Should state files be committed to version control?

No, it is a best practice to add workflow state files to your .gitignore to ensure they do not clutter your repository.

Why use hooks for state management?

Hooks allow Claude to automatically verify requirements before running a tool and update the workflow status immediately after a tool finishes its task.

What is a state file in this context?

A state file is a hidden marker file, such as .analysis-done, used to track the progress of a multi-phase workflow and unlock subsequent actions.

How does this skill handle task failures?

When a step fails, the skill preserves existing state files, allowing Claude to resume the workflow from the last successful checkpoint instead of starting over.

Can I use this for multi-step refactoring?

Yes, it is specifically designed for sequential tasks like refactoring where you want to ensure the planning phase is fully approved before code execution begins.

Workflow State Patterns

Name: Workflow State Patterns
Author: chkim-su

bychkim-su

Productivity & Workflow

Implements hook-based state machines to enforce sequential phases and quality gates in complex development workflows.

About

Workflow State Patterns provides a robust framework for managing multi-phase operations within Claude Code by utilizing file-based state tracking and lifecycle hooks. It enables developers to define strict transitions between analysis, planning, execution, and verification phases, ensuring that quality gates are met before moving forward. By persisting state through hidden files, it maintains session continuity even across session restarts and provides a reliable mechanism for error recovery and retries in automated tasks.

Key Features

Customizable quality gates for sequential workflow transitions
Phase-based enforcement using PreToolUse and PostToolUse hooks
Automatic cleanup of state files upon successful task completion
File-based state persistence for session continuity
0 GitHub stars
State preservation on failure to enable intelligent retry logic

Use Cases

Managing complex code refactoring projects that require distinct analysis and planning phases
Enforcing safety checks before executing destructive database or infrastructure migrations
Automating multi-step CI/CD tasks that require validation between execution and verification

About

Key Features

Customizable quality gates for sequential workflow transitions
Phase-based enforcement using PreToolUse and PostToolUse hooks
Automatic cleanup of state files upon successful task completion
File-based state persistence for session continuity
0 GitHub stars
State preservation on failure to enable intelligent retry logic

Use Cases

Managing complex code refactoring projects that require distinct analysis and planning phases
Enforcing safety checks before executing destructive database or infrastructure migrations
Automating multi-step CI/CD tasks that require validation between execution and verification