---
name: sticky
description: |
  Use when the user wants to set auto-routing mode: on (every task-shaped message routes), auto (intent-verb messages route — default), or off (no auto-routing). Intent-detection runs by default; use this skill to expand to full sticky or disable entirely.
  Trigger with /hyperflow:sticky, "make hyperflow sticky", "stop using hyperflow", "is hyperflow sticky", "auto-route to hyperflow", "disable hyperflow auto-routing".
allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit, Bash(rm:*), Bash(ls:*)
argument-hint: "<on|auto|off|status>"
version: 4.9.0
license: MIT
compatibility: Designed for Claude Code
tags: [session, automation, routing]
---

# Sticky

Set per-project auto-routing mode. Three states:

| State | Default? | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| `auto` | yes (when `.sticky` absent) | **Intent-detection routing** — messages containing chain-starter verbs (`audit`, `debug`, `fix`, `brainstorm`, `scope`, `deploy`, `review`, …) auto-route. Pure conversation passes through. |
| `on` | — | **Full sticky** — every task-shaped message routes, even without explicit intent verbs |
| `off` | — | **All auto-routing disabled** — only explicit `/hyperflow:*` slash commands trigger chains |

Intent-detection is the floor — the user gets it without any opt-in (the orchestrator scans every user message for chain-starter verbs and routes when matched). Sticky `on` raises the ceiling; sticky `off` lowers the floor.

Full doctrine: [DOCTRINE.md](../hyperflow/DOCTRINE.md) Layer 1 auto-routing clause (intent verb taxonomy + routing contract + bypass patterns).

## Subcommands

| Subcommand | Description |
|---|---|
| `on` | Set state: on — full sticky routing on every task-shaped message |
| `auto` | Set state: auto — intent-verb routing only (the default) |
| `off` | Set state: off — disable ALL auto-routing including intent detection |
| `status` | Show current state (on / auto / off / when toggled) |

Default subcommand when none provided: `status`.

## State persistence

Sticky state is stored at `.hyperflow/.sticky` (project-scoped, gitignored). File format:

```
state: on
since: 2026-05-17T14:30:00Z
trigger: user-mention   # or: explicit-toggle | session-default
```

The session-start hook reads this file and prints a one-line advisory when sticky is on (`Sticky mode: ON since 2026-05-17 14:30 — task-shaped messages auto-route through hyperflow`). Sticky persists across sessions until explicitly toggled off.

## Subcommand Details

### `on`

Write `.hyperflow/.sticky` with `state: on` + ISO-8601 timestamp + `trigger: explicit-toggle`. Print:

```
Sticky mode: ON (full routing)
Every task-shaped message now routes through hyperflow, even without intent verbs.
Disable with /hyperflow:sticky off · or relax to verb-only routing with /hyperflow:sticky auto.
```

### `auto`

Write `.hyperflow/.sticky` with `state: auto` + timestamp. This is the default state when no file exists; explicitly setting it is useful after `off` to re-enable intent-detection without going to full sticky. Print:

```
Sticky mode: AUTO (intent-detection routing, default)
Messages containing chain-starter verbs (audit, debug, fix, brainstorm, scope, deploy, review, …) auto-route.
Pure conversation passes through. Expand to full routing with /hyperflow:sticky on.
```

### `off`

Replace `.hyperflow/.sticky` contents with `state: off` + timestamp. (Keep the file rather than delete so the session-start hook can show recent history.) Print:

```
Sticky mode: OFF
All auto-routing disabled — even intent verbs (audit, debug, fix, brainstorm, …) will no longer route.
Use explicit /hyperflow:* invocations. Re-enable with /hyperflow:sticky auto or /hyperflow:sticky on.
```

### `status`

Read `.hyperflow/.sticky`. Print one line:

```
Sticky mode: ON since 2026-05-17 14:30 (trigger: user-mention)
```

or:

```
Sticky mode: AUTO since 2026-05-17 14:30 (trigger: default · intent-detection routing)
```

or:

```
Sticky mode: OFF (last changed: 2026-05-16 09:12)
```

or, if file absent:

```
Sticky mode: AUTO (default · file not yet written · intent-detection routing active)
```

## Behavioural contract

When sticky is ON, the orchestrator MUST follow this routing on every new user message:

1. **Chat-shaped messages** (questions about prior output, "yes" / "no" answers to a pending gate, acknowledgments like "ok"/"thanks", short clarifications) — pass through normally, no chain routing.
2. **Task-shaped messages** (any verb-led request for new work: "add X", "fix Y", "refactor Z", "build", "implement", "create", "design", "scope out", "decompose", "ship") — auto-route:
   - **Ambiguous design** (the user asks *what* or *should we*) → invoke `/hyperflow:spec` with the user's message as `ARGUMENTS`.
   - **Clear spec** (the user describes *how* or names concrete files / functions) → invoke `/hyperflow:scope` with the user's message as `ARGUMENTS`.
   - **Existing task file referenced** (e.g. "resume the auth task") → invoke `/hyperflow:dispatch` with the matching slug.
3. **Bug reports** ("X is broken", "Y test fails", "Z throws…") → invoke `/hyperflow:trace`.
4. **Review requests** ("review this", "audit the diff", "any issues?") → invoke `/hyperflow:audit`.
5. **Ship intent** ("ship it", "push", "release", "deploy") → invoke `/hyperflow:deploy`.

The routing decision is made silently — print one short line (`Routing to /hyperflow:spec (sticky mode) …`) and invoke. Don't ask the user to confirm the routing (that would be an invented gate per DOCTRINE rule 8). The Step 0 chain-mode question still fires inside the routed skill.

**Override:** if the user message starts with `/` (any slash command) OR contains "without hyperflow" / "skip hyperflow" / "don't route" → bypass routing for that message; respond directly.

## Activation triggers

Intent-detection routing (`state: auto`) is the **default** — active for every project without any user action. The orchestrator scans every user message for chain-starter verbs (per the DOCTRINE intent verb taxonomy) and routes when matched. No file write needed.

Upgrades and downgrades:

1. **Upgrade to full sticky (`on`):**
   - Explicit: user runs `/hyperflow:sticky on`.
   - Implicit: user mentions the word "hyperflow" in a non-slash-command message AND `.hyperflow/.sticky` does not exist OR is `auto`. Orchestrator writes `state: on · trigger: user-mention · since: <ISO-8601>` and prints `Sticky mode: ON (upgraded from auto, activated by mention). Disable with /hyperflow:sticky off.`
2. **Downgrade to intent-only (`auto`):** user runs `/hyperflow:sticky auto`.
3. **Disable entirely (`off`):** user runs `/hyperflow:sticky off`. Disables intent detection too — only explicit `/hyperflow:*` slash commands route after this.

State is never silently changed by the orchestrator. Only the user's explicit `/hyperflow:sticky <state>` invocation (or the one-time implicit `hyperflow`-mention upgrade) modifies `.hyperflow/.sticky`.

## Anti-patterns (when sticky is ON)

- Asking the user "should I route this to hyperflow?" — that's an invented gate; the user already opted in via sticky
- Skipping the Step 0 chain-mode question inside the routed skill — sticky controls *routing*, not *gates*
- Routing chat-shaped messages — answering a question shouldn't fire a chain
- Routing messages that start with `/` — those are explicit slash commands; honor them as-is
- Echoing the routing decision as a long paragraph — one short line is enough (`Routing to /hyperflow:scope (sticky mode) …`)

## Flow

1. Parse subcommand from invocation (default: `status`).
2. Read `.hyperflow/.sticky` (if absent, treat as empty).
3. Execute subcommand: write the file (`on` / `off`) or print state (`status`).
4. Print confirmation.

## Overview

`/hyperflow:sticky` toggles per-project sticky-session routing. It does not itself perform routing — that's the orchestrator's behavioral contract when sticky is ON. This skill is the user-facing on/off switch and status reader.

## Prerequisites

- `.hyperflow/` directory writable. If absent, the skill creates `.hyperflow/` and writes `.sticky` inside.

## Instructions

See [Subcommands](#subcommands) and [Behavioural contract](#behavioural-contract). Summary:

1. Parse subcommand (default `status`).
2. Read or write `.hyperflow/.sticky` per the chosen subcommand.
3. Print one-line confirmation.

When sticky is ON, the orchestrator routes per the Behavioural contract on every subsequent user message — this skill itself isn't re-invoked, the contract lives in DOCTRINE.

## Output

Single one-line status per subcommand (`on` / `off` / `status`). No multi-line output.

## Error Handling

| Failure | Behavior |
|---|---|
| `.hyperflow/` missing | Create the directory, then write `.sticky`. |
| `.hyperflow/.sticky` exists but malformed | Print one-line warning + treat as `OFF`. Backup the malformed file to `.sticky.bak`. |
| Invalid subcommand (not `on`/`off`/`status`) | Print the valid subcommand list and exit. |

## Examples

### Enable sticky mode

```
/hyperflow:sticky on

Sticky mode: ON
Task-shaped messages now auto-route through /hyperflow:spec (or /hyperflow:scope when the design is clear).
Chat-shaped messages (questions, answers, acknowledgments) still pass through normally.
Disable with /hyperflow:sticky off.
```

### Sticky activates from a casual mention

```
You: hey, let's use hyperflow for the next feature
[orchestrator: detects "hyperflow" mention, .hyperflow/.sticky doesn't exist yet]
Sticky mode: ON (activated by mention)
Task-shaped messages now auto-route. Disable with /hyperflow:sticky off.

You: add a search bar to the dashboard with debounced input
[orchestrator: task-shaped, clear spec → routes to /hyperflow:scope]
Routing to /hyperflow:scope (sticky mode) …
```

### Check status

```
/hyperflow:sticky status

Sticky mode: ON since 2026-05-17 14:30 (trigger: user-mention)
```

### Bypass for one message

```
You: without hyperflow, just tell me what hooks.json controls
[orchestrator: contains "without hyperflow" → bypass for this message]
hooks.json declares the session lifecycle hooks the plugin registers with Claude Code…
```

### Disable sticky

```
/hyperflow:sticky off

Sticky mode: OFF
Task-shaped messages will no longer auto-route. Use explicit /hyperflow:* invocations.
```

## Resources

- [DOCTRINE.md](../hyperflow/DOCTRINE.md) — Layer 1 sticky-session clause (the behavioural contract the orchestrator follows when sticky is ON).
- [output-style.md](../hyperflow/output-style.md) — one-line confirmation format.