Ralph PRD Converter

Convert existing PRDs to the prd.json format for autonomous execution by the Ralph loop system.

Setup

Before converting a PRD, ensure the project has the Ralph directory structure. If it doesn't exist, create it:

mkdir -p ralph

Also create an empty progress file if it doesn't exist:

touch ralph/progress.txt

The Job

1. •Read the PRD from tasks/prd-*.md (or specified path)
2. •Parse user stories and requirements
3. •Convert to prd.json format
4. •Create the Ralph directory structure if needed
5. •Save to ralph/prd.json
6. •Initialize ralph/progress.txt if empty

Output Format

{
  "project": "[Project Name]",
  "branchName": "ralph/[feature-name]",
  "description": "[Feature description from PRD overview]",
  "userStories": [
    {
      "id": "US-001",
      "title": "[Story title]",
      "description": "As a [user], I want [feature] so that [benefit]",
      "acceptanceCriteria": [
        "Criterion 1",
        "Criterion 2",
        "Typecheck passes"
      ],
      "priority": 1,
      "passes": false,
      "notes": ""
    }
  ]
}

Critical Rules

Story Size

Each story must be completable in ONE iteration (one context window). If a story from the PRD is too large, split it into smaller stories.

Story Ordering

Set priorities to ensure dependencies come first:

1. •Schema/database changes (priority: 1)
2. •Server actions / backend logic (priority: 2)
3. •Utility functions / helpers (priority: 3)
4. •UI components (priority: 4)
5. •Dashboard/summary views (priority: 5)
6. •Tests and documentation (priority: 6)

Acceptance Criteria

Must be verifiable, not vague.

Good:

• •"Add status column to users table with default 'pending'"
• •"API returns 200 with user object on success"
• •"Form displays validation error when email is invalid"
• •"Typecheck passes"

Bad:

• •"Works correctly"
• •"Is user friendly"
• •"Handles errors properly"

Always include at the end of each story:

• •"Typecheck passes"

For UI stories, also include:

• •"Verify changes work in browser"

Initial State

All stories start with:

• •passes: false
• •notes: ""

Output Steps

1. •Create ralph/ directory if it doesn't exist
2. •Save ralph/prd.json with the converted PRD
3. •Create ralph/progress.txt if it doesn't exist
4. •Confirm all files were created and provide the paths

Branch Naming

Generate branch name from the feature:

• •"User Profile Settings" -> ralph/user-profile-settings
• •"Payment Integration" -> ralph/payment-integration

Use lowercase, hyphen-separated format.