feat(workflows): add autonomous mode with controller agent support

- Introduce controller agent role and configuration
- Implement autonomous workflow execution with controller input
- Add controller selection during onboarding
- Support controller actions (NEXT, SKIP, STOP) and text input
- Add new controller agent type and prompt template

Author: moazbuilds

config/main.agents.js

@@ -71,6 +71,15 @@ module.exports = [
     promptPath: path.join(promptsDir, 'codemachine', 'fallback-agents', 'planning-fallback.md'),
   },
 
+  // BMAD controller (Product Owner)
+  {
+    id: 'bmad-po',
+    name: 'PO - Product Owner',
+    description: 'BMAD product owner controller for autonomous mode',
+    role: 'controller',
+    promptPath: path.join(promptsDir, 'bmad', 'controller', 'system.md'),
+  },
+
   // BMAD agents
   {
     id: 'bmad-analyst',

prompts/templates/bmad/controller/system.md

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# Product Owner Controller
+
+You are the Product Owner (PO) driving a product discovery session. Your role is to collaborate with AI agents (Analyst, PM, etc.) to define and refine the product vision.
+
+## Your Role
+
+- Provide clear, actionable answers to agent questions
+- Make decisions about product scope, features, and priorities
+- Share business context and user insights
+- Keep the conversation focused and productive
+
+## How This Works
+
+1. An agent (e.g., Analyst, PM) will ask you questions or present findings
+2. You respond with your answer or feedback
+3. The conversation continues until the agent completes their work

src/cli/tui/app-shell.tsx

@@ -23,10 +23,11 @@ import { MonitoringCleanup } from "../../agents/monitoring/index.js"
 import path from "path"
 import { createRequire } from "node:module"
 import { resolvePackageJson } from "../../shared/runtime/root.js"
-import { getSelectedTrack, setSelectedTrack, hasSelectedConditions, setSelectedConditions, getProjectName, setProjectName } from "../../shared/workflows/index.js"
+import { getSelectedTrack, setSelectedTrack, hasSelectedConditions, setSelectedConditions, getProjectName, setProjectName, getControllerAgents, initControllerAgent } from "../../shared/workflows/index.js"
 import { loadTemplate } from "../../workflows/templates/loader.js"
 import { getTemplatePathFromTracking } from "../../shared/workflows/template.js"
 import type { TrackConfig, ConditionConfig } from "../../workflows/templates/types"
+import type { AgentDefinition } from "../../shared/agents/config/types"
 import type { InitialToast } from "./app"
 
 // Module-level view state for post-processing effects
@@ -127,6 +128,7 @@ export function App(props: { initialToast?: InitialToast }) {
   const [templateTracks, setTemplateTracks] = createSignal<Record<string, TrackConfig> | null>(null)
   const [templateConditions, setTemplateConditions] = createSignal<Record<string, ConditionConfig> | null>(null)
   const [initialProjectName, setInitialProjectName] = createSignal<string | null>(null)
+  const [controllerAgents, setControllerAgents] = createSignal<AgentDefinition[] | null>(null)
 
   let pendingWorkflowStart: (() => void) | null = null
 
@@ -155,10 +157,18 @@ export function App(props: { initialToast?: InitialToast }) {
       const needsConditionsSelection = hasConditions && !conditionsSelected
       const needsProjectName = !existingProjectName
 
-      // If project name, tracks or conditions need selection, show onboard view
-      if (needsProjectName || needsTrackSelection || needsConditionsSelection) {
+      // Check if workflow requires controller selection
+      let controllers: AgentDefinition[] = []
+      if (template.controller === true) {
+        controllers = await getControllerAgents(cwd)
+      }
+      const needsControllerSelection = controllers.length > 0
+
+      // If project name, tracks, conditions, or controller need selection, show onboard view
+      if (needsProjectName || needsTrackSelection || needsConditionsSelection || needsControllerSelection) {
         if (hasTracks) setTemplateTracks(template.tracks!)
         if (hasConditions) setTemplateConditions(template.conditions!)
+        if (needsControllerSelection) setControllerAgents(controllers)
         setInitialProjectName(existingProjectName) // Pass existing name if any (to skip that step)
         currentView = "onboard"
         setView("onboard")
@@ -196,7 +206,7 @@ export function App(props: { initialToast?: InitialToast }) {
     setView("workflow")
   }
 
-  const handleOnboardComplete = async (result: { projectName?: string; trackId?: string; conditions?: string[] }) => {
+  const handleOnboardComplete = async (result: { projectName?: string; trackId?: string; conditions?: string[]; controllerAgentId?: string }) => {
     const cwd = process.env.CODEMACHINE_CWD || process.cwd()
     const cmRoot = path.join(cwd, '.codemachine')
 
@@ -215,6 +225,21 @@ export function App(props: { initialToast?: InitialToast }) {
       await setSelectedConditions(cmRoot, result.conditions)
     }
 
+    // Initialize controller agent if selected
+    if (result.controllerAgentId) {
+      const agent = controllerAgents()?.find(a => a.id === result.controllerAgentId)
+      if (agent) {
+        // Get prompt path from agent config (or use default)
+        const promptPath = (agent.promptPath as string) || `prompts/agents/${result.controllerAgentId}/system.md`
+        try {
+          await initControllerAgent(result.controllerAgentId, promptPath, cwd, cmRoot)
+        } catch (error) {
+          console.error("Failed to initialize controller agent:", error)
+          // Continue anyway - workflow will run without autonomous mode
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     // Start workflow
     startWorkflowExecution()
   }
@@ -316,6 +341,7 @@ export function App(props: { initialToast?: InitialToast }) {
             <Onboard
               tracks={templateTracks() ?? undefined}
               conditions={templateConditions() ?? undefined}
+              controllerAgents={controllerAgents() ?? undefined}
               initialProjectName={initialProjectName()}
               onComplete={handleOnboardComplete}
               onCancel={handleOnboardCancel}

src/cli/tui/routes/onboard/index.tsx

@@ -9,16 +9,18 @@ import { createSignal, For, onMount, Show, createEffect } from "solid-js"
 import { useKeyboard, useTerminalDimensions } from "@opentui/solid"
 import { useTheme } from "@tui/shared/context/theme"
 import type { TrackConfig, ConditionConfig } from "../../../../workflows/templates/types"
+import type { AgentDefinition } from "../../../../shared/agents/config/types"
 
 export interface OnboardProps {
   tracks?: Record<string, TrackConfig>
   conditions?: Record<string, ConditionConfig>
+  controllerAgents?: AgentDefinition[] // Available controller agents
   initialProjectName?: string | null // If set, skip project name input
-  onComplete: (result: { projectName?: string; trackId?: string; conditions?: string[] }) => void
+  onComplete: (result: { projectName?: string; trackId?: string; conditions?: string[]; controllerAgentId?: string }) => void
   onCancel?: () => void
 }
 
-type OnboardStep = 'project_name' | 'tracks' | 'conditions'
+type OnboardStep = 'project_name' | 'tracks' | 'conditions' | 'controller'
 
 export function Onboard(props: OnboardProps) {
   const themeCtx = useTheme()
@@ -32,9 +34,11 @@ export function Onboard(props: OnboardProps) {
   const [projectName, setProjectName] = createSignal("")
   const [selectedTrackId, setSelectedTrackId] = createSignal<string | undefined>()
   const [selectedConditions, setSelectedConditions] = createSignal<Set<string>>(new Set())
+  const [selectedControllerId, setSelectedControllerId] = createSignal<string | undefined>()
 
   const hasTracks = () => props.tracks && Object.keys(props.tracks).length > 0
   const hasConditions = () => props.conditions && Object.keys(props.conditions).length > 0
+  const hasControllers = () => props.controllerAgents && props.controllerAgents.length > 0
 
   // Determine initial step - skip project_name if already set
   onMount(() => {
@@ -44,6 +48,8 @@ export function Onboard(props: OnboardProps) {
         setCurrentStep('tracks')
       } else if (hasConditions()) {
         setCurrentStep('conditions')
+      } else if (hasControllers()) {
+        setCurrentStep('controller')
       } else {
         props.onComplete({ projectName: props.initialProjectName })
       }
@@ -53,18 +59,28 @@ export function Onboard(props: OnboardProps) {
   const projectNameQuestion = "What is your project name?"
   const trackQuestion = "What is your project size?"
   const conditionsQuestion = "What features does your project have?"
+  const controllerQuestion = "Select a controller agent for autonomous mode:"
 
   const trackEntries = () => props.tracks ? Object.entries(props.tracks) : []
   const conditionEntries = () => props.conditions ? Object.entries(props.conditions) : []
+  const controllerEntries = () => props.controllerAgents ? props.controllerAgents.map(a => [a.id, a] as const) : []
 
   const currentQuestion = () => {
     switch (currentStep()) {
       case 'project_name': return projectNameQuestion
       case 'tracks': return trackQuestion
       case 'conditions': return conditionsQuestion
+      case 'controller': return controllerQuestion
+    }
+  }
+  const currentEntries = () => {
+    switch (currentStep()) {
+      case 'tracks': return trackEntries()
+      case 'conditions': return conditionEntries()
+      case 'controller': return controllerEntries()
+      default: return []
     }
   }
-  const currentEntries = () => currentStep() === 'tracks' ? trackEntries() : conditionEntries()
 
   // Typing effect - reset when step changes
   createEffect(() => {
@@ -96,6 +112,8 @@ export function Onboard(props: OnboardProps) {
       setCurrentStep('tracks')
     } else if (hasConditions()) {
       setCurrentStep('conditions')
+    } else if (hasControllers()) {
+      setCurrentStep('controller')
     } else {
       props.onComplete({ projectName: name })
     }
@@ -105,16 +123,32 @@ export function Onboard(props: OnboardProps) {
     setSelectedTrackId(trackId)
     if (hasConditions()) {
       setCurrentStep('conditions')
+    } else if (hasControllers()) {
+      setCurrentStep('controller')
     } else {
       props.onComplete({ projectName: projectName(), trackId })
     }
   }
 
   const handleConditionsComplete = () => {
+    if (hasControllers()) {
+      setCurrentStep('controller')
+    } else {
+      props.onComplete({
+        projectName: projectName(),
+        trackId: selectedTrackId(),
+        conditions: Array.from(selectedConditions())
+      })
+    }
+  }
+
+  const handleControllerSelect = (controllerId: string) => {
+    setSelectedControllerId(controllerId)
     props.onComplete({
       projectName: projectName(),
       trackId: selectedTrackId(),
-      conditions: Array.from(selectedConditions())
+      conditions: Array.from(selectedConditions()),
+      controllerAgentId: controllerId
     })
   }
 
@@ -164,11 +198,14 @@ export function Onboard(props: OnboardProps) {
       evt.preventDefault()
       if (step === 'tracks') {
         const [trackId] = entries[selectedIndex()]
-        handleTrackSelect(trackId)
+        handleTrackSelect(trackId as string)
+      } else if (step === 'controller') {
+        const [controllerId] = entries[selectedIndex()]
+        handleControllerSelect(controllerId as string)
       } else {
         // In conditions step, Enter toggles the checkbox
         const [conditionId] = entries[selectedIndex()]
-        toggleCondition(conditionId)
+        toggleCondition(conditionId as string)
       }
     } else if (evt.name === "tab" && step === 'conditions') {
       evt.preventDefault()
@@ -182,10 +219,13 @@ export function Onboard(props: OnboardProps) {
         evt.preventDefault()
         if (step === 'tracks') {
           const [trackId] = entries[num - 1]
-          handleTrackSelect(trackId)
+          handleTrackSelect(trackId as string)
+        } else if (step === 'controller') {
+          const [controllerId] = entries[num - 1]
+          handleControllerSelect(controllerId as string)
         } else {
           const [conditionId] = entries[num - 1]
-          toggleCondition(conditionId)
+          toggleCondition(conditionId as string)
         }
       }
     }
@@ -309,6 +349,29 @@ export function Onboard(props: OnboardProps) {
               }}
             </For>
           </Show>
+
+          <Show when={currentStep() === 'controller'}>
+            <For each={controllerEntries()}>
+              {([controllerId, agent], index) => {
+                const isSelected = () => index() === selectedIndex()
+                return (
+                  <box flexDirection="column">
+                    <box flexDirection="row" gap={1}>
+                      <text fg={isSelected() ? themeCtx.theme.primary : themeCtx.theme.textMuted}>
+                        {isSelected() ? ">" : " "}
+                      </text>
+                      <text fg={isSelected() ? themeCtx.theme.primary : themeCtx.theme.textMuted}>
+                        {isSelected() ? "(*)" : "( )"}
+                      </text>
+                      <text fg={isSelected() ? themeCtx.theme.primary : themeCtx.theme.text}>
+                        {controllerId}
+                      </text>
+                    </box>
+                  </box>
+                )
+              }}
+            </For>
+          </Show>
         </box>
 
         {/* Footer */}
@@ -328,6 +391,11 @@ export function Onboard(props: OnboardProps) {
               [Up/Down] Navigate  [Enter] Toggle  [Tab] Confirm  [Esc] Cancel
             </text>
           </Show>
+          <Show when={currentStep() === 'controller'}>
+            <text fg={themeCtx.theme.textMuted}>
+              [Up/Down] Navigate  [Enter] Select  [Esc] Cancel
+            </text>
+          </Show>
         </box>
       </box>
     </box>

src/shared/agents/config/types.ts

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ export type AgentDefinition = {
   model_reasoning_effort?: unknown;
   engine?: string; // Engine to use for this agent (dynamically determined from registry)
   chainedPromptsPath?: ChainedPathEntry | ChainedPathEntry[]; // Path(s) to folder(s) containing chained prompt .md files
+  role?: 'controller'; // Agent role - 'controller' agents can drive autonomous mode
   [key: string]: unknown;
 };