Compare Approaches (Counterfactuals)

Counterfactuals is an experimental way to compare alternative approaches. Ódinn copies a source workspace into separate candidate directories, creates independent run records, and can execute bounded task plans through the audited tool boundary.

Candidate directories are filesystem copies—not Git worktrees or operating-system sandboxes.

Enable Counterfactuals

odinn experimental enable counterfactual --confirm-impact

Create candidates

odinn experimental counterfactual run \
  --source-run <run-id> \
  --from <step-id> \
  --plan-file plan-a.yml \
  --plan-file plan-b.yml

Without --execute, this creates dry-run candidates only. Generated and cache-heavy directories such as .git, node_modules, build output, coverage, and package caches are excluded.

Execute and compare

odinn experimental counterfactual run \
  --source-run <run-id> \
  --from <step-id> \
  --plan-file plan-a.yml \
  --plan-file plan-b.yml \
  --execute

odinn experimental counterfactual compare <group-id>

Read-only candidate tasks can receive a one-use candidate-bound capability. Mutating tasks require explicitly approved authority.

Select

odinn experimental counterfactual select \
  <group-id> \
  --run <candidate-run-id>

Selection is a preview until --apply is supplied. Apply replaces only eligible workspace files and keeps a temporary source backup for recovery.

Limits

Branching does not make irreversible external actions safe. Candidate plans must not be treated as isolated hostile-code execution. Compare the recorded evidence, then choose deliberately.