---
title: implement
description: Implement a change with validation and review.
---

`implement` is the default coding workflow for a single change. It runs a shared `ValidationLoop`: implement the requested change, validate it, review it, and feed failures back into another iteration.

```bash
bunx smithers-orchestrator workflow run implement --prompt "Add rate limiting to the API"
```

<Frame caption="The implement UI streams each stage (implementation, validation, and the reviewer panel's synthesized verdict) as the build → validate → review loop runs.">
  <img src="/images/workflow-ui/implement.png" alt="implement workflow UI showing implementation, validation, and review stages with an approved verdict" />
</Frame>

## Inputs

| Input | Type | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `prompt` | string | `"Implement the requested change."` |

## How It Runs

1. An implementation agent works from the prompt.
2. A validation agent checks the repo state.
3. A panel of reviewer agents inspects the result; a moderator synthesizes them into one verdict.
4. The orchestrator feeds failed validation output and the synthesized review feedback back into the next implementation pass.
5. The loop stops after validation passes and the synthesized review verdict approves, or after 3 iterations.

## Output Shape

`implement` commits changes directly to the working tree. The run log records the validation result and reviewer feedback for each iteration.

## Use it when

- You already know what to build and want a build, validate, review loop enforced.
- The change is a single focused unit, not a multi-milestone effort.

## Use something else when

- The change needs context first: use [`research-plan-implement`](/workflows/research-plan-implement) or [`plan`](/workflows/plan).
- The work spans many independent units: split it with [`tickets-create`](/workflows/tickets-create), then run [`kanban`](/workflows/kanban).
- The scope is too broad for one loop: use [`mission`](/workflows/mission).

## Resume & retry

The run is durable: if the process is interrupted, resume with `up --resume` and finished iterations are not repeated. The validation loop runs up to 3 iterations, stopping once validation passes and the synthesized review verdict approves.
