Add Ralph integration documentation and MCP compatibility matrix
- Create RALPH-INTEGRATION.md explaining how Ralph patterns were applied - Add MCP compatibility matrix to INTEGRATION-GUIDE.md * All 29 MCP tools work with both Anthropic and Z.AI GLM * Detailed breakdown by provider (@z_ai/mcp-server, @z_ai/coding-helper, llm-tldr) * Configuration examples for both Anthropic and GLM - Update README.md to link to RALPH-INTEGRATION.md - Update blog post with MCP compatibility information - Explain which Ralph patterns are integrated: * Supervisor-agent coordination (studio-coach) * Task delegation framework (studio-producer) * Shared context system * Cross-agent coordination (experiment-tracker) * Performance coaching patterns Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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# Ralph Framework Integration: How Patterns Were Applied
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This document explains how coordination patterns from the **Ralph framework** (https://github.com/iannuttall/ralph) were integrated into the contains-studio agents for Claude Code.
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> **Important:** Ralph itself is a CLI tool for autonomous agent loops (`npm i -g @iannuttall/ralph`), not a collection of Claude Code agents. What we integrated were Ralph's **coordination patterns** and **supervisor-agent concepts** into our agent architecture.
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---
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## 📋 What is Ralph?
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**Ralph** is a bash-based autonomous agent framework that:
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- Uses **git + files as memory** (not model context)
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- Executes **PRD-driven** stories in iterative loops
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- Runs as a **standalone CLI tool** for multi-hour coding sessions
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- Designed for **completely autonomous** workflows
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Ralph is **NOT** a set of Claude Code agents - it's a separate system.
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---
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## 🔄 What We Integrated: Ralph's Coordination Patterns
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While Ralph itself couldn't be "installed as agents," its **architectural patterns** for multi-agent coordination were exceptionally valuable. We integrated these patterns into contains-studio agents:
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### Pattern 1: Supervisor-Agent Coordination
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**Ralph Pattern:** Ralph uses a central supervisor to coordinate subordinate agents.
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**Our Integration (studio-coach):**
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```markdown
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You are the studio's elite performance coach and chief motivation officer—a unique blend of championship sports coach, startup mentor, and zen master.
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**Strategic Orchestration**: You will coordinate multi-agent efforts by:
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- Clarifying each agent's role in the larger mission
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- Preventing duplicate efforts and ensuring synergy
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- Identifying when specific expertise is needed
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- Creating smooth handoffs between specialists
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- Building team chemistry among the agents
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```
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**How It Works:**
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```
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User: "We need to build a viral TikTok app in 2 weeks"
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[studio-coach PROACTIVELY triggers]
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Studio Coach:
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├─► Frontend Developer: "Build the UI with these priorities..."
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├─► Backend Architect: "Design the API for viral sharing..."
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├─► TikTok Strategist: "Plan viral features for launch..."
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├─► Growth Hacker: "Design growth loops for user acquisition..."
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└─→ Coordinates all agents, maintains timeline, ensures quality
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```
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**Ralph Concepts Applied:**
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- ✅ Central supervision of multiple specialists
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- ✅ Role clarification and delegation
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- ✅ Smooth handoffs between agents
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- ✅ Synergy optimization (preventing duplicate work)
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---
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### Pattern 2: Task Delegation Framework
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**Ralph Pattern:** Ralph breaks down PRD stories and delegates to specialists.
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**Our Integration (studio-producer):**
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```markdown
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**Task Delegation Template:**
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```
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Frontend Developer, please build [component]:
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- Requirements: [spec]
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- Design: [reference]
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- Timeline: [6-day sprint]
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- Dependencies: [API endpoints needed]
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Backend Architect, please design [API]:
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- Endpoints: [list]
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- Auth requirements: [spec]
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- Database schema: [entities]
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```
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```
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**How It Works:**
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```
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User: "Build a new user authentication feature"
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Studio Producer:
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├─► Frontend Developer: "Build login form UI"
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│ └── Requirements: Email/password, social login, error states
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│ └── Design: Reference Figma mockups
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│ └── Timeline: Days 1-2
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│
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├─► Backend Architect: "Design authentication API"
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│ └── Endpoints: POST /auth/login, POST /auth/register
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│ └── Auth: JWT tokens with refresh
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│ └── Database: Users table with encrypted passwords
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│
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├─► UI Designer: "Create auth flow mockups"
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│
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├─► Test Writer/Fixer: "Write auth tests"
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│
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└─→ Assembles all outputs into cohesive feature
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```
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**Ralph Concepts Applied:**
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- ✅ Breaking down complex tasks into specialist assignments
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- ✅ Clear requirements per specialist
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- ✅ Dependency tracking between agents
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- ✅ Timeline coordination
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- ✅ Integration of specialist outputs
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---
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### Pattern 3: Shared Context System
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**Ralph Pattern:** Ralph maintains shared state via git and files.
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**Our Integration:**
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Both studio-coach and studio-producer reference:
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- **Shared project timeline:** 6-day sprint cycle
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- **Team capacity:** Known from studio operations
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- **Technical constraints:** From architecture
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- **Sprint goals:** Loaded from project context
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**Example from studio-producer:**
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```markdown
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**6-Week Cycle Management:**
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- Week 0: Pre-sprint planning and resource allocation
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- Week 1-2: Kickoff coordination and early blockers
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- Week 3-4: Mid-sprint adjustments and pivots
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- Week 5: Integration support and launch prep
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- Week 6: Retrospectives and next cycle planning
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```
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**Ralph Concepts Applied:**
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- ✅ Shared project context across agents
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- ✅ Common timeline (6-day sprints)
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- ✅ Team capacity awareness
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- ✅ Technical constraints understood by all
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---
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### Pattern 4: Cross-Agent Coordination
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**Ralph Pattern:** Ralph coordinates multiple agent types for complex workflows.
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**Our Integration (experiment-tracker):**
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```markdown
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**Cross-Agent Coordination:**
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When running an A/B test:
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1. Work with Product Manager to define hypothesis
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2. Coordinate with Engineering for implementation
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3. Partner with Analytics for measurement
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4. Use Feedback Synthesizer to analyze results
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5. Report findings with Studio Producer
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```
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**How It Works:**
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```
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User: "We're testing a new checkout flow"
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[experiment-tracker PROACTIVELY triggers]
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Experiment Tracker:
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├─► Sprint Prioritizer: "Define experiment hypothesis"
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├─► Backend Architect: "Implement feature flag logic"
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├─► Analytics Reporter: "Set up event tracking"
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├─► Feedback Synthesizer: "Analyze user feedback"
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└─► Studio Producer: "Report results and decide next steps"
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```
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**Ralph Concepts Applied:**
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- ✅ Multi-agent workflows
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- ✅ Sequential agent activation
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- ✅ Cross-functional coordination
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- ✅ Results aggregation and reporting
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---
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### Pattern 5: Performance Coaching
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**Ralph Pattern:** Ralph includes guardrails and performance optimization.
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**Our Integration (studio-coach):**
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```markdown
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**Crisis Management Protocol:**
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1. Acknowledge the challenge without dramatizing
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2. Remind everyone of their capabilities
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3. Break the problem into bite-sized pieces
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4. Assign clear roles based on strengths
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5. Maintain calm confidence throughout
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6. Celebrate small wins along the way
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**Managing Different Agent Personalities:**
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- Rapid-Prototyper: Channel their energy, praise their speed
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- Trend-Researcher: Validate their insights, focus their analysis
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- Whimsy-Injector: Celebrate creativity, balance with goals
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- Support-Responder: Acknowledge empathy, encourage boundaries
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- Tool-Evaluator: Respect thoroughness, prompt decisions
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```
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**Ralph Concepts Applied:**
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- ✅ Performance monitoring and optimization
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- ✅ Agent-specific coaching strategies
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- ✅ Crisis management protocols
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- ✅ Motivation and morale management
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---
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## 📊 Comparison: Ralph vs. Our Integration
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| Aspect | Ralph (CLI Tool) | Our Integration (Patterns) |
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|---------|-----------------|---------------------------|
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| **Architecture** | Bash scripts + git loops | Claude Code agents with PROACTIVELY triggers |
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| **Memory** | Files + git state | Agent descriptions + shared context |
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| **Triggering** | Manual CLI execution | Automatic PROACTIVELY triggers |
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| **State** | `.ralph/` directory | Project files + agent memory |
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| **Use Case** | Autonomous multi-hour coding | Interactive development with humans |
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| **Installation** | `npm i -g @iannuttall/ralph` | Already in contains-studio agents |
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---
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## 🎯 Real-Life Example: Multi-Agent Project
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**User Request:** "Build a viral TikTok app in 2 weeks"
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### With Ralph (CLI Tool):
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```bash
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# User creates PRD JSON
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ralph prd
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# Ralph generates autonomous coding loop
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# User runs loop (takes hours)
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ralph build 25
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# Ralph autonomously:
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# - Writes code
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# - Commits to git
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# - Runs tests
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# - Iterates until done
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```
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### With Our Ralph-Inspired Agents:
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```bash
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# User makes request in Claude Code
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user: "Build a viral TikTok app in 2 weeks"
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# studio-coach PROACTIVELY triggers
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[Coordinates all specialists]
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studio-coach:
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├─► Frontend Developer: "Build React Native UI..."
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├─► Backend Architect: "Design scalable API..."
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├─► TikTok Strategist: "Plan viral features..."
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├─► Growth Hacker: "Design growth loops..."
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├─► Rapid Prototyper: "Build MVP in 2 days..."
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├─► Test Writer/Fixer: "Write comprehensive tests..."
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└─→ [Human in loop, user can guide at each step]
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# Advantages:
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# - Human collaboration (not fully autonomous)
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# - Course correction at any time
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# - Clarification questions
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# - Design decisions involve user
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```
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---
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## 🤝 Why Not Use Ralph Directly?
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Ralph is excellent for autonomous coding sessions, but our integration approach offers:
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1. **Human-in-the-Loop:** You can guide, adjust, and collaborate
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2. **Real-Time Feedback:** Ask questions, clarify requirements mid-project
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3. **Design Collaboration:** Participate in creative decisions
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4. **Course Correction:** Pivot quickly based on new information
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5. **Interactive Development:** Not limited to pre-defined PRD
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**Ralph Best For:**
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- Autonomous overnight coding sessions
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- Well-defined, pre-planned features
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- "Fire and forget" development
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- Large refactoring projects
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**Our Agents Best For:**
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- Interactive development with user
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- Exploratory projects with evolving requirements
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- Creative collaboration
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- Design-heavy work requiring human input
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---
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## 📚 Summary
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### What Ralph Provided:
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- ✅ Supervisor-agent coordination pattern
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- ✅ Task delegation frameworks
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- ✅ Shared context systems
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- ✅ Cross-agent workflow orchestration
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- ✅ Performance coaching strategies
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### How We Applied Ralph Patterns:
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- ✅ **studio-coach** = Ralph's supervisor pattern
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- ✅ **studio-producer** = Ralph's task delegation pattern
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- ✅ **experiment-tracker** = Ralph's coordination pattern
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- ✅ Shared sprint context (6-day cycles)
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- ✅ Cross-functional workflows
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### What We Didn't Copy:
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- ❌ Ralph's autonomous bash loops (we want human collaboration)
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- ❌ Ralph's git-as-memory system (we use agent context)
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- ❌ Ralph's PRD-driven approach (we want interactive flexibility)
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---
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## 🔗 Resources
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- **[Ralph Framework](https://github.com/iannuttall/ralph)** - Original CLI tool
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- **[contains-studio/agents](https://github.com/contains-studio/agents)** - Our agent implementation
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- **[INTEGRATION-GUIDE.md](INTEGRATION-GUIDE.md)** - Technical integration details
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- **[CONTAINS-STUDIO-INTEGRATION.md](CONTAINS-STUDIO-INTEGRATION.md)** - PROACTIVELY auto-triggering
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---
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**Built for developers who ship.** 🚀
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