name: sh:loop
description: Execute the Shepherd 14-step Scrumban inner loop for autonomous task processing. Use when starting autopilot mode, processing TODO-Today queue items, or running the autonomous dev loop.
disable-model-invocation: true

Shepherd Inner Loop

Execute the next task from TODO-Today.md using the 14-step Scrumban loop.

Three Nested Loops

Outer Loop (human-driven)

User populates TODO-Today.md via /sh:workflow. Every batch ends with a quality tail.

Inner Loop (agent-driven) — 14 Steps

1. Semaphore — check .autopilot file. run = proceed, else STOP
2. Context load — restore active context from prior iterations
3. Read task — take first unchecked [ ] from ## Queue in TODO-Today.md
4. Route — orchestrator annotates the item
5. Assign @agent via capability scoring
6. Check stall counter on previous item
7. Scan for unblocked dependencies
8. Preload context hints into _Context:_ line
9. DOR check — run /sh:dor to verify task passes Definition of Ready. If not, pause
10. Execute — implement the task. For US implementations, write failing test first (TDD)
11. Verify ACs — confirm all acceptance criteria pass with evidence (test output, screenshots)
12. Code review — self-review changed files. If issues found, evaluate and fix before proceeding
13. Cleanup sub-loop — see below
14. Commit — atomic, conventional commit
15. Branch/PR — if on feature branch, create PR with merge strategy
16. Move to done — mark [x] in TODO-Today, move to DONE-Today with timestamp
17. Save context — run /sh:handoff to produce handoff with git state, decisions, open questions, resume checklist
18. Next task — loop back to step 1. No more tasks = STOP

Cleanup Sub-Loop (nested inside step 9)

run greenlight (project test suite) -> review findings

if task size >= M (Medium or Large):
    run deep security/perf/architecture scan

while Low findings exist:
    fix each Low finding
    re-run greenlight

if Medium or High findings remain:
    write finding summary
    write "pause" to .autopilot
    STOP -- human review required

Key Invariants

• No commit without greenlight — always, no exceptions
• Medium+ findings pause autopilot — never downgrade, never bypass
• Semaphore checked before EVERY task — not just at session start
• Save context at session end — next session must not start blind

Queue Task Format

- [ ] **Phase: Task description** `@agent` `stall:0`
  `/command "args" --attribute`
  _Context: brief notes, file refs, links -- confidence:0.85_

• Line 1: checkbox + bold phase label + task description + optional routing metadata
• Line 2: indented command prompt — directly pasteable
• Line 3 (optional): indented italic context with refs, file paths, links
• Queue order = optimal execution sequence

Input Convention

Everything the user sends is loop input by default (bug, refinement, screenshot, error, link, text).
- No /q prefix = triage it, write TODO-Today queue item(s) FIRST, then STOP. No code changes before the queue item exists.
- /q prefix = question only, answer conversationally, do NOT create queue items.