Archon is a remote agentic coding platform that runs AI workflows in isolated git worktrees. This skill teaches you how to run workflows, create new workflows and commands, and manage Archon configuration.
Available Workflows (live)
!archon workflow list 2>&1 || echo "Archon CLI not installed. Read guides/setup.md to set it up."
Routing
Determine the user's intent and dispatch to the appropriate guide:
| Intent | Action |
|---|---|
| Setup / install / "how to use" | Read guides/setup.md — interactive setup wizard |
| Config / settings | Read guides/config.md — interactive config editor |
| Initialize .archon/ in a repo | Read references/repo-init.md |
| Create a workflow | Read references/workflow-dag.md — the complete workflow authoring guide |
| Advanced features (hooks/MCP/skills) | Read references/dag-advanced.md |
| Create a command file | Read references/authoring-commands.md |
| Variable substitution reference | Read references/variables.md |
| CLI command reference | Read references/cli-commands.md |
| Run a workflow (default) | Continue with "Running Workflows" below |
If the intent is ambiguous, ask the user to clarify.
Running Workflows
Core Command
IS_SANDBOX=1 archon workflow run <workflow-name> --branch <branch-name> "<message>"
CRITICAL RULES:
-
Always prefix with
IS_SANDBOX=1— The VPS runs as root. Claude Code blocks--dangerously-skip-permissionsunder root without this env var. Always includeIS_SANDBOX=1before anyarchoncommand. -
Always run in background — Archon workflows are long-running. Always invoke the Bash tool with
run_in_background: true. Use/tasksor the TaskOutput tool to check on progress. -
Always use worktree isolation — Use the
--branchflag unless the user explicitly requests otherwise. This creates an isolated environment so Archon works without affecting the main branch. -
One workflow per shell — Each workflow blocks its shell. Run multiple workflows as separate background tasks.
Isolation Modes
| Mode | Flag | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Worktree (Default) | --branch <name> |
Always use this unless told otherwise |
| Custom start-point | --branch <name> --from <base> |
Start from a specific branch |
| Direct checkout | --no-worktree |
Only if user explicitly requests no isolation |
| Resume failed run | --resume |
Resume from the last failure point |
Workflow Selection
Match the user's intent to a workflow from the live list above. Common patterns:
| User Intent | Typical Workflow | Branch Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| "Fix issue #X" / "Resolve bug" | archon-fix-github-issue |
fix/issue-{N} |
| "Review PR #X" / "Full review" | archon-comprehensive-pr-review |
review/pr-{N} |
| "Quick review PR #X" | archon-smart-pr-review |
review/pr-{N} |
| "Validate PR #X" / "Check PR" | archon-validate-pr |
review/pr-{N} |
| "Implement from plan" | archon-feature-development |
feat/{name} |
| "Plan and implement feature" | archon-idea-to-pr |
feat/{name} |
| "Execute plan file" | archon-plan-to-pr |
feat/{name} |
| "Run ralph" / "Implement PRD" | archon-ralph-dag |
feat/{name} |
| "Resolve conflicts" | archon-resolve-conflicts |
resolve/pr-{N} |
| "Create issue" / "File a bug" | archon-create-issue |
issue/{name} |
| "Review issue #X fully" | archon-issue-review-full |
review/issue-{N} |
| "Refactor safely" | archon-refactor-safely |
refactor/{name} |
| "Architecture review" | archon-architect |
review/{name} |
| General / debugging | archon-assist |
assist/{description} |
If no specific workflow matches, use archon-assist as the fallback. The live workflow list above is always authoritative — it may include workflows not in this table.
Multi-Issue Invocation
When the user mentions multiple issues, PRs, or tasks — run each as a separate background task:
# Each gets its own worktree — they won't conflict
IS_SANDBOX=1 archon workflow run archon-fix-github-issue --branch fix/issue-10 "Fix issue #10"
IS_SANDBOX=1 archon workflow run archon-fix-github-issue --branch fix/issue-11 "Fix issue #11"
IS_SANDBOX=1 archon workflow run archon-fix-github-issue --branch fix/issue-12 "Fix issue #12"
Never combine multiple issues into a single command.
Other CLI Commands
archon workflow list # List all available workflows
archon workflow list --json # Machine-readable JSON
archon isolation list # Show active worktree environments
archon isolation cleanup # Remove stale worktrees (default: 7 days)
archon isolation cleanup --merged # Remove branches merged into main
archon complete <branch> # Complete branch lifecycle (remove worktree + branches)
archon version # Show version info
For the full CLI reference with all flags: Read references/cli-commands.md
Authoring Quick Start
Archon uses a single workflow format: nodes (DAG). Workflows are YAML files in .archon/workflows/.
IMPORTANT: The examples below are starting points. Always design the workflow around what the user actually needs — the number of nodes, their types, dependencies, and configuration should match the user's requirements, not these templates.
Workflow Structure
name: my-workflow
description: What this workflow does
provider: claude # Optional: 'claude' or 'codex'
model: sonnet # Optional: model override
nodes:
- id: first-node
command: my-command # Loads .archon/commands/my-command.md
- id: second-node
prompt: "Use the output: $first-node.output"
depends_on: [first-node]
Four Node Types
Each node has exactly ONE of: command, prompt, bash, or loop.
Command node — runs a .archon/commands/*.md file:
- id: investigate
command: investigate-issue
Prompt node — inline AI prompt:
- id: classify
prompt: "Classify this issue: $ARGUMENTS"
model: haiku
allowed_tools: []
Bash node — shell script, no AI, stdout captured as output:
- id: fetch-data
bash: "gh issue view 42 --json title,body"
timeout: 15000
Loop node — iterates AI prompt until completion:
- id: implement
loop:
prompt: "Implement next story. When done: <promise>COMPLETE</promise>"
until: COMPLETE
max_iterations: 10
fresh_context: true
until_bash: "bun run test" # Optional: exit 0 = done
For the full authoring guide with all fields, conditions, trigger rules, and patterns: Read references/workflow-dag.md
Creating a Command File
Commands are .md files in .archon/commands/ containing AI prompt templates:
---
description: What this command does
argument-hint: <expected arguments>
---
# My Command
User request: $ARGUMENTS
Workflow artifacts: $ARTIFACTS_DIR
[Instructions for the AI agent]
For the full command authoring guide: Read references/authoring-commands.md
Key Variables
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
$ARGUMENTS |
User's input message |
$ARTIFACTS_DIR |
Pre-created directory for workflow artifacts |
$BASE_BRANCH |
Base branch (auto-detected from git) |
$WORKFLOW_ID |
Unique workflow run ID |
$nodeId.output |
Output from upstream node |
Full variable reference: Read references/variables.md
Advanced Features (Command/Prompt Nodes, Claude Only)
hooks (tool interception), mcp (external tool servers), skills (domain knowledge injection), output_format (structured JSON output), allowed_tools/denied_tools (tool restrictions).
For details: Read references/dag-advanced.md
Example Files
examples/dag-workflow.yaml— workflow with conditions, bash nodes, structured outputexamples/command-template.md— Command file skeleton with all variables
Example Interactions
User: "Use Archon to fix issue #42"
archon workflow run archon-fix-github-issue --branch fix/issue-42 "Fix issue #42"
User: "Have Archon review PR #15"
archon workflow run archon-comprehensive-pr-review --branch review/pr-15 "Review PR #15"
User: "Create a workflow that reviews code and runs tests"
→ Read references/workflow-dag.md and create a workflow with parallel review nodes.
User: "Make a workflow with conditional routing"
→ Read references/workflow-dag.md and create nodes with when: conditions and output_format.
User: "Write a command file for investigating bugs"
→ Read references/authoring-commands.md and create an .md file in .archon/commands/.
User: "Set up Archon in this repo"
→ Read references/repo-init.md to create the .archon/ directory structure.
User: "Initialize .archon and create a custom workflow"
→ First read references/repo-init.md, then the appropriate workflow reference.