This is an in-depth article about Codev, a self-hosted development platform that uses artificial intelligence to automate many tasks involved in software development. The author, who is also one of the creators of Codev, outlines its features, benefits, and usage patterns.

Here are some key points from the article:

**Key Features:**

1. **Spec conversation**: A collaborative process where humans work with AI to define requirements for a new feature. 2. **Independent AI reviewers**: Three AI models (Claude, Gemini, and Codex) review the specification to catch errors and suggest improvements. 3. **Porch protocol**: An automated build loop that implements phases of development, runs tests, and consults reviewers. 4. **Bugfix protocol**: A lean approach for rapid bug fixes and prototypes. 5. **Sphere system**: A tiered system with increasing levels of automation and human involvement.

**Benefits:**

1. **Increased productivity**: Codev automates many tasks, allowing developers to focus on higher-level work. 2. **Improved quality**: The AI reviewers catch errors and suggest improvements, ensuring higher-quality code. 3. **Deeper understanding**: Humans learn more about the requirements of their designs through the collaborative spec conversation process.

**Usage Patterns:**

1. **Autonomous completion rate**: 85% of features are completed autonomously, with human approval only needed when necessary. 2. **Real-world usage**: The author uses Codev to build and maintain their own projects, including a todo manager feature implemented twice (once with unstructured AI and once with Codev's SPIR protocol). 3. **Comparison results**: Codev outperforms unstructured AI approaches in terms of quality, deployment readiness, and test coverage.

**Future Directions:**

1. **Runtime-aware review**: Adding runtime analysis to catch errors that require observing system behavior over time. 2. **Sphere 7 support**: Developing the protocol to handle concurrent specs and cross-cutting reviews for multiple humans working on the same codebase.

**Getting Started:**

The article provides a step-by-step guide on how to set up Codev, including installation instructions and a getting-started guide.

Overall, this article presents a comprehensive overview of Codev's features, benefits, and usage patterns. It highlights the platform's potential for increasing productivity and improving quality in software development, while also providing a roadmap for future directions and improvements.