PAUL

PAUL (Plan-Apply-Unify Loop) is an open-source CLI framework that brings structured, reliable AI-assisted development to Claude Code. It solves "context rot" — the quality degradation that happens as AI sessions fill up — by enforcing a strict Plan → Apply → Unify loop with mandatory closure on every unit of work. PAUL supports not just software development but also marketing campaigns, funnel builds, email sequences, and automation workflows.

• Plan-Apply-Unify Loop — Every plan must be closed with UNIFY, which reconciles what was planned vs. what happened, updates STATE.md, and logs decisions — no orphan plans.
• Acceptance-Driven Development (A.D.D.) — Define acceptance criteria in BDD format (Given/When/Then) before tasks begin; every task references its AC and requires a verify step.
• Scope-Adaptive Planning — Auto-routes plans into quick-fix (1 task), standard (2–5 tasks), or complex (6+ tasks) tiers with appropriate ceremony for each.
• Execute/Qualify Loop — Each task in APPLY is independently verified against the spec and linked AC after execution, catching drift and false completions before they compound.
• Escalation Statuses — Tasks report DONE, DONE_WITH_CONCERNS, NEEDS_CONTEXT, or BLOCKED instead of binary pass/fail, surfacing uncertainty honestly.
• Diagnostic Failure Routing — Classifies failures as intent, spec, or code issues before attempting fixes, preventing the common mistake of patching code when the plan itself was wrong.
• Coherence Validation — Plans are automatically checked against PROJECT.md, STATE.md, recent file changes, and ROADMAP.md before approval.
• Session Continuity — STATE.md tracks loop position, decisions, and blockers; /paul:resume reads state and suggests exactly one next action after any break.
• CARL Integration — Works with CARL (Context Augmentation & Reinforcement Layer) for dynamic, just-in-time rule injection — keeping context lean without static prompt bloat.
• 26 Commands — Organized into Core Loop, Session, Roadmap, Milestone, Pre-Planning, Research, Specialized, and Quality categories; run /paul:help for the full reference.
• Install in seconds — Run npx paul-framework and choose global (~/.claude/) or local (./.claude/) installation; verify with /paul:help inside Claude Code.