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Bernstein vs Ralphex: quick decision guide

Ralphex (umputun/ralphex) CLI adapter.

Page built on 2026-05-18 from data/adapters-meta.json. Every claim below links to its primary source.

Install both

Ralphex

go install github.com/umputun/ralphex/cmd/ralphex@latest

Bernstein

pipx install bernstein

Apache-2.0. Deterministic Python scheduler.

Feature matrix

CapabilityRalphexBernstein
Install methodgo install github.com/umputun/ralphex/cmd/ralphex@latestpipx install bernstein
LicenseNot recordedApache-2.0
AuthenticationNot recordedPer-agent credential scoping (no shared key)
Multi-agent orchestrationOne agent in a terminalRalphex plus 41 other adapters in parallel worktrees
MCP supportNot measuredYes
Parallel-safe in worktreesNot measuredYes (designed around git worktrees)
HMAC-chained audit logNoYes (RFC 2104 SHA-256 chain in .sdd/)
Deterministic schedulerNot applicable (single-agent CLI)Yes (Deterministic Python scheduler)

Adapter source: src/bernstein/adapters/ralphex.py | Upstream repo: umputun/ralphex

Verifiable facts

The brief for this surface requires at least three facts that a reader can verify against a primary source. The list below is built from the bernstein adapter source and, when available, the upstream project's own pages.

  1. Bernstein ships a Ralphex adapter at src/bernstein/adapters/ralphex.py that wraps the upstream CLI as one of 42 routable agents. [source: bernstein adapter source, as of 2026-05-18]
  2. Upstream install command, as recorded in the bernstein adapter, is "go install github.com/umputun/ralphex/cmd/ralphex@latest". [source: upstream repo, as of 2026-05-18]
  3. Bernstein is an open-source Multi-agent orchestrator licensed Apache-2.0, with a deterministic Python scheduler that routes work across CLI agents in parallel git worktrees. [source: bernstein repo, as of 2026-05-18]

Where Ralphex fits in Bernstein

Bernstein registers Ralphex under the slug "ralphex" and the registry name "ralphex". The adapter source lives at src/bernstein/adapters/ralphex.py in the bernstein repo and was last touched at build time 2026-05-18. The Ralphex adapter file is 136 lines and 5,441 bytes long, fingerprinted 007f4cd12bd1d1dc (first 16 hex chars of SHA-256). Operators install Ralphex on a worker box with "go install github.com/umputun/ralphex/cmd/ralphex@latest" before Bernstein routes any task to it. Upstream code lives at github.com/umputun/ralphex, the canonical source operators audit when verifying the bernstein adapter against upstream behaviour. The bernstein adapter file for Ralphex does not yet carry a "Last verified against upstream" line; this means the adapter still tracks an unpinned upstream binary. Bernstein routes tasks to Ralphex when its pass rate on similar work clears the configured threshold, otherwise the deterministic Python scheduler picks a different adapter from the 42-adapter catalog.

Adapter source excerpt

The text below is the verbatim docstring of the Ralphex adapter in the bernstein repo, with em-dashes swapped for commas so the voice gate passes. Length: 38 characters.

Ralphex (umputun/ralphex) CLI adapter.

Adapter telemetry

Registry nameralphex
Adapter classRalphex
Source filesrc/bernstein/adapters/ralphex.py
Source file size136 lines, 5,441 bytes
Source SHA-256007f4cd12bd1d1dc57af9ea3daf53037d8c7b88c3594f9446e1f5aba907a3fed
Category bucketcli-family
Upstream repoumputun/ralphex
Upstream homepageNot recorded
Last verified upstreamNo "Last verified" line in adapter source
Operator-curated overlayNo (programmatic page)

When to pick which

Choose Ralphex

Reach for Ralphex when the work is a single thread that fits one agent: in a single-process terminal session, designed for single-instance use per repo. Auth model is configured per upstream docs. You skip the orchestrator round-trip and get the smallest possible surface between you and the model.

Choose Bernstein

Wrap Ralphex under Bernstein when the goal splits into parallel tasks, when you want an HMAC-chained audit log on every routing decision, or when a deterministic Python scheduler (no LLM picking who runs what) is a hard requirement.

FAQ

Does Bernstein replace Ralphex?

No. Bernstein wraps Ralphex as one of 42 CLI adapters and routes tasks to it based on per-task pass-rate history. Ralphex keeps running unchanged; Bernstein decides when it gets work.

Can I run Ralphex alongside other agents in the same repo?

Yes. Each agent runs in its own git worktree under .worktrees/, so file edits never collide. Bernstein merges results back to the trunk only after the configured quality gates (lint, types, tests) pass.

Is this comparison page handwritten?

No. The template is fixed; every fact and every link is pulled from the bernstein adapter source in the master branch and (when available) the upstream project's own pages. The data extractor lives at scripts/gen-compare-data.mjs. No LLM writes the prose.