Ucai — Use Claude Code As Is

A Claude Code plugin that solves the same problems as GSD, BMAD, Ralph, and Agent OS — but using Claude Code's native architecture instead of fighting it.

Ucai was built from the inside out. We read the source code. We studied how Anthropic builds their own plugins. Every component maps 1:1 to a native Claude Code system — no wrappers, no personas, no bash loops.

🥊 Frameworks vs. Ucai — What's Actually Different?

Community frameworks were built from the outside in — wrapping Claude Code in bash scripts, mega-prompts, and persona engineering.

Ucai is built from the inside out — using Claude Code's native systems exactly as Anthropic designed them.

Problem	Framework Approach	Ucai (Native) Approach
Context rot	Bash wrappers spawning fresh sessions	Task tool already gives fresh context per agent
No structure	Persona prompts + ceremonies	Commands with phased workflows + parallel agents
No guardrails	CLAUDE.md rules (hope-based)	PreToolUse hooks (deterministic)
No iteration	External bash loops	Stop hooks (native, built-in)
No planning	Manual PRD/FRD docs or skipped entirely	/plan with discovery agents + structured file output
No onboarding	Template CLAUDE.md dumps	Agent-powered codebase analysis

✨ What Ucai Gives You

• Project planning with discovery agents
• Feature-level FRDs with milestone breakdown (each milestone = one fresh context window)
• 8-phase build workflow with parallel agents
• Native autonomous iteration (/ucai:iterate)
• Multi-agent code review
• Structured debugging
• Documentation generation
• Release automation
• Hook lifecycle coverage — session context injection, config guardrails, subagent quality gates, and iterate-state preservation across compaction
• Built-in skills (backend, frontend, QA, DevOps, architecture)

All using native Claude Code commands, agents, hooks, and skills.

⚡ Quickstart

Requirements

Claude Code v2.1.0+. Check with:

claude --version

Install (Marketplace)

Inside an interactive Claude Code session:

/plugin marketplace add Joncik91/ucai
/plugin install ucai-plugin@ucai-marketplace

This installs Ucai globally — available in every project and every session.

Development / Local Testing

claude --plugin-dir ./ucai

🧪 Verify Installation

All commands are namespaced under ucai::

/ucai:init
/ucai:plan
/ucai:build
/ucai:debug
/ucai:docs
/ucai:release
/ucai:iterate
/ucai:review
/ucai:cancel-iterate

Run /help to see them listed.

🧩 Commands

Command	What it does
/ucai:init	Analyze codebase with parallel agents → generate real CLAUDE.md
/ucai:plan	No args: project spec + requirements backlog. With args: feature FRD with milestones
/ucai:build	8-phase build workflow — explore, clarify, design, implement, verify, test
/ucai:iterate	Controlled autonomous iteration via native Stop hooks
/ucai:review	Parallel agent code review — bugs, security, conventions
/ucai:debug	Structured debugging — parallel agents trace root cause
/ucai:docs	Generate README, API docs, deployment guides from codebase + specs
/ucai:release	Changelog from git history, version bump, git tag
/ucai:cancel-iterate	Stop an active iteration loop

→ Full workflow guide — getting started patterns, milestone-based builds, command deep-dives, context chain reference.

🚀 Typical E2E Workflow

Greenfield project

# 1. Define what you're building — project.md + requirements backlog
/ucai:plan

# 2. Generate CLAUDE.md — two valid timings, pick one:
#    Right after /plan  →  if planning settled the stack, folder structure,
#                          and key conventions well enough to write them down now
#    After first /build →  if those choices were left open and only resolved
#                          once implementation started
/ucai:init

# 3. FRD for your first feature (optional but recommended for complex work)
/ucai:plan vertical slice

# 4. Build it — 8-phase: explore → clarify → design → implement → verify → test
/ucai:build vertical slice

# 5. Keep building from the backlog
/ucai:build authentication
/ucai:build notifications
...

# 6. Review, document, release
/ucai:review
/ucai:docs
/ucai:release minor

Existing project

# 1. Analyze the codebase → generate CLAUDE.md
/ucai:init

# 2. Create a requirements backlog if one doesn't exist
/ucai:plan

# 3. Jump straight to building
/ucai:build fix the broken auth flow

/ucai:build auto-loads the FRD created by /ucai:plan <feature> when names match. /ucai:debug, /ucai:review, and /ucai:docs are standalone — use them whenever needed.

🧠 Built-In Skills

Ucai ships with 7 curated skills auto-loaded by Claude Code:

Skill	Activates when
ucai-patterns	Working with Claude Code plugins, hooks, agents
backend	Building APIs, databases, authentication
frontend	React, Next.js, Tailwind, component design
architect	System design, architecture decisions, ADRs
code-reviewer	Reviewing code quality, PRs, anti-patterns
qa	Testing strategies, coverage, E2E testing
devops	CI/CD pipelines, deployment, infrastructure

🏗 Architecture

ucai/
├── .claude-plugin/
│   ├── plugin.json
│   └── marketplace.json
├── CLAUDE.md
├── commands/
├── agents/
├── hooks/
├── scripts/
└── skills/

Every component is a native Claude Code system. Nothing invented.

🧭 Principles

1. Use native systems — Commands, agents, hooks, skills
2. Files are context — No external memory
3. Context is a public good — Only add what Claude doesn't know
4. Agents are not personas — Real model assignments + tools
5. Explicit approval gates — Never proceed without user decision
6. Parallel by default — Spawn focused agents simultaneously
7. CLAUDE.md is for project facts — Not framework config

⭐ Support the Project

If Ucai helps you ship faster, consider starring the repo.