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: v0.11.5 - Active Development Core Features: Working and tested Test Coverage: 784 tests, 100% pass rate
- Autonomous development loops with intelligent exit detection
- Dual-condition exit gate: Requires BOTH completion indicators AND explicit EXIT_SIGNAL
- 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
--resumeflag for context preservation (no session hijacking) - Session expiration with configurable timeout (default: 24 hours)
- Modern CLI flags:
--output-format,--allowed-tools,--no-continue - Interactive project enablement with
ralph-enablewizard .ralphrcconfiguration file for project settings- Live streaming output with
--liveflag for real-time Claude Code visibility - Log rotation:
ralph.logrotates at 10MB, keeping 4 archived files - Dry-run mode (
--dry-run) to simulate loops without API calls - Metrics tracking with
ralph-statsanalytics command (JSON Lines per-loop metrics) - Desktop notifications (
--notify) for key loop events (macOS/Linux/terminal-bell) - Automatic git backup branches (
--backup) with--rollbackrestore - 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
- GitHub issue import:
ralph-import --github-issueplus metadata filters (labels, title, assignee, milestone, state) with first/interactive/priority selection and--dry-runpreview - CI/CD pipeline with GitHub Actions
- Dedicated uninstall script for clean removal
Unreleased - Security: .ralphrc is parsed as data (#346)
.ralphrcis no longer executed withsource: onlyKEY=VALUElines for known keys are applied, with literal values. Shell syntax ($VAR,$(...), chained commands) is rejected with a warning — breaking for.ralphrcfiles that relied on itCLAUDE_CODE_CMD,RALPH_SHELL_INIT_FILE,SANDBOX_DOCKER_IMAGE,SANDBOX_E2B_TEMPLATEandSANDBOX_DOCKER_NETWORK(nohost) accept only stock values from.ralphrc; set custom values as environment variables (or--sandbox-*flags). Applies toralph,ralph-importandralph-queue. See docs/CLI_OPTIONS.md
v0.11.5 - Community Bug Fixes (latest)
- Fixed API limit false positive: Timeout (exit code 124) no longer misidentified as API 5-hour limit (#183)
- Three-layer API limit detection: timeout guard → structural JSON (
rate_limit_event) → filtered text fallback - Unattended mode: API limit prompt now auto-waits on timeout instead of exiting
- Fixed bash 3.x compatibility:
${,,}lowercase substitution replaced with POSIXtr(#187) - Added 8 new tests for API limit detection (548 → 566 tests)
v0.11.4 - Bug Fixes & Compatibility
- Fixed progress detection: Git commits within a loop now count as progress (#141)
- Fixed checkbox regex: Date entries
[2026-01-29]no longer counted as checkboxes (#144) - Fixed session hijacking: Use
--resume <session_id>instead of--continue(#151) - Fixed EXIT_SIGNAL override:
STATUS: COMPLETEwithEXIT_SIGNAL: falsenow continues working (#146) - Fixed ralph-import hanging indefinitely (added
--printflag for non-interactive mode) - Fixed ralph-import absolute path handling
- Fixed cross-platform date commands for macOS with Homebrew coreutils
- Added configurable circuit breaker thresholds via environment variables (#99)
- Added tmux support for non-zero
base-indexconfigurations - Added 13 new regression tests for progress detection and checkbox regex
v0.11.3 - Live Streaming & Beads Fix
- Added live streaming output mode with
--liveflag for real-time Claude Code visibility (#125) - Fixed beads task import using correct
bd listarguments (#150) - Applied CodeRabbit review fixes: camelCase variables, status-respecting fallback, jq guards
- Added 12 new tests for live streaming and beads import improvements
v0.11.2 - Setup Permissions Fix
- Fixed issue #136:
ralph-setupnow creates.ralphrcwith consistent tool permissions - Updated default
ALLOWED_TOOLSto includeEdit,Bash(npm *), andBash(pytest) - Both
ralph-setupandralph-enablenow create identical.ralphrcconfigurations - Monitor now forwards all CLI parameters to inner ralph loop (#126)
- Added 16 new tests for permissions and parameter forwarding
v0.11.1 - Completion Indicators Fix
- Fixed premature exit after exactly 5 loops in JSON output mode
completion_indicatorsnow only accumulates whenEXIT_SIGNAL: true- Aligns with documented dual-condition exit gate behavior
v0.11.0 - Ralph Enable Wizard
- Added
ralph-enableinteractive wizard for enabling Ralph in existing projects - 5-phase wizard: Environment Detection → Task Source Selection → Configuration → File Generation → Verification
- Auto-detects project type (TypeScript, Python, Rust, Go) and framework (Next.js, FastAPI, Django)
- Imports tasks from beads, GitHub Issues, or PRD documents
- Added
ralph-enable-cinon-interactive version for CI/automation - New library components:
enable_core.sh,wizard_utils.sh,task_sources.sh
v0.10.1 - Bug Fixes & Monitor Path Corrections
- Fixed
ralph_monitor.shhardcoded paths for v0.10.0 compatibility - Fixed EXIT_SIGNAL parsing in JSON format
- Added safety circuit breaker (force exit after 5 consecutive completion indicators)
- Fixed checkbox parsing for indented markdown
v0.10.0 - .ralph/ Subfolder Structure (BREAKING CHANGE)
- Breaking: Moved all Ralph-specific files to
.ralph/subfolder - Project root stays clean: only
src/,README.md, and user files remain - Added
ralph-migratecommand for upgrading existing projects
Earlier versions (v0.9.x)
v0.9.9 - EXIT_SIGNAL Gate & Uninstall Script
- Fixed premature exit bug: completion indicators now require Claude's explicit
EXIT_SIGNAL: true - Added dedicated
uninstall.shscript for clean Ralph removal
v0.9.8 - Modern CLI for PRD Import
- Modernized
ralph_import.shto use Claude Code CLI JSON output format - Enhanced error handling with structured JSON error messages
v0.9.7 - Session Lifecycle Management
- Complete session lifecycle management with automatic reset triggers
- Added
--reset-sessionCLI flag for manual session reset
v0.9.6 - JSON Output & Session Management
- Extended
parse_json_response()to support Claude Code CLI JSON format - Added session management functions
v0.9.5 - v0.9.0 - PRD import tests, project setup tests, installation tests, prompt file fix, modern CLI commands, circuit breaker enhancements
- Expanding test coverage
- Automated badge updates
- Multi-provider agent abstraction — decoupling Ralph from
claudeso any headless coding CLI (Codex, Gemini, OpenCode, Droid, Kilocode, Copilot) can drive the loop (multi-providerepic; see also the agent adapter contract)
Timeline to v1.0: final polish underway | Full roadmap | Contributions welcome!
- Autonomous Development Loop - Continuously executes Claude Code with your project requirements
- Intelligent Exit Detection - Dual-condition check requiring BOTH completion indicators AND explicit EXIT_SIGNAL
- Session Continuity - Preserves context across loop iterations with automatic session management
- Session Expiration - Configurable timeout (default: 24 hours) with automatic session reset
- Rate Limiting - Built-in API call management with hourly limits and countdown timers
- 5-Hour API Limit Handling - Three-layer detection (timeout guard, JSON parsing, filtered text) with auto-wait for unattended mode
- 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
- Interactive Project Setup -
ralph-enablewizard for existing projects with task import - Configuration Files -
.ralphrcfor project-specific settings and tool permissions - 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
- Clean Uninstall - Dedicated uninstall script for complete removal
- Live Streaming Output - Real-time visibility into Claude Code execution with
--liveflag - Docker Sandbox Execution - Run Claude Code in an isolated container with
--sandbox docker(resource limits, network policy, secure credential handoff) - E2B Cloud Sandbox Execution - Run Claude Code in an E2B cloud sandbox with
--sandbox e2b(file sync, session recovery, cost tracking with--sandbox-max-cost)
Ralph has two phases: one-time installation and per-project setup.
INSTALL ONCE USE MANY TIMES
+-----------------+ +----------------------+
| ./install.sh | -> | ralph-setup project1 |
| | | ralph-enable |
| Adds global | | ralph-import prd.md |
| commands | | ... |
+-----------------+ +----------------------+
Install Ralph globally on your system:
git clone https://github.com/frankbria/ralph-claude-code.git
cd ralph-claude-code
./install.shThis adds ralph, ralph-monitor, ralph-setup, ralph-import, ralph-queue, ralph-migrate, ralph-enable, and ralph-enable-ci commands to your PATH.
Note: You only need to do this once per system. After installation, you can delete the cloned repository if desired.
cd my-existing-project
# Interactive wizard - auto-detects project type and imports tasks
ralph-enable
# Or with specific task source
ralph-enable --from beads
ralph-enable --from github --label "sprint-1"
ralph-enable --from prd ./docs/requirements.md
# Start autonomous development
ralph --monitor# Convert existing PRD/specs to Ralph format
ralph-import my-requirements.md my-project
cd my-project
# Review and adjust the generated files:
# - .ralph/PROMPT.md (Ralph instructions)
# - .ralph/fix_plan.md (task priorities)
# - .ralph/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 .ralph/PROMPT.md with your project goals
# Edit .ralph/specs/ with detailed specifications
# Edit .ralph/fix_plan.md with initial priorities
# Start autonomous development
ralph --monitorOnce 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 dashboardTo completely remove Ralph from your system:
# Run the uninstall script
./uninstall.sh
# Or if you deleted the repo, download and run:
curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/frankbria/ralph-claude-code/main/uninstall.sh | bashAfter running ralph-enable or ralph-import, you'll have a .ralph/ directory with several files. Here's what each file does and whether you need to edit it:
| File | Auto-Generated? | You Should... |
|---|---|---|
.ralph/PROMPT.md |
Yes (smart defaults) | Review & customize project goals and principles |
.ralph/fix_plan.md |
Yes (can import tasks) | Add/modify specific implementation tasks |
.ralph/AGENT.md |
Yes (detects build commands) | Rarely edit (auto-maintained by Ralph) |
.ralph/specs/ |
Empty directory | Add files when PROMPT.md isn't detailed enough |
.ralph/specs/stdlib/ |
Empty directory | Add reusable patterns and conventions |
.ralphrc |
Yes (project-aware) | Rarely edit (sensible defaults) |
PROMPT.md (high-level goals)
↓
specs/ (detailed requirements when needed)
↓
fix_plan.md (specific tasks Ralph executes)
↓
AGENT.md (build/test commands - auto-maintained)
- Simple projects: PROMPT.md + fix_plan.md is usually enough
- Complex features: Add specs/feature-name.md for detailed requirements
- Team conventions: Add specs/stdlib/convention-name.md for reusable patterns
See the User Guide for detailed explanations and the examples/ directory for realistic project configurations.
Ralph operates on a simple but powerful cycle:
- Read Instructions - Loads
PROMPT.mdwith your project requirements - Execute Claude Code - Runs Claude Code with current context and priorities
- Track Progress - Updates task lists and logs execution results
- Evaluate Completion - Checks for exit conditions and project completion signals
- Repeat - Continues until project is complete or limits are reached
Ralph uses a dual-condition check to prevent premature exits during productive iterations:
Exit requires BOTH conditions:
completion_indicators >= 2(heuristic detection from natural language patterns)- Claude's explicit
EXIT_SIGNAL: truein the RALPH_STATUS block
Example behavior:
Loop 5: Claude outputs "Phase complete, moving to next feature"
→ completion_indicators: 3 (high confidence from patterns)
→ EXIT_SIGNAL: false (Claude says more work needed)
→ Result: CONTINUE (respects Claude's explicit intent)
Loop 8: Claude outputs "All tasks complete, project ready"
→ completion_indicators: 4
→ EXIT_SIGNAL: true (Claude confirms done)
→ Result: EXIT with "project_complete"
Other exit conditions:
- All tasks in
.ralph/fix_plan.mdmarked complete — except unchecked items under optional sections - Multiple consecutive "done" signals from Claude Code
- Too many test-focused loops (indicating feature completeness)
- Claude API 5-hour usage limit reached (with user prompt to wait or exit)
By default, Ralph keeps looping until every - [ ] item is checked. To mark work as
genuinely optional so it does not block completion, put it under an optional section:
## High Priority
- [x] Core feature
## Optional
- [ ] Frontend integration # does NOT block exit
- [ ] SMS notifications # does NOT block exitUnchecked items under Optional, Future, Future Enhancements, or Nice to Have headings
(and their subsections) are ignored by the completion check. Customize the section names with
OPTIONAL_SECTIONS in .ralphrc (comma-separated, case-insensitive). This resolves the
deadlock where Claude treats low-priority items as skippable while Ralph waits for them.
The ralph-enable command provides an interactive wizard for adding Ralph to existing projects:
cd my-existing-project
ralph-enableThe wizard:
- Detects Environment - Identifies project type (TypeScript, Python, etc.) and framework
- Selects Task Sources - Choose from beads, GitHub Issues, or PRD documents
- Configures Settings - Set tool permissions and loop parameters
- Generates Files - Creates
.ralph/directory and.ralphrcconfiguration - Verifies Setup - Confirms all files are created correctly
Non-interactive mode for CI/automation:
ralph-enable-ci # Sensible defaults
ralph-enable-ci --from github # Import from GitHub Issues
ralph-enable-ci --project-type typescript # Override detection
ralph-enable-ci --json # Machine-readable outputRalph 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.pdfRalph-import creates a complete project with:
- .ralph/PROMPT.md - Converted into Ralph development instructions
- .ralph/fix_plan.md - Requirements broken down into prioritized tasks
- .ralph/specs/requirements.md - Technical specifications extracted from your document
- .ralphrc - Project configuration file with tool permissions
- Standard Ralph structure - All necessary directories and template files in
.ralph/
The conversion is intelligent and preserves your original requirements while making them actionable for autonomous development.
Ralph can also import a development plan directly from a GitHub issue. The issue body and discussion comments are converted into the same Ralph format as a local PRD.
- GitHub CLI (
gh) installed:brew install ghorsudo apt install gh(see https://cli.github.com) - Authenticated:
gh auth login jqinstalled (used to parse issue JSON)
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