Key takeaways
- 1,000+ pull requests merged per week with zero human-written code
- Built on a fork of Block's open-source Goose agent
- MCP server ('Toolshed') provides 400+ internal tools for context
FAQ
What is Stripe Minions?
Stripe's internal coding agent system that writes code end-to-end and ships over 1,000 merged pull requests per week, with human review but no human-written code.
How do Stripe Minions work?
Engineers invoke agents via Slack, CLI, or web. Agents run in isolated pre-warmed 'devboxes,' access 400+ internal tools via MCP, and produce PR-ready code within 2 CI rounds.
What is Stripe Minions built on?
Minions are built on a fork of Block's open-source Goose coding agent, extended with deep internal tool integrations.
Executive Summary
Stripe Minions is the most detailed public case study of enterprise in-house coding agents. The system produces over 1,000 merged pull requests per week — with humans reviewing the code but writing none of it. Built on a fork of Block's open-source Goose agent, Minions integrate deeply with Stripe's existing developer infrastructure through a central MCP server called "Toolshed" with 400+ internal tools.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Company | Stripe |
| Type | Internal tool (not for sale) |
| Foundation | Goose fork (Block) |
| Public Documentation | February 2026 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, CA |
Product Overview
Stripe Minions are fully unattended coding agents designed for "one-shot" tasks — given a ticket, bug report, or specification, they produce a complete pull request without human intervention during the coding process. The key innovation is deep integration with Stripe's existing developer tooling, allowing agents to work with the same context and tools as human engineers.
Key Capabilities
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| End-to-end coding | Writes code from start to finish based on tickets/specs |
| Multi-surface invocation | Slack (primary), CLI, web UI, internal tool integrations |
| MCP context | 400+ tools via central "Toolshed" server (docs, tickets, Sourcegraph) |
| Parallel execution | Multiple minions run simultaneously without git conflicts |
Product Surfaces
| Surface | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Slack | Tag agent in any thread to invoke | Primary interface |
| CLI | Command-line for power users | Secondary |
| Web | Visibility and management | Administrative |
| Internal tools | Deep integration with ticketing, feature flags | Stripe-specific |
Technical Architecture
Minions run on pre-warmed "devboxes" — isolated development environments that spin up in 10 seconds. These environments are identical to what human engineers use, but isolated from production and the internet for security.
Architecture Flow
Invocation (Slack/CLI/Web)
↓
Devbox (isolated sandbox, 10s spin-up)
↓
MCP Server (Toolshed: 400+ tools)
↓
Agent Loop (Goose fork)
↓
Local lint (under 5s) → CI (max 2 rounds) → Auto-fix
↓
Pull Request (human review required)
Key Technical Details
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Foundation | Fork of Block's Goose agent |
| Execution | Pre-warmed devboxes (10-second spin-up) |
| Context | MCP server with 400+ tools |
| CI Strategy | Local lint (under 5s), max 2 CI rounds, auto-apply fixes |
| Isolation | No production access, no internet |
Strengths
- Proven scale — 1,000+ PRs merged weekly, validated in production at one of the world's most demanding codebases
- Deep integration — MCP server provides agents the same context human engineers have (docs, tickets, build status, Sourcegraph search)
- Fast iteration — 10-second devbox spin-up enables rapid feedback loops
- Leverages existing infra — Uses same environments as human engineers, reducing agent-specific edge cases
- Parallelization — Engineers run multiple Minions simultaneously without git worktree conflicts
Cautions
- Requires massive codebase investment — Stripe has hundreds of millions of lines of code and years of devex tooling; this isn't replicable overnight
- Human review bottleneck — Agents write code but don't merge; humans must still review everything
- Stack-specific patterns — Ruby/Sorbet environment; some patterns may not transfer to other stacks
- Dedicated team required — "Leverage team" maintains the system full-time
- Not for sale — This is internal tooling, not a product you can buy
Competitive Positioning
vs. Other In-House Agents
| System | Differentiation |
|---|---|
| StrongDM Factory | Minions require human review; StrongDM eliminates it entirely |
| Ramp Inspect | Similar architecture; Minions have deeper MCP integration |
| Coinbase Claudebot | Minions built on Goose fork; Coinbase appears Anthropic-native |
When to Reference Stripe Minions
- Reference when: Building in-house agents at 1,000+ engineer scale
- Consider alternatives when: Team under 100 engineers, no existing devex investment
- Buy instead when: Need agents in weeks, not quarters (consider Tembo, Claude Code, Codex)
Ideal Customer Profile
This is internal tooling, not a product for sale. However, the architecture is worth studying if you are:
Good fit for similar build:
- Engineering organization with 1,000+ engineers
- Existing devex team (3+ engineers) that can be redirected
- Codebase exceeding 10M LOC with proprietary frameworks
- Mature internal tooling (ticketing, CI, monitoring)
Poor fit:
- Teams under 100 engineers (buy instead)
- Standard tech stack without proprietary frameworks
- No existing devex investment
- Need results in weeks, not quarters
Viability Assessment
| Factor | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Documentation Quality | Excellent (detailed public blog post) |
| Replicability | Difficult (requires massive devex investment) |
| Open Source Foundation | Yes (Goose is open source) |
| Architecture Maturity | High (production-validated at scale) |
| Transferability | Medium (principles transfer; implementation is Stripe-specific) |
Stripe's detailed documentation makes Minions the reference architecture for enterprise in-house coding agents. While the specific implementation requires Stripe-level investment, the patterns — MCP context, isolated sandboxes, CI integration, Slack invocation — are universally applicable.
Bottom Line
Stripe Minions represent the gold standard for in-house coding agents at elite engineering organizations. The key insight: agents need the same context and tools as human engineers, not a bolted-on integration.
Key metrics: 1,000+ PRs/week, 10-second devbox spin-up, 400+ MCP tools, max 2 CI rounds.
Architecture pattern: Slack invocation → isolated sandbox → MCP context → CI loop → human review → merge.
Recommended study for: Engineering leaders evaluating build vs. buy for coding agents, devex teams designing agent infrastructure.
Not recommended for: Small teams, organizations without existing devex investment, anyone expecting a product they can purchase.
Outlook: Stripe has defined the reference architecture. Expect commercial vendors (Tembo, Devin, etc.) to offer "Stripe Minions in a box" for organizations that can't build their own.
Research by Ry Walker Research • methodology
Disclosure: Author is CEO of Tembo, which offers agent orchestration as an alternative to building in-house.