feat: add /lfg-ext — external delegate LFG (Codex/Gemini/OpenCode in parallel worktrees)

.claude-plugin/marketplace.json

@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@
   "plugins": [
     {
       "name": "compound-engineering",
-      "description": "AI-powered development tools that get smarter with every use. Make each unit of engineering work easier than the last. Includes 29 specialized agents, 22 commands, and 20 skills.",
-      "version": "2.38.1",
+      "description": "AI-powered development tools that get smarter with every use. Make each unit of engineering work easier than the last. Includes 29 specialized agents, 23 commands, and 20 skills.",
+      "version": "2.39.0",
       "author": {
         "name": "Kieran Klaassen",
         "url": "https://github.com/kieranklaassen",

plugins/compound-engineering/.claude-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "compound-engineering",
-  "version": "2.38.1",
-  "description": "AI-powered development tools. 29 agents, 22 commands, 20 skills, 1 MCP server for code review, research, design, and workflow automation.",
+  "version": "2.39.0",
+  "description": "AI-powered development tools. 29 agents, 23 commands, 20 skills, 1 MCP server for code review, research, design, and workflow automation.",
   "author": {
     "name": "Kieran Klaassen",
     "email": "kieran@every.to",

plugins/compound-engineering/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@ All notable changes to the compound-engineering plugin will be documented in thi
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [2.39.0] - 2026-03-02
+
+### Added
+
+- **`/lfg-ext` command** — LFG variant that delegates execution to external tools (Codex, Gemini CLI, OpenCode) running in parallel git worktrees instead of CE swarm agents. Token-efficient alternative to `/slfg` for teams that have external AI coding tools installed or want to preserve Claude Max20 budget for planning and review. Includes tool availability check with graceful fallback to `/slfg`, worktree isolation via the CE `git-worktree` skill's `worktree-manager.sh`, and a decision table for when to use `/lfg-ext` vs `/slfg`. Validated against a real Rust feature implementation.
+
+---
+
 ## [2.38.1] - 2026-03-01
 
 ### Fixed

plugins/compound-engineering/README.md

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ AI-powered development tools that get smarter with every use. Make each unit of
 | Component | Count |
 |-----------|-------|
 | Agents | 29 |
-| Commands | 22 |
+| Commands | 23 |
 | Skills | 20 |
 | MCP Servers | 1 |
 
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ Core workflow commands use `ce:` prefix to unambiguously identify them as compou
 |---------|-------------|
 | `/lfg` | Full autonomous engineering workflow |
 | `/slfg` | Full autonomous workflow with swarm mode for parallel execution |
+| `/lfg-ext` | LFG with external delegates (Codex/Gemini/OpenCode) in parallel worktrees — token-efficient alternative to /slfg |
 | `/deepen-plan` | Enhance plans with parallel research agents for each section |
 | `/changelog` | Create engaging changelogs for recent merges |
 | `/create-agent-skill` | Create or edit Claude Code skills |

plugins/compound-engineering/commands/lfg-ext.md

@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+---
+name: lfg-ext
+description: LFG with external delegates (Codex/Gemini CLI) in parallel worktrees — preserves Claude token budget while maintaining parallel execution
+argument-hint: "[feature description]"
+disable-model-invocation: true
+---
+
+External-delegate LFG. Uses CE for planning and review; replaces `/ce:work` swarm with external AI tools running in isolated git worktrees. Preserves Claude token budget for planning and review where it adds the most value.
+
+Run these steps in order. Do not stop between steps — complete every step through to the end.
+
+## Phase 1: Plan
+
+1. `/ce:plan $ARGUMENTS`
+2. `/compound-engineering:deepen-plan`
+3. **Commit the plan** — worktrees only see committed git history, not the working tree. Uncommitted plan files are invisible to delegates.
+
+   ```bash
+   git add docs/plans/ && git commit -m "plan: <feature>"
+   ```
+
+## Phase 2: Check tools & decompose
+
+4. **Check which external tools are available:**
+
+   ```bash
+   command -v codex  && echo "codex: available"  || echo "codex: not installed"
+   command -v gemini && echo "gemini: available" || echo "gemini: not installed"
+   ```
+
+   If neither is installed, **stop here and run `/slfg` instead** — there's no point creating worktrees without delegates to fill them.
+
+5. Read the generated plan. Identify tasks that target **different files/modules with no shared state**.
+
+   Good signal: tasks write to non-overlapping files.
+   Bad signal: tasks share a model, schema, config, or any single file — don't force it, fall back to `/slfg` or sequential `/ce:work`.
+
+   Aim for 2–4 parallel streams. More rarely helps.
+
+## Phase 3: External Swarm
+
+6. **Create one worktree per task** using the CE worktree manager:
+
+   ```bash
+   bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh create <task-branch>
+   ```
+
+   The script handles `.env` file copying, `.gitignore` management, and directory setup automatically.
+
+7. **Launch all delegates in parallel** — one per worktree, all backgrounded simultaneously.
+
+   Assign tasks to tools by type:
+
+   | Task type | Preferred tool | Command |
+   |-----------|----------------|---------|
+   | Multi-file, repo navigation, test loops | **Codex** | `cd .worktrees/<branch> && codex exec --full-auto "<prompt>"` |
+   | Algorithmic, isolated logic | **Gemini CLI** | `cd .worktrees/<branch> && gemini -p "<prompt>" --yolo` |
+
+   Each delegate prompt must include:
+   - Absolute file paths (let the delegate read — don't inline file contents)
+   - Constraints: "don't modify X", "keep existing patterns"
+   - Verification: "run `npm test` / `bin/rails test` / `pytest` to verify"
+   - "Implement fully. No stubs, no TODOs, no simplified versions."
+
+8. **Wait for all delegates to complete.**
+
+## Phase 4: Merge
+
+9. For each worktree — review scope before merging:
+
+   ```bash
+   git diff --stat <task-branch>   # check for unexpected file changes
+   git merge <task-branch>
+   bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/git-worktree/scripts/worktree-manager.sh cleanup
+   ```
+
+   Merge conflicts mean tasks weren't fully independent. Resolve manually, then continue.
+
+## Phase 5: Review & Ship
+
+10. `/ce:review`
+11. `/compound-engineering:resolve_todo_parallel`
+
+> Note: `/lfg-ext` omits `/feature-video` — external delegates don't produce a reviewable PR automatically, so a video walkthrough isn't meaningful until you've raised one manually.
+
+---
+
+## When to use vs /slfg
+
+| Signal | Use |
+|--------|-----|
+| Want fully hands-off, token cost not a concern | `/slfg` |
+| Token budget constrained, or tasks decompose cleanly by file | `/lfg-ext` |
+| Tasks share files or state | `/slfg` or sequential `/ce:work` |
+| Want Codex repo navigation or Gemini algorithmic strength | `/lfg-ext` |
+| No external tools installed | `/slfg` |