feat: forge:yolo label for autonomous artifact approval

CLAUDE.md

@@ -111,6 +111,9 @@ podman rm $(podman ps -a --filter name=forge- -q)
 | `forge:task-pending` | Awaiting task approval |
 | `forge:blocked` | Workflow blocked, needs intervention |
 | `forge:retry` | Trigger retry of failed step |
+| `forge:yolo` | Autonomous mode — skip all artifact approval gates (see warning below) |
+
+> **⚠️ Warning — `forge:yolo`:** This label removes all human checkpoints for PRD, spec, plan, and task approval. Forge will proceed autonomously from ticket creation to implementation without pausing for review. Only use this on tickets where you are confident in the requirements and comfortable with Forge making all planning decisions. It does not bypass code review (the human review gate on the implementation PR is always required).
 
 ## Jira Comment Syntax
 

README.md

@@ -116,6 +116,16 @@ Use these labels in Jira to control the workflow:
 | Plan | `forge:plan-pending` | `forge:plan-approved` |
 | Tasks | `forge:task-pending` | `forge:task-approved` |
 
+### Autonomous Mode (`forge:yolo`)
+
+> **⚠️ Warning:** Adding `forge:yolo` to a ticket removes all human approval checkpoints for planning artifacts. Forge will proceed from ticket creation straight through to implementation without pausing at the PRD, spec, plan, or task gates. Use this only when you trust the requirements and are comfortable with Forge making all planning decisions autonomously.
+
+Add `forge:yolo` to a ticket to enable autonomous mode:
+- Forge skips the PRD, spec, plan, and task approval gates
+- In the bug workflow, Forge auto-selects RCA option 1
+- **The code review gate is never skipped** — a human reviewer is always required on the implementation PR
+- `forge:yolo` can be added at ticket creation or while the workflow is already paused at a gate — Forge will immediately advance
+
 ### Jira Comment Syntax
 
 Forge classifies Jira comments by their prefix:

docs/developer-guide.md

@@ -802,6 +802,7 @@ curl -X POST http://localhost:8000/api/v1/webhooks/github \
 | `forge:task-approved` | Tasks approved, implementation starts |
 | `forge:blocked` | Workflow blocked, needs intervention |
 | `forge:retry` | Resume a blocked workflow |
+| `forge:yolo` | Autonomous mode — skip all artifact approval gates (⚠️ use with care, see README) |
 
 ### Useful `.env` knobs for development
 

docs/getting-started.md

@@ -125,6 +125,9 @@ For local development you have two options:
 
 That's it. Forge will carry the ticket through the full pipeline with similar approval gates at each planning stage.
 
+!!! warning "Skipping approvals with forge:yolo"
+    Adding `forge:yolo` to a ticket causes Forge to skip all planning approval gates (PRD, spec, plan, tasks) and proceed directly to implementation. Only use this when you trust the requirements fully — there are no checkpoints to catch mistakes before code is written. The code review gate on the implementation PR is always required regardless.
+
 !!! tip "Local development shortcut"
     Set `FORGE_REQUIRE_PROJECT_CONFIG=false` in `.env` and configure `GITHUB_KNOWN_REPOS` / `GITHUB_DEFAULT_REPO` to skip the Jira project property setup. See the [Developer Guide](developer-guide.md) for details.
 

src/forge/models/workflow.py

@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ class ForgeLabel(StrEnum):
     FORGE_MANAGED = "forge:managed"
     BLOCKED = "forge:blocked"
     RETRY = "forge:retry"  # Add to trigger retry of current stage
+    YOLO = "forge:yolo"  # Skip human approval gates — auto-approve all artifact reviews
 
 
 class TicketType(StrEnum):

src/forge/orchestrator/worker.py

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 from forge.integrations.github.client import GitHubClient
 from forge.integrations.jira.client import JiraClient
 from forge.models.events import EventSource
-from forge.models.workflow import TicketType
+from forge.models.workflow import ForgeLabel, TicketType
 from forge.orchestrator.checkpointer import get_checkpointer, get_ticket_from_pr_index
 from forge.queue.consumer import QueueConsumer
 from forge.queue.models import QueueMessage
@@ -43,6 +43,15 @@ def _is_workflow_errored(state: dict) -> bool:
 # Supports both start-of-line usage (>option 2) and in-prose usage (let's go with >option 2)
 _OPTION_PATTERN = re.compile(r"(?mi)>option\s+(\d+)")
 
+# Gates where forge:yolo label addition triggers auto-approval and workflow resumption
+_YOLO_GATES = {
+    "prd_approval_gate",
+    "spec_approval_gate",
+    "plan_approval_gate",
+    "task_approval_gate",
+    "rca_option_gate",
+}
+
 
 class OrchestratorWorker:
     """Worker that processes workflow events from Redis queue."""
@@ -369,6 +378,7 @@ async def _handle_resume_event(
         is_retry = False
         is_question = False
         is_ci_webhook = False
+        is_yolo = False
         pr_merged = False
         feedback = None
 
@@ -491,6 +501,18 @@ async def _handle_resume_event(
             to_labels = change.get("toString", "")
             from_labels = change.get("fromString", "")
 
+            # Check for yolo label addition — activate yolo mode if at a gate
+            if (
+                "forge:yolo" in to_labels
+                and "forge:yolo" not in from_labels
+                and current_node in _YOLO_GATES
+            ):
+                logger.info(
+                    f"forge:yolo label added for {message.ticket_key} at {current_node} "
+                    "— activating yolo mode"
+                )
+                is_yolo = True
+
             # Check for retry label - triggers retry of current stage
             if "forge:retry" in to_labels.lower() and "forge:retry" not in from_labels.lower():
                 is_retry = True
@@ -832,6 +854,12 @@ async def _handle_resume_event(
         elif is_ci_webhook:
             # GitHub CI event — unpause the gate and let ci_evaluator check the results
             updated_state["is_paused"] = False
+        elif is_yolo:
+            updated_state["yolo_mode"] = True
+            updated_state["is_paused"] = False
+            updated_state["revision_requested"] = False
+            updated_state["feedback_comment"] = None
+            updated_state["last_error"] = None
         elif is_approved:
             updated_state["is_paused"] = False
             updated_state["revision_requested"] = False
@@ -1175,13 +1203,15 @@ def _build_initial_state(self, message: QueueMessage) -> dict[str, Any]:
         Returns:
             Initial state dictionary.
         """
-        # Extract ticket type from payload
+        # Extract ticket type and labels from payload
         ticket_type = "Unknown"  # Require explicit type, don't default to Feature
+        labels: list[str] = []
         if message.source == EventSource.JIRA:
             issue_data = message.payload.get("issue", {})
             fields = issue_data.get("fields", {})
             issue_type = fields.get("issuetype", {})
             ticket_type = issue_type.get("name", "Unknown")
+            labels = fields.get("labels", [])
 
         # Validate ticket type - only Features and Bugs can start workflows directly
         valid_top_level_types = ("Feature", "Bug", "Story")
@@ -1191,6 +1221,8 @@ def _build_initial_state(self, message: QueueMessage) -> dict[str, Any]:
                 f"start a workflow directly. Valid types: {valid_top_level_types}"
             )
 
+        yolo_mode = ForgeLabel.YOLO in labels
+
         return {
             "ticket_key": message.ticket_key,
             "ticket_type": ticket_type,
@@ -1203,6 +1235,7 @@ def _build_initial_state(self, message: QueueMessage) -> dict[str, Any]:
             "current_node": "entry",
             "is_paused": False,
             "retry_count": message.retry_count,
+            "yolo_mode": yolo_mode,
         }
 
     async def start(self) -> None:
@@ -1295,6 +1328,7 @@ async def run_single_ticket(ticket_key: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
         "current_node": "entry",
         "is_paused": False,
         "retry_count": 0,
+        "yolo_mode": False,
     }
 
     # Use ticket_key as thread_id for checkpointing

src/forge/workflow/base.py

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class BaseState(TypedDict, total=False):
     # Feedback (human-in-the-loop)
     feedback_comment: str | None
     revision_requested: bool
+    yolo_mode: bool  # When True, approval gates auto-pass without human input
 
     # Message history
     messages: Annotated[list[Any], add_messages]

src/forge/workflow/bug/state.py

@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ def create_initial_bug_state(ticket_key: str, **kwargs: Any) -> BugState:
         "qualitative_retry_count": 0,
         "qualitative_review_failed": False,
         "reflect_rca_retry_count": 0,
+        "yolo_mode": False,
     }
 
     # Merge with kwargs, letting kwargs override defaults

src/forge/workflow/feature/state.py

@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ def create_initial_feature_state(ticket_key: str, **kwargs: Any) -> FeatureState
         "qa_history": [],
         "generation_context": {},
         "is_question": False,
+        "yolo_mode": False,
     }
 
     # Merge with kwargs, letting kwargs override defaults

src/forge/workflow/gates/plan_approval.py

@@ -69,6 +69,12 @@ def route_plan_approval(state: WorkflowState) -> str:
         logger.info(f"Q&A mode: routing to answer_question for {state['ticket_key']}")
         return "answer_question"
 
+    # YOLO mode: auto-approve without human input
+    if state.get("yolo_mode"):
+        logger.info(f"YOLO mode: auto-approving plan for {state['ticket_key']}")
+        record_approval("plan")
+        return "generate_tasks"
+
     # Check if revision requested
     if state.get("revision_requested"):
         feedback = state.get("feedback_comment", "")

src/forge/workflow/gates/prd_approval.py

@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ def route_prd_approval(state: WorkflowState) -> str:
 
     This routing function determines the next node after PRD approval gate:
     - If question (Q&A mode) -> answer_question
+    - If yolo_mode enabled -> auto-approve without human input
     - If feedback provided (revision requested) -> regenerate PRD
     - If still paused -> END (wait for next webhook to resume)
     - Otherwise (approved) -> proceed to spec generation
@@ -59,6 +60,12 @@ def route_prd_approval(state: WorkflowState) -> str:
         logger.info(f"Q&A mode: routing to answer_question for {state['ticket_key']}")
         return "answer_question"
 
+    # YOLO mode: auto-approve without human input
+    if state.get("yolo_mode"):
+        logger.info(f"YOLO mode: auto-approving PRD for {state['ticket_key']}")
+        record_approval("prd")
+        return "generate_spec"
+
     # Check if revision was requested via comment
     if state.get("revision_requested") and state.get("feedback_comment"):
         logger.info(f"PRD revision requested for {state['ticket_key']}")

src/forge/workflow/gates/spec_approval.py

@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ def route_spec_approval(state: WorkflowState) -> str:
         logger.info(f"Q&A mode: routing to answer_question for {state['ticket_key']}")
         return "answer_question"
 
+    # YOLO mode: auto-approve without human input
+    if state.get("yolo_mode"):
+        logger.info(f"YOLO mode: auto-approving spec for {state['ticket_key']}")
+        record_approval("spec")
+        return "decompose_epics"
+
     # Check if revision was requested
     if state.get("revision_requested") and state.get("feedback_comment"):
         logger.info(f"Spec revision requested for {state['ticket_key']}")

src/forge/workflow/gates/task_approval.py

@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ def route_task_approval(state: WorkflowState) -> str:
 
     Routing logic:
     - Question (Q&A mode) -> answer_question
+    - YOLO mode enabled -> auto-approve without human input
     - Comment on specific Task ticket -> update_single_task
     - Comment on Feature ticket -> regenerate_all_tasks
     - Label changed to approved -> task_router
@@ -85,6 +86,12 @@ def route_task_approval(state: WorkflowState) -> str:
         logger.info(f"Q&A mode: routing to answer_question for {ticket_key}")
         return "answer_question"
 
+    # YOLO mode: auto-approve without human input
+    if state.get("yolo_mode"):
+        logger.info(f"YOLO mode: auto-approving tasks for {ticket_key}")
+        record_approval("task")
+        return "task_router"
+
     # Check if revision requested (feedback comment added)
     if state.get("revision_requested"):
         feedback = state.get("feedback_comment", "")

src/forge/workflow/nodes/rca_option_gate.py

@@ -46,6 +46,20 @@ async def rca_option_gate(state: BugState) -> BugState:
     finally:
         await jira.close()
 
+    # YOLO mode: auto-select option 1 without pausing
+    if state.get("yolo_mode") and rca_options:
+        logger.info(f"YOLO mode: auto-selecting RCA option 1 for {ticket_key}")
+        return update_state_timestamp(
+            {
+                **state,
+                "rca_comment_posted": True,
+                "selected_fix_option": 1,
+                "selected_fix_approach": rca_options[0],
+                "is_paused": False,
+                "current_node": "rca_option_gate",
+            }
+        )
+
     paused = set_paused(state, "rca_option_gate")
     return {**paused, "rca_comment_posted": True}