8.5 KiB
| name | description | metadata | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sf-orchestrator | Build software products autonomously via SF headless mode. Handles the full lifecycle: write a spec, launch a build, poll for completion, handle blockers, track costs, and verify the result. Use when asked to "build something", "create a project", "run sf", "check build status", or any task that requires autonomous software development via subprocess. |
|
<mental_model> SF headless is a subprocess you launch and monitor. Think of it like a junior developer you hand a spec to:
- You write the spec (what to build)
- You launch the build (
sf headless ... new-milestone --context spec.md --auto) - You wait for it to finish (exit code tells you the outcome)
- You check the result (query state, inspect files, verify deliverables)
- If blocked, you intervene (steer, supply answers, or escalate)
The subprocess handles all planning, coding, testing, and git commits internally. You never write application code yourself — SF does that. </mental_model>
<critical_rules>
- Flags before command.
sf headless [--flags] [command] [args]. Flags after the command are ignored. - Redirect stderr. JSON output goes to stdout. Progress goes to stderr. Always
2>/dev/nullwhen parsing JSON. - Check exit codes. 0=success, 1=error, 10=blocked (needs you), 11=cancelled.
- Use
queryto poll. Instant (~50ms), no LLM cost. Use it between steps, notautofor status. - Budget awareness. Track
cost.totalfrom query results. Set limits before launching long runs. - One project directory per build. Each SF project needs its own directory with a
.sf/folder. </critical_rules>
Build something from scratch:
Read workflows/build-from-spec.md — write spec, init directory, launch, monitor, verify.
Check on a running or completed build:
Read workflows/monitor-and-poll.md — query state, interpret phases, handle blockers, recover from crashes.
Intercept SF questions interactively (supervised mode):
Read workflows/monitor-and-poll.md#supervised-mode — use when you want to handle SF's UI requests yourself instead of pre-supplying answers.
Execute with fine-grained control:
Read workflows/step-by-step.md — run one unit at a time with decision points.
Understand the JSON output:
Read references/json-result.md — field reference for HeadlessJsonResult.
Pre-supply answers or secrets:
Read references/answer-injection.md — answer file schema and injection mechanism.
Look up a specific command:
Read references/commands.md — full command reference with flags and examples.
<quick_reference>
Launch a full build (spec to working code):
mkdir -p /tmp/my-project && cd /tmp/my-project && git init
cat > spec.md << 'EOF'
# Your Product Spec Here
Build a ...
EOF
sf headless --output-format json --context spec.md new-milestone --auto 2>/dev/null
Check project state (instant, free):
cd /path/to/project
sf headless query | jq '{phase: .state.phase, progress: .state.progress, cost: .cost.total}'
Resume work on an existing project:
cd /path/to/project
sf headless --output-format json auto 2>/dev/null
Run one step at a time:
RESULT=$(sf headless --output-format json next 2>/dev/null)
echo "$RESULT" | jq '{status: .status, phase: .phase, cost: .cost.total}'
</quick_reference>
<exit_codes>
| Code | Meaning | Your action |
|---|---|---|
0 |
Success | Check deliverables, verify output, report completion |
1 |
Error or timeout | Inspect stderr, check .sf/STATE.md, retry or escalate |
10 |
Blocked | Query state for blocker details, steer around it or escalate to human |
11 |
Cancelled | Process was interrupted — resume with --resume <sessionId> or restart |
| </exit_codes> |
<project_structure>
SF creates and manages all state in .sf/:
.sf/
PROJECT.md # What this project is
REQUIREMENTS.md # Capability contract
DECISIONS.md # Architectural decisions (append-only)
KNOWLEDGE.md # Persistent project knowledge (patterns, rules, lessons)
STATE.md # Current phase and next action
milestones/
M001-xxxxx/
M001-xxxxx-CONTEXT.md # Scope, constraints, assumptions
M001-xxxxx-ROADMAP.md # Slices with checkboxes
M001-xxxxx-SUMMARY.md # Completion summary
slices/S01/
S01-PLAN.md # Tasks
S01-SUMMARY.md # Slice summary
tasks/
T01-PLAN.md # Individual task spec
T01-SUMMARY.md # Task completion summary
State is derived from files on disk — checkboxes in ROADMAP.md and PLAN.md are the source of truth for completion. You never need to edit these files. SF manages them. But you can read them to understand progress. </project_structure>
| Flag | Description | |------|-------------| | `--output-format ` | `text` (default), `json` (structured result at exit), `stream-json` (JSONL events) | | `--json` | Alias for `--output-format stream-json` — JSONL event stream to stdout | | `--bare` | Skip CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, user settings, user skills. Use for CI/ecosystem runs. | | `--resume ` | Resume a prior headless session by its session ID | | `--timeout N` | Overall timeout in ms (default: 300000, use 0 to disable) | | `--model ID` | Override LLM model | | `--supervised` | Forward interactive UI requests to orchestrator via stdout/stdin | | `--response-timeout N` | Timeout (ms) for orchestrator response in supervised mode (default: 30000) | | `--answers ` | Pre-supply answers and secrets from JSON file | | `--events ` | Filter JSONL to specific event types (comma-separated, implies `--json`) | | `--verbose` | Show tool calls in progress output | | `--context ` | Spec file path for `new-milestone` (use `-` for stdin) | | `--context-text ` | Inline spec text for `new-milestone` | | `--auto` | Chain into auto-mode after `new-milestone` |<answer_injection> Pre-supply answers and secrets for fully autonomous runs:
sf headless --answers answers.json --output-format json auto 2>/dev/null
{
"questions": { "question_id": "selected_option" },
"secrets": { "API_KEY": "sk-..." },
"defaults": { "strategy": "first_option" }
}
- questions — question ID to answer (string for single-select, string[] for multi-select)
- secrets — env var to value, injected into child process environment
- defaults.strategy —
"first_option"(default) or"cancel"for unmatched questions
See references/answer-injection.md for the full mechanism.
</answer_injection>
<event_streaming> For real-time monitoring, use JSONL event streaming:
sf headless --json auto 2>/dev/null | while read -r line; do
TYPE=$(echo "$line" | jq -r '.type')
case "$TYPE" in
tool_execution_start) echo "Tool: $(echo "$line" | jq -r '.toolName')" ;;
extension_ui_request) echo "SF: $(echo "$line" | jq -r '.message // .title // empty')" ;;
agent_end) echo "Session ended" ;;
esac
done
Filter to specific events: --events agent_end,execution_complete,extension_ui_request
Available types: agent_start, agent_end, tool_execution_start, tool_execution_end,
tool_execution_update, extension_ui_request, message_start, message_end,
message_update, turn_start, turn_end, cost_update, execution_complete.
</event_streaming>
<all_commands>
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
auto |
Run all queued units until milestone complete or blocked (default) |
next |
Run exactly one unit, then exit |
query |
Instant JSON snapshot — state, next dispatch, costs (no LLM, ~50ms) |
new-milestone |
Create milestone from spec file |
dispatch <phase> |
Force specific phase (research, plan, execute, complete, reassess, uat, replan) |
stop / pause |
Control auto-mode |
steer <desc> |
Hard-steer plan mid-execution |
skip / undo |
Unit control |
queue |
Queue/reorder milestones |
history |
View execution history |
doctor |
Health check + auto-fix |
knowledge <rule> |
Add persistent project knowledge |
See references/commands.md for the complete reference.
</all_commands>