Dev Flow

Keep scope, verification limits, and current progress intact across long AI coding sessions.

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What Dev Flow helps you do

Dev Flow helps you manage long AI coding tasks in Codex or DeepSeek. It saves the agreed requirements, file scope, verification plan, progress, and results locally so you can continue after a session ends.

• Keep scope clear: record the intended files and check the actual changes against the plan.
• Plan testing: choose relevant checks and set limits on verification effort.
• Resume work: continue the same task and remaining work from its original directory.
• Inspect results: view progress, checks, and reasons a task needs attention.

It suits repository work that spans sessions or needs explicit scope and testing limits. For one-off questions, code explanations, and small edits that need no saved progress, using Codex or DeepSeek directly is usually simpler.

Quick start

Stable npm @latest is currently verified on macOS arm64. Use Node.js >=24 and install a supported Codex or DeepSeek Harness first. See the Support Matrix for Host versions and other environments.

1. Install Dev Flow

npm install -g @imotong/dev-flow@latest
dev-flow

Choose Codex, DeepSeek, or both in the interactive setup, then complete the installer's instructions:

• Codex: open /hooks, review the Dev Flow hook, and trust it to enable supported pre-write checks.
• DeepSeek Harness: restart the selected DSH Profile after installation.

2. Start a task

Send this message in Codex:

$dev-flow-codex:dev-flow Add failed-login rate limiting. Change only auth files and run at most 4 targeted checks.

Or in DeepSeek Harness:

/dev-flow Add failed-login rate limiting. Change only auth files and run at most 4 targeted checks.

Send these in the conversation, not a terminal. Describe your goal, acceptance conditions, file scope, and testing limit.

The first reply assesses the request and asks whether to work directly or use Dev Flow. Choosing Dev Flow defaults to a new task branch from the current HEAD in the current directory. Confirm the new branch and whether existing uncommitted changes belong to the task. Your dependencies, local configuration, files and staged state stay in place; the current session continues when it can access all participating directories.

You can explicitly choose to use the current branch or create a dedicated Git worktree. A dedicated worktree additionally selects a local or remote source and a starting branch. Codex opens the new directory when supported; DeepSeek provides the required relaunch command.

One directory supports one active Task. Local manual or external edits are also observed, and changing branches during a Task pauses progress. Local directories and branches remain after completion; uncommitted work must be accounted for when starting the next Task.

Before implementation, review and discuss the requirements, design, work items, expected files and verification plan. Development starts after you explicitly approve the complete plan. Revisions or expanded file scope require approval again; choosing Dev Flow or a worktree does not replace plan approval.

3. Resume and view progress

After a session restart, return to the task's original directory and ask to continue it. Dev Flow resumes from the saved progress. If that directory is missing or replaced, the task pauses until you restore it or explicitly abandon the task.

In DeepSeek Harness, include /dev-flow in the message asking to resume.

# Inspect installed integrations
dev-flow status --host all

# Open the local task view
dev-flow webui start

For non-interactive installation, custom DSH Profiles, upgrades, repair, and removal, see the Command Reference.

Desktop pet

The desktop pet shows multiple tasks in stacked bubbles and opens each task's WebUI. It prioritizes blocked tasks and automatically follows unfinished work after a task completes; you can also pin a task. Customize its appearance, control animations, resize it, and start or stop it independently. Complete the installation and Codex or DeepSeek setup above before using it.

dev-flow pet start
dev-flow pet stop

Desktop applications target macOS arm64 and Windows 10/11 x64. See the pet guide for installation and controls, and the Support Matrix for verified availability.

Usage limits

A dedicated worktree separates code changes. Processes, network access, credentials, and external services remain shared with your environment.

Completing a task does not automatically commit, push, or delete its worktree. Those operations require your separate authorization.

Documentation

• Usage: Codex · DeepSeek · Commands · Control Center
• Project: Product · Support Matrix · Security
• Development and contributions: Documentation index · Contributing

License

Apache License 2.0