@rse/ase 2.0.3 → 2.0.4

package/dst/man/ase-agent-estimator.md

@@ -0,0 +1,477 @@
+# ase-agent-estimator(1) -- Effort Estimation Agent
+
+## SYNOPSIS
+
+`ase agent estimator start`
+\[`-n`|`--name` *name*\]
+\[`-t`|`--tool` `claude`|`copilot`|`codex`\]
+\[`-p`|`--parallel` *num*\]
+\[`-T`|`--timeout` *duration*\]
+\[`-o`|`--one-shot`\]
+\[`--agent-relay` *url*\]
+\[`-m`|`--mode` `phase`|`request`\]
+\[`--`*group*`-`*item* *value* \[...\]\]
+\[`-f`|`--foreground`\]
+
+`ase agent estimator status`
+\[`-n`|`--name` *name*\]
+
+`ase agent estimator log`
+\[`-f`|`--follow`\]
+\[`-n`|`--lines` *n*\]
+\[`--name` *name*\]
+
+`ase agent estimator stop`
+\[`-n`|`--name` *name*\]
+
+## DESCRIPTION
+
+**ase agent estimator** estimates the effort of tasks, i.e., it stores
+the expected human time of a task as a T-shirt size in its `Effort:`
+frontmatter key (see the skill `ase-task-estimate`). Unlike the phase
+agents, it drives no phase and supports all task lifecycle models
+(`solo`, `team`, and `enterprise`). It runs in one of two modes (see
+`--mode`): the mode `phase` (the default) estimates the unestimated
+planned tasks automatically and is intended for the *final* estimation
+of the tasks, once their plans are complete, while the mode `request`
+(re-)estimates the tasks in any unfinished status on request and is
+intended for *dry-runs*, i.e., provisional estimations of plans still
+in progress.
+
+In the mode `phase`, the estimator observes the tasks in the state `PLANNED`, adapted onto
+the task lifecycle model of the project, i.e., `PLANNED` for
+`enterprise`, `PLANNING` for `team`, and `OPEN` for `solo` (see
+`--state-incoming`), which do not carry its tag `ase-agent-estimator`
+yet, independent of their `Assignee:` and their `After:` predecessors.
+Of these, it processes every task which carries no valid `Effort:` key
+yet, whose plan is not empty, and which is no explicit epic (a task
+whose `Group:` is its own id, as its effort is the sum of the efforts
+of its members).
+
+The estimator processes each such task *unclaimed* (see
+`--unclaimed`): it neither moves the task into an activity state, nor
+tags it as active, nor assigns it to itself, and it never changes its
+status or its assignee. Hence, it keeps no other agent and no human off
+the task. However, the built-in `implementer` by default waits with a
+`PLANNED` task until the estimator is done with it (see its parameter
+`effort-wait` in `ase-agent-implementer`(1)), so with both agents
+running, the tasks are estimated before their implementation. An agent
+of the kind `estimator` does not pick up a task already processed by
+another one on the same host.
+
+It estimates the effort via the skill invocation `ase-task-estimate`
+*id*, which writes just the `Effort:` key in a conditional save, i.e.,
+only if the plan was not changed meanwhile (re-estimating the task
+otherwise), so a concurrent change of the task by another agent or a
+human is never lost. It writes neither the `Status:` nor the
+`Modified:` key of the task.
+
+The estimation succeeds only if the agent tool succeeded, the skill
+reported no error, and the task afterwards carries a valid `Effort:`
+key. A successfully estimated task is left untagged, as its valid
+`Effort:` key itself keeps it from being estimated again, until its
+plan content changes, which drops its then stale `Effort:` key, so it
+is estimated again. A task not estimated is tagged with
+`ase-agent-estimator` instead, so it is not processed again and again
+(removing this tag requests another estimation).
+
+In the mode `request`, the estimator instead processes the `estimate`
+requests attached to tasks in any lifecycle status except a finished
+one (e.g., `DRAFTED`, which the mode `phase` never picks up), as
+requested via `ase task request` *id* `estimate` (see
+`ase-task-request`(1)) resp. key `R` of the task boards, where a
+prompt is ignored and hence may be empty. Like the request
+agent `editor` (see `ase-agent-editor`(1)), it claims such a task by
+tagging it with `ase-agent-estimate:active` and assigning it to itself
+(deferring a task in an activity status until it changes), estimates
+its effort via the skill invocation `ase-task-estimate --force` *id*,
+i.e., even if it already carries a valid `Effort:` key, restores its
+previous assignee, and removes the request on success, else turns it
+into a failed request (to be re-requested). The estimation succeeds
+under the same conditions as in the mode `phase`, so a request for an
+explicit epic or a task with an empty plan fails.
+
+Both modes can run side by side as two agents of the kind `estimator`
+under different names (e.g., `estimator` and `estimator-request`).
+
+On an interrupt, a task being processed in the mode `phase` is left
+untouched, while the request of a task being processed in the mode
+`request` is turned back into a pending one. The
+estimator works in the project root only, so it neither requires a Git
+working copy nor `git`, and it accepts no `--repo` and `--tempdir`. See
+`ase-agent`(1) for the common mechanics of all agents.
+
+## OPTIONS
+
+- \[`-h`|`--help`\]: Show usage information of `ase agent estimator`
+  (or of the given sub-command) only.
+
+All other options belong to the sub-commands (see **COMMANDS**).
+
+## COMMANDS
+
+- `ase agent estimator start` \[*options*\]: Start the estimator agent
+  in the background, logging into `.ase/agent/`*name*`.log`. The agent
+  is validated and initialized (e.g., its agent tool is looked up)
+  before the command returns (waiting up to 30 seconds), so a failing
+  agent is reported together with the tail of its log. An agent of the
+  same name already running is left alone. The options are:
+
+    - \[`-n`|`--name` *name*\]: The name of the agent (default:
+      `estimator`): up to 64 letters, digits, underscores, and dashes,
+      starting with a letter or digit, other than the name of another
+      agent kind, `relay`, or `fleet`.
+
+      It names the agent in its log lines (also in the shared processing
+      log attachment `agent`), and its process files
+      `.ase/agent/`*name*`.yaml` and `.ase/agent/`*name*`.log`. Agents
+      of the kind `estimator` under different names form a pool,
+      competing for the same tasks and processing them in parallel to
+      each other.
+
+    - \[`-t`|`--tool` *tool*\]: The headless agent tool processing the
+      tasks: `claude` (*Anthropic Claude Code CLI*), `copilot` (*GitHub
+      Copilot CLI*), or `codex` (*OpenAI Codex CLI*) (default:
+      `$ASE_TOOL`, else `claude`). Its command has to be found in
+      `$PATH`.
+
+    - \[`-p`|`--parallel` *num*\]: The maximum number of tasks processed
+      in parallel by this agent (default: `1`), a positive integer.
+
+    - \[`-T`|`--timeout` *duration*\]: The maximum duration of
+      processing a task (the run of the agent tool), as *number* *unit*
+      (without a space) with *unit* `s` (seconds), `m` (minutes), or `h`
+      (hours) (default: `60m`). A processing exceeding it is aborted and
+      counts as failed.
+
+    - \[`-o`|`--one-shot`\]: Terminate the agent, instead of observing
+      for further tasks, once a check of the task store finds no
+      dispatchable task while the agent processes no task anymore --
+      intended for CI contexts like GitHub Actions, and not allowed in a
+      fleet. A check of the task store failing three times in a row then
+      terminates the agent with a non-zero exit status (instead of being
+      retried endlessly after a growing delay).
+
+    - \[`--agent-relay` *url*\]: The agent relay to pass the live
+      presence of the agent to, as `ase://`*addr*`:`*port*\[`/`*token*\]
+      resp. `ases://`*addr*`:`*port*\[`/`*token*\]\[`?insecure`\] for
+      HTTPS (default: the configured `project.relay.url`, else none).
+      See **AGENT RELAY** in `ase-agent`(1).
+
+    - \[`-m`|`--mode` *mode*\]: The mode of the agent (default:
+      `phase`): `phase` estimates the unestimated tasks in `PLANNED`
+      automatically and unclaimed (intended for the final estimation),
+      while `request` (re-)estimates the tasks of the `estimate`
+      requests in any unfinished status (intended for dry-runs). An
+      invalid mode is an error. The built-in values of the following
+      options are given per mode where they differ, and in the mode
+      `request`, the options for `phase` only (`--unclaimed`,
+      `--state-`\*, `--tag-success`, `--tag-failure`, `--tag-retry`,
+      `--assign-required`, and `--attach-skip`) are not allowed.
+
+    - \[`--title` *text*\]: The one-line title of the operation of the
+      agent (at most 80 characters), shown on the task boards. Built-in:
+      `Estimate the effort of unestimated planned tasks` (`phase`) resp.
+      `Re-estimate the effort of tasks on request` (`request`).
+
+    - \[`--description` *text*\]: The brief description of the operation
+      of the agent (about 3-6 lines, at most 600 characters, with its
+      whitespace collapsed), shown on the task boards. Built-in: a
+      description of the operation of the mode.
+
+    - \[`--type` `phase`|`request`\]: The processing type: `phase`
+      claims the tasks by their lifecycle status, `request` processes
+      the prompt requests attached to the tasks. Generic default:
+      `phase`. Built-in: `phase` (mode `phase`) resp. `request` (mode
+      `request`).
+
+    - \[`--workdir` *kind*\]: The working directory of the agent tool:
+      `project`, `source`, `changeset`, `changeset-read`, or `target`.
+      Generic default: `project`. Built-in: `project`.
+
+    - \[`--lifecycle` *model*\]: A supported task lifecycle model
+      (`solo`, `team`, or `enterprise`, repeatable). Generic default:
+      every model containing all given states, resp. all models for
+      `request` and with `--unclaimed`. Built-in: not set. Hence, all
+      task lifecycle models are supported.
+
+    - \[`--serial`\]: Process the tasks serially only, ignoring
+      `--parallel`. Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--unclaimed`\]: Process the tasks of the incoming states
+      without claiming them, independent of their assignee and
+      predecessors, and without ever changing their status and assignee
+      (`phase` only). Built-in: enabled (mode `phase`) resp. not set
+      (mode `request`).
+
+    - \[`--params` *name*`=`*value*\]: The value of a parameter
+      declared by the definition (repeatable). Built-in: none declared.
+
+    - \[`--state-incoming` *state*\]: The state of the tasks to process
+      (mandatory for `phase`, repeatable with `--unclaimed` only), where
+      each state is adapted onto the task lifecycle model of the project.
+      Built-in: `PLANNED` (i.e., `PLANNING` for `team` and `OPEN` for
+      `solo`) (mode `phase`) resp. not set (mode `request`). For
+      instance, `--state-incoming DRAFTED --state-incoming PLANNED`
+      additionally estimates the drafted tasks of the `enterprise`
+      model in the mode `phase`.
+
+    - \[`--state-activity` *state*\]: The state of a task during its
+      processing. Generic default: the incoming state. Built-in: not
+      set. Not allowed, as the estimator processes the tasks unclaimed.
+
+    - \[`--state-success` *state*\]: The target state on success.
+      Generic default: the incoming state. Built-in: not set. Not
+      allowed, as the estimator processes the tasks unclaimed.
+
+    - \[`--state-failure` *state*\]: The target state on failure.
+      Generic default: the incoming state. Built-in: not set. Not
+      allowed, as the estimator processes the tasks unclaimed.
+
+    - \[`--state-phase` *state*\]: The phase success state, into which
+      the skill itself can move a task. Generic default: the success
+      state. Built-in: not set. Not allowed, as the estimator processes
+      the tasks unclaimed.
+
+    - \[`--state-passed` *state*\]: The first state from which on a task
+      has passed the phase for its `After:` successors. Generic default:
+      the phase success state. Built-in: not set. Not allowed, as the
+      estimator processes the tasks unclaimed.
+
+    - \[`--state-verdict` *VERDICT*`=`*state*\]: The target state per
+      verdict (repeatable). Built-in: not set. Not allowed, as the
+      estimator processes the tasks unclaimed.
+
+    - \[`--tag-name` *tag*\]: The tag of the processed tasks
+      (`ase-agent-`*word*). Generic default: `ase-agent-`*name*, resp.
+      for `request` always `ase-agent-`*request-name*. Built-in:
+      `ase-agent-estimator` (mode `phase`) resp. `ase-agent-estimate`
+      (mode `request`).
+
+    - \[`--tag-success` *tag*\]: The tag on success: *tag-name*,
+      *tag-name*`:`*value*, or `none` (`phase` only). Generic default:
+      *tag-name*. Built-in: `none` (mode `phase`), as the valid
+      `Effort:` key of an estimated task keeps it from being estimated
+      again, resp. not set (mode `request`).
+
+    - \[`--tag-failure` *tag*\]: The tag on failure: *tag-name*,
+      *tag-name*`:`*value*, or `none` (`phase` only). Generic default:
+      *tag-name*. Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--tag-require` *tag*\]: A tag a claimable task has to carry
+      (repeatable). Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--tag-exclude` *tag*\]: A tag a claimable task must not carry
+      (repeatable). Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--tag-retry`\]: A shorthand for `--tag-failure none`, so a
+      failed task is processed again after a growing delay (`phase`
+      only). Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--assign-name` *who*\]: The assignee under which the tasks are
+      claimed, held, recognized, and released, and which names the
+      agent-owned worktrees. Generic default: the agent name. Built-in:
+      not set. As the estimator never assigns a task in the mode
+      `phase`, it then names the mode of the agent as announced to the
+      agent relay only.
+
+    - \[`--assign-required`\]: Claim only the tasks explicitly assigned
+      to *who* of `--assign-name` (`phase` only). Built-in: not set. Not
+      allowed, as the estimator processes the tasks unclaimed.
+
+    - \[`--assign-success` *who*\]: The assignee of a task after its
+      successful processing: a name, `none`, or `previous`. Generic
+      default: `none` for `phase`, `previous` for `request`. Built-in:
+      not set. Not allowed in the mode `phase`, as the estimator then
+      processes the tasks unclaimed.
+
+    - \[`--assign-failure` *who*\]: The assignee of a task after its
+      failed processing: a name, `none`, or `previous`. Generic default:
+      `none` for `phase`, `previous` for `request`. Built-in: not set.
+      Not allowed in the mode `phase`, as the estimator then processes
+      the tasks unclaimed.
+
+    - \[`--request-name` *name*\]: The name of the processed requests
+      (`request` only). Generic default: the agent name. Built-in: not
+      set (mode `phase`) resp. `estimate` (mode `request`).
+
+    - \[`--request-done` *word*\]: The word naming a processed task in
+      the log lines (`request` only). Generic default: `processed`.
+      Built-in: not set (mode `phase`) resp. `estimated` (mode
+      `request`).
+
+    - \[`--prompt-skill` *name*\]: The skill to invoke (mutually
+      exclusive with `--prompt-text` and `--prompt-file`). Built-in:
+      `ase-task-estimate`.
+
+    - \[`--prompt-args` *template*\]: The argument template of the
+      skill. Generic default: `{id}` for `phase`, `{id}: {prompt}` for
+      `request`. Built-in: `{id}` (mode `phase`) resp. `--force {id}`
+      (mode `request`), the latter ignoring the request prompt.
+
+    - \[`--prompt-text` *template*\]: The prompt text template to invoke
+      instead of a skill. Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--prompt-file` *file*\]: The file with the prompt text template
+      to invoke instead of a skill. Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--prepare-run` *cmd*\]: A shell command run in the working
+      directory before the prompt (repeatable). Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--success-criterion` *criterion*\]: A success criterion:
+      `exit`, `clean`, `changed`, `verdict`, `attachment`, or `status`
+      (repeatable). Generic default: `exit` and `clean` for `phase`,
+      `clean` and `changed` for `request`. Built-in: `exit` and
+      `clean` (in both modes, as a re-estimation of the same size leaves
+      the plan content unchanged), where additionally the task has to
+      carry a valid `Effort:` key afterwards.
+
+    - \[`--success-match` *regex*\]: A regular expression an output line
+      has to match (repeatable). Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--verdict-label` *label*\]: The label after which the verdict
+      is given in the output. Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--verdict-allow` *VERDICT*\]: An accepted verdict (repeatable).
+      Generic default: the verdicts of `--state-verdict`, else any.
+      Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--attach-output` *kind*\]: The kind of the attachment storing
+      the output lines of the prompt. Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--attach-expect` *spec*\]: The attachment
+      \[*mime-type*`;`\]*kind* to be created or changed by the
+      processing for the success criterion `attachment`. Built-in: not
+      set.
+
+    - \[`--attach-skip` *spec*\]: The attachment
+      \[*mime-type*`;`\]*kind* leaving a task unclaimed (`phase` only).
+      Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--attach-changeset` *kind*\]: The kind of the attachment
+      `text/x-diff;`*kind* storing the change set snapshot of the task
+      (with `--workdir changeset` or `target` only). Built-in: not set.
+      Not allowed, as the estimator works in the project root.
+
+    - \[`--finish-commit`\]: Commit the work onto a `branch:` changeset
+      and publish it (with `--workdir changeset` only). Built-in: not
+      set. Not allowed, as the estimator works in the project root.
+
+    - \[`--finish-success` *cmd*\]: A shell command run in the working
+      directory after a successful processing. Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`--finish-failure` *cmd*\]: A shell command run in the working
+      directory after a failed processing. Built-in: not set.
+
+    - \[`-f`|`--foreground`\]: Run the agent in the current process
+      instead, logging to the terminal, until it is interrupted (e.g.,
+      via `CTRL+C`) or stopped, where an agent of the same name already
+      running is an error.
+
+    - \[`-h`|`--help`\]: Show the usage information of the sub-command
+      only.
+
+  The options `--`*group*`-`*item* above override the built-in
+  definition of the agent (where an option also replaces its mutually
+  exclusive alternatives, e.g., `--prompt-text` replaces the skill of
+  `--prompt-skill`), while the agent keeps the identity of its kind (its
+  runs and its presence are named after `estimator`). See
+  `ase-agent-adhoc`(1) for their full semantics.
+
+- `ase agent estimator status` \[`-n`|`--name` *name*\]: Report whether
+  the estimator agent of the name *name* (default: `estimator`) is
+  running, as `agent` *name*`: running (pid` *pid*`)` resp. `agent`
+  *name*`: not running` (exit status 1).
+
+- `ase agent estimator log` \[`-f`|`--follow`\] \[`-n`|`--lines` *n*\]
+  \[`--name` *name*\]: Show the log `.ase/agent/`*name*`.log` of the
+  estimator agent of the name *name* (default: `estimator`) run in the
+  background, where an agent of a fleet logs into the log of the fleet
+  instead (see `ase-agent-fleet`(1)). Without a log file, an
+  informational message is shown only. The options are:
+
+    - \[`-f`|`--follow`\]: Show the last *n* lines (default: 10) and
+      then follow all newly appended lines, in the style of `tail -f`,
+      until interrupted.
+
+    - \[`-n`|`--lines` *n*\]: Show the last *n* lines only (default:
+      all, or 10 with `--follow`).
+
+    - \[`--name` *name*\]: The name of the agent (default:
+      `estimator`), given in its long form only, as `-n` is the short
+      form of `--lines`.
+
+- `ase agent estimator stop` \[`-n`|`--name` *name*\]: Stop the
+  estimator agent of the name *name* (default: `estimator`) by
+  `SIGTERM`, waiting (up to 5 minutes) until it aborted its running
+  processings. An agent not running is reported informationally only.
+
+## CONFIGURATION
+
+The estimation itself is configured by the keys
+`project.task.effort.scale`, `project.task.effort.factor`,
+`project.task.effort.file`, `project.task.effort.line`, and
+`project.task.effort.iteration` of the skill
+`ase-task-estimate` (see `ase-config`(1)).
+
+## ENVIRONMENT
+
+- `ASE_TOOL`: The default agent tool of `--tool` (default: `claude`).
+
+- `ASE_AGENT_RELAY_TOKEN`: The bearer token of the agent relay, if not
+  embedded in the URL of `--agent-relay` resp. `project.relay.url`.
+
+- `ASE_HEADLESS`: Set to `true` for the agent tool processes spawned by
+  the agent.
+
+## FILES
+
+- `.ase/agent/`*name*`.yaml`: The process state (kind, process id, and
+  process start time) of the agent, existing while it runs.
+
+- `.ase/agent/`*name*`.log`: The log of the agent run in the background.
+
+- *per-user state
+  directory*`/agent-estimator/`*store-hash*`/`*run-id*`.lock` and
+  `.json`: The run lock and the run record of each estimator agent
+  process, which records the tasks it currently processes, so no other
+  agent of the kind `estimator` on the same host picks them up.
+
+## EXIT STATUS
+
+`ase agent estimator start` exits with status `0` once the agent
+started (or was already running), resp. once a foreground agent
+terminated regularly, and with status `1` on any error (e.g., an
+invalid option or a missing agent tool). `ase agent estimator status`
+exits with status `1` if the agent is not running.
+
+## EXAMPLES
+
+```sh
+# start the estimator, estimating the planned tasks without a valid effort
+$ ase agent estimator start
+
+# estimate all drafted and planned tasks once, e.g., in a CI context
+$ ase agent estimator start -f -o --state-incoming DRAFTED --state-incoming PLANNED
+
+# start a second estimator of another agent tool as a pool
+$ ase agent estimator start -n estimator-codex -t codex
+
+# additionally start an estimator processing the "estimate" requests,
+# and request the (re-)estimation of a drafted task
+$ ase agent estimator start -n estimator-request -m request
+$ ase task request example-task estimate re-estimate
+```
+
+## SEE ALSO
+
+`ase`(1), `ase-agent`(1), `ase-agent-rebooter`(1),
+`ase-agent-condenser`(1), `ase-agent-researcher`(1),
+`ase-agent-implementer`(1), `ase-agent-qualifier`(1),
+`ase-agent-integrator`(1), `ase-agent-editor`(1), `ase-agent-adhoc`(1),
+`ase-agent-fleet`(1), `ase-agent-relay`(1), `ase-task`(1),
+`ase-task-board`(1), `ase-config`(1).
+
+## AUTHOR
+
+Dr. Ralf S. Engelschall <rse@engelschall.com>