Autoresearch, Plugin Skill Self-Improvement

Iteratively improve plugin skills via the autoresearch pattern: propose one mutation -> eval -> keep/revert -> repeat.

Usage

/lab:autoresearch                           # Targeted: attack weakest skill+dimension
/lab:autoresearch --skill review            # Focus on one skill
/lab:autoresearch --strategy sweep          # Process all skills alphabetically
/lab:autoresearch --dry-run                 # Show what would change, don't commit

For overnight runs:

/loop 5m /lab:autoresearch --strategy sweep --max-iterations 200

Iron Laws

1. ONE mutation per iteration, if description needs "and", split into two
2. NEVER mutate read-only files, check program.md before every write
3. EVAL is deterministic, always use the wrapper script, never LLM-judge
4. REVERT on regression OR checks failure, no exceptions
5. LOG every iteration, use keep or revert command (never skip)
6. CHECK ideas.md before proposing, don't rediscover known optimizations

Wrapper Script Commands

All eval/git/journal operations go through ONE script. Do NOT run these manually.

# Find the weakest skill+dimension
python3 lab/autoresearch/scripts/run-iteration.py target --strategy targeted

# Score a skill (before mutation, to get baseline)
python3 lab/autoresearch/scripts/run-iteration.py score <skill-name>

# After mutation: score + checks + compare → verdict (KEEP or REVERT)
python3 lab/autoresearch/scripts/run-iteration.py eval <skill-name>

# Act on verdict:
python3 lab/autoresearch/scripts/run-iteration.py keep <skill> <dim> <old> <new> \
  --desc "what changed" --asi '{"hypothesis": "why", "mechanism": "how"}'

python3 lab/autoresearch/scripts/run-iteration.py revert <skill> <dim> <old> <new> \
  --desc "what was attempted" --asi '{"hypothesis": "why", "regression": "what broke", "avoid": "do not retry this"}'