Orchex User Guide

Beta Notice: Orchex is currently in beta. We're committed to maintaining backward compatibility for core features, but some advanced functionality may evolve based on user feedback.

What is Orchex?

Orchex is an AI-powered development orchestrator that automates complex, multi-step software development tasks using your choice of LLM provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, DeepSeek, or Ollama). Instead of manually breaking down work into small prompts, you define what you want to accomplish, and Orchex handles the orchestration with parallel execution and file ownership enforcement.

Key Concepts

Manifest-driven workflows: Define your development task once in a YAML manifest with streams (units of work), and Orchex executes them with proper context and dependencies.

Intelligent execution: Orchex automatically manages file context, handles errors, and enforces file ownership so parallel agents can't break each other's code.

Local and Cloud: Run Orchex locally for full control, or use Orchex Cloud for managed execution with team collaboration features.

Who is Orchex for?

Orchex is designed for developers who want to:

• Automate repetitive development work: Feature additions, bug fixes, refactoring across multiple files
• Maintain consistency: Apply patterns and standards across a codebase systematically
• Scale AI assistance: Work on tasks that span dozens of files or require multiple coordinated changes
• Collaborate with AI: Define the "what" and let AI handle the "how" with full transparency

When to use Orchex

✅ Good fit:

• Adding a feature that touches multiple files
• Systematic refactoring or migrations
• Implementing patterns across a codebase
• Complex bug fixes requiring coordinated changes
• Documentation generation and updates

❌ Not ideal for:

• One-off single-file edits (use Claude directly)
• Exploratory coding (better to experiment first)
• Tasks requiring human judgment at each step

Quick Start

Get started with Orchex in minutes:

1. Installation

npm install -g @wundam/orchex

2. Create a Manifest

# manifest.yaml
feature: my-first-task
streams:
  add-feature:
    name: Add hello world feature
    plan: "Add a hello world feature to the app"
    owns:
      - src/features/hello.ts

3. Execute

orchex execute manifest.yaml

That's it! Orchex will use your configured LLM provider to implement your feature.

Documentation Sections

Getting Started

• Installation Guide: Set up Orchex locally or in CI/CD
• Your First Manifest: Create and execute a simple task
• Core Concepts: Understand manifests, streams, and execution flow

Manifest Reference

• Manifest Format: Complete YAML schema and options
• Stream Configuration: Define units of work with dependencies
• Context Management: Control what files and information Claude sees
• Artifacts & Outputs: Understand what Orchex produces

Best Practices

• Writing Effective Prompts: Get better results from Claude
• Structuring Manifests: Common patterns and anti-patterns
• Debugging Executions: Troubleshoot when things go wrong
• Performance Tips: Optimize for speed and cost

Orchex Cloud

• Cloud Overview: Managed execution and team features
• Teams & Collaboration: Share manifests and execution history
• API Access: Integrate Orchex into your workflows
• Pricing & Billing: Understand costs and plans

Advanced Usage

• CI/CD Integration: Automate with GitHub Actions and other tools
• Custom Intelligence: Fine-tune pattern detection and healing
• Multi-Stage Workflows: Chain manifests for complex projects
• MCP Server Mode: Use Orchex as an MCP server

Examples

Learn by example:

• Hello World: Simplest possible manifest
• Add Feature: Multi-file feature implementation
• Fix Bug: Bug fix with test updates
• More Examples: Additional real-world scenarios

Architecture

Understand how Orchex works under the hood:

• Execution Model: How streams are orchestrated
• Context Building: How Orchex prepares information for Claude
• Intelligence Layer: Pattern detection, healing, and optimization
• Token Management: How Orchex stays within limits

Support & Community

• FAQ: Common questions and answers
• Troubleshooting: Common issues and solutions
• Report Issues: Report bugs or request features
• Changelog: See what's new in each release

Contributing

We welcome feedback and feature requests:

• Report Issues: Report bugs or request features
• Architecture Docs: Deep dive into the codebase

Beta Program

Orchex Cloud is currently in public beta. As a beta user:

✅ You get:

• Free or discounted access during beta period
• Direct communication with the team
• Influence over product direction
• Early access to new features

📋 We ask for:

• Feedback on what works and what doesn't
• Bug reports and feature requests
• Patience as we refine the product
• Understanding that some things may change

See our Beta Promise for our commitments to beta users.

Philosophy

Orchex is built on a few core principles:

Transparency: You own your code. Orchex shows you exactly what it's doing through artifacts and logs.

Determinism: The same manifest should produce consistent results. We minimize AI unpredictability through intelligent context management.

Composability: Manifests are building blocks. Chain them, share them, evolve them over time.

Developer-first: We're developers building for developers. If it's confusing or magical, we'll fix it.

Ready to get started? Head to Installation Guide to set up Orchex.

Questions? Check the FAQ or reach out at orchex.dev/support.