# nWave

AI agents that guide you from idea to working code — with you in control at every step.

nWave runs inside [Claude Code](https://claude.com/product/claude-code). You describe what to build. Specialized agents handle requirements, architecture, test design, and implementation. You review and approve at each stage.

## Quick Start

Choose your installation method. Both work equally well; the plugin method is recommended for most users.

### Plugin (Recommended)

From Claude Code, run:

```
/plugin marketplace add nwave-ai/nwave
/plugin install nwave@nwave-marketplace
```

Restart Claude Code and type `/nw:` to see all available commands.

> **Coming soon**: Official Anthropic plugin marketplace integration:
> ```
> /plugin install nwave@claude-plugins-official
> ```

### CLI Installer

For developers or users who need advanced configuration:

```bash
pipx install nwave-ai
nwave-ai install
```

Installs from PyPI with no repository clone needed. Agents and commands go to `~/.claude/`.

> **Don't have pipx?** Install with: `pip install pipx && pipx ensurepath`, then restart your terminal.
> **Windows users**: Use WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). Install with: `wsl --install`

Full setup details: **[Installation Guide](https://github.com/nWave-ai/nWave/blob/main/docs/guides/installation-guide.md)**

### Which method?

| Scenario | Use | Why |
|----------|-----|-----|
| First time | Plugin | Zero dependencies, instant |
| Team rollout | Plugin | Same command everywhere |
| Contributing | CLI | Dev scripts, internals access |
| Already on CLI | Either | Both coexist safely |

### Use (inside Claude Code, after reopening it)

```
/nw:discuss "user login with email and password"   # Requirements
/nw:design --architecture=hexagonal                 # Architecture
/nw:distill "user-login"                            # Acceptance tests
/nw:deliver                                         # TDD implementation
```

Four commands. Four human checkpoints. One working feature.

Full walkthrough: **[Your First Feature](docs/guides/tutorial-first-feature.md)**

## Staying Updated

nWave checks for new versions when you open Claude Code. When available, you'll see a note in Claude's context with version details and changes.

**Plugin method:**
```
/plugin marketplace update nwave-marketplace
```

Or enable auto-updates in Claude Code plugin settings.

**CLI method:**
```bash
pipx upgrade nwave-ai
nwave-ai install
```

Control check frequency via `update_check.frequency` in `~/.nwave/des-config.json`: `daily`, `weekly`, `every_session`, or `never`.

## Token Efficiency — Scale Quality to Stakes

nWave enforces proven engineering practices (TDD, peer review, mutation testing) at every step. Use `/nw:rigor` to adjust the depth of quality practices to match your task's risk level. A config tweak needs less rigor than a security-critical feature.

```
/nw:rigor                    # Interactive: compare profiles
/nw:rigor lean               # Quick switch to lean mode
/nw:rigor custom             # Build your own combination
```

| Profile | Agent | Reviewer | TDD | Mutation | Cost | Use When |
|---------|-------|----------|-----|----------|------|----------|
| **lean** | haiku | none | RED→GREEN | no | lowest | Spikes, config, docs |
| **standard** ⭐ | sonnet | haiku | full 5-phase | no | moderate | Most features |
| **thorough** | opus | sonnet | full 5-phase | no | higher | Critical features |
| **exhaustive** | opus | opus | full 5-phase | ≥80% kill | highest | Production core |
| **custom** | *you choose* | *you choose* | *you choose* | *you choose* | varies | Exact combo needed |

Picked once, persists across sessions. Every `/nw:deliver`, `/nw:design`, `/nw:review` respects your choice. Need to mix profiles? `/nw:rigor custom` walks through each setting.

```
/nw:rigor lean        # prototype fast
/nw:deliver           # haiku crafter, no review, RED→GREEN only
/nw:rigor standard    # ready to ship — bump up
/nw:deliver           # sonnet crafter, haiku reviewer, full TDD
```

## Understanding DES Messages

DES is nWave's quality enforcement layer — it monitors every agent Task invocation during feature delivery to prevent unbounded execution, enforce TDD discipline, and protect accidental edits. Most DES messages are normal enforcement, not errors. They appear when agents skip required safety checks or when your code contains patterns that look like step execution.

DES also runs automatic housekeeping at every session start: it removes audit logs beyond the retention window, cleans up signal files left by crashed sessions, and rotates the skill-loading log when it grows too large. This happens silently in the background and never blocks your session.

| Message | What It Means | What To Do |
|---------|---------------|-----------|
| **MISSING_MAX_TURNS** | Task invocation forgot to set `max_turns` parameter. | Add `max_turns=30` (or appropriate value) to the Task call. Recommended: 15 (quick), 25 (background), 30 (standard), 35 (research). |
| **DES_MARKERS_MISSING** | Task prompt mentions a step ID (01-01 pattern) but lacks DES markers. | Either: add DES markers for step execution, OR add `<!-- DES-ENFORCEMENT : exempt -->` comment if it's not actually step work. |
| **Source write blocked** | You tried to edit a file during active `/nw:deliver` outside a DES task. | Edit requests must go through the active deliver session. If you need to make changes, finalize the current session first. |
| **TDD phase incomplete** | Sub-agent returned without finishing all required TDD phases. | Re-dispatch the same agent to complete missing phases (typically COMMIT or refactoring steps). |
| **nWave update available** | SessionStart detected a newer version available. | Optional. Run `pipx upgrade nwave-ai && nwave-ai install` when ready to upgrade, or dismiss and continue working. |
| **False positive blocks** | Your prompt accidentally matches step-ID pattern (e.g., dates like "2026-02-09"). | Add `<!-- DES-ENFORCEMENT : exempt -->` comment to exempt the Task from step-ID enforcement. |

These messages protect code quality but never prevent your work — they guide you toward the safe path.

## How It Works

```text
  machine        human         machine        human         machine
    │              │              │              │              │
    ▼              ▼              ▼              ▼              ▼
  Agent ──→ Documentation ──→ Review ──→ Decision ──→ Agent ──→ ...
 generates    artifacts      validates   approves    continues
```

Each wave produces artifacts that you review before the next wave begins. The machine never runs unsupervised end-to-end.

The full workflow has six waves. Use all six for greenfield projects, or jump straight to `/nw:deliver` for brownfield work.

| Wave | Command | Agent | Produces |
|------|---------|-------|----------|
| DISCOVER | `/nw:discover` | product-discoverer | Market validation |
| DISCUSS | `/nw:discuss` | product-owner | Requirements |
| DESIGN | `/nw:design` | solution-architect | Architecture + ADRs |
| DEVOPS | `/nw:devops` | platform-architect | Infrastructure readiness |
| DISTILL | `/nw:distill` | acceptance-designer | Given-When-Then tests |
| DELIVER | `/nw:deliver` | software-crafter | Working implementation |

22 agents total: 6 wave agents, 5 cross-wave specialists, 11 peer reviewers. Full list: **[Commands Reference](docs/reference/commands/index.md)**

## Documentation

### Getting Started

- **[Installation Guide](https://github.com/nWave-ai/nWave/blob/main/docs/guides/installation-guide.md)** — Setup instructions
- **[Your First Feature](docs/guides/tutorial-first-feature.md)** — Build a feature end-to-end (tutorial)
- **[Jobs To Be Done](docs/guides/jobs-to-be-done-guide.md)** — Which workflow fits your task

### Guides & Reference

- **[Agents & Commands Reference](docs/reference/index.md)** — All agents, commands, skills, templates
- **[Wave Directory Structure](docs/guides/wave-directory-structure.md)** — How wave outputs are organized per feature
- **[Invoke Reviewers](docs/guides/invoke-reviewer-agents.md)** — Peer review workflow
- **[Troubleshooting](docs/guides/troubleshooting-guide.md)** — Common issues and fixes

## Community

- **[Discord](https://discord.gg/Cywj3uFdpd)** — Questions, feedback, success stories
- **[GitHub Issues](https://github.com/nWave-ai/nWave/issues)** — Bug reports and feature requests
- **[Contributing](CONTRIBUTING.md)** — Development setup and guidelines

## Privacy

nWave does not collect user data. See [Privacy Policy](PRIVACY.md) for details.

## License

MIT — see [LICENSE](LICENSE) for details.
