Ralph Deep Initialization

This skill performs a comprehensive, multi-stage project initialization that generates a large, well-organized backlog by breaking down the project into functional architectural groups.

When to Use This Skill

Use ralph-deep-init instead of ralph-initialize when:

• Building a complex project with many features
• Need 20-40+ detailed tasks in the backlog
• Want tasks organized by architectural concerns
• Project has multiple distinct functional areas

Prerequisites

• Git repository initialized
• No existing prd.json (or user approves overwrite)
• Clear understanding of project requirements

Multi-Stage Process

Phase 1: Architecture

Goal: Initialize the project structure and define the architectural map.

1. Analyze Request

   • Ask: "What do you want to build?" if not already provided
   • Gather comprehensive project requirements

2. Create Foundation Files

   • progress.md - Standard Ralph progress log
   • .windsurf/rules/tech-stack.md - Tech stack & conventions
   • init_progress.txt - Temporary initialization tracking

3. Generate Architecture

   • Identify 6 distinct functional groups needed for this project
   • Examples: Auth, Database, API, Frontend, Testing, DevOps
   • Create groups.json containing ONLY a JSON array of these string names
   • Format: ["Group1", "Group2", "Group3", "Group4", "Group5", "Group6"]

Phase 2: Expansion (6 Iterations)

Goal: Generate detailed tasks for each functional group.

For each of the 6 groups (iterate 1 through 6):

1. Select Target: Pick group N from groups.json
2. Generate Tasks: Create 3-5 detailed implementation tasks for this group
3. Write to File: Save to partial_N.json

Task Template:

Use .windsurf/skills/ralph-deep-init/task-examples.json as the reference schema for each partial_N.json.

Phase 3: Assembly

Goal: Compile the final Product Requirements Document.

1. Create PRD

   • Create prd.json (use .windsurf/skills/ralph-initialize/prd-template.json as reference)
   • Read all partial_*.json files
   • Merge all tasks arrays into the backlog field
   • Ensure valid JSON structure

2. Cleanup

   • Delete groups.json
   • Delete all partial_*.json files
   • Keep init_progress.txt for reference

3. Report

   • Announce: "Initialization Complete. Backlog created with [X] tasks."
   • Summarize task breakdown by group

Supporting Resources

Reference these files:

• architecture-examples.md - Sample functional group breakdowns
• task-examples.json - Well-formed task examples
• groups-template.json - Template for groups array

Success Criteria

Deep initialization is complete when:

• ✅ prd.json exists with 20+ tasks
• ✅ Tasks are organized by functional groups
• ✅ All tasks have passes: false
• ✅ Each task has clear acceptance criteria
• ✅ progress.md exists
• ✅ Temporary files are cleaned up

Tips

• Choose groups that represent distinct technical concerns
• Ensure tasks within a group are cohesive
• Order tasks to respect dependencies
• Include infrastructure/testing as separate groups
• Aim for 3-5 tasks per group (total: 18-30 tasks)