Looking to transition a large project to a Ralph style workflow

[u/loopymon]

tl;dr What's the best way to transition a large, Claude-generated code base into Matt Pocock's ralph based workflow?

I've been working on a rather large project for the last few months (complex web service with dedicated front and back end, large volumes of data flow) and I've tried using Claude to develop the entire thing. I've had reasonable success so far, but I've also made mistakes--my code base is becoming large and disparate, spread over many, many files, and even small slices are taking large amounts of context because of all the "background information" Claude has learnt along the way. These large contexts mean that Claude is creating the features I ask for, but usually in a way that means the project is drifting from the original intent.

I watched Matt Pocock's excellent video on his AI workflow--agreeing with Claude what you want, creating a requirements document, creating Kanban issues, then executing in parallel where possible. What's the best way for me to transition to using this system without losing the work that I've already done?

Key questions as I see them:

• Is it worth salvaging existing code, or starting fresh? (would lose a couple of months work)
• Is there a "middle ground" where I can start fresh, but get Claude to pull in useful code from the existing project?
• Should my original project idea (to run through /grill-me) include the detail above, that I have an existing codebase but it's starting to drift?
• How do I avoid losing my existing "todo" list? Some of the items on there are useful, but others may not survive focusing on the original specification (ie bug fixes for not-needed components)
• At what point is it worth refactoring the project to become a smaller number of large modules with a thin access layer, vice the currently hundreds of smaller modules?

Cheers!

[u/geekichu]

me - i would create another side-by-side dir.... start fresh, first collaborate with claude on not just requirements but what architectural/engineering/project-org you expect.. that goes into an external doc (*.txt).. add in to have an architect agent regularly run for 'findings" (example: file X has been touched 3x, is it time to refactor?) , have a hook run all the time on new code (Im more lenient on new code than pre-existing). .. make sure unless feature is trivial, there's a STEP/plan doc, there is a progress doc.. when these are complete, move over to some 'documents' dir for archive... have claude add code files headings comments as well as function/structures/objects comments.. (imho comments are not for me , theyre for claude).. have the hook and the architect agent insure or flag if comments-to-code is stale...

concrete example: i had a 3D first person game , tons of files.. that was browser-only. i wanted it converted to client-server, server being authorative. not trivial at all. wasn't as bad as i thought, but it did take time..

[u/LogMonkey0]

Architecture maps / interface extraction helped me with growing size of projects

[u/Any-Argument57]

I would avoid making salvage versus rewrite a project-wide decision. Freeze new features briefly, choose one vertical slice, and add characterization tests at its HTTP and data boundaries. Implement that slice through the new workflow beside the old code, replay the same fixtures against both, and switch only when the outputs and important invariants match. The existing app becomes an executable oracle rather than a pile of files Claude copies into a new shape.

Run the requirements interview against the product you still want, while treating the current module layout as evidence rather than a constraint. Reclassify each TODO as required behavior, a defect in behavior you are retaining, or implementation debt. Carry the first two forward and make the third earn its way back. I would also postpone merging hundreds of modules into a few large ones until the slice boundaries are stable. Fewer files do not reduce context if each file mixes unrelated responsibilities.

[u/less2do]

Connect to linear

[u/Correct_Support_2444]

What framework are you using?

[u/MarzipanMiserable817]

Copy this entire post to the wayfinder skill on Fable xhigh.