GLaDOS
GLaDOS (Generative Logic and Documentation Operating System) is an advanced agentic framework designed to structure, trace, and enhance the software development lifecycle when using LLMs.
It transforms vague instructions into a rigorous, verifiable process by enforcing Traceability, Role-Based Review, and Modular Workflows.
Features
🔍 Strict Observability (specs/)
Every unit of work (Feature, Bugfix, Plan) creates a dedicated directory in specs/[YYYY-MM-DD]_[Name]/. It acts as a "Flight Recorder," logging every decision, prompt, and file change. The high-level state is maintained in PROJECT_STATUS.md, while long-term artifacts (MISSION.md, ROADMAP.md, TECH_STACK.md) live in product-knowledge/.
🎭 Dynamic Personas
GLaDOS forces the agent to adopt specific viewpoints during planning and verification.
- Product Manager: "Is this valuable?"
- Architect: "Is this scalable?"
- QA: "Is this breakable?"
Personas support three modes: review (critique during gates), operating (drive session behavior), and hybrid (both). Add your own by dropping files into src/personas.
⚡ Split Lifecycles
Development is broken into discrete, verifying steps:
Plan → Spec → Implement → Verify.
This prevents "hallucination spirals" by validating state at each checkpoint.
🛡️ Standards Gate
Documented standards are enforced automatically at pre- and post-implementation checkpoints using three severity tiers:
- must: Blocks the workflow.
- should: Warning in the trace.
- may: Informational.
🧭 Philosophies
Beyond standards (the what), GLaDOS tracks philosophies (the why) — high-level design principles like "All APIs should be RESTful" or "Zero-downtime deployments are non-negotiable." Core philosophies are enforced as blocking constraints.
👁️ Silent Capture
The pattern-observer module passively logs implicit standards and philosophies as they emerge during normal work — user corrections, repeated patterns, and explicit statements get captured in product-knowledge/observations/ for later review.
🧩 Modular Architecture
Logic is shared across workflows using Modules (src/modules/).
- Observability: Standardized logging.
- Persona Context: Review and operating persona management.
- Standards Gate: Automated enforcement at checkpoints.
- Pattern Observer: Passive implicit-pattern detection.
- Capabilities: Introspects available tools (Browser, DB, MCPs).
- Interaction Proxy: Autonomous decision-making from project context.
📐 SDA Conformance (Optional)
GLaDOS can optionally conform to the Structured Development Artifacts (SDA) Standard — a tool-agnostic markdown format for tracking phased work. Enable SDA at install time to scaffold:
claims.md: Multi-agent/developer coordination file.product-knowledge/SPEC_LOG.md: Historical log of archived specs with commit hashes and summaries.- SDA-conformant
ROADMAP.md template with hierarchical item IDs.
- SDA version headers on existing documents.
- Reference copies of the SDA standard and GLaDOS profile in
product-knowledge/standards/.
See docs/standards/sda-standard-v1.md and docs/standards/sda-profile-glados-v1.md for the full specification.
GLaDOS installs directly into your project, creating a product-knowledge/ directory for configuration and product knowledge.
Basic Installation
To install (or update) GLaDOS, run the install script and specify your environment:
Claude Code:
./bin/glados-install.sh --mode claude
Installs commands to .claude/commands/glados.
Antigravity (IDE):
./bin/glados-install.sh --mode antigravity
Installs workflows to .agent/workflows/glados.
Gemini CLI:
./bin/glados-install.sh --mode gemini
Installs as a skill to .gemini/skills/glados.
With SDA conformance:
./bin/glados-install.sh --mode claude --sda
Adds claims.md, SPEC_LOG.md, SDA-conformant ROADMAP.md, and reference docs.
Installing into a different project:
By default, GLaDOS installs into the current directory. Use --target to install into another repo:
./bin/glados-install.sh --mode claude --target /path/to/your/project
The product-knowledge/ Directory
