feat: Add ralph-wiggum plugin for iterative self-referential development

Migrates the ralph-wiggum plugin from internal marketplace to public marketplace.
Implements Geoffrey Huntley's "Ralph Wiggum" technique using Claude Code's Stop
hook mechanism for continuous iterative development loops.

Key features:
- Interactive self-referential AI loops in current session
- Stop hook intercepts exit and feeds same prompt back
- Iteration tracking and completion promise detection
- Max iterations safety limits

Changes:
- Remove all tmux dependencies and background execution mode
- Simplify to interactive-only mode using Stop hooks
- Add comprehensive error handling with clear messages
- Fix documentation to accurately describe Stop hook mechanism
- Add input validation for all command-line arguments
- Register plugin in public marketplace

Security fixes:
- Remove eval usage (command injection vulnerability)
- Add numeric validation before arithmetic operations
- Remove silent error suppression

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>

plugins/ralph-wiggum/.claude-plugin/plugin.json

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+{
+  "name": "ralph-wiggum",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "description": "Implementation of the Ralph Wiggum technique - continuous self-referential AI loops for interactive iterative development. Run Claude in a while-true loop with the same prompt until task completion.",
+  "author": {
+    "name": "Daisy Hollman",
+    "email": "daisy@anthropic.com"
+  }
+}

plugins/ralph-wiggum/README.md

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+# Ralph Wiggum Plugin
+
+Implementation of the Ralph Wiggum technique for iterative, self-referential AI development loops in Claude Code.
+
+## What is Ralph?
+
+Ralph is a development methodology based on continuous AI agent loops. As Geoffrey Huntley describes it: **"Ralph is a Bash loop"** - a simple `while true` that repeatedly feeds an AI agent a prompt file, allowing it to iteratively improve its work until completion.
+
+The technique is named after Ralph Wiggum from The Simpsons, embodying the philosophy of persistent iteration despite setbacks.
+
+### Core Concept
+
+This plugin implements Ralph using a **Stop hook** that intercepts Claude's exit attempts:
+
+```bash
+# You run ONCE:
+/ralph-loop "Your task description" --completion-promise "DONE"
+
+# Then Claude Code automatically:
+# 1. Works on the task
+# 2. Tries to exit
+# 3. Stop hook blocks exit
+# 4. Stop hook feeds the SAME prompt back
+# 5. Repeat until completion
+```
+
+The loop happens **inside your current session** - you don't need external bash loops. The Stop hook in `hooks/stop-hook.sh` creates the self-referential feedback loop by blocking normal session exit.
+
+This creates a **self-referential feedback loop** where:
+- The prompt never changes between iterations
+- Claude's previous work persists in files
+- Each iteration sees modified files and git history
+- Claude autonomously improves by reading its own past work in files
+
+## Quick Start
+
+```bash
+/ralph-loop "Build a REST API for todos. Requirements: CRUD operations, input validation, tests. Output <promise>COMPLETE</promise> when done." --completion-promise "COMPLETE" --max-iterations 50
+```
+
+Claude will:
+- Implement the API iteratively
+- Run tests and see failures
+- Fix bugs based on test output
+- Iterate until all requirements met
+- Output the completion promise when done
+
+## Commands
+
+### /ralph-loop
+
+Start a Ralph loop in your current session.
+
+**Usage:**
+```bash
+/ralph-loop "<prompt>" --max-iterations <n> --completion-promise "<text>"
+```
+
+**Options:**
+- `--max-iterations <n>` - Stop after N iterations (default: unlimited)
+- `--completion-promise <text>` - Phrase that signals completion
+
+### /cancel-ralph
+
+Cancel the active Ralph loop.
+
+**Usage:**
+```bash
+/cancel-ralph
+```
+
+## Prompt Writing Best Practices
+
+### 1. Clear Completion Criteria
+
+❌ Bad: "Build a todo API and make it good."
+
+✅ Good:
+```markdown
+Build a REST API for todos.
+
+When complete:
+- All CRUD endpoints working
+- Input validation in place
+- Tests passing (coverage > 80%)
+- README with API docs
+- Output: <promise>COMPLETE</promise>
+```
+
+### 2. Incremental Goals
+
+❌ Bad: "Create a complete e-commerce platform."
+
+✅ Good:
+```markdown
+Phase 1: User authentication (JWT, tests)
+Phase 2: Product catalog (list/search, tests)
+Phase 3: Shopping cart (add/remove, tests)
+
+Output <promise>COMPLETE</promise> when all phases done.
+```
+
+### 3. Self-Correction
+
+❌ Bad: "Write code for feature X."
+
+✅ Good:
+```markdown
+Implement feature X following TDD:
+1. Write failing tests
+2. Implement feature
+3. Run tests
+4. If any fail, debug and fix
+5. Refactor if needed
+6. Repeat until all green
+7. Output: <promise>COMPLETE</promise>
+```
+
+### 4. Escape Hatches
+
+Always use `--max-iterations` as a safety net to prevent infinite loops on impossible tasks:
+
+```bash
+# Recommended: Always set a reasonable iteration limit
+/ralph-loop "Try to implement feature X" --max-iterations 20
+
+# In your prompt, include what to do if stuck:
+# "After 15 iterations, if not complete:
+#  - Document what's blocking progress
+#  - List what was attempted
+#  - Suggest alternative approaches"
+```
+
+**Note**: The `--completion-promise` uses exact string matching, so you cannot use it for multiple completion conditions (like "SUCCESS" vs "BLOCKED"). Always rely on `--max-iterations` as your primary safety mechanism.
+
+## Philosophy
+
+Ralph embodies several key principles:
+
+### 1. Iteration > Perfection
+Don't aim for perfect on first try. Let the loop refine the work.
+
+### 2. Failures Are Data
+"Deterministically bad" means failures are predictable and informative. Use them to tune prompts.
+
+### 3. Operator Skill Matters
+Success depends on writing good prompts, not just having a good model.
+
+### 4. Persistence Wins
+Keep trying until success. The loop handles retry logic automatically.
+
+## When to Use Ralph
+
+**Good for:**
+- Well-defined tasks with clear success criteria
+- Tasks requiring iteration and refinement (e.g., getting tests to pass)
+- Greenfield projects where you can walk away
+- Tasks with automatic verification (tests, linters)
+
+**Not good for:**
+- Tasks requiring human judgment or design decisions
+- One-shot operations
+- Tasks with unclear success criteria
+- Production debugging (use targeted debugging instead)
+
+## Real-World Results
+
+- Successfully generated 6 repositories overnight in Y Combinator hackathon testing
+- One $50k contract completed for $297 in API costs
+- Created entire programming language ("cursed") over 3 months using this approach
+
+## Learn More
+
+- Original technique: https://ghuntley.com/ralph/
+- Ralph Orchestrator: https://github.com/mikeyobrien/ralph-orchestrator
+
+## For Help
+
+Run `/help` in Claude Code for detailed command reference and examples.

plugins/ralph-wiggum/commands/cancel-ralph.md

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+---
+description: "Cancel active Ralph Wiggum loop"
+allowed-tools: ["Bash"]
+hide-from-slash-command-tool: "true"
+---
+
+# Cancel Ralph
+
+```!
+if [[ -f .claude/ralph-loop.local.md ]]; then
+  ITERATION=$(grep '^iteration:' .claude/ralph-loop.local.md | sed 's/iteration: *//')
+  echo "FOUND_LOOP=true"
+  echo "ITERATION=$ITERATION"
+else
+  echo "FOUND_LOOP=false"
+fi
+```
+
+Check the output above:
+
+1. **If FOUND_LOOP=false**:
+   - Say "No active Ralph loop found."
+
+2. **If FOUND_LOOP=true**:
+   - Use Bash: `rm .claude/ralph-loop.local.md`
+   - Report: "Cancelled Ralph loop (was at iteration N)" where N is the ITERATION value from above.

plugins/ralph-wiggum/commands/help.md

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+---
+description: "Explain Ralph Wiggum technique and available commands"
+---
+
+# Ralph Wiggum Plugin Help
+
+Please explain the following to the user:
+
+## What is the Ralph Wiggum Technique?
+
+The Ralph Wiggum technique is an iterative development methodology based on continuous AI loops, pioneered by Geoffrey Huntley.
+
+**Core concept:**
+```bash
+while :; do
+  cat PROMPT.md | claude-code --continue
+done
+```
+
+The same prompt is fed to Claude repeatedly. The "self-referential" aspect comes from Claude seeing its own previous work in the files and git history, not from feeding output back as input.
+
+**Each iteration:**
+1. Claude receives the SAME prompt
+2. Works on the task, modifying files
+3. Tries to exit
+4. Stop hook intercepts and feeds the same prompt again
+5. Claude sees its previous work in the files
+6. Iteratively improves until completion
+
+The technique is described as "deterministically bad in an undeterministic world" - failures are predictable, enabling systematic improvement through prompt tuning.
+
+## Available Commands
+
+### /ralph-loop <PROMPT> [OPTIONS]
+
+Start a Ralph loop in your current session.
+
+**Usage:**
+```
+/ralph-loop "Refactor the cache layer" --max-iterations 20
+/ralph-loop "Add tests" --completion-promise "TESTS COMPLETE"
+```
+
+**Options:**
+- `--max-iterations <n>` - Max iterations before auto-stop
+- `--completion-promise <text>` - Promise phrase to signal completion
+
+**How it works:**
+1. Creates `.claude/.ralph-loop.local.md` state file
+2. You work on the task
+3. When you try to exit, stop hook intercepts
+4. Same prompt fed back
+5. You see your previous work
+6. Continues until promise detected or max iterations
+
+---
+
+### /cancel-ralph
+
+Cancel an active Ralph loop (removes the loop state file).
+
+**Usage:**
+```
+/cancel-ralph
+```
+
+**How it works:**
+- Checks for active loop state file
+- Removes `.claude/.ralph-loop.local.md`
+- Reports cancellation with iteration count
+
+---
+
+## Key Concepts
+
+### Completion Promises
+
+To signal completion, Claude must output a `<promise>` tag:
+
+```
+<promise>TASK COMPLETE</promise>
+```
+
+The stop hook looks for this specific tag. Without it (or `--max-iterations`), Ralph runs infinitely.
+
+### Self-Reference Mechanism
+
+The "loop" doesn't mean Claude talks to itself. It means:
+- Same prompt repeated
+- Claude's work persists in files
+- Each iteration sees previous attempts
+- Builds incrementally toward goal
+
+## Example
+
+### Interactive Bug Fix
+
+```
+/ralph-loop "Fix the token refresh logic in auth.ts. Output <promise>FIXED</promise> when all tests pass." --completion-promise "FIXED" --max-iterations 10
+```
+
+You'll see Ralph:
+- Attempt fixes
+- Run tests
+- See failures
+- Iterate on solution
+- In your current session
+
+## When to Use Ralph
+
+**Good for:**
+- Well-defined tasks with clear success criteria
+- Tasks requiring iteration and refinement
+- Iterative development with self-correction
+- Greenfield projects
+
+**Not good for:**
+- Tasks requiring human judgment or design decisions
+- One-shot operations
+- Tasks with unclear success criteria
+- Debugging production issues (use targeted debugging instead)
+
+## Learn More
+
+- Original technique: https://ghuntley.com/ralph/
+- Ralph Orchestrator: https://github.com/mikeyobrien/ralph-orchestrator

plugins/ralph-wiggum/commands/ralph-loop.md

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+---
+description: "Start Ralph Wiggum loop in current session"
+argument-hint: "PROMPT [--max-iterations N] [--completion-promise TEXT]"
+allowed-tools: ["Bash(${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/setup-ralph-loop.sh)"]
+hide-from-slash-command-tool: "true"
+---
+
+# Ralph Loop Command
+
+Execute the setup script to initialize the Ralph loop:
+
+```!
+"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/setup-ralph-loop.sh" $ARGUMENTS
+
+# Extract and display completion promise if set
+if [ -f .claude/ralph-loop.local.md ]; then
+  PROMISE=$(grep '^completion_promise:' .claude/ralph-loop.local.md | sed 's/completion_promise: *//' | sed 's/^"\(.*\)"$/\1/')
+  if [ -n "$PROMISE" ] && [ "$PROMISE" != "null" ]; then
+    echo ""
+    echo "═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════"
+    echo "CRITICAL - Ralph Loop Completion Promise"
+    echo "═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════"
+    echo ""
+    echo "To complete this loop, output this EXACT text:"
+    echo "  <promise>$PROMISE</promise>"
+    echo ""
+    echo "STRICT REQUIREMENTS (DO NOT VIOLATE):"
+    echo "  ✓ Use <promise> XML tags EXACTLY as shown above"
+    echo "  ✓ The statement MUST be completely and unequivocally TRUE"
+    echo "  ✓ Do NOT output false statements to exit the loop"
+    echo "  ✓ Do NOT lie even if you think you should exit"
+    echo ""
+    echo "IMPORTANT - Do not circumvent the loop:"
+    echo "  Even if you believe you're stuck, the task is impossible,"
+    echo "  or you've been running too long - you MUST NOT output a"
+    echo "  false promise statement. The loop is designed to continue"
+    echo "  until the promise is GENUINELY TRUE. Trust the process."
+    echo ""
+    echo "  If the loop should stop, the promise statement will become"
+    echo "  true naturally. Do not force it by lying."
+    echo "═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════"
+  fi
+fi
+```
+
+Please work on the task. When you try to exit, the Ralph loop will feed the SAME PROMPT back to you for the next iteration. You'll see your previous work in files and git history, allowing you to iterate and improve.
+
+CRITICAL RULE: If a completion promise is set, you may ONLY output it when the statement is completely and unequivocally TRUE. Do not output false promises to escape the loop, even if you think you're stuck or should exit for other reasons. The loop is designed to continue until genuine completion.

plugins/ralph-wiggum/hooks/hooks.json

@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{
+  "description": "Ralph Wiggum plugin stop hook for self-referential loops",
+  "hooks": {
+    "Stop": [
+      {
+        "hooks": [
+          {
+            "type": "command",
+            "command": "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/stop-hook.sh"
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+}

plugins/ralph-wiggum/hooks/stop-hook.sh

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+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Ralph Wiggum Stop Hook
+# Prevents session exit when a ralph-loop is active
+# Feeds Claude's output back as input to continue the loop
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# Read hook input from stdin (advanced stop hook API)
+HOOK_INPUT=$(cat)
+
+# Check if ralph-loop is active
+RALPH_STATE_FILE=".claude/ralph-loop.local.md"
+
+if [[ ! -f "$RALPH_STATE_FILE" ]]; then
+  # No active loop - allow exit
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# Parse markdown frontmatter (YAML between ---) and extract values
+FRONTMATTER=$(sed -n '/^---$/,/^---$/{ /^---$/d; p; }' "$RALPH_STATE_FILE")
+ITERATION=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^iteration:' | sed 's/iteration: *//')
+MAX_ITERATIONS=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^max_iterations:' | sed 's/max_iterations: *//')
+# Extract completion_promise and strip surrounding quotes if present
+COMPLETION_PROMISE=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^completion_promise:' | sed 's/completion_promise: *//' | sed 's/^"\(.*\)"$/\1/')
+
+# Validate numeric fields before arithmetic operations
+if [[ ! "$ITERATION" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+  echo "⚠️  Ralph loop: State file corrupted" >&2
+  echo "   File: $RALPH_STATE_FILE" >&2
+  echo "   Problem: 'iteration' field is not a valid number (got: '$ITERATION')" >&2
+  echo "" >&2
+  echo "   This usually means the state file was manually edited or corrupted." >&2
+  echo "   Ralph loop is stopping. Run /ralph-loop again to start fresh." >&2
+  rm "$RALPH_STATE_FILE"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+if [[ ! "$MAX_ITERATIONS" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+  echo "⚠️  Ralph loop: State file corrupted" >&2
+  echo "   File: $RALPH_STATE_FILE" >&2
+  echo "   Problem: 'max_iterations' field is not a valid number (got: '$MAX_ITERATIONS')" >&2
+  echo "" >&2
+  echo "   This usually means the state file was manually edited or corrupted." >&2
+  echo "   Ralph loop is stopping. Run /ralph-loop again to start fresh." >&2
+  rm "$RALPH_STATE_FILE"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# Check if max iterations reached
+if [[ $MAX_ITERATIONS -gt 0 ]] && [[ $ITERATION -ge $MAX_ITERATIONS ]]; then
+  echo "🛑 Ralph loop: Max iterations ($MAX_ITERATIONS) reached."
+  rm "$RALPH_STATE_FILE"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# Get transcript path from hook input
+TRANSCRIPT_PATH=$(echo "$HOOK_INPUT" | jq -r '.transcript_path')
+
+if [[ ! -f "$TRANSCRIPT_PATH" ]]; then
+  echo "⚠️  Ralph loop: Transcript file not found" >&2
+  echo "   Expected: $TRANSCRIPT_PATH" >&2
+  echo "   This is unusual and may indicate a Claude Code internal issue." >&2
+  echo "   Ralph loop is stopping." >&2
+  rm "$RALPH_STATE_FILE"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# Read last assistant message from transcript (JSONL format - one JSON per line)
+# First check if there are any assistant messages
+if ! grep -q '"role":"assistant"' "$TRANSCRIPT_PATH"; then
+  echo "⚠️  Ralph loop: No assistant messages found in transcript" >&2
+  echo "   Transcript: $TRANSCRIPT_PATH" >&2
+  echo "   This is unusual and may indicate a transcript format issue" >&2
+  echo "   Ralph loop is stopping." >&2
+  rm "$RALPH_STATE_FILE"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# Extract last assistant message with explicit error handling
+LAST_LINE=$(grep '"role":"assistant"' "$TRANSCRIPT_PATH" | tail -1)
+if [[ -z "$LAST_LINE" ]]; then
+  echo "⚠️  Ralph loop: Failed to extract last assistant message" >&2
+  echo "   Ralph loop is stopping." >&2
+  rm "$RALPH_STATE_FILE"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# Parse JSON with error handling
+LAST_OUTPUT=$(echo "$LAST_LINE" | jq -r '
+  .message.content |
+  map(select(.type == "text")) |
+  map(.text) |
+  join("\n")
+' 2>&1)
+
+# Check if jq succeeded
+if [[ $? -ne 0 ]]; then
+  echo "⚠️  Ralph loop: Failed to parse assistant message JSON" >&2
+  echo "   Error: $LAST_OUTPUT" >&2
+  echo "   This may indicate a transcript format issue" >&2
+  echo "   Ralph loop is stopping." >&2
+  rm "$RALPH_STATE_FILE"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+if [[ -z "$LAST_OUTPUT" ]]; then
+  echo "⚠️  Ralph loop: Assistant message contained no text content" >&2
+  echo "   Ralph loop is stopping." >&2
+  rm "$RALPH_STATE_FILE"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# Check for completion promise (only if set)
+if [[ "$COMPLETION_PROMISE" != "null" ]] && [[ -n "$COMPLETION_PROMISE" ]]; then
+  # Extract text from <promise> tags using Perl for multiline support
+  # -0777 slurps entire input, s flag makes . match newlines
+  # .*? is non-greedy (takes FIRST tag), whitespace normalized
+  PROMISE_TEXT=$(echo "$LAST_OUTPUT" | perl -0777 -pe 's/.*?<promise>(.*?)<\/promise>.*/$1/s; s/^\s+|\s+$//g; s/\s+/ /g' 2>/dev/null || echo "")
+
+  # Use = for literal string comparison (not pattern matching)
+  # == in [[ ]] does glob pattern matching which breaks with *, ?, [ characters
+  if [[ -n "$PROMISE_TEXT" ]] && [[ "$PROMISE_TEXT" = "$COMPLETION_PROMISE" ]]; then
+    echo "✅ Ralph loop: Detected <promise>$COMPLETION_PROMISE</promise>"
+    rm "$RALPH_STATE_FILE"
+    exit 0
+  fi
+fi
+
+# Not complete - continue loop with SAME PROMPT
+NEXT_ITERATION=$((ITERATION + 1))
+
+# Extract prompt (everything after the closing ---)
+# Skip first --- line, skip until second --- line, then print everything after
+# Use i>=2 instead of i==2 to handle --- in prompt content
+PROMPT_TEXT=$(awk '/^---$/{i++; next} i>=2' "$RALPH_STATE_FILE")
+
+if [[ -z "$PROMPT_TEXT" ]]; then
+  echo "⚠️  Ralph loop: State file corrupted or incomplete" >&2
+  echo "   File: $RALPH_STATE_FILE" >&2
+  echo "   Problem: No prompt text found" >&2
+  echo "" >&2
+  echo "   This usually means:" >&2
+  echo "     • State file was manually edited" >&2
+  echo "     • File was corrupted during writing" >&2
+  echo "" >&2
+  echo "   Ralph loop is stopping. Run /ralph-loop again to start fresh." >&2
+  rm "$RALPH_STATE_FILE"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# Update iteration in frontmatter (portable across macOS and Linux)
+# Create temp file, then atomically replace
+TEMP_FILE="${RALPH_STATE_FILE}.tmp.$$"
+sed "s/^iteration: .*/iteration: $NEXT_ITERATION/" "$RALPH_STATE_FILE" > "$TEMP_FILE"
+mv "$TEMP_FILE" "$RALPH_STATE_FILE"
+
+# Build system message with iteration count and completion promise info
+if [[ "$COMPLETION_PROMISE" != "null" ]] && [[ -n "$COMPLETION_PROMISE" ]]; then
+  SYSTEM_MSG="🔄 Ralph iteration $NEXT_ITERATION | To stop: output <promise>$COMPLETION_PROMISE</promise> (ONLY when statement is TRUE - do not lie to exit!)"
+else
+  SYSTEM_MSG="🔄 Ralph iteration $NEXT_ITERATION | No completion promise set - loop runs infinitely"
+fi
+
+# Output JSON to block the stop and feed prompt back
+# The "reason" field contains the prompt that will be sent back to Claude
+jq -n \
+  --arg prompt "$PROMPT_TEXT" \
+  --arg msg "$SYSTEM_MSG" \
+  '{
+    "decision": "block",
+    "reason": $prompt,
+    "systemMessage": $msg
+  }'
+
+# Exit 0 for successful hook execution
+exit 0

plugins/ralph-wiggum/scripts/setup-ralph-loop.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,176 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Ralph Loop Setup Script
+# Creates state file for in-session Ralph loop
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# Parse arguments
+PROMPT_PARTS=()
+MAX_ITERATIONS=0
+COMPLETION_PROMISE="null"
+
+# Parse options and positional arguments
+while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+  case $1 in
+    -h|--help)
+      cat << 'HELP_EOF'
+Ralph Loop - Interactive self-referential development loop
+
+USAGE:
+  /ralph-loop [PROMPT...] [OPTIONS]
+
+ARGUMENTS:
+  PROMPT...    Initial prompt to start the loop (can be multiple words without quotes)
+
+OPTIONS:
+  --max-iterations <n>           Maximum iterations before auto-stop (default: unlimited)
+  --completion-promise '<text>'  Promise phrase (USE QUOTES for multi-word)
+  -h, --help                     Show this help message
+
+DESCRIPTION:
+  Starts a Ralph Wiggum loop in your CURRENT session. The stop hook prevents
+  exit and feeds your output back as input until completion or iteration limit.
+
+  To signal completion, you must output: <promise>YOUR_PHRASE</promise>
+
+  Use this for:
+  - Interactive iteration where you want to see progress
+  - Tasks requiring self-correction and refinement
+  - Learning how Ralph works
+
+EXAMPLES:
+  /ralph-loop Build a todo API --completion-promise 'DONE' --max-iterations 20
+  /ralph-loop --max-iterations 10 Fix the auth bug
+  /ralph-loop Refactor cache layer  (runs forever)
+  /ralph-loop --completion-promise 'TASK COMPLETE' Create a REST API
+
+STOPPING:
+  Only by reaching --max-iterations or detecting --completion-promise
+  No manual stop - Ralph runs infinitely by default!
+
+MONITORING:
+  # View current iteration:
+  grep '^iteration:' .claude/ralph-loop.local.md
+
+  # View full state:
+  head -10 .claude/ralph-loop.local.md
+HELP_EOF
+      exit 0
+      ;;
+    --max-iterations)
+      if [[ -z "${2:-}" ]]; then
+        echo "❌ Error: --max-iterations requires a number argument" >&2
+        echo "" >&2
+        echo "   Valid examples:" >&2
+        echo "     --max-iterations 10" >&2
+        echo "     --max-iterations 50" >&2
+        echo "     --max-iterations 0  (unlimited)" >&2
+        echo "" >&2
+        echo "   You provided: --max-iterations (with no number)" >&2
+        exit 1
+      fi
+      if ! [[ "$2" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+        echo "❌ Error: --max-iterations must be a positive integer or 0, got: $2" >&2
+        echo "" >&2
+        echo "   Valid examples:" >&2
+        echo "     --max-iterations 10" >&2
+        echo "     --max-iterations 50" >&2
+        echo "     --max-iterations 0  (unlimited)" >&2
+        echo "" >&2
+        echo "   Invalid: decimals (10.5), negative numbers (-5), text" >&2
+        exit 1
+      fi
+      MAX_ITERATIONS="$2"
+      shift 2
+      ;;
+    --completion-promise)
+      if [[ -z "${2:-}" ]]; then
+        echo "❌ Error: --completion-promise requires a text argument" >&2
+        echo "" >&2
+        echo "   Valid examples:" >&2
+        echo "     --completion-promise 'DONE'" >&2
+        echo "     --completion-promise 'TASK COMPLETE'" >&2
+        echo "     --completion-promise 'All tests passing'" >&2
+        echo "" >&2
+        echo "   You provided: --completion-promise (with no text)" >&2
+        echo "" >&2
+        echo "   Note: Multi-word promises must be quoted!" >&2
+        exit 1
+      fi
+      COMPLETION_PROMISE="$2"
+      shift 2
+      ;;
+    *)
+      # Non-option argument - collect all as prompt parts
+      PROMPT_PARTS+=("$1")
+      shift
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
+# Join all prompt parts with spaces
+PROMPT="${PROMPT_PARTS[*]}"
+
+# Validate prompt is non-empty
+if [[ -z "$PROMPT" ]]; then
+  echo "❌ Error: No prompt provided" >&2
+  echo "" >&2
+  echo "   Ralph needs a task description to work on." >&2
+  echo "" >&2
+  echo "   Examples:" >&2
+  echo "     /ralph-loop Build a REST API for todos" >&2
+  echo "     /ralph-loop Fix the auth bug --max-iterations 20" >&2
+  echo "     /ralph-loop --completion-promise 'DONE' Refactor code" >&2
+  echo "" >&2
+  echo "   For all options: /ralph-loop --help" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Create state file for stop hook (markdown with YAML frontmatter)
+mkdir -p .claude
+
+# Quote completion promise for YAML if it contains special chars or is not null
+if [[ -n "$COMPLETION_PROMISE" ]] && [[ "$COMPLETION_PROMISE" != "null" ]]; then
+  COMPLETION_PROMISE_YAML="\"$COMPLETION_PROMISE\""
+else
+  COMPLETION_PROMISE_YAML="null"
+fi
+
+cat > .claude/ralph-loop.local.md <<EOF
+---
+active: true
+iteration: 1
+max_iterations: $MAX_ITERATIONS
+completion_promise: $COMPLETION_PROMISE_YAML
+started_at: "$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)"
+---
+
+$PROMPT
+EOF
+
+# Output setup message
+cat <<EOF
+🔄 Ralph loop activated in this session!
+
+Iteration: 1
+Max iterations: $(if [[ $MAX_ITERATIONS -gt 0 ]]; then echo $MAX_ITERATIONS; else echo "unlimited"; fi)
+Completion promise: $(if [[ "$COMPLETION_PROMISE" != "null" ]]; then echo "${COMPLETION_PROMISE//\"/} (ONLY output when TRUE - do not lie!)"; else echo "none (runs forever)"; fi)
+
+The stop hook is now active. When you try to exit, the SAME PROMPT will be
+fed back to you. You'll see your previous work in files, creating a
+self-referential loop where you iteratively improve on the same task.
+
+To monitor: head -10 .claude/ralph-loop.local.md
+
+⚠️  WARNING: This loop cannot be stopped manually! It will run infinitely
+    unless you set --max-iterations or --completion-promise.
+
+🔄
+EOF
+
+# Output the initial prompt if provided
+if [[ -n "$PROMPT" ]]; then
+  echo ""
+  echo "$PROMPT"
+fi