Auto settings

Tune autonomous mode.

Defaults are sensible but your project is not the default. Tune autonomous mode in .story/config.json: limit the stories per session, choose review backends, and configure supported test and review stages.

Written guide available · Video coming soon

Follow along

  1. 1.

    Open .story/config.json

    This is where autonomous mode reads its settings. The recipeOverrides object holds the knobs that matter. The Mac app has a settings UI for the common ones, but editing the JSON directly is always an option.

  2. 2.

    Set maxTicketsPerSession

    Set recipeOverrides.maxTicketsPerSession to limit stories per session. The default is 0 (unlimited). Start with 1 while evaluating the workflow. This limits story count, not elapsed time or model cost.

  3. 3.

    Choose review backends

    recipeOverrides.reviewBackends selects configured review backends such as codex, agent, or lenses. The coding recipe defaults to codex and agent for Claude sessions, and lenses for Codex sessions. Per-stage PLAN_REVIEW.backends and CODE_REVIEW.backends take precedence. Your client must provide the selected reviewer tools.

  4. 4.

    Set review and test limits

    recipeOverrides.stages.CODE_REVIEW.maxReviewRounds defaults to 12; 0 disables the cap, and other values cannot lower the required risk-based minimum. WRITE_TESTS.onExhaustion defaults to plan (return to planning); advance permits implementation after test-writing attempts are exhausted. Configure TEST.command for your project (default: npm test).

  5. 5.

    Understand usage-limit recovery

    Claude Code usage-limit recovery is separate from review settings. With supported hooks, limitResume.enabled defaults to true and ordinary sessions notify at reset (plainMode: notify). Eligible autonomous sessions can resume after ownership, Git HEAD, and permission checks; sessions stopped during FINALIZE need manual recovery. This is not an equivalent automatic recovery feature for Codex. A stopped waker resumes checking on later CLI or hook activity.

  6. 6.

    Save and try a run

    Save the file. Your next /story auto picks up the new settings. Start with one story on the tight settings, loosen as you build trust.