Overnight Development

Overview

This skill automates software development overnight by leveraging Git hooks to enforce test-driven development (TDD). It ensures that all code changes are fully tested and meet specified quality standards before being committed. This approach allows Claude to work autonomously, building new features, refactoring existing code, or fixing bugs while adhering to a rigorous TDD process.

Core Capabilities

• Enforces test-driven development (TDD) using Git hooks.
• Automates debugging and code fixing until all tests pass.
• Tracks progress and logs activities during overnight sessions.
• Supports flexible configuration for various testing frameworks and languages.
• Provides guidance and support through the overnight-dev-coach agent.

Workflow

Phase 1: Project Setup and Configuration

To prepare the project for overnight development:

1. Verify Prerequisites: Ensure the project is a Git repository, has a configured test framework, and includes at least one passing test.

   git init
   npm install --save-dev jest # Example for Node.js
   

2. Install the Plugin: Add the Claude Code Plugin marketplace and install the overnight-dev plugin.

   /plugin marketplace add jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins
   /plugin install overnight-dev@claude-code-plugins-plus
   

3. Run Setup Command: Execute the /overnight-setup command to create necessary Git hooks and configuration files.

   /overnight-setup
   

Phase 2: Task Definition and Planning

To define the task for the overnight session:

1. Define a Clear Goal: Specify a clear and testable goal for the overnight session, such as "Build user authentication with JWT (90% coverage)."

   Task: Build user authentication with JWT (90% coverage)
   Success: All tests pass, 90%+ coverage, fully documented
   

2. Start Coding: Begin implementing the feature by writing tests first, following the TDD approach.

   // Example test case (Node.js with Jest)
   it('should authenticate a user with valid credentials', async () => {
     // Test implementation
   });
   

3. Attempt to Commit: Try to commit the changes, which will trigger the Git hooks and run the tests.

   git commit -m "feat: implement user authentication"
   

Phase 3: Autonomous Development and Debugging

To allow Claude to work autonomously:

1. Git Hooks Enforcement: The Git hooks will block the commit if any tests fail, providing Claude with the error messages.

   Overnight Dev: Running pre-commit checks...
   Running linting...
   Linting passed
   Running tests...
   12 tests failing
   Commit blocked!
   

2. Automated Debugging: Claude analyzes the error messages, identifies the issues, and attempts to fix the code.

   Claude: Fixing test failures in user authentication module.
   

3. Retry Commits: Claude retries the commit after making the necessary fixes, repeating the process until all tests pass.

   git commit -m "fix: address test failures in user authentication"
   

Phase 4: Progress Tracking and Completion

To monitor the progress and finalize the session:

1. Monitor Progress: Track the progress of the overnight session by viewing the log file.

   cat .overnight-dev-log.txt
   

2. Review Results: Wake up to fully tested code, complete features, and a clean Git history.

   7 AM: You wake up to:
   - 47 passing tests (0 failing)
   - 94% test coverage
   - Clean conventional commit history
   - Fully documented JWT authentication
   - Production-ready code
   

3. Session Completion: The session completes when all tests pass, the code meets the specified quality standards, and the changes are committed.

Using Bundled Resources

Scripts

To automate the setup process, use the overnight-setup.sh script:

./scripts/overnight-setup.sh

To track the progress of the overnight session, use the progress-tracker.py script:

./scripts/progress-tracker.py --log .overnight-dev-log.txt

References

For detailed configuration options, load:

• Configuration Reference

For best practices on writing effective tests, load:

• Testing Best Practices

Assets

Available templates:

• assets/commit-template.txt - Template for generating commit messages.
• assets/readme-template.md - Template for generating README files.

Examples

Example 1: Building JWT Authentication

User request: "Implement JWT authentication with 90% test coverage overnight."

Workflow:

1. Claude writes failing authentication tests (TDD).
2. Claude implements JWT signing (tests still failing).
3. Claude debugs token generation (commit blocked, keeps trying).
4. Tests pass! Commit succeeds.
5. Claude adds middleware (writes tests first).
6. Integration tests (debugging edge cases).
7. All tests green (Coverage: 94%).
8. Claude adds docs, refactors, still green.
9. Session complete.

Example 2: Refactoring Database Layer

User request: "Refactor the database layer to use the repository pattern overnight."

Workflow:

1. Claude analyzes existing tests to ensure no regression.
2. Claude implements the repository pattern.
3. Tests are run; some fail due to changes in data access.
4. Claude updates tests to align with the new repository pattern.
5. All tests pass; commit succeeds.
6. Claude documents the refactored database layer.
7. Session complete.

Example 3: Fixing a Bug in Payment Processing

User request: "Fix the bug in payment processing that causes incorrect amounts to be charged overnight."

Workflow:

1. Claude reproduces the bug and writes a failing test case.
2. Claude analyzes the code and identifies the root cause of the bug.
3. Claude fixes the bug and runs the tests.
4. The failing test case now passes; all other tests also pass.
5. Commit succeeds.
6. Claude adds a comment to the code explaining the fix.
7. Session complete.

Best Practices

• Ensure that the task is well-defined and testable.
• Follow the TDD approach by writing tests before implementing features.
• Monitor the progress of the overnight session by viewing the log file.
• Configure the Git hooks and settings appropriately for the project.
• Use the overnight-dev-coach agent for guidance and support.

Troubleshooting

Issue: Hooks are not running.

Solution: Make sure the hooks are executable:

chmod +x .git/hooks/pre-commit
chmod +x .git/hooks/commit-msg

Issue: Tests are failing immediately.

Solution: Ensure you have at least one passing test:

npm test # Should see: Tests passed

Issue: Lint errors are blocking everything.

Solution: Enable auto-fix:

{
  "autoFix": true
}

Or fix manually:

npm run lint -- --fix

Integration

This skill integrates with Git repositories and various testing frameworks. It uses Git hooks to enforce TDD and ensure that all code changes are fully tested. The overnight-dev-coach agent provides guidance and support throughout the process.

# Example integration with Jest (Node.js)
{
  "testCommand": "npm test -- --coverage --watchAll=false",
  "lintCommand": "npm run lint",
  "autoFix": true
}

# Example integration with pytest (Python)
{
  "testCommand": "pytest --cov=. --cov-report=term-missing",
  "lintCommand": "flake8 . && black --check .",
  "autoFix": false
}

## Prerequisites

- Access to project files in {baseDir}/
- Required tools and dependencies installed
- Understanding of skill functionality
- Permissions for file operations

## Instructions

1. Identify skill activation trigger and context
2. Gather required inputs and parameters
3. Execute skill workflow systematically
4. Validate outputs meet requirements
5. Handle errors and edge cases appropriately
6. Provide clear results and next steps

## Output

- Primary deliverables based on skill purpose
- Status indicators and success metrics
- Generated files or configurations
- Reports and summaries as applicable
- Recommendations for follow-up actions

## Error Handling

If execution fails:
- Verify prerequisites are met
- Check input parameters and formats
- Validate file paths and permissions
- Review error messages for root cause
- Consult documentation for troubleshooting

## Resources

- Official documentation for related tools
- Best practices guides
- Example use cases and templates
- Community forums and support channels