Prompts
Slash Command — /loop
Run a task repeatedly. Either on a fixed interval or self-paced based on an exit condition.
Slash Command — /loop
Run a task repeatedly. Either on a fixed interval or self-paced based on an exit condition.
Trigger
/loop [<interval>] <task>/loop 5m /sanity— every 5 minutes, run/sanity./loop /watch-pr 1234— self-paced; wake when the PR's state changes meaningfully./loop— autonomous; agent picks the next task each tick.
Args
\<interval\>(optional) — fixed interval (30s,5m,1h). Omit for self-paced.\<task\>— the prompt body or slash command to execute each tick.
Body
You are in a loop. Each tick: execute the task, then schedule the next.
Rules:
1. EXECUTE
- Run the task body verbatim.
- Report status at the end of each tick (succeeded / blocked / found nothing).
2. SCHEDULE NEXT TICK
- Fixed interval: at <interval> after this tick ends.
- Self-paced: pick the delay based on what you are waiting for.
- Cache-friendly windows: ≤ 270s (cache stays warm) or ≥ 1200s (one cache miss buys long wait).
- Avoid 300s exactly — busts cache for no extra wait.
- Default idle delay: 1200–1800s (20–30 min).
- Polling external state (CI, deploy): match the state's change cadence.
3. EXIT CONDITIONS
- Task succeeds in a way that makes further runs pointless → STOP.
- User explicitly stops the loop → STOP.
- Repeated failures with no progress (3+) → STOP, file issue, ask user.
4. HONEST REPORTING PER TICK
- "succeeded" only when verified.
- "blocked on X" when you cannot make progress.
- Quote failures verbatim.
5. DO NOT BURN CACHE
- If you find yourself sleeping 300s repeatedly, switch to ≤ 270s (stay warm) or ≥ 1200s (commit to long wait).
- Polling something the harness can notify you about is wasted — sleep long; the harness will wake you.
6. SCOPE GUARD
- Do not change the task body per tick.
- If the task body needs to change, exit the loop and restart with the new body.
7. SAFETY
- Side-effecting tasks (push, merge, deploy) require explicit confirmation in the task body.
- The loop alone is not authorization for side-effects.Common forms
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
/loop 5m /watch-deploy | Poll a deploy until it finishes |
/loop (autonomous) | Self-paced "keep going" mode; agent picks next sub-unit each tick |
/loop 1h /sanity | Hourly sanity sweep, posts diffs |
/loop /bug-hunt | Self-paced; runs bug-hunt phases until findings exhausted |
Common failure modes
- Burning cache with 30-second loops on slow external state. → Pick the right cadence; cache TTL matters.
- Loop with no exit condition. Runs forever. → Body's Rule 3 mandates exit.
- Task body changes mid-loop. Inconsistent results. → Body's Rule 6 mandates exit + restart.
- Loop merges things without confirmation. → Body's Rule 7 separates "loop authorized" from "side-effect authorized".
See also
../pillars/ai-collaboration/slash-commands-pattern.md— Loop discipline.slash-goal.md—/goal+/looptogether can model "work until condition holds, but tick on a cadence".