How to use Unknown to port releases with Millrace
Millrace runs a governed loop that ports Python releases to Rust, checks parity and publishes validated versions; the underlying agent is unnamed.
news.ycombinator.comPrompt to try
Editorial adaptation, not the source author’s exact prompt. Replace bracketed inputs and review tool permissions first.
Configure Millrace for [Python project] and [Rust port]. Wait for new releases, fetch each release, port its changes, verify functional parity, and publish only validated versions to [registry]. Freeze the validated stage graph before execution.
Reach people exploring AI agents
See placements →What happened
The author says the loop had operated for over a month and produced a Rust framework functionally equivalent to its corresponding Python release, including the same bugs.
Reported by timosterhus on Hacker NewsHow the agent did it
- Configured a governed loop to follow Python releases.
- Fetched new releases and ported changes into Rust.
- Checked functional parity and published validated releases to crates.io.
Where a person stepped in
The post does not describe human review of each port; the author comments on README quality and retained bugs.
A person set the goal and reviewed the result.
Millrace's author describes using the framework to keep a Rust implementation aligned with releases of the original Python project. The workflow had reportedly been running for over a month when the post was written. When a new Python version appears, the loop fetches that release, ports its changes into Rust, checks functional parity and publishes the validated version to crates.io. If no release is available, it waits.
The framework changes incoming prompts according to what the previous agent accomplished and whether it succeeded. Its runtime handles artifact handoffs, stage selection and recovery semantics. Work is scoped into narrow stages, and graph data configures the plan. Validation by Millrace's compiler freezes that plan so the governed agents cannot accidentally change it during execution.
The author calls the Rust framework functionally equivalent to the Python release it derives from, including the same bugs. They also criticize the generated Rust README and acknowledge that configuration is not yet complete. The post does not name the underlying coding agent. Who it's for: framework maintainers exploring release-driven ports with explicit stages, parity checks and publication gates.
Prompt
Suggested prompt (written by Agents In Use, not the author's)
Source: Hacker News · timosterhus
Frequently asked questions
What happens when no release is available?
The author says the loop stays idle and waits until a new Python version is released.
Did the port remove existing bugs?
No. The author explicitly says the Rust implementation contains the same bugs as the corresponding Python release.
More details
About this account
The loop waits for releases and autonomously handles porting, parity validation and publication through runtime-governed stages.
Platform: Hacker News. Attribution: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48505380. Prompt: Suggested (written by Agents In Use, not the author's). Sourced by the Agents In Use pipeline.
Credit: timosterhus on Hacker News
Source published 12 Jun 2026
Source checked 14 Oct 2026
Tools and topics
Millrace · Python · Rust · crates.io
Agent workflows
Editorial completeness: 100/100. Measures documented fields, not agent performance or verified outcomes.