Prepare (SPAE)

When to use

• The user wants to run the preparatory phases of the SPAE structured workflow autonomously: spec, plan, and inspect.

Goal

• Spawn the subagent matching the current STATE.json phase, looped until the workstream reaches phase: build.

Input

Read .spae/current/STATE.json to resolve the current phase. Accept an optional argument, the proposal, during initial execution.

STATE.json

See references/STATE.md for the field reference, directives, and phase snapshots.

Phase-agent map

Every phase maps to exactly one subagent, spawned the same way regardless of phase:

Workflow

After each read, check the exit first; halt on any Halt conditions entry after every non-exit read and every spawn.

1. Resolve Workstream:
   • .spae/current/STATE.json present: proceed to step 2; list an unused proposal argument under Findings.
   • Absent, proposal provided: spawn spec with the proposal; await completion; proceed to step 2.
2. Dispatch Loop:
   • Read .spae/current/STATE.json; record phase.
   • Exit on phase: "build".
   • Spawn the subagent the map names for phase, no arguments; await completion.
   • Repeat step 2.
3. Report: emit the result per Result directives:
   • Result: Completed on an exit; Halted when a subagent reports Failed or leaves phase unchanged; Failed on any other Halt conditions entry.

Directives

• Always use the subagent tool for subagent invocation.
• Route only from STATE.json phase; trust it over subagent output text.
• Spawn only the subagents the phase-agent map names.
• Pass the proposal argument verbatim to the bootstrap spec spawn only; never reuse it on later iterations, and never read or expand file-path arguments.

Constraints

• Restrict activities to spawning subagents, reading .spae/current/STATE.json, and reporting; never write files, run git operations, activate skills, or prompt the user mid-run.
• Never run subagents in parallel or concurrently.
• Halt conditions: halt immediately; report per Report with Halted at and Reason:
  • .spae/current/STATE.json absent at start, with no proposal argument.
  • STATE.json missing at a loop read, or holding unparseable JSON syntax.
  • phase matching no phase-agent map row.
  • phase unchanged since the previous spawn.
  • A subagent Failed result or process failure (crash, timeout, AgentError).

Verification

• Every spawn matched the phase-agent map row for the recorded phase.
• The run ended on an exit or a Halt conditions entry.
• The orchestrator wrote no file.

Result directives

• Minimum words. Maximum signal.
• Keep prose terse while ensuring clarity.
• Optimize prose for agent, token, and context efficiency.
• Split actions, findings, and summaries into terse bullet points.
• Use lists and sub-lists for long sentences and dense paragraphs.
• Emit the result template as live markdown—never in a code fence.
• Output nothing outside the template.

Result template

### Execution Summary

- **Actions**:
  - [Terse list of actions from spawned subagents]
- **Files**:
  - [Terse list of files affected by spawned subagents]
- **Findings**:
  - [Terse list of findings from spawned subagents]
- **Summary**:
  - [Terse list of summary from spawned subagents]

> **`SPAE` Prepare** • `[workstream]`
> **Result**: [Completed | Halted | Failed]
> **Halted at**: `[Phase]`  _(unless completed)_
> **Reason**: [Terse explanation]     _(unless completed)_
> **Impact**: [Terse impact statement]