When to Use the Six-Pack Workflow in SwarmForge: A Complete Guide

Use the SwarmForge six-pack workflow for projects requiring rigorous, end-to-end engineering discipline—specifically those with substantial UI components, dedicated QA requirements, deep architectural oversight, or mutation hardening needs.

SwarmForge ships three canonical workflow "packs": two-pack, four-pack, and six-pack. The six-pack represents the full workflow and should be selected when your project demands maximum quality assurance through clearly separated, sequential roles. According to the SwarmForge source code, the six-pack "separates each major quality gate into its own role" as documented in [README.md](https://github.com/unclebob/swarm-forge/blob/main/README.md#L41-L52).

When to Choose Six-Pack Over Other Workflows

Select the six-pack workflow when your project exhibits any of these characteristics:

Substantial UI Components

Projects with significant user-interface work benefit from the built-in QA role that validates UI behavior through executable scripts. The four-pack and two-pack workflows lack this dedicated verification stage.

Upfront Quality Assurance Requirements

When you need explicit QA procedures written before implementation begins, the specifier role produces both Gherkin specifications and acceptance-test procedures. This front-to-back specification approach ensures testability from day one.

Architectural Complexity

For multi-service systems, large refactors, or new product features, the architect role enforces module boundaries, validates dependency direction, and ensures property-test coverage. This oversight prevents technical debt accumulation in complex codebases.

Mutation Testing Needs

The hardender role performs language-level mutation testing, mutation hardening, and soft Gherkin mutation—capabilities absent from lighter workflow packs.

The Six Sequential Roles in Six-Pack Workflow

The six-pack defines a strict hand-off sequence codified in swarmforge/handoff-protocol.md#L172-L189:

1. specifier – Writes Gherkin specifications and acceptance-test procedures.

2. coder – Implements specs with test-driven development (TDD) and generated acceptance tests.

3. cleaner – Performs local cleanup, coverage analysis, CRAP/DRY review, and mutation-site scans.

4. architect – Reviews module boundaries, dependency direction, and property-test coverage.

5. hardender – Executes mutation hardening, language-mutation checks, and soft Gherkin mutation.

6. QA – Converts the specifier's QA plan into executable scripts, validates the UI, and sends the final completion notification.

Each role runs in its own tmux window, with merge-only copies flowing backward through the pipeline.

Setting Up a Six-Pack Project

Install all packs including six-pack, then launch the dashboard:

# 1️⃣ Install all packs (including six-pack) once:

get-swarm-forge          # pulls main + two-pack + four-pack + six-pack

# 2️⃣ Start the dashboard (the Lieutenant UI):

./swarm                  # prints a URL and opens it in the browser

From the dashboard, create a new project:

• Project name: my-awesome-app
• Pack: six-pack
• (Optional) GitHub repository integration

Once created, the card flow appears as:

specifier → coder → cleaner → architect → hardender → QA → Done

Hand-Off Commands in the UI

The dashboard exposes three hand-off semantics:

• (New Task) → handoff to the next role (e.g., specifier → coder)
• (Back-One) → return to the immediate previous role (e.g., cleaner → coder)
• (Back-All) → return to all earlier roles simultaneously (e.g., from architect & QA → specifier/coder/cleaner)

When to Avoid Six-Pack

Skip the six-pack workflow for simpler work where coordination overhead outweighs quality benefits:

• Simple backend scripts – Single-purpose utilities without UI or complex architecture
• Quick prototypes – Time-boxed experiments meant for rapid iteration
• Tasks without QA requirements – Internal tools or admin scripts not requiring UI validation
• Work without architectural risk – Small, isolated changes within established module boundaries

For these scenarios, the two-pack (specifier → coder) or four-pack (specifier → coder → cleaner → architect) workflows reduce overhead while maintaining core discipline.

Key Source Files Defining Six-Pack Behavior

File	Purpose
[README.md](https://github.com/unclebob/swarm-forge/blob/main/README.md)	High-level pack descriptions and selection guidance
[swarmforge/handoff-protocol.md](https://github.com/unclebob/swarm-forge/blob/main/swarmforge/handoff-protocol.md)	Formal role definitions and hand-off semantics
swarmforge/scripts/forge.bb	Declares available packs: ["two-pack" "four-pack" "six-pack"]
swarmforge/constitution/articles/workflow.prompt	Runtime workflow selection based on project configuration
get-swarm-forge	Installation helper that populates packs/ directory with templates

Summary

• Six-pack is SwarmForge's most rigorous workflow, separating concerns across six distinct roles.
• Choose it for UI-heavy work, dedicated QA needs, architectural complexity, or mutation testing requirements.
• The role sequence—specifier → coder → cleaner → architect → hardender → QA—is enforced by the hand-off protocol in [swarmforge/handoff-protocol.md](https://github.com/unclebob/swarm-forge/blob/main/swarmforge/handoff-protocol.md).
• Two-pack and four-pack workflows reduce coordination overhead for simpler tasks.
• Project setup occurs through the Lieutenant UI (./swarm), with six tmux windows spawned automatically for six-pack projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I switch from four-pack to six-pack mid-project?

You cannot migrate an existing project between packs. The pack selection in SwarmForge determines the runtime constitution and tmux window layout at project creation time. Start a new project with six-pack selected if your requirements have evolved to need the QA or hardender roles.

Does six-pack slow down development velocity?

Yes, intentionally. The six-pack adds orchestration overhead that pays dividends for major projects by catching regressions early and distributing responsibility. For quick prototypes where speed matters more than rigor, use two-pack instead. As implemented in unclebob/swarm-forge, the workflow selection is a deliberate trade-off between velocity and verification depth.

Can I customize the six roles in six-pack?

No. The six roles are fixed by the constitution in swarmforge/constitution/articles/workflow.prompt. The hand-off protocol enforces this sequence strictly—arbitrary role modification would break the merge-back guarantees and quality-gate semantics that define the six-pack workflow.

Is mutation testing (hardender role) required for all six-pack projects?

The hardender role is defined in every six-pack project, but its intensity depends on project configuration. The hardender performs language-mutation checks and soft Gherkin mutation regardless, though you can scope mutation-site density through project settings. For projects where mutation testing is explicitly unwanted, four-pack (which omits the hardender) may be more appropriate.

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