HUG Examples

These team.yml patterns cover the most common ways to use human gates. Each can be adapted to your workflow — change the commands, artifacts, timeout, and reviewers to fit.

---

Architecture review before development

The classic HUG use case — a human approves the design before any code is written:

phases:
  - name: architect
    type: standard

  - name: arch-review
    type: hug
    depends_on: [architect]
    commands:
      - name: design-doc-exists
        run: "test -f .cliq/design/architecture.md"
    review:
      reviewer: architect
      artifacts:
        - .cliq/design/architecture.md
      timeout: 8h
      remind_every: 2h

  - name: developer
    type: standard
    depends_on: [arch-review]

The architect produces a design doc. The gate verifies it exists, then presents it to a human reviewer. If approved, development starts. If the reviewer requests changes, work routes back to the architect with feedback.

---

Lightweight go/no-go

Sometimes you just need someone to check that tests pass and say “ship it”:

- name: go-no-go
  type: hug
  depends_on: [developer]
  commands:
    - name: tests
      run: npm test
  review:
    reviewer: devteam
    timeout: 4h

No artifacts — the reviewer sees the command results and the diff. Enough for a quick sanity check before the pipeline moves on.

---

Content review (non-code)

HUG works for any kind of review, not just code:

- name: editorial-review
  type: hug
  depends_on: [writer]
  commands:
    - name: draft-exists
      run: "test -f output/article.md"
  review:
    reviewer: editor
    artifacts:
      - output/article.md
    timeout: 24h

The writer produces an article. The editor reviews the rendered markdown on the review page and either approves it or requests changes. The 24-hour timeout gives them a full business day.

---

Multi-reviewer deployment approval

Multiple reviewers for high-stakes decisions. All are notified, first verdict wins:

- name: deploy-approval
  type: hug
  depends_on: [reviewer]
  commands:
    - name: all-tests
      run: npm test
    - name: build-clean
      run: npm run build
  review:
    reviewer: [devteam, security-lead]
    artifacts:
      - .cliq/reviews/
    timeout: 2h
    remind_every: 30m

Both devteam and security-lead get Slack notifications. The first one to submit a verdict decides the gate outcome. Reminders fire every 30 minutes to keep the review from stalling.

---

Multi-artifact deep review

When the reviewer needs to see everything — design, data model, and the implementation:

- name: full-review
  type: hug
  depends_on: [developer]
  commands:
    - name: tests
      run: npm test
    - name: lint
      run: npm run lint
  review:
    reviewer: [architect, security-lead]
    artifacts:
      - .cliq/design/architecture.md
      - .cliq/design/data-model.md
      - src/auth/**/*.ts
    timeout: 8h
    remind_every: 2h

Glob patterns work in artifacts — src/auth/**/*.ts includes all TypeScript files under src/auth/. The reviewer sees the architecture doc, data model, and every auth file rendered inline, alongside the full git diff and command results.

---

Phased review pipeline

Chain multiple human gates for workflows that need approval at different stages:

phases:
  - name: architect
    type: standard

  - name: design-approval
    type: hug
    depends_on: [architect]
    commands:
      - name: design-doc
        run: "test -f .cliq/design/architecture.md"
    review:
      reviewer: tech-lead
      artifacts:
        - .cliq/design/architecture.md
      timeout: 8h

  - name: developer
    type: standard
    depends_on: [design-approval]

  - name: code-review
    type: hug
    depends_on: [developer]
    commands:
      - name: tests
        run: npm test
      - name: build
        run: npm run build
    review:
      reviewer: [tech-lead, security-lead]
      artifacts:
        - src/**/*.ts
      timeout: 4h
      remind_every: 1h

  - name: deploy
    type: standard
    depends_on: [code-review]

The tech lead approves the design. The developer implements it. Both the tech lead and security lead review the code. Only after both gates pass does deployment begin.