# evaluate-presets

Runs automated tests across Ralph hat collection presets using shell scripts. Helps validate agent routing logic and detect context leaks.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · ★ 3189
- Author: mikeyobrien
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/mikeyobrien/ralph-orchestrator/tree/HEAD/.claude/skills/evaluate-presets/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-15
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/evaluate-presets

## What it does

This skill executes direct CLI evaluation of Ralph Orchestrator presets through `./tools/evaluate-preset.sh` and `./tools/evaluate-all-presets.sh`. It avoids meta-orchestration layers by running shell scripts against specific backends like `claude` or `kiro`. You can target a single configuration such as `spec-driven` or benchmark the entire suite of 12 presets.

Full test suites run for hours. Because of that, the Bash tool must execute these scripts in the background with `run_in_background: true` and `timeout: 600000`, using `TaskOutput` for non-blocking status checks. Output lands in `.eval/`, archiving execution logs, session events in `session.jsonl`, and JSON metrics.

The evaluation focuses heavily on role routing reliability. Each hat must run within its own iteration rather than switching personas mid-cycle. Cargo is required to compile Ralph before running tests, while `yq` is optional for parsing task YAML definitions.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mikeyobrien/ralph-orchestrator --skill evaluate-presets -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/evaluate-presets/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/evaluate-presets/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mikeyobrien/ralph-orchestrator --skill evaluate-presets -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/evaluate-presets/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mikeyobrien/ralph-orchestrator --skill evaluate-presets -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/evaluate-presets/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install mikeyobrien/ralph-orchestrator evaluate-presets
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/evaluate-presets/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mikeyobrien/ralph-orchestrator --skill evaluate-presets -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/mikeyobrien/ralph-orchestrator --path .claude/skills/evaluate-presets
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/evaluate-presets/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mikeyobrien/ralph-orchestrator --skill evaluate-presets -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/mikeyobrien/ralph-orchestrator/tree/HEAD/.claude/skills/evaluate-presets/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- test preset configurations after editing hat routing logic
- run batch evaluations across all 12 presets
- audit session logs to detect context bleeding across hats
- collect iteration counts and published event metrics into `.eval/`

## Example prompts
- Evaluate the tdd-red-green preset on claude backend in the background with a 10-minute timeout
- Run ./tools/evaluate-all-presets.sh claude and monitor execution progress via TaskOutput
- Check .eval/logs/incident-response/latest/session.jsonl for same-iteration hat switching

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 85225ff74597069b.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 85225ff74597069b
````text
---
name: evaluate-presets
description: Use when testing Ralph's hat collection presets, validating preset configurations, or auditing the preset library for bugs and UX issues.
metadata:
  internal: true
---

# Evaluate Presets

## Overview

Systematically test all hat collection presets using shell scripts. Direct CLI invocation—no meta-orchestration complexity.

## When to Use

- Testing preset configurations after changes
- Auditing the preset library for quality
- Validating new presets work correctly
- After modifying hat routing logic

## Quick Start

**Evaluate a single preset:**
```bash
./tools/evaluate-preset.sh tdd-red-green claude
```

**Evaluate all presets:**
```bash
./tools/evaluate-all-presets.sh claude
```

**Arguments:**
- First arg: preset name (without `.yml` extension)
- Second arg: backend (`claude` or `kiro`, defaults to `claude`)

## Bash Tool Configuration

**IMPORTANT:** When invoking these scripts via the Bash tool, use these settings:

- **Single preset evaluation:** Use `timeout: 600000` (10 minutes max) and `run_in_background: true`
- **All presets evaluation:** Use `timeout: 600000` (10 minutes max) and `run_in_background: true`

Since preset evaluations can run for hours (especially the full suite), **always run in background mode** and use the `TaskOutput` tool to check progress periodically.

**Example invocation pattern:**
```
Bash tool with:
  command: "./tools/evaluate-preset.sh tdd-red-green claude"
  timeout: 600000
  run_in_background: true
```

After launching, use `TaskOutput` with `block: false` to check status without waiting for completion.

## What the Scripts Do

### `evaluate-preset.sh`

1. Loads test task from `tools/preset-test-tasks.yml` (if `yq` available)
2. Creates merged config with evaluation settings
3. Runs Ralph with `--record-session` for metrics capture
4. Captures output logs, exit codes, and timing
5. Extracts metrics: iterations, hats activated, events published

**Output structure:**
```
.eval/
├── logs/<preset>/<timestamp>/
│   ├── output.log          # Full stdout/stderr
│   ├── session.jsonl       # Recorded session
│   ├── metrics.json        # Extracted metrics
│   ├── environment.json    # Runtime environment
│   └── merged-config.yml   # Config used
└── logs/<preset>/latest -> <timestamp>
```

### `evaluate-all-presets.sh`

Runs all 12 presets sequentially and generates a summary:

```
.eval/results/<suite-id>/
├── SUMMARY.md              # Markdown report
├── <preset>.json           # Per-preset metrics
└── latest -> <suite-id>
```

## Presets Under Evaluation
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 85225ff74597069b

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