vcf-framework

A Claude Code plugin that wraps the Vibe Coder Framework — a 10-step doctrine with 8 gate commands — for shipping production-quality features end-to-end. Each gate is its own slash command, reads its upstream artifact, writes its own output, and tells you to /clear before the next gate. Two in-loop sub-steps (kaizen, sprint) live inside :build and aren't gate commands.

This is what GSD looks like for solo / small-team development without the milestone-level overhead.

Two execution modes

Pick the mode by tier (see /vcf-framework:overview for tier definitions):

Mode	When	How
In-session (/vcf-framework:overview reads the doctrine, then you stay in one chat)	Tier 1–2 momentum work	One conversation, all 10 steps inline
Gate mode (this plugin's primary use)	Tier 3+ work	One slash command per step + /clear between every gate

The 8 gate commands

In order. Each refuses to run if its upstream prereq file is missing in .vcf/<feature-slug>/.

Command	Step	Reads	Writes
/vcf-framework:context <slug>	01	memory, git history, CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md	CONTEXT.md, bootstraps STATUS.md
/vcf-framework:brainstorm <slug>	02	CONTEXT.md	design.md
/vcf-framework:prd <slug>	03	design.md	PRD.md
/vcf-framework:plan <slug>	04	PRD.md	PLAN.md (via Plan Mode for multi-file work)
/vcf-framework:build <slug>	05	PLAN.md, current slice in STATUS.md	appends to BUILD-NOTES.md
/vcf-framework:slice-audit <slug>	06	BUILD-NOTES.md, PRD.md	REVIEW-slice-N.md
/vcf-framework:final-audit <slug>	08.5	everything	FINAL-REVIEW.md, VERIFY.md
/vcf-framework:closeout <slug>	09	FINAL-REVIEW.md, VERIFY.md	CLOSEOUT.md, ships, writes back to memory

Plus one reference skill: /vcf-framework:overview — the 10-step doctrine, tier system, and Joey playbook. Read this once when first using the plugin.

(Steps 07 kaizen and 08 sprint are intentionally not gate commands — they're tactical sub-loops inside /vcf-framework:build. See the overview for guidance.)

v0.2 — Cherry-picked utilities (15 skills)

In addition to the 8 gate commands + overview, v0.2 ships 15 cherry-picked skills from gstack, GSD, Pocock, and Karpathy. Each integrates with the gate flow at specific moments.

Ported skills (verbatim with attribution)

Skill	Source	When to use
/vcf-framework:handoff	Pocock	Compact a session into a fresh-agent pickup doc. Pairs with /clear.
/vcf-framework:zoom-out	Pocock	Module-map an unfamiliar area. Strengthens :context.
/vcf-framework:prototype	Pocock	Throwaway prototype between :brainstorm and :prd.
/vcf-framework:diagnose	Pocock	Disciplined hard-bug loop during :build.
/vcf-framework:improve-codebase-architecture	Pocock	Refactor mode between loops.
/vcf-framework:write-a-skill	Pocock	Add a new skill to vcf-framework itself.
/vcf-framework:setup-precommit	Pocock	One-shot bootstrap for fresh repos (Husky + lint-staged + typecheck + test).
/vcf-framework:grill-with-docs	Pocock	Rigorous design interview — alternative to :brainstorm for novel features.
/vcf-framework:karpathy-guidelines	Karpathy / multica-ai	4 principles discipline overlay during :build or :slice-audit.
/vcf-framework:forensics	GSD (adapted)	Post-mortem for FAILED or ABANDONED loops.

Adapted skills (vcf-flavored versions of external patterns)

Skill	Inspired by	When to use
/vcf-framework:retro	gstack	Structured retrospective ritual before :closeout.
/vcf-framework:plan-tune	gstack	Refine an existing PLAN.md that's close but not quite.
/vcf-framework:office-hours	gstack	Pre-:brainstorm ideation conversation.
/vcf-framework:map-codebase	GSD	Architectural overview of a large unfamiliar codebase.
/vcf-framework:cleanup	GSD	Archive .vcf/<slug>/ state after :closeout ships.

Patterns baked into gate skills (no new files)

• :overview — Tier-6 milestone hybrid (GSD + VCF combo for true milestones)
• :plan — Goal-backward plan-check before exiting Plan Mode
• :build — Karpathy discipline check + wave-based parallel slices for Tier-4
• :slice-audit — Karpathy 4-principle check during review
• :final-audit — Self-eval Step 0 pre-check (alirezarezvani-engineering pattern)
• :closeout — Dangling-threads section + tech-debt-tracker reference

References (external skills the framework points at)

• Pocock to-prd from :prd (alternative entry path)
• Pocock to-issues from :plan (alternative slice breakdown)
• gstack design-shotgun from :plan and :build (UI variant generation)
• alirezarezvani focused-fix from :build (bug-fix scope discipline)
• alirezarezvani autoresearch-agent from :closeout (Karpathy autoresearch loops)
• alirezarezvani tech-debt-tracker from :closeout dangling-threads section
• alirezarezvani karpathy-coder from :karpathy-guidelines (heavyweight enforcement)

State convention

Each invocation reads/writes files in <cwd>/.vcf/<feature-slug>/:

<cwd>/.vcf/<feature-slug>/
├── STATUS.md          # Loop tracker — single source of truth for "where am I"
├── CONTEXT.md         # output of /vcf-framework:context
├── design.md          # output of /vcf-framework:brainstorm
├── PRD.md             # output of /vcf-framework:prd
├── PLAN.md            # output of /vcf-framework:plan
├── BUILD-NOTES.md     # appended by /vcf-framework:build per slice
├── REVIEW-slice-N.md  # output of /vcf-framework:slice-audit per slice
├── FINAL-REVIEW.md    # output of /vcf-framework:final-audit
├── VERIFY.md          # goal-backward check from /vcf-framework:final-audit
└── CLOSEOUT.md        # output of /vcf-framework:closeout

Add .vcf/ to your repo's .gitignore unless you want to commit framework state alongside code.

Typical flow

/vcf-framework:context my-feature
/clear
/vcf-framework:brainstorm my-feature
/clear
/vcf-framework:prd my-feature
/clear
/vcf-framework:plan my-feature
/clear
/vcf-framework:build my-feature        # slice 1
/clear
/vcf-framework:slice-audit my-feature        # review slice 1
/clear
/vcf-framework:build my-feature        # slice 2
/clear
/vcf-framework:slice-audit my-feature        # review slice 2
... (repeat per slice in PLAN.md)
/vcf-framework:final-audit my-feature  # whole-feature sweep
/clear
/vcf-framework:closeout my-feature     # ship + memory write-back

Each /clear resets context. Each gate skill reads only the upstream artifact, not your chat history. Total context budget per gate stays bounded — the secret to long-running features without conversation cruft.

Installation

claude plugin marketplace add HolySamuraiSniper/vcf-framework
claude plugin install vcf-framework@vcf-framework

Verify the install:

claude plugin details vcf-framework@vcf-framework

You should see 9 skills (v0.1) or 24 skills (v0.2+) in the component inventory. In a fresh Claude Code session, type /vcf-framework:overview to load the doctrine reference.

Local development install

If you're hacking on the plugin itself:

git clone https://github.com/HolySamuraiSniper/vcf-framework.git
cd vcf-framework
claude plugin marketplace add .
claude plugin install vcf-framework@vcf-framework

Tier guide (from /vcf-framework:overview)

Tier	Trigger	Mode
1 — Tiny	Typo, 1-line bugfix	Skip framework, just code
2 — Small	1 feature, 1–3 files, design obvious	In-session: /vcf-framework:context → /vcf-framework:build → /vcf-framework:closeout
3 — Medium ⭐	Multi-file, real decisions, half-day to 1 day	Gate mode, full 8-command sequence
4 — Grindy	5+ similar items (batch work)	Design once (gate mode through :plan), then Ralph executes
5 — Security-critical	Auth, RLS, OAuth, payment, multi-tenancy	Gate mode + /codex challenge at :slice-audit, security extras at :final-audit
6 — True milestone	Multi-week, novel architecture	GSD outline + Tier 3 VCF per vertical slice

What the framework guarantees

• No PRD drift: scope is locked at :prd, audited against at :final-audit
• No reviewer brief contamination: every audit invocation runs in fresh context (Agent tool) or sub-agent (Skill tool wrapping /codex)
• Two audit gates: per-slice (:slice-audit) catches local bugs; whole-feature (:final-audit) catches integration drift
• Memory write-back: :closeout always feeds claude-mem + Obsidian vault. The loop compounds.

What it doesn't do

• Replace GSD for true Tier-6 milestones. Use GSD's milestone scaffolding (/gsd-new-milestone, /gsd-new-phase) plus this plugin per vertical slice.
• Auto-detect tier. You pick. (Add tier explicitly to STATUS.md after :context.)
• Pick model defaults. Provider config lives in your project's own config.

Author

Toki Wilkinson · @HolySamuraiSniper

Built with Claude Code · MIT licensed