ralph-claude-code
Ralph for Claude Code implements Geoffrey Huntley's technique, named after Ralph Wiggum, for running Claude Code in continuous autonomous development cycles. It installs once as a global command and then wraps a project in a loop, with safeguards so the loop stops sensibly instead of running away.
The README lists a dual-condition exit gate that needs both completion indicators and an explicit EXIT_SIGNAL, rate limiting with an hourly reset (100 calls per hour by default), a circuit breaker with error detection and a response analyzer that filters errors in two stages, handling of Claude's five-hour usage limit with user prompts, session continuity with a configurable expiry (24 hours by default), tmux monitoring, PRD import and an uninstall script. It reports version 0.10.0 as active development with 308 passing tests across 11 files; that release moved all Ralph files into a .ralph/ folder as a breaking change and added a ralph-migrate command. Items still in progress include dry-run mode, a config file, log rotation and metrics. It is MIT licensed.
Features
Why choose it
Trade-offs
Maintenance check
- Last commit
- 2026-10-25
- Commits, last 90 days
- 14
- Releases, last 90 days
- 0
- Latest release
- —
- Open issues
- 18
- Recent issues with at least one comment
- 21/23
Oldest week on the left; the latest four weeks are orange. Source: GitHub commit activity.
Status rule: archived on GitHub = Archived; last commit within 90 days = Active; 91 to 365 days = Slowing; older = Stale. All figures come from the GitHub API on the date shown.
Most discussed open issues
- #327 [P8.1] Recompile triage-incoming-issues.lock.yml to pick up gh-aw v0.79.8 + checkout v6.0.32 comments · 2026-06-15
- #389 [P8.7] E2B upload list contains .ralphrc twice (file count off by one)1 comments · 2026-10-10
- #388 [P8.6] E2B sandbox: remaining RALPH_DIR edge cases (symlink to outside, cwd /, outside-workspace mapping)1 comments · 2026-10-10
- #384 [P8.5] GLM review check fails on every fork PR (no secrets) — skip it for forks1 comments · 2026-10-09
- #375 [P8.4] Remove obsolete create_files.sh (embeds a pre-#346/#371 loop)1 comments · 2026-10-07
Issue titles are quoted from GitHub. Open the link to check whether a problem still applies to the version you use.
Who it fits
- You want Claude Code to keep working in a loop while you are away, with safeguards so it stops sensibly.
- You want a dual-condition exit, rate limiting (100 calls per hour by default) and a circuit breaker.
- You want the loop to handle Claude's five-hour usage limit and keep session continuity.
- You cannot afford unattended usage: it consumes your quota and API calls while running.
- You set it up before v0.10.0 and cannot run the migration: files moved into `.ralph/`.
- You need dry-run mode, a config file or log rotation: the README lists them as in progress.
How it differs
vs ruflo★ 79.8kRuflo coordinates swarms of agents with a console and memory. Ralph runs one Claude Code loop with exit and rate safeguards.
Compatibility
Quick start
Use cases
Alternatives
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