claude-code-prompter 0.9.0

Orchestrate AI-powered code maintenance workflows with sequential or conditional task execution

Prompter

Orchestrate AI-powered code maintenance at scale

A Python tool for orchestrating AI-powered code maintenance workflows using Claude Code SDK.

📚 Resources: GitHub Repository | Examples | System Prompt

Requirements

• Python 3.11 or higher
• Claude Code SDK

Installation

Install from PyPI:

pip install claude-code-prompter

Or install from source:

# Install the package
pip install -e .

# Install with development dependencies
pip install -e ".[dev]"

How It Works

Prompter supports two execution modes:

1. Sequential Execution (Default)

Tasks execute one after another in the order they're defined. Use on_success = "next" and on_failure = "retry" for traditional sequential workflows.

[[tasks]]
name = "lint"
on_success = "next"  # Continue to the next task in order

[[tasks]]
name = "test"
on_success = "next"  # Continue to the next task

[[tasks]]
name = "build"
on_success = "stop"  # End execution

2. Conditional Workflows (Task Jumping)

Tasks can jump to specific named tasks, enabling complex branching logic. Perfect for error handling, conditional deployments, and dynamic workflows.

[[tasks]]
name = "build"
on_success = "test"      # Jump to 'test' task
on_failure = "fix_build" # Jump to 'fix_build' on failure

[[tasks]]
name = "fix_build"
on_success = "build"     # Retry build after fixing

⚠️ Warning: Infinite Loop Protection When using task jumping, be careful not to create infinite loops. Prompter automatically detects and prevents infinite loops by tracking executed tasks. If a task tries to execute twice in the same run, it will be skipped with a warning. Always ensure your task flows have a clear termination condition.

3. Session Resumption (Context Preservation)

Tasks can resume from previous Claude sessions, maintaining full context across multiple steps. This is essential for complex workflows where later tasks need to understand what was done in earlier tasks.

[[tasks]]
name = "analyze_codebase"
prompt = "Analyze this Python codebase and identify the main components and their relationships."
verify_command = "echo 'Analysis complete'"
on_success = "next"

[[tasks]]
name = "suggest_improvements"
prompt = "Based on your analysis, suggest specific improvements to the code architecture."
verify_command = "echo 'Suggestions complete'"
resume_previous_session = true  # Resume from analyze_codebase's session
on_success = "next"

[[tasks]]
name = "implement_refactoring"
prompt = "Let's implement the first improvement you suggested. Start with refactoring the most critical component."
verify_command = "python -m pytest tests/"
resume_previous_session = true  # Continues with full context from previous tasks
on_success = "stop"

How Session Resumption Works

When resume_previous_session = true:

1. Prompter looks for the most recent task execution (regardless of success/failure)
2. Retrieves that task's Claude session ID from the state file
3. Passes it to Claude SDK, which restores the full conversation history
4. Claude has complete context of previous work, decisions, and code understanding

Use Cases for Session Resumption

Multi-Step Analysis and Implementation:

[[tasks]]
name = "security_audit"
prompt = "Perform a security audit of this codebase. List all potential vulnerabilities."
verify_command = "echo 'Audit complete'"

[[tasks]]
name = "fix_critical_issues"
prompt = "Fix the critical security issues you identified, starting with the most severe."
verify_command = "safety check"
resume_previous_session = true  # Knows exactly which issues to fix

Incremental Refactoring:

[[tasks]]
name = "identify_code_smells"
prompt = "Identify code smells and technical debt in this codebase."
verify_command = "echo 'Analysis complete'"

[[tasks]]
name = "refactor_step_1"
prompt = "Refactor the first code smell you identified."
verify_command = "python -m pytest"
resume_previous_session = true

[[tasks]]
name = "refactor_step_2"
prompt = "Now refactor the second code smell."
verify_command = "python -m pytest"
resume_previous_session = true  # Maintains context of all previous refactoring

Error Recovery with Context:

[[tasks]]
name = "complex_migration"
prompt = "Migrate the database schema from v1 to v2."
verify_command = "python manage.py migrate --check"
on_failure = "fix_migration"

[[tasks]]
name = "fix_migration"
prompt = "The migration failed. Fix the issues based on the error output."
verify_command = "python manage.py migrate --check"
resume_previous_session = true  # Understands what was attempted and why it failed

Best Practices

1. Use for Related Tasks: Resume sessions when tasks are logically connected and need shared context
2. Not for Independent Tasks: Don't resume sessions for unrelated tasks that should start fresh
3. Combine with Task Jumping: Powerful when combined with conditional workflows
4. Debug with Logs: Enable verbose mode to see which session is being resumed

💡 Pro Tip: Session resumption is particularly powerful for complex, multi-step workflows where Claude needs to maintain understanding of your codebase architecture, previous decisions, and implementation details across tasks.

AI-Powered Project Analysis (New in v0.7.0)

Prompter can now analyze your project using Claude and automatically generate a customized configuration file tailored to your specific codebase.

How It Works

The --init command:

1. Scans your project to detect languages, frameworks, and tools
2. Analyzes code quality to identify improvement opportunities
3. Generates specific tasks based on your project's needs
4. Creates a ready-to-use configuration with proper verification commands

Examples

# Analyze current directory and generate prompter.toml
prompter --init

# Generate configuration with a custom name
prompter --init my-workflow.toml

Supported Languages

The AI analyzer can detect and generate configurations for:

• Python (pytest, mypy, ruff, black)
• JavaScript/TypeScript (jest, eslint, prettier)
• Rust (cargo test, clippy, rustfmt)
• Go (go test, golint, gofmt)
• And more...

What Gets Analyzed

• Build Systems: make, npm, cargo, gradle, etc.
• Test Frameworks: pytest, jest, cargo test, go test, etc.
• Linters: ruff, eslint, clippy, golint, etc.
• Type Checkers: mypy, tsc, etc.
• Code Issues: failing tests, linting errors, type issues
• Security: outdated dependencies, known vulnerabilities
• Documentation: missing docstrings, outdated READMEs

Quick Start

1. Let AI analyze your project and generate a customized configuration:

   prompter --init
   

   This will:

   • Detect your project's language and tools automatically
   • Identify specific issues that need fixing
   • Generate tasks tailored to your codebase

2. Review and customize the generated configuration (prompter.toml):

   • The AI will show you what it found and ask for confirmation
   • You can modify task prompts and commands as needed
   • Adjust retry settings and flow control

3. Test your configuration with a dry run:

   prompter prompter.toml --dry-run
   

4. Run the tasks when ready:

   prompter prompter.toml
   

Usage

Basic Commands

# AI-powered configuration generation (analyzes your project)
prompter --init                     # Analyze project and create prompter.toml
prompter --init my-config.toml      # Create with custom name

# Run all tasks from a configuration file
prompter config.toml

# Dry run to see what would be executed without making changes
prompter config.toml --dry-run

# Run a specific task by name
prompter config.toml --task fix_warnings

# Check current status and progress
prompter --status

# Clear saved state for a fresh start
prompter --clear-state

# Enable verbose output for debugging
prompter config.toml --verbose

# Enable extensive diagnostic logging (new in v0.3.0)
prompter config.toml --debug

# Save logs to a file
prompter config.toml --log-file debug.log

# Combine debug mode with log file for comprehensive diagnostics
prompter config.toml --debug --log-file debug.log

Common Use Cases

1. Code Modernization

# Create a config file for updating deprecated APIs
cat > modernize.toml << EOF
[settings]
working_directory = "/path/to/your/project"

[[tasks]]
name = "update_apis"
prompt = "Update all deprecated API calls to their modern equivalents"
verify_command = "python -m py_compile *.py"
on_success = "next"
on_failure = "retry"
max_attempts = 2

[[tasks]]
name = "add_type_hints"
prompt = "Add missing type hints to all functions and methods"
verify_command = "mypy --strict ."
on_success = "stop"
EOF

# Run the modernization
prompter modernize.toml

2. Documentation Updates

# Keep docs in sync with code changes
cat > docs.toml << EOF
[[tasks]]
name = "update_docstrings"
prompt = "Update all docstrings to match current function signatures and behavior"
verify_command = "python -m doctest -v *.py"

[[tasks]]
name = "update_readme"
prompt = "Update README.md to reflect recent API changes and new features"
verify_command = "markdownlint README.md"
EOF

prompter docs.toml --dry-run  # Preview changes first
prompter docs.toml            # Apply changes

3. Code Quality Improvements

# Fix linting issues and improve code quality
cat > quality.toml << EOF
[[tasks]]
name = "fix_linting"
prompt = "Fix all linting errors and warnings reported by flake8 and pylint"
verify_command = "flake8 . && pylint *.py"
on_failure = "retry"
max_attempts = 3

[[tasks]]
name = "improve_formatting"
prompt = "Improve code formatting and add missing blank lines for better readability"
verify_command = "black --check ."
EOF

prompter quality.toml

State Management

Prompter automatically tracks your progress:

# Check what's been completed
prompter --status

# Example output:
# Session ID: 1703123456
# Total tasks: 3
# Completed: 2
# Failed: 0
# Running: 0
# Pending: 1

# Resume from where you left off
prompter config.toml  # Automatically skips completed tasks

# Start fresh if needed
prompter --clear-state
prompter config.toml

Advanced Configuration

Task Dependencies and Flow Control

[settings]
working_directory = "/path/to/project"
check_interval = 30
max_retries = 3

# Task that stops on failure (max_attempts is ignored)
[[tasks]]
name = "critical_fixes"
prompt = "Fix any critical security vulnerabilities"
verify_command = "safety check"
on_failure = "stop"  # Stops immediately on first failure
max_attempts = 3     # This value is ignored when on_failure="stop"

# Task that continues despite failures (max_attempts is ignored)
[[tasks]]
name = "optional_cleanup"
prompt = "Remove unused imports and variables"
verify_command = "autoflake --check ."
on_failure = "next"  # Moves to next task on first failure
max_attempts = 3     # This value is ignored when on_failure="next"

# Task that retries on failure (max_attempts is used)
[[tasks]]
name = "fix_linting"
prompt = "Fix all linting errors"
verify_command = "ruff check ."
on_failure = "retry" # Will retry up to max_attempts times
max_attempts = 3     # Task will run up to 3 times before failing

# Task with custom timeout
[[tasks]]
name = "slow_operation"
prompt = "Refactor large legacy module"
verify_command = "python -m unittest discover"
timeout = 600  # 10 minutes - task will be terminated if it exceeds this

# Task without timeout (runs until completion)
[[tasks]]
name = "thorough_analysis"
prompt = "Perform comprehensive security audit"
verify_command = "security-scan --full"
# No timeout specified - Claude Code runs without time limit

# Task with session resumption
[[tasks]]
name = "continue_work"
prompt = "Continue implementing the changes we discussed"
verify_command = "python -m pytest"
resume_previous_session = true  # Resume from previous task's Claude session

# Task with custom system prompt (for planning or specific behavior)
[[tasks]]
name = "planned_refactor"
prompt = "Refactor the authentication module to use OAuth2"
system_prompt = "You are a security expert. Always create a detailed plan before making changes. Present the plan and wait for confirmation."
verify_command = "python -m pytest tests/auth/"

System Prompts for Task-Specific Behavior

The system_prompt feature allows you to customize Claude's behavior for individual tasks. This is particularly powerful for:

• Enforcing Planning: Make Claude create and present plans before executing
• Setting Expertise Context: Define specific roles or expertise for different tasks
• Adding Safety Constraints: Ensure careful handling of sensitive operations
• Customizing Output Style: Control how Claude approaches and communicates about tasks

Common System Prompt Patterns

1. Planning Before Execution

[[tasks]]
name = "database_migration"
prompt = "Migrate the user authentication tables to the new schema"
system_prompt = "You are a database architect. Before making ANY changes, create a detailed migration plan including: 1) Backup strategy, 2) Step-by-step migration process, 3) Rollback procedure, 4) Testing approach. Present this plan and wait for approval before proceeding."
verify_command = "python manage.py check_migrations"

2. Safety-First Approach

[[tasks]]
name = "production_hotfix"
prompt = "Apply the critical security patch to the authentication system"
system_prompt = "You are deploying to PRODUCTION. Be extremely cautious. Double-check every change. Add extensive logging. Create minimal, surgical fixes only. Explain each change and its potential impact."
verify_command = "python -m pytest tests/security/"

3. Code Quality Enforcement

[[tasks]]
name = "refactor_legacy"
prompt = "Refactor the legacy payment processing module"
system_prompt = "You are a senior engineer focused on clean code. Follow SOLID principles. Add comprehensive docstrings. Ensure backward compatibility. Write code that is easy to test and maintain."
verify_command = "make test-coverage"

4. Learning and Documentation

[[tasks]]
name = "add_feature"
prompt = "Add rate limiting to the API endpoints"
system_prompt = "You are a teaching assistant. As you implement this feature, explain each decision in detail. Add extensive comments explaining not just what the code does, but WHY design decisions were made."
verify_command = "python -m pytest tests/api/test_rate_limiting.py"

5. Domain-Specific Expertise

[[tasks]]
name = "optimize_queries"
prompt = "Optimize the slow database queries identified in the performance report"
system_prompt = "You are a database performance expert. Always: 1) Run EXPLAIN ANALYZE before and after changes, 2) Consider index usage, 3) Minimize lock contention, 4) Document performance improvements with metrics."
verify_command = "python scripts/check_query_performance.py"

Advanced System Prompt Strategies

Combining with Session Resumption

# First task: Analysis phase
[[tasks]]
name = "analyze_architecture"
prompt = "Analyze the current microservices architecture and identify coupling issues"
system_prompt = "You are a solutions architect. Document all findings in a structured format. Be thorough and systematic."
verify_command = "test -f architecture_analysis.md"

# Second task: Implementation phase with context
[[tasks]]
name = "implement_improvements"
prompt = "Based on your analysis, implement the highest priority decoupling improvements"
system_prompt = "You are implementing architectural changes. Refer to your previous analysis. Make incremental, safe changes. Test thoroughly after each change."
verify_command = "make integration-tests"
resume_previous_session = true  # Maintains context from analysis

Progressive Refinement

# Initial implementation
[[tasks]]
name = "quick_prototype"
prompt = "Create a basic implementation of the new feature"
system_prompt = "You are prototyping. Focus on getting something working quickly. Don't worry about edge cases yet."
verify_command = "python -m pytest tests/test_basic.py"

# Hardening phase
[[tasks]]
name = "harden_implementation"
prompt = "Add error handling and edge case handling to the feature"
system_prompt = "You are a QA engineer. Think about everything that could go wrong. Add comprehensive error handling. Consider edge cases, invalid inputs, and failure modes."
verify_command = "python -m pytest tests/test_comprehensive.py"
on_failure = "quick_prototype"  # Go back if we broke something

Task Jumping and Conditional Workflows

# Jump to specific tasks based on success/failure
[[tasks]]
name = "build"
prompt = "Build the project"
verify_command = "test -f dist/app.js"
on_success = "test"      # Jump to 'test' task on success
on_failure = "fix_build" # Jump to 'fix_build' task on failure

[[tasks]]
name = "fix_build"
prompt = "Fix build errors and warnings"
verify_command = "test -f dist/app.js"
on_success = "test"  # Jump back to 'test' after fixing
on_failure = "stop"  # Stop immediately if fix fails (max_attempts ignored)
max_attempts = 2     # This value is ignored when on_failure="stop"

[[tasks]]
name = "test"
prompt = "Run the test suite"
verify_command = "npm test"
on_success = "deploy"    # Continue to deploy
on_failure = "fix_tests" # Jump to fix_tests on failure

[[tasks]]
name = "fix_tests"
prompt = "Fix failing tests"
verify_command = "npm test"
on_success = "deploy"    # Continue to deploy after fixing
on_failure = "retry"     # Retry the fix if it fails
max_attempts = 2         # Will try to fix tests up to 2 times

[[tasks]]
name = "deploy"
prompt = "Deploy to staging environment"
verify_command = "curl -f http://staging.example.com/health"
on_success = "stop"      # All done!
on_failure = "rollback"  # Jump to rollback on failure

[[tasks]]
name = "rollback"
prompt = "Rollback the deployment"
verify_command = "curl -f http://staging.example.com/health"
on_success = "stop"
on_failure = "stop"

This creates a workflow where:

• Build failures jump to a fix task, then retry testing
• Test failures jump to a fix task, then continue to deployment
• Deployment failures trigger a rollback
• Tasks are skipped if not referenced in the flow

⚠️ Avoiding Infinite Loops

When designing conditional workflows, be mindful of potential infinite loops:

Bad Example (Infinite Loop):

[[tasks]]
name = "task_a"
on_success = "task_b"

[[tasks]]
name = "task_b"
on_success = "task_a"  # Creates infinite loop!

Good Example (With Exit Condition):

[[tasks]]
name = "retry_task"
prompt = "Try to fix the issue"
verify_command = "test -f success_marker"
on_success = "next"       # Exit the loop on success
on_failure = "retry_task" # Retry on failure
max_attempts = 1          # Important: limits retries per execution

Loop Protection: By default, Prompter prevents infinite loops by tracking which tasks have been executed. If a task attempts to run twice in the same session, it will be skipped with a warning log.

Allowing Infinite Loops: For use cases like continuous monitoring or polling, you can enable infinite loops:

[settings]
allow_infinite_loops = true

[[tasks]]
name = "monitor"
prompt = "Check system status"
verify_command = "systemctl is-active myservice"
on_success = "wait"
on_failure = "alert"

[[tasks]]
name = "wait"
prompt = "Wait before next check"
verify_command = "sleep 60"
on_success = "monitor"  # Loop back to monitoring

When allow_infinite_loops = true, tasks can execute multiple times. A safety limit of 1000 iterations prevents runaway loops.

Multiple Project Workflow

# Process multiple projects in sequence
for project in project1 project2 project3; do
    cd "$project"
    prompter ../shared-config.toml --verbose
    cd ..
done

Configuration

Create a TOML configuration file with your tasks:

[settings]
check_interval = 30
max_retries = 3
working_directory = "/path/to/project"

[[tasks]]
name = "fix_warnings"
prompt = "Fix all compiler warnings in the codebase"
verify_command = "make test"
verify_success_code = 0
on_success = "next"
on_failure = "retry"
max_attempts = 3
timeout = 300

Configuration Reference

Settings (Optional)

• working_directory: Base directory for command execution (default: current directory)
• check_interval: Seconds to wait between task completion and verification (default: 3600)
• max_retries: Global retry limit for all tasks (default: 3)
• allow_infinite_loops: Allow tasks to execute multiple times in the same run (default: false)

Task Fields

• name (required): Unique identifier for the task. Cannot use reserved words: next, stop, retry, repeat
• prompt (required): Instructions for Claude Code to execute
• verify_command (required): Shell command to verify task success
• verify_success_code: Expected exit code for success (default: 0)
• on_success: Action when task succeeds - "next", "stop", "repeat", or any task name (default: "next")
• on_failure: Action when task fails - "retry", "stop", "next", or any task name (default: "retry")
• max_attempts: Maximum retry attempts for this task (default: 3)
• timeout: Task timeout in seconds (optional, no timeout if not specified)
• system_prompt: Custom system prompt for Claude (optional). Use this to influence Claude's behavior for specific tasks, such as enforcing planning before execution
• resume_previous_session: Resume from previous task's Claude session (default: false)

Important: How on_failure and max_attempts Work Together

The interaction between on_failure and max_attempts depends on the on_failure value:

• on_failure = "retry": The task will retry up to max_attempts times. Only after all attempts are exhausted will the task be marked as failed.

  • Example: With max_attempts = 3, the task runs 3 times before failing definitively

• on_failure = "stop": Execution stops immediately on the first failure. The max_attempts value is ignored.

  • Example: Even with max_attempts = 3, the task stops after 1 failed attempt

• on_failure = "next": Moves to the next task immediately on the first failure. The max_attempts value is ignored.

  • Example: Even with max_attempts = 3, continues to next task after 1 failed attempt

• on_failure = "<task_name>": Jumps to the specified task immediately on the first failure. The max_attempts value is ignored.

  • Example: Even with max_attempts = 3, jumps to the named task after 1 failed attempt

In summary: max_attempts is only meaningful when on_failure = "retry". For all other on_failure values, the failure action happens immediately after the first failed attempt.

Note on Task Jumping: When using task names in on_success or on_failure, ensure your workflow has exit conditions to prevent infinite loops. Prompter will skip tasks that have already executed to prevent infinite loops.

Environment Variables

Prompter supports the following environment variables for additional configuration:

• PROMPTER_INIT_TIMEOUT: Sets the timeout (in seconds) for AI analysis during --init command (default: 120)

  # Increase timeout for large projects
  PROMPTER_INIT_TIMEOUT=300 prompter --init
  
  # Set a shorter timeout for smaller projects
  PROMPTER_INIT_TIMEOUT=60 prompter --init
  

Examples and Templates

The project includes ready-to-use workflow templates in the examples/ directory:

• bdd-workflow.toml: Automated BDD scenario implementation
• refactor-codebase.toml: Safe code refactoring with testing
• security-audit.toml: Security scanning and remediation
• planning-workflow.toml: Enforces planning before implementation using system prompts
• safe-production-deploy.toml: Production deployment with safety checks and rollback plans
• code-review-workflow.toml: Multi-perspective automated code review

Find these examples in the GitHub repository.

AI-Assisted Configuration Generation

For complex workflows, you can use AI assistance to generate TOML configurations. We provide a comprehensive system prompt that helps AI assistants understand all the intricacies of the prompter tool.

Using the System Prompt

1. Get the system prompt from the GitHub repository

2. Ask your AI assistant (Claude, ChatGPT, etc.):

   [Paste the system prompt]
   
   Now create a prompter TOML configuration for: [describe your workflow]
   

3. The AI will generate a properly structured TOML that:

   • Breaks down complex tasks to avoid JSON parsing issues
   • Uses appropriate verification commands
   • Implements proper error handling
   • Follows best practices for the tool

4. Validate the generated TOML:

   # Test configuration without executing anything
   prompter generated-config.toml --dry-run
   
   # This will:
   # - Validate TOML syntax
   # - Check all required fields
   # - Display what would be executed
   # - Show any configuration errors
   

Important: Avoiding Claude SDK Limitations

The Claude SDK currently has a JSON parsing bug with large responses. To avoid this:

1. Keep prompts focused and concise - Each task should have a single, clear objective
2. Break complex workflows into smaller tasks - This is better for reliability anyway
3. Avoid asking Claude to echo large files - Use specific, targeted instructions
4. Use the --debug flag if you encounter issues to see detailed error messages

Example of breaking down a complex task:

❌ Bad (too complex, might fail):

[[tasks]]
name = "refactor_everything"
prompt = """
Analyze the entire codebase, identify all issues, fix all problems,
update all tests, improve documentation, and commit everything.
"""

✅ Good (focused tasks):

[[tasks]]
name = "analyze_code"
prompt = "Identify the top 3 refactoring opportunities in the codebase"
verify_command = "test -f refactoring_plan.md"

[[tasks]]
name = "refactor_duplicates"
prompt = "Extract the most common duplicate code into shared utilities"
verify_command = "python -m py_compile **/*.py"

[[tasks]]
name = "run_tests"
prompt = "Run all tests and report any failures"
verify_command = "pytest"

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. "JSONDecodeError: Unterminated string" - Your prompt is generating responses that are too large

   • Solution: Break down the task into smaller, focused prompts
   • Use --debug to see the full error details

2. Task keeps retrying - The verify_command might not be testing the right thing

   • Solution: Ensure verify_command actually validates what the task accomplished

3. "State file corrupted" - Rare issue with interrupted execution

   • Solution: Run prompter --clear-state to start fresh

4. "Unescaped '' in a string" - TOML parsing error with backslashes in strings

   • Solution: In TOML, backslashes must be escaped. Use one of these approaches:
     • Double backslashes: path = "C:\\Users\\name\\project"
     • Single quotes: path = 'C:\Users\name\project'
     • Triple quotes: path = '''C:\Users\name\project'''
   • The error message now shows the exact line and column with helpful context

Debug Mode

Run with extensive logging to diagnose issues:

prompter config.toml --debug --log-file debug.log

This provides:

• Detailed execution traces
• Claude SDK interaction logs
• State transition information
• Timing data for each operation

License

MIT

╭───────────────────────────────╮
│   >  ───  • • •  ───  ✓       │
│   prompt  tasks  verify       │
╰───────────────────────────────╯