/fast-forward

description: "Fast-forwards through remaining waves end-to-end without stopping for review between waves."
argument-hint: '[feature-description] - Optional: --from=[discuss|design|devops|distill|deliver]'
disable-model-invocation: true

NW-FAST-FORWARD: Fast-Forward

**Wave**: CROSS_WAVE (entry point) | **Agent**: Main Instance (self — orchestrator) | **Command**: `/nw-fast-forward`

Overview

Chains remaining waves end-to-end after single user confirmation. Detects current progress (like `/nw-continue`), shows planned sequence, runs each wave automatically — DISCUSS > DESIGN > DEVOPS > DISTILL > DELIVER — without stopping between waves.

You (main Claude instance) run this orchestration directly. Each wave invoked by reading its task file.

**DISCOVER skipped by default** — requires interactive customer interview data that cannot be auto-generated. Use `--from=discover` to include.

Behavior Flow

Step 1: Input Parsing

Accept: feature description (new project)|`--from` flag with optional feature ID|no arguments (auto-detect from `docs/feature/`)

Step 2: Project Resolution

**New project (description provided):** Derive feature ID per `~/.claude/nWave/skills/common/wizard-shared-rules.md` (Feature ID Derivation). Show derived ID, allow override via AskUserQuestion. Create `docs/feature/{feature-id}/`.

**Existing project (no description):** Scan `docs/feature/` (same as `/nw-continue` Step 1-2). If multiple, ask user to select.

Step 3: Detect Current Progress

Check wave artifacts using Wave Detection Rules in `~/.claude/nWave/skills/common/wizard-shared-rules.md`.

Step 4: Determine Wave Sequence

Default order (DISCOVER skipped): DISCUSS > DESIGN > DEVOPS > DISTILL > DELIVER

**With `--from` flag:** Validate prerequisite artifacts exist. If missing: "Cannot start from {wave} — {missing} artifacts missing. Run `/nw-continue` to fill the gap." Start from specified wave.

**Without `--from`:** Find first incomplete wave, start from there.

Step 5: Show Plan and Confirm

Feature: {feature-id}

  Fast-forward plan:
    1. DISCUSS  — Define requirements and user stories
    2. DESIGN   — Architecture and technology selection
    3. DEVOPS   — Platform and infrastructure readiness
    4. DISTILL  — Acceptance tests (Given-When-Then)
    5. DELIVER  — TDD implementation

  This will run all 5 waves without stopping for review.

If some waves complete, show as skipped:

  Fast-forward plan:
    ✓ DISCUSS  — complete
    ✓ DESIGN   — complete
    1. DEVOPS   — Platform and infrastructure readiness
    2. DISTILL  — Acceptance tests (Given-When-Then)
    3. DELIVER  — TDD implementation

  3 waves will execute without stopping.

One-time confirmation via AskUserQuestion.

Step 6: Sequential Execution

For each wave: 1. Read task file (`nWave/tasks/nw/{wave}.md`) 2. Follow instructions — invoke appropriate agent via Task tool 3. Wait for completion 4. Verify output artifacts exist (wave detection rules) 5. Missing artifacts after wave = failure 6. Proceed to next wave

Between waves show brief status:

✓ DISCUSS complete — user-stories.md, story-map.md created
  Starting DESIGN...

Step 7: Failure Handling

If any wave fails: 1. **Stop immediately** — do not proceed 2. Show error:

   ✗ {WAVE} failed
     Error: [details]
     Progress saved. Run /nw-continue to resume from {WAVE}.

3. Suggest `/nw-continue` for manual resume 4. Do NOT retry automatically

Step 8: Completion

✓ Fast-forward complete for {feature-id}

  DISCUSS   ● complete
  DESIGN    ● complete
  DEVOPS    ● complete
  DISTILL   ● complete
  DELIVER   ● complete

  All acceptance tests pass. Feature is ready.

Error Handling

| Error | Response | |-------|----------| | No description and no existing projects | Suggest `/nw-new` | | `--from` with missing prerequisites | List missing artifacts, refuse | | Wave failure mid-pipeline | Stop, show error, suggest `/nw-continue` | | Artifact verification fails after wave | Treat as wave failure | | Name conflict on new project | Same as `/nw-new` conflict handling |

Progress Tracking

The invoked agent MUST create a task list from its workflow phases at the start of execution using TaskCreate. Each phase becomes a task with the gate condition as completion criterion. Mark tasks in_progress when starting each phase and completed when the gate passes. This gives the user real-time visibility into progress.

Success Criteria

• [ ] Project resolved (new or existing)
• [ ] Current progress detected accurately
• [ ] Planned wave sequence shown to user
• [ ] User confirmed one-time before execution
• [ ] Each wave executed in sequence
• [ ] Output artifacts verified between waves
• [ ] Failure stops pipeline with clear error and `/nw-continue` suggestion
• [ ] Completion summary shown

Examples

Example 1: Full fast-forward from scratch

/nw-fast-forward "Upgrade authentication to OAuth2"

Wizard derives `oauth2-upgrade`, detects no prior artifacts, shows plan: DISCUSS > DESIGN > DEVOPS > DISTILL > DELIVER. User confirms. All 5 waves execute in sequence.

Example 2: Fast-forward from mid-pipeline

/nw-fast-forward

Wizard finds `notification-service` with DISCUSS complete. Shows plan: DESIGN > DEVOPS > DISTILL > DELIVER. User confirms. 4 waves execute.

Example 3: Fast-forward with --from flag

/nw-fast-forward --from=distill rate-limiting

Wizard validates DESIGN artifacts exist for `rate-limiting`. Shows plan: DISTILL > DELIVER. User confirms. 2 waves execute.

Example 4: Fast-forward with failure

/nw-fast-forward "Add payment processing"

DISCUSS succeeds, DESIGN succeeds, DEVOPS fails. Pipeline stops. Shows error and suggests `/nw-continue` to resume from DEVOPS.