---
name: using-archeflow
description: Use at session start when implementing features, reviewing code, debugging, or any task that benefits from multiple perspectives. Activates ArcheFlow multi-agent orchestration.
---

# ArcheFlow — Active

Multi-agent orchestration using archetypal roles and PDCA quality cycles.

## IMPORTANT: When to Activate

You MUST use ArcheFlow orchestration (load `archeflow:orchestration` skill and follow its steps) for any task that matches:

- **New features** — any feature touching 2+ files
- **Refactoring** — structural changes across modules
- **Security-sensitive changes** — auth, encryption, input handling, API keys
- **Bug fixes with unclear root cause** — use Explorer to investigate first
- **Code review requests** — spawn Guardian + relevant reviewers
- **Multi-file changes** — anything beyond a single-file edit

Choose the workflow based on risk:

| Signal | Workflow | Command |
|--------|----------|---------|
| Small fix, low risk, single concern | `fast` | Creator → Maker → Guardian |
| Feature, multiple files, moderate risk | `standard` | Explorer + Creator → Maker → Guardian + Skeptic + Sage |
| Security-sensitive, breaking changes, public API | `thorough` | Explorer + Creator → Maker → All 4 reviewers |

## When to Skip ArcheFlow

Do NOT use ArcheFlow for these — just do them directly:

- Single-line fixes, typos, formatting
- Answering questions (no code changes)
- Reading/exploring code without making changes
- Config changes to a single file
- Git operations (commit, push, branch)

**Mini-Reflect fallback:** Even when skipping ArcheFlow, apply a quick reflection for non-trivial single-file changes: (1) restate what you're changing, (2) name one assumption, (3) check if it could break anything. This takes ~10 seconds and catches misunderstandings before they become commits.

## Archetypes

| Archetype | Avatar | Virtue | Shadow | Phase |
|-----------|--------|--------|--------|-------|
| **Explorer** | 🔍 | Contextual Clarity | Rabbit Hole | Plan |
| **Creator** | 🏗️ | Decisive Framing | Over-Architect | Plan |
| **Maker** | ⚒️ | Execution Discipline | Rogue | Do |
| **Guardian** | 🛡️ | Threat Intuition | Paranoid | Check |
| **Skeptic** | 🤔 | Assumption Surfacing | Paralytic | Check |
| **Trickster** | 🃏 | Adversarial Creativity | False Alarm | Check |
| **Sage** | 📚 | Maintainability Judgment | Bureaucrat | Check |

## PDCA Cycle

```
Plan  → Explorer researches, Creator proposes
Do    → Maker implements in isolated worktree
Check → Reviewers assess in parallel (approve/reject)
Act   → All approved? Merge. Issues? Cycle back to Plan.
```

## Progress Indicators

During orchestration, emit phase markers so the user can track progress:

```
━━━ ArcheFlow: <task> ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
📋 Workflow: standard (2 cycles max)

🔍 [Plan] Explorer researching...        ✓ done (35s)
🏗️ [Plan] Creator designing proposal...   ✓ done (25s, confidence: 0.8)
⚒️ [Do]   Maker implementing...           ✓ done (90s, 4 files, 8 tests)
🛡️ [Check] Guardian reviewing...          ✓ APPROVED
🤔 [Check] Skeptic challenging...          ✓ APPROVED (1 INFO)
📚 [Check] Sage reviewing...              ✓ APPROVED
✅ [Act]  All approved — merging...        ✓ merged to main

━━━ Complete: 3m 10s, 1 cycle ━━━━━━━━━━━
```

Update each line as agents complete. This gives the user real-time visibility without interrupting the flow.

## Dry-Run Mode

When the user asks "what would ArcheFlow do?" or uses `--dry-run`, show the plan without executing:

```
Dry run for: "Add JWT authentication"
  Workflow: standard (2 cycles)
  Agents:  🔍 Explorer → 🏗️ Creator → ⚒️ Maker → 🛡️ Guardian + 🤔 Skeptic + 📚 Sage
  Est. agents: 6 per cycle, 12 max
  Worktree: yes (isolated branch)
  Proceed? [y/n]
```

## Quick Start

When the user gives an implementation task:

1. Assess: does this need ArcheFlow? (see criteria above)
2. If yes: load `archeflow:orchestration` skill
3. Pick workflow (fast/standard/thorough)
4. Execute the PDCA steps from the orchestration skill
5. Emit progress indicators throughout (see above)

## Commands

| Command | What it does |
|---------|-------------|
| `/archeflow:orchestration` | Load and run a full PDCA orchestration |
| `/archeflow:status` | Show current orchestration state (phase, cycle, active agents) |
| `/archeflow:history` | Show past orchestration summaries from `.archeflow/session-log.md` |
| `/archeflow:shadow-detection` | Load shadow monitoring rules |
| `/archeflow:autonomous-mode` | Load autonomous/overnight session protocol |

### `/archeflow:status`
Read `.archeflow/state.json` (if exists) and report:
- Current task, phase, and cycle
- Active agents and their status
- Findings so far (by severity)
- Time elapsed

### `/archeflow:history`
Read `.archeflow/session-log.md` and show the last 5 orchestration summaries in compact format.

## Skills Reference

- **archeflow:orchestration** — Step-by-step execution guide (load this to run)
- **archeflow:plan-phase** / **do-phase** / **check-phase** — Phase protocols
- **archeflow:shadow-detection** — Recognizing and correcting dysfunction
- **archeflow:attention-filters** — What context each archetype receives
- **archeflow:autonomous-mode** — Unattended sessions
- **archeflow:custom-archetypes** / **workflow-design** — Extending ArcheFlow