Guides
Run Codex or Claude Code overnight safely
A practical workflow for bounded, reviewable overnight coding without relying on repeated keep-going prompts.
Answers: run a coding agent overnight safely · Updated
Make the work durable before making it unattended: write a finite contract, define proof for each outcome, configure permissions and stop rules, run one attended rehearsal, and leave the agent a clock plus a morning review path.
Turn intent into a contract
“Work on the app overnight” leaves completion undefined. A punch list makes each outcome, verification, and commit visible before the owner leaves.
- Prefer outcomes over hours for finite work.
- Use a deadline for open-ended discovery or walkthroughs.
- Separate owner decisions from known implementation work.
Bound autonomy mechanically
Permissions determine what the host may do. Nightshift rules determine what this shift should do. Project gates determine what must pass. Treat all three as separate layers.
- Allow only the permissions the work needs.
- Keep pushes and publishing opt-in.
- Protect sensitive paths and expected identity.
- Test STOP and recovery while attended.
Review the morning, not the promise
Begin with the local history and files: commits, gate output, checked items, parked decisions, snags, and recovery events. The receipts tell you what happened without trusting a polished summary alone.
Start with a bounded prompt
This prompt names the outcome and preserves Nightshift’s review boundary. Paste it into the supported coding host from the project you want to change.
Prepare a bounded overnight Nightshift for this project. Draft the work, gates, deadline, STOP path, and morning review plan, but wait for my approval before starting.What this workflow does not claim
- The first run should be attended and the machine must remain available for the chosen host.
- Nightshift cannot approve host permission prompts or guarantee that external services remain available.
Evidence and sources
These links support the released behavior, public outcomes, or problem language described on this page.