What is drift in this skill?

Drift measures how far the current output deviates from the original seed goal, helping assess alignment with the intended objectives.

What if there is no MCP server available?

Session status can be checked manually, and drift can be compared against the seed specification without MCP, but live drift reports require the MCP server.

How should I interpret drift thresholds?

Drift 0.0–0.15 is excellent, 0.15–0.30 is acceptable, and 0.30+ is exceeded, signaling the need for monitoring or action.

status

npx machina-cli add skill Q00/ouroboros/status --openclaw

Files (1)

SKILL.md

2.3 KB

/ouroboros:status

Check session status and measure goal drift.

Usage

/ouroboros:status [session_id]

Trigger keywords: "am I drifting?", "session status", "drift check"

How It Works

Session Status: Queries the current state of an execution session
Drift Measurement: Measures how far the execution has deviated from the original seed goal

Instructions

When the user invokes this skill:

Determine the session to check:
- If session_id provided: Use it directly
- If no session_id: Check conversation for recent session IDs
- If none found: Ask user for the session ID

Call ouroboros_session_status MCP tool:

Tool: ouroboros_session_status
Arguments:
  session_id: <session ID>

If the user asks about drift (or says "am I drifting?"), also call ouroboros_measure_drift:

Tool: ouroboros_measure_drift
Arguments:
  session_id: <session ID>
  current_output: <current execution output or file contents>
  seed_content: <original seed YAML>
  constraint_violations: []  (any known violations)
  current_concepts: []       (concepts in current output)

Present results:
- Show session status (running, completed, failed)
- Show progress information
- If drift measured, show the drift report
- If drift exceeds threshold (0.3), warn and suggest actions

Drift Thresholds

Combined Drift	Status	Action
0.0 - 0.15	Excellent	On track
0.15 - 0.30	Acceptable	Monitor closely
0.30+	Exceeded	Consider consensus review or course correction

Fallback (No MCP Server)

If the MCP server is not available:

Session tracking requires the Ouroboros MCP server.
Run /ouroboros:setup to configure.

Without MCP, you can manually check drift by comparing
your current implementation against the seed specification.

Example

User: am I drifting?

Session: sess-abc-123
Status: running
Seed ID: seed-456
Messages Processed: 8

Drift Measurement Report
========================
Combined Drift: 0.12
Status: ACCEPTABLE

Component Breakdown:
  Goal Drift: 0.08 (50% weight)
  Constraint Drift: 0.10 (30% weight)
  Ontology Drift: 0.20 (20% weight)

You're on track. Goal alignment is strong.

Source

git clone https://github.com/Q00/ouroboros/blob/main/skills/status/SKILL.mdView on GitHub

Overview

Monitors an active execution session, reporting its current status and how far it has diverged from the seed goal. It helps ensure progress stays on track and flags when intervention is needed.

How This Skill Works

The skill queries the current state of a given execution session using ouroboros_session_status. If the user asks about drift, it also calls ouroboros_measure_drift with the current output, seed content, and any known constraint violations or concepts. The results are presented as status, progress, and a drift report, with a warning if drift exceeds the defined threshold.

When to Use It

To verify a specific session's current state (running, completed, or failed).
When no session_id is provided, to locate and report the most recent session in the conversation.
If the user asks am I drifting or about drift, to measure how far the execution deviates from the seed goal.
During active execution to view progress and seed alignment in real time.
If the MCP server is unavailable, to fall back to manual drift checks against the seed specification.

Quick Start

Step 1: Determine the session to check by using the provided session_id or by inspecting recent conversations for a session_id.
Step 2: Call ouroboros_session_status with the resolved session_id to fetch status and progress.
Step 3: If the user asks about drift, call ouroboros_measure_drift with session_id, current_output, seed_content, and any known constraints or concepts, then present the drift report.

Best Practices

Always resolve a session_id: prefer a provided ID, otherwise search recent sessions and confirm before querying.
Run ouroboros_session_status first to obtain status and progress before requesting drift.
Only measure drift when the user explicitly asks about drift to avoid unnecessary calls.
Present both status and drift information clearly, and highlight any drift above the threshold.
If MCP is down, provide a practical manual drift check against the seed specification and document next steps.

Example Use Cases

User asks for status for session sess-abc-123; system returns running with progress details and a Drift Report showing Combined Drift 0.12 (Acceptable).
User asks for session status with no ID; system checks recent sessions and returns the most recent one with status and seed info.
User asks am I drifting?; system runs drift measurement and displays Combined Drift 0.25 (Acceptable) and a breakdown of goal, constraint, and ontology drift.
User asks am I drifting? and the drift is 0.35; system issues a warning and suggests actions like consensus review or course correction.
MCP server unavailable; system explains that session tracking requires MCP and offers manual drift guidance against the seed.

Frequently Asked Questions

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