build_custom_workflow
Create structured development workflows by selecting phases, setting iteration limits, and configuring outputs for programming tasks. Enforces disciplined practices through audit and verification at each phase.
Instructions
Build a custom workflow with full control over phases and configuration. Use specific workflow tools (refactor_workflow, create_feature_workflow, etc.) for optimized presets.
Input Schema
TableJSON Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| task | Yes | Description of the programming task | |
| workflowType | No | Use a predefined workflow type or custom for full control | custom |
| selectedPhases | No | Select which phases to include in your workflow | |
| iterationLimits | No | Set iteration limits before escalation to user input | |
| outputPreferences | No | ||
| userCheckpoints | No |
Implementation Reference
- src/tools/buildCustomWorkflow.ts:77-117 (handler)handleBuildCustomWorkflow: Primary exported handler for the 'build_custom_workflow' tool. Processes input parameters, detects optimal workflow type and suggests alternatives if applicable, applies presets, and invokes the core implementation.
export async function handleBuildCustomWorkflow( params: { task: string; workflowType?: WorkflowType | 'custom'; selectedPhases?: Phase[]; iterationLimits?: any; outputPreferences?: any; userCheckpoints?: any; }, sessionManager: SessionManager ) { // Detect workflow type if not specified const detectedType = params.workflowType === 'custom' ? null : params.workflowType || detectWorkflowType(params.task); // If a workflow type is detected, suggest using the specific tool if (detectedType && !params.workflowType) { const workflowTools = { refactor: 'refactor_workflow', feature: 'create_feature_workflow', test: 'test_workflow', tdd: 'tdd_workflow' }; return { suggestion: `Based on your task description, consider using ${workflowTools[detectedType]} for an optimized ${detectedType} workflow`, detectedType, alternativeCommand: `${workflowTools[detectedType]}({ task: "${params.task}" })`, proceedingWithCustom: 'Proceeding with custom workflow configuration...', customWorkflow: await buildCustomWorkflowImplementation(params, sessionManager) }; } // Use preset if workflow type is specified if (params.workflowType && params.workflowType !== 'custom') { const preset = getWorkflowPreset(params.workflowType); params.selectedPhases = params.selectedPhases || preset.phases; params.iterationLimits = { ...preset.iterationLimits, ...params.iterationLimits }; } return buildCustomWorkflowImplementation(params, sessionManager); } - src/tools/buildCustomWorkflow.ts:119-282 (handler)buildCustomWorkflowImplementation: Core execution logic for building custom workflows. Sets defaults, creates WorkflowConfiguration, starts session, validates output directory, generates initial file instructions, and returns comprehensive workflow setup with next actions.
async function buildCustomWorkflowImplementation( params: { task: string; workflowType?: WorkflowType | 'custom'; selectedPhases?: Phase[]; iterationLimits?: any; outputPreferences?: any; userCheckpoints?: any; }, sessionManager: SessionManager ) { // Set defaults for optional parameters const selectedPhases = params.selectedPhases || ['SETUP', 'AUDIT_INVENTORY', 'WRITE_OR_REFACTOR', 'TEST', 'LINT', 'PRESENT']; const iterationLimits = { TEST: 5, LINT: 10, ITERATE: 15, ...params.iterationLimits }; // Resolve output directory: if the incoming value is relative, make it absolute relative to working directory (CWD). const resolvedOutputDir = resolveOutputDirectory( params.outputPreferences?.outputDirectory || getDefaultOutputDirectory(), process.cwd() ); const outputPreferences = { formats: ['markdown'], realTimeUpdates: true, generateDiagrams: true, includeCodeSnippets: true, createProgressReport: true, createPhaseArtifacts: true, ...params.outputPreferences, outputDirectory: resolvedOutputDir }; const userCheckpoints = { beforeMajorChanges: true, afterFailedIterations: true, beforeFinalPresentation: false, ...params.userCheckpoints }; // Create workflow configuration const workflowConfig: WorkflowConfiguration = { selectedPhases: selectedPhases as Phase[], iterationLimits, outputPreferences, userCheckpoints, escalationTriggers: { enableUserInput: true, escalateOnIterationLimit: true, escalateOnErrors: true, escalateOnTime: false } }; // Start session with configuration const session = sessionManager.startSession(params.task, workflowConfig); // Validate directory access (read-only check) const dirValidation = validateDirectoryAccess(resolvedOutputDir); // Get the sanitized task name for subdirectory const sanitizedTaskName = sanitizeTaskName(params.task); // Construct the target directory path (no actual creation happens) const suggestedDirectory = resolvedOutputDir && sanitizedTaskName ? `${resolvedOutputDir}/${sanitizedTaskName}` : resolvedOutputDir; // Report validation issues but continue with the workflow const directoryWarning = !dirValidation.isValid ? { warning: 'DIRECTORY ACCESS ISSUE', message: `â ī¸ Output directory may not be writable: ${dirValidation.error}`, impact: 'The AI agent will be instructed to create this directory. If it fails, artifacts will remain in-memory only.', resolution: [ 'Check directory permissions', 'Ensure the specified directory is writable' ] } : null; // Generate numbered file names for initial files const planningFileName = generateNumberedFileName({ phase: 'PLANNING', outputDirectory: suggestedDirectory, extension: 'md', includeDate: true }); // Generate initial output file instructions with numbered naming const initialOutputFiles: OutputFileInstruction[] = [ { path: `${suggestedDirectory}/${planningFileName}`, description: 'Initial workflow plan and configuration', required: true, format: 'markdown', template: generateWorkflowPlanTemplate(params.task, workflowConfig), validationRules: ['Must contain task description', 'Must list all selected phases', 'Must include iteration limits'] }, { path: `${suggestedDirectory}/workflow-status.json`, description: 'Machine-readable workflow progress', required: true, format: 'json', template: JSON.stringify(sessionManager.getWorkflowProgress(), null, 2) } ]; return { success: true, sessionId: session.id, message: 'đ CUSTOM WORKFLOW BUILT SUCCESSFULLY', workflowConfiguration: { task: params.task, selectedPhases, phaseCount: selectedPhases.length, iterationLimits, outputPreferences, userCheckpoints, escalationEnabled: true }, ...(directoryWarning ? { directoryWarning } : {}), criticalInstructions: [ 'â ī¸ DIRECTIVE WORKFLOW: This is not suggestive guidance - you MUST follow the structured approach', 'đ PHASE VALIDATION: Each phase has specific completion requirements that must be met', 'đ OUTPUT REQUIREMENTS: You are required to create documentation files as specified', 'đ SAFETY RULE: Files must be read before modification (this is enforced)', 'âąī¸ ITERATION LIMITS: Automatic escalation to user input when limits are reached' ], directoryCreated: { baseDirectory: outputPreferences.outputDirectory, taskDirectory: suggestedDirectory, sanitizedTaskName: sanitizedTaskName, message: `âšī¸ Suggested output directory path: ${suggestedDirectory}` }, requiredFirstActions: [ { action: 'CREATE_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY', instruction: `âšī¸ Create output directory if needed: "${suggestedDirectory}"`, completed: false, blocking: true }, { action: 'CREATE_INITIAL_FILES', instruction: 'You can now start creating phase output files using the numbered naming system', files: initialOutputFiles, blocking: false, note: 'Files will be automatically saved with numbered naming (01-audit-inventory-YYYY-MM-DD.md)' }, { action: 'BEGIN_FIRST_PHASE', instruction: `Call "${selectedPhases[0].toLowerCase()}_guidance" to begin the workflow`, blocking: true } ], nextPhase: { phase: selectedPhases[0], tool: `${selectedPhases[0].toLowerCase()}_guidance`, description: `Begin with the ${selectedPhases[0]} phase` }, validationRequirement: { message: 'đ COMPLETION VALIDATION: You cannot proceed to the next phase until the current phase validation passes', enforcement: 'Use phase_output tool only after meeting all phase requirements' } }; - createBuildCustomWorkflowTool: Defines the Tool object including name, description, and detailed inputSchema for parameter validation (task, workflowType, phases, limits, preferences).
export function createBuildCustomWorkflowTool(): Tool { return { name: 'build_custom_workflow', description: 'Build a custom workflow with full control over phases and configuration. Use specific workflow tools (refactor_workflow, create_feature_workflow, etc.) for optimized presets.', inputSchema: { type: 'object', properties: { task: { type: 'string', description: 'Description of the programming task' }, workflowType: { type: 'string', enum: ['refactor', 'feature', 'test', 'tdd', 'custom'], description: 'Use a predefined workflow type or custom for full control', default: 'custom' }, selectedPhases: { type: 'array', items: { type: 'string', enum: ['SETUP', 'AUDIT_INVENTORY', 'COMPARE_ANALYZE', 'QUESTION_DETERMINE', 'WRITE_OR_REFACTOR', 'TEST', 'LINT', 'ITERATE', 'PRESENT'] }, description: 'Select which phases to include in your workflow', default: ['SETUP', 'AUDIT_INVENTORY', 'WRITE_OR_REFACTOR', 'TEST', 'LINT', 'PRESENT'] }, iterationLimits: { type: 'object', properties: { TEST: { type: 'number', default: 5, description: 'Max test failure cycles before user input' }, LINT: { type: 'number', default: 10, description: 'Max lint/fix cycles before user input' }, ITERATE: { type: 'number', default: 15, description: 'Max overall iterations before user input' } }, description: 'Set iteration limits before escalation to user input' }, outputPreferences: { type: 'object', properties: { formats: { type: 'array', items: { type: 'string', enum: ['markdown', 'json'] }, default: ['markdown'], description: 'Output formats for documentation' }, realTimeUpdates: { type: 'boolean', default: true }, generateDiagrams: { type: 'boolean', default: true }, includeCodeSnippets: { type: 'boolean', default: true }, outputDirectory: { type: 'string', default: 'workflow-output' } } }, userCheckpoints: { type: 'object', properties: { beforeMajorChanges: { type: 'boolean', default: true }, afterFailedIterations: { type: 'boolean', default: true }, beforeFinalPresentation: { type: 'boolean', default: false } } } }, required: ['task'] } }; } - src/index.ts:137-158 (registration)Tool list registration: Adds createBuildCustomWorkflowTool() to the array of available tools served by the MCP server.
const tools = [ // Workflow entry points createRefactorWorkflowTool(), // Refactoring workflow createFeatureWorkflowTool(), // Feature creation workflow createTestWorkflowTool(), // Test writing workflow createTddWorkflowTool(), // TDD workflow createBuildCustomWorkflowTool(), // Custom workflow builder // Phase guidance tools ...createPhaseGuidanceTools(), // Handles both suggestive and directive modes createTestGuidanceTool(), // TEST phase guidance // Validation tools ...createValidationTools(), // Both validate_action and validate_phase_completion // Workflow management createUserInputRequiredTool(), // Escalation handling createWorkflowStatusTool(), // Workflow status createPhaseOutputTool(), // Phase output recording createDiscoverWorkflowToolsTool() // Tool discovery ]; - src/index.ts:177-183 (registration)Handler dispatch registration: Switch case in CallToolRequestSchema handler that invokes handleBuildCustomWorkflow for 'build_custom_workflow' tool calls.
case 'build_custom_workflow': return { content: [{ type: 'text', text: JSON.stringify(await handleBuildCustomWorkflow(args as any, sessionManager), null, 2) }] };