# Quick Mode Guide
**NEW in v1.1:** Fast-track development with simplified workflow
## The Problem with Standard Mode
Standard `/octocode-generate`:
- 6 phases with 4 approval gates
- 4 separate documentation files
- Comprehensive but **slower**
**For MVPs, prototypes, and small projects, this is overkill.**
## Quick Mode Solution
New `/octocode-generate-quick`:
- **3 phases** with **1 approval gate**
- **1 consolidated document** (PROJECT_SPEC.md)
- **Faster** for most projects
- Fast but still **quality-focused**
---
## Comparison
| Feature | Quick Mode | Standard Mode |
|---------|------------|---------------|
| **Command** | `/octocode-generate-quick` | `/octocode-generate` |
| **Agents** | 1 planner + 4-5 implementation | 6 specialized agents |
| **Phases** | 3 | 6 |
| **Gates** | 1 | 4 |
| **Documents** | 1 file (~80KB) | 4 files (~200KB) |
| **Speed** | Faster | Slower |
| **Best For** | MVPs, prototypes, small projects | Complex/enterprise projects |
---
## Quick Mode Workflow
### Phase 1: Rapid Planning
**agent-rapid-planner** creates complete specification:
```
User Request
↓
Ask 2-3 critical questions
↓
Research 2-3 similar projects (octocode-mcp)
↓
Create PROJECT_SPEC.md:
- Overview & Requirements
- Architecture & Design
- Verification Plan
- Implementation Tasks
↓
✋ GATE: User approves spec
```
**Single document, everything in one place!**
### Phase 2: Implementation
**agent-manager** + **4-5 agent-implementation** instances:
```
agent-manager reads PROJECT_SPEC.md
↓
Assigns tasks to implementation agents
↓
Agents work in parallel (file locks prevent conflicts)
↓
Progress updated inline in PROJECT_SPEC.md
↓
🔄 User can monitor live (pause/continue)
```
**Parallel execution, same as standard mode!**
### Phase 3: Quality Loops
**agent-rapid-planner** validates:
```
Run build check
↓
Run lint check
↓
Check TypeScript types
↓
Verify feature completeness
↓
Issues found? → Create fix tasks → Loop back to implementation
↓
All clean? → Mark complete ✅
```
**Maximum 3 validation loops**
---
## PROJECT_SPEC.md Structure
Everything in one consolidated document:
```markdown
# Project Specification
## 1. Overview & Requirements
- What we're building (2-3 sentences)
- Must-have features (prioritized list)
- Target users & scale (if relevant)
## 2. Architecture & Design
- Tech stack with rationale
- System architecture (simple diagram)
- Key design decisions
- Database schema (if needed)
- API design (if needed)
- Project structure
- Build & lint setup
## 3. Verification Plan
- Manual testing steps (checklist)
- Quality gates (build, lint, types)
## 4. Implementation Tasks
- Tasks by phase
- Complexity estimates
- Dependencies & parallelization
- Progress tracking (updated live)
---
Created by octocode-mcp
```
**Benefits:**
- ✅ Single source of truth
- ✅ Easy to navigate (one file)
- ✅ Everything context-related is together
- ✅ No jumping between 4 files
---
## When to Use Each Mode
### Use `/octocode-generate-quick` for:
✅ **MVPs and prototypes**
- You want to validate an idea fast
- Speed matters more than extensive documentation
✅ **Small-to-medium projects**
- Todo apps, dashboards, simple APIs
- Projects with clear requirements
✅ **Personal projects**
- Side projects, experiments
- Cost-conscious development
✅ **Learning**
- Understanding architectures quickly
- Trying new tech stacks
### Use `/octocode-generate` (standard) for:
✅ **Complex enterprise projects**
- Multiple stakeholder approvals needed
- Extensive documentation required
✅ **Uncertain requirements**
- Needs discovery phase
- Requirements need extensive research
✅ **Mission-critical systems**
- More upfront planning needed
- Risk mitigation critical
✅ **Team projects**
- Multiple teams need separate docs
- Comprehensive audit trail needed
---
## Example: Building a Todo App
### Quick Mode Timeline
```
1. /octocode-generate-quick "Build a todo app with React and Express"
2. agent-rapid-planner asks 2 questions
3. agent-rapid-planner creates PROJECT_SPEC.md
4. ✋ GATE: User reviews and approves spec
5. agent-manager assigns tasks to 4 implementation agents
6. Implementation by parallel agents
7. agent-rapid-planner validates (build ✅, lint ✅, types ✅)
8. ✅ Done - Ready for user testing
```
**Quick mode complete**
### Standard Mode Timeline (for comparison)
```
1. /octocode-generate "Build a todo app with React and Express"
2. agent-product creates requirements.md
3. ✋ Gate 1: Approve requirements
4. agent-architect creates design.md + scaffold + README
5. ✋ Gate 2: Approve architecture
6. agent-quality-architect (Mode 1) creates test-plan.md
7. ✋ Gate 2.5: Approve test plan
8. agent-manager creates tasks.md
9. Implementation begins (2-8 agents in parallel)
10. 🔄 Gate 3: Monitor progress
11. agent-quality-architect (Mode 3) runs QA + bug scan
12. Fix loop if needed (max 2)
13. ✅ Done - Ready for user testing
```
**Standard mode complete**
**Quick mode is faster!**
---
## Speed Optimizations in Quick Mode
### What Makes It Fast?
1. **Single Planning Agent**
- No handoffs between product/architect/quality agents
- All planning happens in one context
- Faster decisions
2. **Consolidated Documentation**
- Write once, not 4 times
- No duplicate information
- Easier to maintain consistency
3. **One Approval Gate**
- User reviews once, not 4 times
- Less back-and-forth
- Faster to green-light
4. **Same Implementation Quality**
- Parallel execution still used
- File locking still prevents conflicts
- Quality loops catch issues
5. **Focused Questions**
- 2-3 critical questions only
- No extensive discovery phase
- User answers fast
---
## Quality Is Not Compromised
Quick mode is **faster**, not **sloppier**:
### Still Includes:
✅ **Research-driven decisions**
- Uses octocode-mcp to find proven patterns
- Evidence-based architecture choices
- References successful projects (>500★)
✅ **Quality validation**
- Build must pass
- Lint must pass
- TypeScript strict mode
- Feature completeness check
✅ **Validation loops**
- Catches issues automatically
- Creates fix tasks
- Re-validates after fixes
✅ **Parallel execution**
- Multiple agents work simultaneously
- File locking prevents conflicts
- Smart task distribution
### Traded Off:
❌ **Extensive documentation**
- 1 file vs 4 files
- More concise (but complete)
❌ **Multiple review points**
- 1 gate vs 4 gates
- Less checkpoints (but still validated)
❌ **Deep discovery**
- 2-3 questions vs longer exploration
- Assumes clearer requirements
---
## Cost Comparison
### Quick Mode (1 Opus + 4-5 Sonnet agents)
**Phase 1 (Planning):**
- 1 × Opus agent: ~$0.50-1.00
**Phase 2 (Implementation):**
- 4-5 × Sonnet agents: ~$2.00-4.00
**Phase 3 (Validation):**
- 1 × Opus agent: ~$0.10-0.20
**Total: ~$2.60-5.20**
### Standard Mode (3 Opus + 3-6 Sonnet agents)
**Phase 1-3 (Planning/Architecture/Validation):**
- 3 × Opus agents: ~$1.50-3.00
- 2 × Sonnet agents: ~$0.50-1.00
**Phase 4-6 (Implementation/Verification):**
- 4-5 × Sonnet agents: ~$2.00-4.00
- 1 × Sonnet agent: ~$0.30-0.50
**Total: ~$4.30-8.50**
**Quick mode saves 40-50% on AI costs!**
---
## Migration Path
### Already using standard mode?
You can mix modes:
```bash
# Start big project with standard mode for planning
/octocode-generate "Build complex SaaS platform"
# Use quick mode for new features
cd existing-project
/octocode-feature "Add user profiles"
```
### Trying quick mode first?
If project grows complex:
1. Quick mode generates PROJECT_SPEC.md
2. If needed, split into separate docs later
3. Continue with standard mode for next phase
---
## Tips for Quick Mode Success
### 1. Clear Initial Request
**Good:**
```
/octocode-generate-quick "Build a todo app with React frontend,
Express backend, and PostgreSQL. Include user authentication."
```
**Better:**
```
/octocode-generate-quick "Build a todo app:
- React + TypeScript frontend
- Express + TypeScript backend
- PostgreSQL database
- JWT authentication
- CRUD operations for todos
- Mark todos complete/incomplete"
```
### 2. Answer Questions Concisely
Agent asks: "Should todos support categories?"
**Good:** "Yes, categories with colors"
**Better:** "Yes, categories table with name and color fields"
### 3. Review Spec Carefully
You only get **one approval gate** - make it count:
- ✅ Check tech stack makes sense
- ✅ Verify all features are listed
- ✅ Review task breakdown
- ✅ Confirm architecture approach
### 4. Trust the Validation Loops
If build/lint fails, agent will:
1. Identify issues
2. Create fix tasks
3. Re-run implementation
4. Validate again
**Let it loop** - don't intervene too early.
---
## Troubleshooting
### "Quick mode spec is too brief"
**Solution:** After gate approval, ask agent to expand specific sections:
```
"Expand the database schema section with field types and constraints"
```
Agent will update PROJECT_SPEC.md inline.
### "I need more planning time"
**Solution:** Use standard mode `/octocode-generate` for this project.
Quick mode assumes requirements are relatively clear.
### "Implementation is taking longer than estimated"
**Normal!** Estimates are for planning purposes.
Complex tasks may take longer. Monitor with live dashboard.
### "Quality loop keeps failing"
After loop 3, agent reports issues to you.
Common causes:
- Complex TypeScript types need manual fixes
- API integration issues
- Missing environment variables
**Fix manually** or provide guidance to agents.
---
## Success Metrics
After using quick mode, you should have:
✅ **Fast turnaround** - Project complete quickly
✅ **Working code** - Build, lint, types all pass
✅ **Single spec** - Everything documented in PROJECT_SPEC.md
✅ **Quality validated** - Automated checks passed
✅ **Ready to test** - Manual verification can begin
---
## Roadmap
### Coming Soon
- **Even faster mode:** `/octocode-generate-instant` (AI designs, auto-approves, builds)
- **Templates:** Pre-built specs for common projects (REST API, Next.js app, CLI tool)
- **Spec imports:** Start from existing project structure
- **Cost tracking:** Real-time cost display during generation
---
## Feedback
Quick mode is **new in v1.1**. We're iterating based on usage.
Found an issue? Have suggestions?
- GitHub Issues: https://github.com/bgauryy/octocode-mcp/issues
- Discussions: https://github.com/bgauryy/octocode-mcp/discussions
---
**Try it now:**
```bash
/octocode-generate-quick "Build a [your idea here]"
```
**Fast, quality-focused, research-driven development!**
---
**Made with ❤️ by Guy Bary**
🚀 **Octocode Quick Mode** - Speed meets quality
