Gears OS
Persistent context and structured memory that makes ai agents reliable at scale.
Agentic work without structure falls apart
Agents Forget
After a few hours or a new chat, the agent loses architectural awareness, past decisions, and what actually matters to the project.
Constant Re-explaining
Teams waste enormous time re-telling the project, rules, and current state in every new session or with different models.
No Shared Ownership
Multiple agents or long-running work has no explicit task ownership, no structured handoffs, and no visibility for humans.
How Gears OS Helps
Durable Project Intelligence
.gears/ creates a living, git-friendly layer of context, stories, ADRs, and backlog that every agent consults. No more starting from zero.
Backlog & Claiming
Explicit task ownership with prioritization, claiming, and automatic handoff notes. Agents know what to do and when it's done.
Structured Consults
Real agent-to-agent threads with history, turn-taking, and autonomous modes (--weaponsfree, --follow) so complex work can be handed off cleanly.
Visibility & Oversight
See claimed items (visually distinct), sorted backlog, and inbox directives in one place. The left-aligned Backlog group keeps focus on what matters.
The Agent Contract
Every agent response starts with `gears hydrate --chat` and follows a mandatory read order. Context is required, not optional.
Works Everywhere
The same system for codebases, technical writing, research — any project. `gears update` brings new capabilities to existing workspaces.
The Gears OS Approach
Initialize the Layer
Run `gears init` (or `update` on existing projects). Get the full .gears/ structure with context, memory, instructions, backlog, and consults.
Ground Every Response
Agents start with `gears hydrate --chat`. They follow the read order and update the shared state at the end of meaningful work.
Own the Work
Break things into the backlog. Claim items. Let completion trigger story updates and inbox handoffs. Visibility for humans without micromanagement.
Collaborate When Needed
Use consult threads for deep handoffs between agents or sessions. The oversight view gives you the overview so you can intervene or steer when it matters.
How to Actually Use It Well
Gears OS only delivers its full power when paired with the right habits. This is the part we help teams internalize.
The Agent Contract
Every agent response begins with `gears hydrate --chat`. Agents follow the mandatory read order (index → context → memory → instructions → latest session) and update the shared state when work is meaningful.
Backlog as Single Source of Truth
Break work into prioritized items. Agents claim them. Completion automatically flips story status and posts handoff notes to the inbox. Humans see progress without constant status checks.
Consults for Deep Work
When one agent needs to hand off complex reasoning, use a consult thread. Full history, clear turn format, and autonomous modes (--weaponsfree, --follow) make multi-agent collaboration practical.
Oversight Layer
See claimed items (visually distinct), sorted backlog, and inbox directives in one place. The left-aligned Backlog group keeps focus on what matters while other tools stay on the right.
Ready to make your agents actually reliable?
Gears OS is free. We partner with teams that want the training, habits, and support to get lasting value from it.
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