Blueprints: Deterministic Orchestration

At the heart of OpenExec's reliability is the Blueprint Engine. A blueprint is a structured execution plan that defines how a task moves from an initial idea to verified code.

Unlike simple "agent loops" that can wander off-track, blueprints enforce boundaries and require specific successful outcomes before proceeding.

Deterministic vs. Agentic Stages

OpenExec distinguishes between two types of work:

1. Deterministic Stages

These are handled by the local Go runtime. They execute fixed code, run shell commands, or perform repository analysis.

• Examples: gather_context, lint, test, build.
• Reliability: 100% predictable. If the tests fail, the stage fails.

2. Agentic Stages

These are handled by an AI model (the "Executor" or "Reviewer"). They require reasoning, synthesis, and decision-making.

• Examples: implement, fix_tests, review.
• Safety: Every agentic action is gated by the Deterministic Control Plane (DCP) and the Policy Engine.

Self-Healing Loops

Blueprints are not just linear lists; they contain logical branches for self-correction.

• Linting Failure: If the lint stage fails, the blueprint routes the task to fix_lint, where an agent analyzes the linter output and applies a fix.
• Test Regression: If the test stage fails, the task moves to fix_tests for automated debugging.
• Exhaustion Limits: If an agent cannot fix an error after a set number of retries (default: 3), the blueprint pauses and requests Operator Attention.

Checkpointing and Resume

Every major stage in a blueprint creates a Checkpoint.

• Checkpoints capture the message history, applied patches, and repository state.
• If the system crashes or is manually stopped, you can run openexec run --resume to pick up exactly where the engine left off, saving token costs and maintaining consistency.

Native Blueprints

OpenExec comes with several pre-defined blueprints:

ID	Name	Use Case
standard_task	Standard Task	The default flow for coding tasks (with full validation).
quick_fix	Quick Fix	A shorter flow for small, targeted corrections.
study_task	Study Task	Purely analytical tasks that produce documentation.

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Next: Learn about State Management