Plain files for AI workflow
Rhumb Workflow Protocol™ defines the portable contract around work: capture the request, plan phases, track state, and hand off context between people, agents, and tools.
docs/GETTING-STARTED.mdDocumentation
Learn the protocol before the tool.
Rhumb Workflow Protocol™ is the plain-file contract for AI-assisted delivery. Start with the simple path, then move into artifacts, lifecycle, conformance, and implementation details as the work demands more structure.
Progressive path
Start small. Add protocol depth when the workflow earns it.
Rhumb is easy to explain in the first minute and precise enough for implementers after that. This page teaches in layers: plain-language model, practical adoption, then normative specification.
Adopt the minimum first
A useful first workflow only needs an intake, plan, state file, and handoff. More protocol depth is added when the work becomes multi-phase, regulated, or shared.
templates/Move from useful to conformant
Schemas, sequence grammar, and conformance levels let tools check whether artifacts are valid without forcing one implementation or vendor.
spec/conformance-levels.mdChoose a layout profile deliberately
Rhumb Workflow Protocol™ core defines artifacts and process semantics. Directory trees are implementation profiles. Meridian™ is the reference profile, not a requirement for every adopter.
docs/IMPLEMENTATION-PROFILES.mdArtifact constellation
Five core files make AI work portable.
The artifacts are intentionally readable, versionable, and tool-neutral. A person can inspect them in Git; an AI tool can use them as structured context.
RWP Plain-file workflow contractINTAKE.yaml
Problem, constraints, success criteria
PLAN.md
Phases, deliverables, dependencies
state.yaml
Current execution state and progress
HO-*.md
Phase or session transition context
manifest.yaml
Produced artifact registry
Lifecycle state machine
Ideas can move forward, pause, or terminate without losing provenance.
The IDEA lifecycle gives teams a formal path for early concepts. Frontmatter is the authoritative state record; file location is only a human navigation aid.
Architecture path
IDEA to AVD to ACS to MP.
Rhumb can describe lightweight delivery, but its deeper value is the path from a rough concept to an executable plan. That path is where Meridian can use the protocol without making the protocol Meridian-specific.
View protocol materials Visual architecture explainerConformance ladder
Adoption is honest about depth.
A tool can support Rhumb incrementally. The conformance ladder makes that explicit so users can understand whether they are using a minimal artifact shape or a validator-backed workflow.
Plan plus state
For a single team or short workflow that mainly needs continuity across sessions.
Add intake, manifest, and handoffs
For multi-phase work where context, dependencies, and evidence need to survive handoff.
Add audits, UUIDs, lifecycle, and validation
For tools, teams, and regulated workflows that need stronger guarantees and repeatability.
Stability and roadmap
Pre-1.0 means the protocol is hardening, not experimental.
RWP™ 0.31.0 is in active use by the YAKKL® Meridian™ reference implementation and six AI platform integrations. The core artifact model (PLAN.md, INTAKE.yaml, state.yaml, manifest.yaml, handoffs) is stable. JSON Schemas are versioned and validated in CI. Breaking changes to artifact formats will be documented in the changelog and follow semantic versioning once the protocol reaches 1.0.
The path to 1.0 focuses on: finalizing the conformance validator, resolving remaining protocol/implementation boundary decisions, and gathering feedback from external adopters. Adopters building on the current artifact model can expect continuity.
Portability map
The protocol travels across tools.
Rhumb™ is not a Meridian feature page. Meridian is the reference implementation; the protocol remains usable by CLI tools, browser assistants, custom validators, and future workflow engines.
Rhumb™ Protocol artifacts
Papers and PDF track
PDFs are generated from the canonical docs.
The site and Markdown specs remain authoritative. PDFs are useful for sharing, review packets, and offline reading. They are generated outputs so protocol text does not drift.
Rhumb Workflow Protocol™ Specification Brief
Implementers - A short technical paper that links the public story to the full protocol specification.
Plain Files as AI Workflow Infrastructure
Open-source teams - Explains why Markdown, YAML, schemas, and templates beat opaque private project formats.
The Architecture Path: IDEA, AVD, ACS, MP
Architects - Makes the methodology legible from concept capture through executable work.
Conformance Levels for AI Workflow Tools
Tool builders - Defines how tools can adopt Rhumb incrementally without pretending to support everything.
Rhumb vs Tool Lock-In
Executives and technical leads - Positions Rhumb as a neutral protocol layer rather than another AI workflow product.
Executive brief
A short PDF for leaders: why the protocol exists, how it reduces lock-in, and where Meridian fits.
Implementation brief
A technical PDF for tool builders: artifacts, schemas, conformance levels, implementation profiles, known drift, and extension rules.
Specification reading bundle
A guided packet through the canonical Markdown specs, schemas, templates, examples, conformance notes, and reference-profile decisions.
Specification
What the protocol is and how to start using it.
Getting Started
Adopt RWP with INTAKE.yaml, PLAN.md, state.yaml, and handoffs.
Protocol Specification
The full RWP™ v0.31.0 specification.
Implementation Profiles
Core RWP™ versus file-tree profiles, including the non-normative Meridian reference profile and current reconciliation decisions.
Conformance Levels
Minimal, Standard, and Full adoption paths for tool builders and teams.
IDEA Lifecycle
The formal lifecycle state machine for concept capture, approval, parking, and promotion.
Materials
Reusable artifacts. Drop them into a project as-is.
Schemas
JSON Schema for plan, intake, manifest, state, and handoff artifacts.
Templates
Foundation templates for protocol-compliant workflow artifacts.
Architecture Templates
IDEA-adjacent architecture path templates for AVD and ACS artifacts.
Examples
Single-feature and multi-phase examples for practical adoption.
Integrations
Adapters for CLI and browser AI assistants plus the reference implementation (Meridian™).
Project
Governance and the public conversation around the protocol.