:
1. **Run to completion** - Minimal user interaction during execution
2. **Complement existing tools** - Use Grep, Glob, Edit, TodoWrite, Task
3. **Bounded iteration** - Auto-retry up to N times, then escalate
4. **Autonomous decision-making** - Don't ask unless truly blocked

## Workflow

```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PHASE 1: ANALYSIS                                               │
│ Tools: Read, Grep, Glob                                         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 1. Parse issue/requirement                                      │
│ 2. Extract keywords and intent                                  │
│ 3. Search codebase for relevant files:                          │
│    - Grep for keywords in file contents                         │
│    - Glob for naming patterns                                   │
│ 4. Read top candidate files for context                         │
│ 5. Rank files by relevance (keyword density + path match)       │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              v
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PHASE 2: TASK DECOMPOSITION                                     │
│ Tool: TodoWrite                                                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 1. Create task per file to modify                               │
│ 2. Include task dependencies (e.g., types before implementation)│
│ 3. Order by dependency graph                                    │
│ 4. Estimate complexity per task                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              v
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PHASE 3: ITERATIVE CODING                                       │
│ Tools: Edit, Bash, Task(agents)                                 │
│ Skill: iteration-control                                        │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ FOR EACH task (respecting dependencies):                        │
│   iteration = 0                                                 │
│                                                                 │
│   LOOP while iteration < max_retries:                           │
│     ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│     │ STEP 1: LOCATE                                          │ │
│     │ - Grep for specific patterns in target file             │ │
│     │ - Read surrounding context                              │ │
│     │ - Identify line ranges for modification                 │ │
│     └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│                         │                                       │
│                         v                                       │
│     ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│     │ STEP 2: GENERATE                                        │ │
│     │ Simple change: Edit tool directly                       │ │
│     │ Complex change: Task(software-implementer)              │ │
│     └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│                         │                                       │
│                         v                                       │
│     ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│     │ STEP 3: VALIDATE                                        │ │
│     │ - Bash: Run tests (npm test, pytest, etc.)              │ │
│     │ - If tests fail: Task(debugger) for diagnosis           │ │
│     │ - If tests pass && !skip_review: Task(code-reviewer)    │ │
│     └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│                         │                                       │
│                         v                                       │
│     ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│     │ STEP 4: DECIDE (iteration-control skill)                │ │
│     │                                                         │ │
│     │ IF pass + approved: mark task complete, BREAK           │ │
│     │ IF fail + iteration < max: retry with feedback          │ │
│     │ IF fail + iteration >= max: ESCALATE to user            │ │
│     └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│                                                                 │
│   Mark task complete in TodoWrite                               │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              v
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PHASE 4: INTEGRATION                                            │
│ Tools: Bash (git)                                               │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 1. Verify all tasks complete                                    │
│ 2. Run full test suite                                          │
│ 3. Stage changes: git add                                       │
│ 4. Generate commit message from tasks                           │
│ 5. Commit (or prompt user for /commit-and-push)                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```

## Agents Used

| Agent | When | Purpose |
|-------|------|---------|
| `software-implementer` | Complex code generation | TDD cycle, multi-file changes |
| `code-reviewer` | After code passes tests | Quality, security, style review |
| `debugger` | When tests fail | Root cause analysis |
| `test-engineer` | If tests need creation | Generate test coverage |

## Example Session

```
User: /flow-guided-implementation Add refresh token support to authentication

Claude: Starting guided implementation...

## Phase 1: Analysis
Searching for authentication-related files...
- Found: src/auth/authService.ts (high relevance)
- Found: src/auth/tokenService.ts (high relevance)
- Found: src/types/auth.ts (medium relevance)
- Found: src/routes/auth.ts (medium relevance)

## Phase 2: Task Decomposition
Creating tasks:
[1/4] [ ] Add RefreshToken type to src/types/auth.ts
[2/4] [ ] Add refresh config to src/config/auth.ts
[3/4] [ ] Implement refresh in src/auth/tokenService.ts (depends: 1,2)
[4/4] [ ] Add /refresh endpoint to src/routes/auth.ts (depends: 3)

## Phase 3: Iterative Coding

### Task 1: Add RefreshToken type
Locating insertion point... line 15
Generating type definition...
Running tests... PASS
[1/4] [✓] Add RefreshToken type

### Task 2: Add refresh config
Locating config section... line 8
Adding refreshTokenExpiry config...
Running tests... PASS
[2/4] [✓] Add refresh config

### Task 3: Implement refresh in tokenService
Locating token generation... lines 20-35
Generating refresh token logic...
Running tests... FAIL
  - refreshToken is undefined
Iteration 1/3: Retrying with feedback...
  Fixed: Added refreshToken to return object
Running tests... PASS
Code review... APPROVED
[3/4] [✓] Implement refresh in tokenService

### Task 4: Add /refresh endpoint
Locating routes... line 45
Adding POST /refresh handler...
Running tests... PASS
Code review... APPROVED
[4/4] [✓] Add /refresh endpoint

## Phase 4: Integration
All tasks complete. Running full test suite... PASS
Changes ready to commit.

Generated commit message:
  feat(auth): add refresh token support

  - Add RefreshToken type
  - Configure refresh token expiry
  - Implement token refresh in tokenService
  - Add POST /refresh endpoint

Run /commit-and-push to commit, or review changes with `git diff`.
```

## Escalation Example

```
### Task 3: Implement refresh (iteration 3/3)
Running tests... FAIL
  - userId format mismatch

ESCALATION: Max iterations reached

After 3 attempts, the test still fails:
- Iter 1: refreshToken undefined
- Iter 2: refreshToken missing userId
- Iter 3: userId format mismatch (string vs number)

The implementation uses: { userId: "123" } (string)
The test expects: { userId: 123 } (number)

Which format should be used?
1. String - I'll update the test
2. Number - I'll update the implementation
```

## Progress Tracking

Progress tracked via TodoWrite. Check status anytime:

```
User: What's the implementation status?

Claude:
[1/4] [✓] Add RefreshToken type (1 iteration)
[2/4] [✓] Add refresh config (1 iteration)
[3/4] [..] Implement refresh in tokenService (iteration 2/3)
[4/4] [ ] Add /refresh endpoint (pending)

Current: Task 3, waiting for test fix
```

## Traceability

- @research @.aiwg/research/REF-004-magis-multi-agent-issue-resolution.md
- @skill @$AIWG_ROOT/agentic/code/addons/guided-implementation/skills/iteration-control/SKILL.md

## References

- @$AIWG_ROOT/agentic/code/frameworks/sdlc-complete/agents/software-implementer.md
- @$AIWG_ROOT/agentic/code/frameworks/sdlc-complete/agents/code-reviewer.md
- @$AIWG_ROOT/agentic/code/frameworks/sdlc-complete/agents/debugger.md


---
Source attribution: jmagly
Original project: https://github.com/jmagly/aiwg/blob/bc0cd4d707708593ef15781cb9d38364ea29bdd5/agentic/code/frameworks/sdlc-complete/skills/flow-guided-implementation/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2024 Joe Magly

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: jmagly
Original project: https://github.com/jmagly/aiwg/blob/bc0cd4d707708593ef15781cb9d38364ea29bdd5/agentic/code/frameworks/sdlc-complete/skills/flow-guided-implementation/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Source repository record

Fields of work: Development & Engineering, Product Management
Roles: Backend Developer, Data Engineer, DevOps / SRE, Product Manager, Technical Product Manager
Specialties: API, Backend
Tools: GitHub, Edit, Glob, Grep, Task, Todo Write
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 09a6e4e80024e07c0102917a9b60761f15244432404d58ab61ddd080ba16733b