Data Storage
~/loop/
├── active.json # Currently running loops
├── history/ # Completed loop logs
│ └── {loop-id}.json
└── learnings.md # Cross-loop patterns
Create on first use: mkdir -p ~/loop/history
Scope
This skill:
- ✅ Runs iterative attempts toward defined success criteria
- ✅ Logs each iteration with learnings
- ✅ Exits on success, max iterations, or unrecoverable error
- ❌ NEVER makes Git commits automatically
- ❌ NEVER deploys to production
- ❌ NEVER modifies system configuration
- ❌ NEVER runs indefinitely (max 10 iterations hard limit)
Quick Reference
| Topic | File |
|---|---|
| Loop examples | examples.md |
| Memory between iterations | memory.md |
Core Rules
1. Pattern
Task + Criteria → Execute → Verify → [Pass? Exit : Retry]
2. Required Setup
| Element | Required | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Task | Yes | "Fix failing tests" |
| Success criteria | Yes | "All tests pass" |
| Max iterations | Default: 5 | Max: 10 |
| Verify command | Recommended | npm test |
3. When to Propose
- Task has clear success criteria but uncertain path
- Previous attempt failed but error is fixable
- User says "keep trying until..."
NOT for: One-shot tasks, undefined goals, exploratory work
4. Each Iteration
- Fresh context — Only carry: task, criteria, count, learnings
- Execute — Attempt the task
- Verify — Check success criteria
- Record — Append to history: what worked, what failed
- Decide — Pass? Exit. Fail? Retry if under limit.
5. Stopping Conditions
- ✅ Success criteria met
- ❌ Max iterations reached
- ⚠️ Unrecoverable error (missing dependency, permission denied)
6. On Failure
If max reached without success:
- Summarize all attempts
- Identify common failure pattern
- Recommend manual intervention or different approach
7. Safety
- Hard limit: 10 iterations maximum
- No destructive actions without explicit per-action approval
- Log everything to ~/loop/history/