name: flow-next-plan-review description: Carmack-level plan review via RepoPrompt or Codex. Use when reviewing Flow epic specs or design docs. Triggers on /flow-next:plan-review.

Plan Review Mode

Read workflow.md for detailed phases and anti-patterns.

Conduct a John Carmack-level review of epic plans.

Role: Code Review Coordinator (NOT the reviewer) Backends: RepoPrompt (rp) or Codex CLI (codex)

CRITICAL: flowctl is BUNDLED — NOT installed globally. which flowctl will fail (expected). Always use:

FLOWCTL="${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/flowctl"

Backend Selection

Priority (first match wins):

1. --review=rp|codex|export|none argument
2. FLOW_REVIEW_BACKEND env var (rp, codex, none)
3. .flow/config.json → review.backend
4. Error - no auto-detection

Parse from arguments first

Check $ARGUMENTS for:

• --review=rp or --review rp → use rp
• --review=codex or --review codex → use codex
• --review=export or --review export → use export
• --review=none or --review none → skip review

If found, use that backend and skip all other detection.

Otherwise read from config

# Priority: --review flag > env > config
BACKEND=$($FLOWCTL review-backend)

if [[ "$BACKEND" == "ASK" ]]; then
  echo "Error: No review backend configured."
  echo "Run /flow-next:setup to configure, or pass --review=rp|codex|none"
  exit 1
fi

echo "Review backend: $BACKEND (override: --review=rp|codex|none)"

Critical Rules

For rp backend:

1. DO NOT REVIEW THE PLAN YOURSELF - you coordinate, RepoPrompt reviews
2. MUST WAIT for actual RP response - never simulate/skip the review
3. MUST use setup-review - handles window selection + builder atomically
4. DO NOT add --json flag to chat-send - it suppresses the review response
5. Re-reviews MUST stay in SAME chat - omit --new-chat after first review

For codex backend:

1. Use $FLOWCTL codex plan-review exclusively
2. Pass --receipt for session continuity on re-reviews
3. Parse verdict from command output

For all backends:

• If REVIEW_RECEIPT_PATH set: write receipt after review (any verdict)
• Any failure → output <promise>RETRY</promise> and stop

FORBIDDEN:

• Self-declaring SHIP without actual backend verdict
• Mixing backends mid-review (stick to one)
• Skipping review when backend is "none" without user consent

Input

Arguments: $ARGUMENTS Format: <flow-epic-id> [focus areas]

Workflow

See workflow.md for full details on each backend.

FLOWCTL="${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/flowctl"
REPO_ROOT="$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null || pwd)"

Step 0: Detect Backend

Run backend detection from SKILL.md above. Then branch:

Codex Backend

EPIC_ID="${1:-}"
RECEIPT_PATH="${REVIEW_RECEIPT_PATH:-/tmp/plan-review-receipt.json}"

# Save checkpoint before review (recovery point if context compacts)
$FLOWCTL checkpoint save --epic "$EPIC_ID" --json

# --files: comma-separated CODE files for reviewer context
# Epic/task specs are auto-included; pass files the plan will CREATE or MODIFY
# How to identify: read the epic spec, find files mentioned or directories affected
# Example: epic touches auth → pass existing auth files for context
#
# Dynamic approach (if epic mentions specific paths):
#   CODE_FILES=$(grep -oE 'src/[^ ]+\.(ts|py|js)' .flow/specs/${EPIC_ID}.md | sort -u | paste -sd,)
# Or list key files manually:
CODE_FILES="src/main.py,src/config.py"

$FLOWCTL codex plan-review "$EPIC_ID" --files "$CODE_FILES" --receipt "$RECEIPT_PATH"
# Output includes VERDICT=SHIP|NEEDS_WORK|MAJOR_RETHINK

On NEEDS_WORK: fix plan via $FLOWCTL epic set-plan AND sync affected task specs via $FLOWCTL task set-spec, then re-run (receipt enables session continuity).

Note: codex plan-review automatically includes task specs in the review prompt.

RepoPrompt Backend

# Step 1: Get plan content
$FLOWCTL show <id> --json
$FLOWCTL cat <id>

# Save checkpoint before review (recovery point if context compacts)
$FLOWCTL checkpoint save --epic <id> --json

# Step 2: Atomic setup (pick-window + builder)
eval "$($FLOWCTL rp setup-review --repo-root "$REPO_ROOT" --summary "Review plan for <EPIC_ID>: <summary>")"
# Outputs W=<window> T=<tab>. If fails → <promise>RETRY</promise>

# Step 3: Augment selection - add epic AND task specs
$FLOWCTL rp select-add --window "$W" --tab "$T" .flow/specs/<epic-id>.md
# Add all task specs for this epic
for task_spec in .flow/tasks/${EPIC_ID}.*.md; do
  [[ -f "$task_spec" ]] && $FLOWCTL rp select-add --window "$W" --tab "$T" "$task_spec"
done

# Step 4: Get builder handoff and build review prompt
HANDOFF="$($FLOWCTL rp prompt-get --window "$W" --tab "$T")"
# Build /tmp/review-prompt.md with handoff + review criteria (see workflow.md)

# Step 5: Send review prompt
$FLOWCTL rp chat-send --window "$W" --tab "$T" --message-file /tmp/review-prompt.md --new-chat --chat-name "Plan Review: <EPIC_ID>"
# WAIT for response. Extract verdict from response.
# Valid verdicts: SHIP, NEEDS_WORK, MAJOR_RETHINK
# If no valid verdict tag → <promise>RETRY</promise>

# Step 6: Write receipt if REVIEW_RECEIPT_PATH set
# Step 7: Update status
$FLOWCTL epic set-plan-review-status <EPIC_ID> --status ship --json

Fix Loop (INTERNAL - do not exit to Ralph)

CRITICAL: Do NOT ask user for confirmation. Automatically fix ALL valid issues and re-review — our goal is production-grade world-class software and architecture. Never use AskUserQuestion in this loop.

If verdict is NEEDS_WORK, loop internally until SHIP:

1. Parse issues from reviewer feedback
2. Fix epic spec (stdin preferred, temp file if content has single quotes):

   # Preferred: stdin heredoc
   $FLOWCTL epic set-plan <EPIC_ID> --file - --json <<'EOF'
   <updated epic spec content>
   EOF
   
   # Or temp file
   $FLOWCTL epic set-plan <EPIC_ID> --file /tmp/updated-plan.md --json
   

3. Sync affected task specs - If epic changes affect task specs, update them:

   $FLOWCTL task set-spec <TASK_ID> --file - --json <<'EOF'
   <updated task spec content>
   EOF
   

   Task specs need updating when epic changes affect:
   • State/enum values referenced in tasks
   • Acceptance criteria that tasks implement
   • Approach/design decisions tasks depend on
   • Lock/retry/error handling semantics
   • API signatures or type definitions
4. Re-review:
   • Codex: Re-run flowctl codex plan-review (receipt enables context)
   • RP: $FLOWCTL rp chat-send --window "$W" --tab "$T" --message-file /tmp/re-review.md (NO --new-chat)
5. Repeat until <verdict>SHIP</verdict>

Recovery: If context compaction occurred during review, restore from checkpoint:

$FLOWCTL checkpoint restore --epic <EPIC_ID> --json

CRITICAL: For RP, re-reviews must stay in the SAME chat so reviewer has context. Only use --new-chat on the FIRST review.