🎼

Refrain™

refrain /rəˈfrān/ - A recurring phrase or verse; in music, the repeated melody that ties a song together. In development, the consistent patterns and principles that guide architecture across every decision.

Documentation-Driven Development with AI Teaching

Orchestrate Strategic AI, Tech Lead, and Backend Dev through shared documentation. Learn architecture while building production software.

Three AI Roles, Available Anytime

🎯

Strategic AI (The Architect/Teacher)

API: GPT-4o or Claude Sonnet 4.5

  • • Make high-level architectural decisions
  • • Research technical options and explain tradeoffs
  • • Teach you WHY decisions matter (not just what to do)
  • • Update decisions.md with detailed reasoning

Example question:

"Should we use WebSockets or Server-Sent Events for notifications?"

📋

Tech Lead (The Requirements Specialist)

API: Claude Sonnet or GPT-4

  • • Refine and clarify requirements
  • • Break down features into implementable tasks
  • • Create and update current_sprint.md with detailed breakdowns
  • • Manage backlog.md and prioritization

Example request:

"Break down the playlist feature into tasks"

⚡

Backend Dev (The Implementation Specialist)

API: DJent or DeepSeek Coder

  • • Implement features from current_sprint.md
  • • Write database migrations and API endpoints
  • • Write tests (unit + integration)
  • • Deploy to staging/production

Example command:

"Implement P17 - Performance Monitoring from current_sprint.md"

Documentation as Source of Truth

📋 backlog.md

Tech Lead maintains feature priorities and roadmap

🎯 vision.md

Strategic AI + You define project direction

🏗️ architecture.md

Strategic AI updates system design, all AIs read

📝 current_sprint.md

Tech Lead creates tasks, Backend Dev implements

✅ decisions.md

Strategic AI logs decisions with WHY reasoning

❓ questions.md

Any AI adds questions, you + AIs resolve asynchronously

Flexible Role-Based Workflow

You: "Tech Lead, I want to add a playlist feature"
Tech Lead: [Reads backlog.md, asks clarifying questions]
Tech Lead: "Created detailed task breakdown in current_sprint.md"
You: "Strategic AI, should playlists use separate tables or JSON?"
Strategic AI: [Explains normalized vs denormalized approaches]
Strategic AI: "I recommend separate tables. Here's why..." [Updates decisions.md]
You: "Backend Dev, implement Task 1: Database Schema"
Backend Dev: [Creates migration, tests, commits]
Backend Dev: "✓ Migration created, tests passing, deployed to staging"

No rigid phases. Choose the AI you need for the task at hand. Switch freely based on current needs.

What Makes Refrain™ Different

📚

Documentation-Driven

All AIs read the same documents. current_sprint.md = what to build, architecture.md = how it's structured, decisions.md = why we chose this way.

🔄

Fluid Role Switching

No rigid "steps" or "phases". Choose the AI you need for the task at hand. All roles available anytime.

🎓

Teaching Through Doing

Strategic AI explains WHY, not just WHAT. Builds your architectural intuition and understanding of tradeoffs.

🤝

Async Collaboration

Questions documented in questions.md. You decide who answers what. Creates audit trail of decisions.

Learn Architecture While You Build

Refrain™ is available exclusively to BlastBeat™ community members. Get the full IDE, source code, and role configurations.

Join BlastBeat CommunitySee All Hardcore Tools