Prompt-only vs process-driven runs

Prompting is great for quick one-offs. When work matters, prompts turn into babysitting. Process-driven runs let you define “pass”, set breakpoints, and iterate until it passes.

Prompt-only

  • Fast for small tasks and exploration
  • Hard to repeat consistently across teammates
  • No built-in “stop and ask” checkpoints
  • No standard artifact trail to review later

Process-driven (with Babysitter)

  • Define criteria, gates, and breakpoints as code
  • Iterate until the run clears a threshold
  • Artifacts on disk for inspection and handoff (sanitize before sharing)
  • You keep using your preferred agent CLI