Gentleman-Programming/gentle-pi

What it solves

Many AI coding agents fail not because of the model's intelligence, but due to poor operational discipline. Common issues include jumping into code before requirements are clear, losing architectural decisions in chat history, creating oversized pull requests, and neglecting tests. gentle-pi transforms the Pi coding agent into a controlled development harness by enforcing engineering rigor and structured workflows.

How it works

It installs a "senior-architect" operating layer called el Gentleman into Pi. This layer introduces Spec-Driven Development (SDD) and OpenSpec, ensuring that large or risky changes follow a strict pipeline of initialization, design, and verification. The system routes work based on complexity: small edits stay inline, context-heavy exploration is delegated to focused subagents, and architectural changes trigger the SDD flow.

To maintain quality, it implements strict TDD (Test-Driven Development) support, requiring evidence of a RED $\rightarrow$ GREEN $\rightarrow$ TRIANGULATE $\rightarrow$ REFACTOR cycle. It also integrates a verified native runtime for safety, blocking destructive shell commands and protecting sensitive file paths.

Who it’s for

Developers using the Pi coding agent who want to move beyond simple chat-based coding to a disciplined, professional engineering environment with reviewable work units and architectural guardrails.

Highlights

• Spec-Driven Development (SDD): Provides a structured chain of phase agents (init, design, tasks, verify, etc.) to handle complex changes.
• Subagent Orchestration: Keeps the parent session thin by delegating exploration and implementation to specialized child agents.
• ** uma Skill Discovery Registry:** Maintains a registry of project and user skills to ensure the right expertise is applied to tasks.
• Strict TDD Evidence: Forces the recording of test-driven development cycles when project configurations require it.
• Runtime Safety: Includes a verified native runtime that blocks destructive commands and sensitive path access.