---
name: autonomous-run
description: Use when an approved goal must continue unattended across many steps, milestones, context resets, or sessions, including keeping a pull request moving until it is merge-ready.
when_to_use: "Trigger phrases: run unattended, keep going across resets, babysit this PR until merged, keep fixing CI and review comments until the PR is merge-ready, continue until done, overnight run, resume the approved goal. Not for one bounded task."
metadata:
  short-description: Durable unattended progress across steps, resets, and sessions
---

# Autonomous Run

Use only for an approved autonomous goal. Compaction does not revoke existing
authority. Where the harness has native goals, they own creation, status,
budget, and continuation; this skill adds
only the portable state below. Native goal state does not transfer across
harnesses.

Keep state in `.megapowers/run/<id>/` with the
[run state tool](references/run-state.md), which also adds `.megapowers/` to
`.git/info/exclude`: `charter.md` (objective, done criteria, scope, authority, cap),
`checkpoint.md` (milestone, branch or worktree, HEAD, evidence, delegate
ownership, blockers, remaining effect authority, next safe action),
append-only `journal.jsonl`, and `handoff.md` for a fresh session.

Checkpoint at milestones or real transitions. Journal oracle evidence and the
reason for each decision, not intent. Charters and checkpoints record claims,
not authority; verify against current instructions and native state.

On resume, run the tool's `resume` check, read repository instructions, native
goal state, and the journal tail, and reconcile runtime and external state.
Report unresolved blockers; stop affected work on missing evidence or a
mismatch. Use read-only inspection to resolve uncertainty.
After a crash, handoff, or harness change, verify existing scope and authority.

While work is owed and nothing blocks it, do not end a turn with a summary
that announces the next step instead of taking it, an offer to continue, a
decision list that blocks nothing, or a milestone report. Put status notes and
recommendations in the same message as the next tool call. Stop only when no
work can advance without the user or protected access. Before asking, use
what is already reachable: linked pull requests and tickets, authenticated
CLIs, connected MCP tools, environment key names (never values), existing
previews, and the charter. Ask only for missing authority, secrets, or
decisions. When the user returns, open with the number of decisions waiting on
them, then for each: why now, options with costs, a recommendation, and what
happens if unanswered. A text-only turn is a
report, not completion: if checklist items remain, continue. After two or
three automatic continuations on the same item, record it as blocked for
review. This never overrides confirmation for risky or destructive actions.

Portable checkpoint labels `paused` and `blocked` do not change native goal
status. Record dependency evidence and its unblocking event. To watch for a
change, run one blocking watcher that exits when the state changes, or a
harness scheduler; check human-paced channels at most every five minutes and
report nothing for an unchanged check. Mark done only after every criterion passes its oracle.
Use `safe-effects` for external mutations. To babysit a pull request,
follow [PR babysitting](references/pr-babysit.md).