Cowork Mode
Use AI-DLC on repositories you don't have checked out locally
Cowork Mode
Cowork mode lets you use AI-DLC when you're not inside a git repository — for example, when an orchestrator is coordinating work across multiple repos, or when you're working from a team/cowork Claude session.
How It Works
When you run /elaborate outside of a git repo, AI-DLC detects this and enters cowork mode:
- Get the repo URL — AI-DLC asks which repository the work targets. If VCS MCP tools (e.g., GitHub MCP) are available, it offers discovered repos as options.
- Clone the repo — The repository is cloned to a temporary workspace.
- Proceed normally — Once cloned, everything works identically to being in a local repo. Settings, providers, hooks, and all other features operate as expected.
The key principle: cloning eliminates the cowork problem surface. There are no special cowork code paths after the initial clone.
Artifact Delivery
In cowork mode, after elaboration writes .ai-dlc/ artifacts and creates tickets:
- Artifacts are committed on the intent branch (same as normal)
- The intent branch is pushed to the remote automatically
- Builders can pull the branch or clone independently
Execution in Cowork
The /execute skill handles cowork transparently:
- Ensures remote tracking is configured for the intent branch
- Pulls latest changes before starting each unit
- When spawning builder teammates, includes the repo URL so they can clone independently
When to Use Cowork
- Team orchestration — A lead coordinates work across multiple repos from a single session
- Remote planning — Elaborate on a repo you haven't cloned yet
- CI/CD integration — Automated systems that need to run AI-DLC workflows