automaton/tasks/add-self-improvement-loop/SPEC.md

SPEC: add-self-improvement-loop

Context

Task 6 created the self-improvement loop template at templates/loops/self-improvement/loop.json. This task wires it into install.sh and update.sh so the loop is default-on at install time (D21). Existing users who run update.sh get the loop bootstrapped idempotently.

Non-Goals (deferred)

• Loop dashboard panel -> v1.1
• Auto-approve for self-improvement loop -> never (D4)
• Tier 2 context-sizing work -> picked up by the loop itself after first tick
• design/context-sizing/ skeleton -> v1.1 (the loop will create it when it picks up Tier 2 work)

Requirements

R1 -- install.sh creates and schedules the self-improvement loop

After the clone and guard registration, add:

# Bootstrap self-improvement loop (default-on, D21)
python3 "$FRAMEWORK_DIR/scripts/status.py" --create-loop self-improvement \
  --from-template self-improvement --project "$FRAMEWORK_DIR" || true
python3 "$FRAMEWORK_DIR/scripts/status.py" --install-schedule self-improvement \
  --interval 3600 --project "$FRAMEWORK_DIR" || true

The || true ensures install continues even if loop creation fails (e.g. Python not yet in PATH, or schedule installation fails on an unusual platform). The loop is optional; the framework works without it.

Print a message telling the user the loop is running and how to disable it:

echo ""
echo "=== Self-Improvement Loop ==="
echo "A self-improvement loop has been created and scheduled (runs every 3600s)."
echo "It will tick against status.py --audit on this framework's own repo."
echo "To disable: python3 ~/.automaton/scripts/status.py --pause-loop self-improvement --project ~/.automaton/"

R2 -- update.sh bootstraps the self-improvement loop idempotently

After the git pull and guard registration, add:

# Bootstrap self-improvement loop if not present (default-on, D21)
if [ ! -d "$FRAMEWORK_DIR/loops/self-improvement" ]; then
  python3 "$FRAMEWORK_DIR/scripts/status.py" --create-loop self-improvement \
    --from-template self-improvement --project "$FRAMEWORK_DIR" || true
  python3 "$FRAMEWORK_DIR/scripts/status.py" --install-schedule self-improvement \
    --interval 3600 --project "$FRAMEWORK_DIR" || true
  echo "Created self-improvement loop (default-on). --pause-loop self-improvement to disable."
fi

R3 -- Tests

Write tests/test_self_improvement_loop.py with:

1. test_install_sh_creates_self_improvement_loop -- verify install.sh contains --create-loop self-improvement and --install-schedule self-improvement
2. test_update_sh_bootstraps_self_improvement_loop -- verify update.sh contains the idempotent bootstrap check
3. test_install_sh_has_opt_out_message -- verify install.sh contains --pause-loop self-improvement
4. test_self_improvement_template_has_correct_fields -- verify the template has work_source.kind: audit, brakes.max_iterations: 10, blast_radius.use_worktree: true (this may overlap with task 6 tests; if so, keep it as a regression guard)
5. test_create_loop_self_improvement_from_template -- simulate --create-loop self-improvement --from-template self-improvement --project <tmp> and verify the loop dir, loop.json, .state.loop, and .state.log are created correctly

R4 -- Documentation updates

• CHANGELOG.md under [unreleased]
• README.md -- add a note in the Loop Engineering section that the self-improvement loop is default-on at install
• design/loops/technical.md -- section 9 already documents the self-improvement template; add a note that install.sh creates it default-on

Verification

• bash -n scripts/install.sh scripts/update.sh -- syntax check
• python3 -m pytest tests/test_self_improvement_loop.py -v
• python3 -m pytest tests/ -q -- full suite must remain green