Major refactoring to support flexible AI provider configuration instead of
requiring direct API access. Users can now use whatever AI CLI tool they have
installed (claude, gemini, codex, etc.) without API keys.
## Changes to automation/agents.py
**New Functions:**
- `get_ai_config()` - Reads config from env vars or git config
- Environment: CDEV_AI_PROVIDER, CDEV_AI_COMMAND (highest priority)
- Git config: cascadingdev.aiprovider, cascadingdev.aicommand
- Default: claude-cli with "claude -p '{prompt}'"
- `call_ai_cli()` - Execute AI via CLI command
- Passes content via temp file to avoid shell escaping
- Supports {prompt} placeholder in command template
- 60s timeout with error handling
- Parses JSON from response (with/without code blocks)
- `call_ai_api()` - Direct API access (renamed from call_claude)
- Unchanged functionality
- Now used as fallback option
- `call_ai()` - Unified AI caller
- Try CLI first (if configured)
- Fall back to API (if ANTHROPIC_API_KEY set)
- Graceful failure with warnings
**Updated Functions:**
- `normalize_discussion()` - calls call_ai() instead of call_claude()
- `track_questions()` - calls call_ai() instead of call_claude()
- `track_action_items()` - calls call_ai() instead of call_claude()
- `track_decisions()` - calls call_ai() instead of call_claude()
**Configuration Precedence:**
1. Environment variables (session-scoped)
2. Git config (repo-scoped)
3. Defaults (claude-cli)
## Changes to docs/AUTOMATION.md
**Updated Sections:**
- "Requirements" - Now lists CLI as Option 1 (recommended), API as Option 2
- "Configuration" - Complete rewrite with 5 provider examples:
1. Claude CLI (default)
2. Gemini CLI
3. OpenAI Codex CLI
4. Direct API (Anthropic)
5. Custom AI command
- "Troubleshooting" - Added "AI command failed" section, updated error messages
**New Configuration Examples:**
```bash
# Claude Code (default)
git config cascadingdev.aicommand "claude -p '{prompt}'"
# Gemini
git config cascadingdev.aiprovider "gemini-cli"
git config cascadingdev.aicommand "gemini '{prompt}'"
# Custom
git config cascadingdev.aicommand "my-ai-tool --prompt '{prompt}' --format json"
```
## Benefits
1. **No API Key Required**: Use existing CLI tools (claude, gemini, etc.)
2. **Flexible Configuration**: Git config (persistent) or env vars (session)
3. **Provider Agnostic**: Works with any CLI that returns JSON
4. **Backward Compatible**: Still supports direct API if ANTHROPIC_API_KEY set
5. **User-Friendly**: Defaults to "claude -p" if available
## Testing
- ✅ get_ai_config() tests:
- Default: claude-cli with "claude -p '{prompt}'"
- Git config override: gemini-cli with "gemini '{prompt}'"
- Env var override: codex-cli with "codex '{prompt}'"
- ✅ extract_mentions() still works (no AI required)
- ✅ All 6 workflow tests pass
## Impact
Users with Claude Code installed can now use the automation without any
configuration - it just works! Same for users with gemini or codex CLIs.
Only requires git config setup if using non-default command.
🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Integration fixes to make workflow.py available in user projects:
1. Bundle automation/ directory in installer
- Add automation/ to build_installer.py copy process
- Ensures workflow.py is available in generated projects
- Pre-commit hook can now actually call workflow.py
2. Update pre-commit hook comment
- Change from "planned feature...does not yet exist"
- Update to "provides non-blocking vote status reporting"
- Accurately describes current implementation
Verified:
- automation/workflow.py present in install bundle
- workflow.py executes successfully from bundle
- Pre-commit hook comment matches reality
🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Major documentation improvements:
1. Add CLAUDE.md
- Comprehensive guide for AI assistants working in this repo
- Repository architecture and directory structure
- Common development commands and workflows
- Build system explanation
- Key concepts and design philosophy
2. Restructure DESIGN.md
- Clarify three directory contexts: CascadingDev Repo, Install Bundle, User Project
- Add clear section headers and visual separation
- Mark future/unimplemented features with 🚧 emoji
- Document undocumented wins: META system and Ramble providers
- Add comprehensive Ramble documentation (mock and claude providers)
- Document template META system with code examples
3. Fix setup_project.py
- Correct error message path (was scripts/hooks/pre-commit, now assets/hooks/pre-commit)
These changes address confusion between tooling source, distribution bundle, and
generated user projects while highlighting sophisticated features like the
self-describing template system and multi-provider Ramble GUI.
🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
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