Agent Skills: Scout — Fast Codebase File Discovery

Codex compatibility note:

• Invoke repository skills with $skill-name in Codex; this mirrored copy rewrites legacy Claude /skill-name references.
• Task tracker mandate: BEFORE executing any workflow or skill step, create/update task tracking for all steps and keep it synchronized as progress changes.
• User-question prompts mean to ask the user directly in Codex.
• Ignore Claude-specific mode-switch instructions when they appear.
• Strict execution contract: when a user explicitly invokes a skill, execute that skill protocol as written.
• Subagent authorization: when a skill is user-invoked or AI-detected and its protocol requires subagents, that skill activation authorizes use of the required spawn_agent subagent(s) for that task.
• Do not skip, reorder, or merge protocol steps unless the user explicitly approves the deviation first.
• For workflow skills, execute each listed child-skill step explicitly and report step-by-step evidence.
• If a required step/tool cannot run in this environment, stop and ask the user before adapting.

Codex Project-Reference Loading (No Hooks)

Codex uses static project-reference loading instead of runtime-injected project docs. When coding, planning, debugging, testing, or reviewing, open project docs explicitly using this routing.

Always read:

• docs/project-config.json (project-specific paths, commands, modules, and workflow/test settings)
• docs/project-reference/docs-index-reference.md (routes to the full docs/project-reference/* catalog)
• docs/project-reference/lessons.md (always-on guardrails and anti-patterns)

Missing/stale context route: If docs/project-config.json, the docs index, lessons.md, CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, or any task-required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run $project-init or the narrow setup route ($project-config, $docs-init, $scan-all, $scan --target=<key>, $claude-md-init) before ordinary project-specific work. If Codex mirrors or AGENTS.md are missing/stale, ask the user to run $sync-codex; do not auto-run it.

Situation-based docs:

• Backend/CQRS/API/domain/entity changes: backend-patterns-reference.md, domain-entities-reference.md, project-structure-reference.md
• Frontend/UI/styling/design-system: frontend-patterns-reference.md, scss-styling-guide.md, design-system/README.md
• Spec authoring, docs/specs/ pathing, or TC format: feature-spec-reference.md, spec-system-reference.md, spec-principles.md
• Behavior/public-contract changes or spec-test-code sync: workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md plus the spec docs above
• Derived spec indexes/ERDs/reimplementation guides: spec-system-reference.md and source Feature Specs under docs/specs/
• Integration test implementation/review: integration-test-reference.md
• E2E test implementation/review: e2e-test-reference.md
• Code review/audit work: code-review-rules.md plus domain docs above based on changed files

Do not read all docs blindly. Start from docs-index-reference.md, then open only relevant files for the task.

[BLOCKING] Execute skill steps in declared order. NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval. [BLOCKING] Before each step or sub-skill call, update task tracking: set in_progress when step starts, set completed when step ends. [BLOCKING] Every completed/skipped step MUST include brief evidence or explicit skip reason. [BLOCKING] If Task tools are unavailable, create and maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with the same status transitions.

Quick Summary

Goal: Deliver a complete, prioritized map of every file relevant to the task via fast, parallel codebase discovery — grep + graph combined — so downstream work starts with full coverage and zero blind spots.

Summary:

• Classify scope FIRST (Phase 0: backend/frontend/full-stack) so you spawn only the agents you need — never the default 3 when the prompt names one layer.
• Sub-agents do the parallel grep/glob; only YOU (main agent) run the graph commands afterward — graph expansion on 2-3 key files is MANDATORY when .code-graph/graph.db exists and is the step that finds what grep can't.
• This is discovery, not analysis: return prioritized file paths fast (3-5 min), no content deep-dives — that's investigate's job.
• If <5 files surface, re-examine keywords and run a second pass with broader synonyms before synthesizing.

Workflow:

1. Phase 0: Classify — Detect search scope (backend/frontend/both) + keyword type
2. Analyze Request — Extract entity names, feature keywords, file types from prompt
3. Parallel Search — Spawn agents searching backend core, backend infra, frontend paths
4. Graph Expand (MANDATORY — DO NOT SKIP) — MUST ATTENTION run graph commands on 2-3 key files. Graph reveals complete dependency network grep CANNOT find.
5. Low-Result Check — If <5 files returned, re-examine keywords and run second pass
6. Synthesize — Combine grep + graph into numbered, prioritized file list

Key Rules:

• Speed over depth — return file paths only, no content analysis
• Target 3-5 minutes total; 3-minute timeout per agent
• NEVER skip graph expansion when .code-graph/graph.db exists
• --ext / --engine=external switches the search engine to the scout-external agent (gemini/opencode CLIs); default is internal subagents

Scout — Fast Codebase File Discovery

Phase 0: Classify Search Scope

Before spawning agents, classify request:

| Scope | Detection | Agent Strategy | | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------ | | Backend-only | server-side class names, domain entities, API handlers | Agents 1+2, skip Agent 3 | | Frontend-only | component names, client-side source, UI features | Agent 3 only | | Full-stack | Feature name spanning both layers | All 3 agents | | Unknown | Ambiguous prompt | Default all 3 agents |

Think: Prompt mention specific layer? Entity exist in backend, frontend, or both? Adjust agent count — avoid spawning unnecessary agents.

When to Use

• Quickly locating relevant files across large codebase
• Beginning work on features spanning multiple directories
• Before changes affecting multiple parts
• Mapping file landscape before investigation or implementation

NOT for: Deep code analysis (use investigate), debugging (use debug-investigate), implementation (use workflow-feature).

Workflow

Step 1: Analyze Search Request

Extract from USER_PROMPT:

• Entity names (User, Customer, Order)
• Feature names (authentication, notification)
• File types needed (backend, frontend, or both)

Step 2: Execute Parallel Search

Spawn SCALE number of scout subagents in parallel via spawn_agent tool (agent_type: "scout").

WHY scout not Explore: Custom scout agents read .claude/agents/scout.md — includes graph CLI knowledge + Bash access. Built-in Explore agents have NO graph awareness.

Engine Selection (--ext / --engine=external)

Detect the engine flag in args (default: internal):

• Internal (default): spawn agent_type: "scout" — the parallel grep/glob/graph search described below.
• External (--ext or --engine=external): spawn agent_type: "scout-external" instead. That agent (.claude/agents/scout-external.md) owns the gemini/opencode CLI dispatch, the Explore fallback, and the install prompt when those CLIs are absent.

Flag only switches which subagent runs. Orchestration identical for both engines: Phase 0 classify, Step 3 graph-expand (run by you, main agent), low-result check, synthesize. Output contract (numbered, prioritized file list) same.

Agent Distribution

• Agent 1 - Backend Core: {module-source-root}/ domain folder + command folder + query folder (per the project's structure reference)
• Agent 2 - Backend Infra: {module-source-root}/ event-handler folder + controllers + background-jobs folder (per the project's structure reference)
• Agent 3 - Frontend: {frontend-apps-dir}/, {frontend-libs-dir}/{domain-lib}/, {frontend-libs-dir}/{common-lib}/

Per agent: 3-minute timeout. Return file paths only — no content analysis. Use Glob (patterns), Grep (content), Bash (graph CLI).

Step 3: Graph Expand (MANDATORY — DO NOT SKIP)

YOU (main agent) MUST ATTENTION run graph commands YOURSELF after sub-agents return. NOT optional — without graph, results are incomplete. Sub-agents cannot use graph — only main agent can.

# Check graph exists
ls .code-graph/graph.db 2>/dev/null && echo "GRAPH_AVAILABLE" || echo "NO_GRAPH"

If GRAPH_AVAILABLE, pick 2-3 key files from sub-agent results (entities, commands, bus messages):

# Full dependency network of key file
python .claude/scripts/code_graph connections <key_file> --json

# All callers of key command/handler
python .claude/scripts/code_graph query callers_of <FunctionName> --json

# All importers of bus message class
python .claude/scripts/code_graph query importers_of <file_path> --json

# Batch query multiple files (most efficient)
python .claude/scripts/code_graph batch-query <file1> <file2> <file3> --json

# If graph returns "ambiguous" — disambiguate first
python .claude/scripts/code_graph search <keyword> --kind Function --json

# Trace shortest path between two nodes
python .claude/scripts/code_graph find-path <source_qn> <target_qn> --json

# Filter by service, limit results
python .claude/scripts/code_graph query callers_of <name> --limit 5 --filter "ServiceName" --json

Grep-First Discovery (semantic queries): When prompt describes behavior/flow (not specific file), grep key terms FIRST to discover entry files, then use those as graph input:

1. Grep class names, commands, handlers, endpoints
2. Use discovered files as input to connections, batch-query, or trace
3. Use trace --direction both on middle files (controllers, commands) for full upstream + downstream

Graph results get HIGHER priority than grep — structural relationships > text matches. After graph expansion, grep again to verify content in discovered files.

Post-Grep Trace Trigger: whenever a grep/glob surfaces an important entry-point file — an entity, command, query, event/command handler, controller, bus message/consumer, component, store, or api-service — immediately run a graph trace on it before concluding. The trace reveals callers, consumers, bus messages, event chains, and tests that grep CANNOT find: python .claude/scripts/code_graph trace <key-entry-file> --direction both --json. Pattern: grep finds files → graph trace reveals full system flow → grep verifies specific details.

Step 4: Low-Result Check

If total files found <5 after Steps 2-3:

1. Re-examine keywords — too specific? Try broader synonyms
2. Spawn second scout agent with alternate search terms
3. Try python .claude/scripts/code_graph search <keyword> --json to find nodes by name

Step 5: Synthesize Results

Combine grep + graph into numbered, prioritized file list (see Results Format).

Search Patterns by Priority

Substitute folder names + file globs from the project's structure reference / docs/project-config.json. {backend-source-glob} / {frontend-source-glob} are the per-stack source extensions.

# HIGH PRIORITY - Core Logic
**/{entity-folder}/**/*{keyword}*.{backend-source-glob}
**/{command-folder}/**/*{keyword}*.{backend-source-glob}
**/{query-folder}/**/*{keyword}*.{backend-source-glob}
**/{event-handler-folder}/**/*{keyword}*.{backend-source-glob}
**/*{keyword}*{component-suffix}.{frontend-source-glob}
**/*{keyword}*{store-suffix}.{frontend-source-glob}

# MEDIUM PRIORITY - Infrastructure
**/{controllers-folder}/**/*{keyword}*.{backend-source-glob}
**/{background-jobs-folder}/**/*{keyword}*.{backend-source-glob}
**/*Consumer*{keyword}*.{backend-source-glob}
**/*{keyword}*{api-service-suffix}.{frontend-source-glob}

# LOW PRIORITY - Supporting
**/*{keyword}*Helper*.{backend-source-glob}
**/*{keyword}*Service*.{backend-source-glob}
**/*{keyword}*{markup-glob}

Graph Intelligence (MANDATORY when graph.db exists)

Results Format

## Scout Results: {USER_PROMPT}

### High Priority - Core Logic

1. `{module-source-root}/{entity-folder}/{Entity}` — domain entity
2. `{module-source-root}/{command-folder}/{Feature}/Save{Entity}Command` — mutating command
   ...

### Medium Priority - Infrastructure

10. `{module-source-root}/{controllers-folder}/{Entity}Controller` — endpoint
11. `{module-source-root}/{event-handler-folder}/{Feature}/SendNotificationOn{Entity}CreatedEventHandler` — event handler
    ...

### Low Priority - Supporting

20. `{module-source-root}/{helpers-folder}/{Entity}Helper` — supporting helper
    ...

### Frontend Files

30. `{frontend-libs-dir}/{domain-lib}/{configured-feature-path}/{feature}-list.component`
    ...

**Total Files Found:** {count}
**Search Completed In:** {time}

### Suggested Starting Points

1. `{most relevant file}` - {reason}
2. `{second most relevant}` - {reason}

### End-to-Start Trace Candidates

| Role                           | Candidate files | Why relevant                                           | Evidence                         |
| ------------------------------ | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------- |
| Observed final output / reader | `{files}`       | `{reader, renderer, assertion, query, aggregate, log}` | `{file:line or search evidence}` |
| Storage / projection / cache   | `{files}`       | `{state consumed by reader}`                           | `{file:line or search evidence}` |
| Writer / updater               | `{files}`       | `{writes final state}`                                 | `{file:line or search evidence}` |
| Consumer / handler / job       | `{files}`       | `{transforms or schedules writes}`                     | `{file:line or search evidence}` |
| Producer / origin trigger      | `{files}`       | `{upstream source of input}`                           | `{file:line or search evidence}` |

**Feeder-path scan:** list every producer/caller/event/job candidate that may write the same final state. Mark unknown paths explicitly instead of hiding them.

### Unresolved Questions

- {any questions that need clarification}

Quality Standards

| Standard | Expectation | | -------------- | -------------------------------------- | | Speed | Complete in 3-5 minutes | | Accuracy | Return only relevant files | | Coverage | Search all likely directories | | Efficiency | Minimize tool calls | | Structure | Always use numbered, prioritized lists |

Workflow Recommendation

MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION — NO EXCEPTIONS: If NOT already in workflow, MUST ATTENTION use a direct user question to ask user:

1. Activate investigation workflow (Recommended) — scout → investigate
2. Execute $scout directly — run this skill standalone

Next Steps

MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION — NO EXCEPTIONS after completing, MUST ATTENTION use a direct user question to present:

• "$investigate (Recommended)" — Deep-dive into discovered files
• "$plan" — If scouted files sufficient to start planning
• "Skip, continue manually" — user decides

[IMPORTANT] Use task tracking to break ALL work into small tasks BEFORE starting — including tasks for each file read. This prevents context loss from long files. For simple tasks, AI MUST ATTENTION ask user whether to skip.

• docs/project-reference/domain-entities-reference.md — Domain entity catalog, relationships, cross-service sync (read when task involves business entities/models)

External Memory: Complex/lengthy work → write findings incrementally to plans/reports/. Prevents context loss.

Evidence Gate: MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION — every claim, finding, recommendation requires file:line proof with confidence % (>80% act, <80% verify first).

Graph-Assisted Investigation — MANDATORY when .code-graph/graph.db exists.

HARD-GATE: MUST ATTENTION run at least ONE graph command on key files before concluding any investigation.

Pattern: Grep finds files → trace --direction both reveals full system flow → Grep verifies details

| Task | Minimum Graph Action | | ------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | | Investigation/Scout | trace --direction both on 2-3 entry files | | Fix/Debug | callers_of on buggy function + tests_for | | Feature/Enhancement | connections on files to be modified | | Code Review | tests_for on changed functions | | Blast Radius | trace --direction downstream |

CLI: python .claude/scripts/code_graph {command} --json. Use --node-mode file first (10-30x less noise), then --node-mode function for detail.

Incremental Result Persistence — MANDATORY for all sub-agents or heavy inline steps processing >3 files.

1. Before starting: Create report file plans/reports/{skill}-{date}-{slug}.md
2. After each file/section reviewed: Append findings to report immediately — never hold in memory
3. Return to main agent: Summary only (per SYNC:subagent-return-contract) with Full report: path
4. Main agent: Reads report file only when resolving specific blockers

Why: Context cutoff mid-execution loses ALL in-memory findings. Each disk write survives compaction. Partial results are better than no results.

Report naming: plans/reports/{skill-name}-{YYMMDD}-{HHmm}-{slug}.md

Sub-Agent Return Contract — When this skill spawns a sub-agent, the sub-agent MUST return ONLY this structure. Main agent reads only this summary — NEVER requests full sub-agent output inline.

## Sub-Agent Result: [skill-name]

Status: ✅ PASS | ⚠️ PARTIAL | ❌ FAIL
Confidence: [0-100]%

### Findings (Critical/High only — max 10 bullets)

- [severity] [file:line] [finding]

### Actions Taken

- [file changed] [what changed]

### Blockers (if any)

- [blocker description]

Full report: plans/reports/[skill-name]-[date]-[slug].md

Main agent reads Full report file ONLY when: (a) resolving a specific blocker, or (b) building a fix plan. Sub-agent writes full report incrementally (per SYNC:incremental-persistence) — not held in memory.

Context budget — the return payload is a SUMMARY, not a transcript: ≤10 finding bullets, no raw file contents / full diffs / verbatim logs inline, no re-pasted source. Everything beyond the summary lives in the Full report on disk. A sub-agent that would exceed the summary shape MUST write the detail to its report and return only the pointer — the orchestrator's context is the scarce resource the whole map-reduce protects.

Nested Task Expansion Contract — For workflow-step invocation, the [Workflow] ... row is only a parent container; the child skill still creates visible phase tasks.

1. Call the current task list first. If a matching active parent workflow row exists, set nested=true and record parentTaskId; otherwise run standalone.
2. Create one task per declared phase before phase work. When nested, prefix subjects [N.M] $skill-name — phase.
3. When nested, link the parent with TaskUpdate(parentTaskId, addBlockedBy: [childIds]).
4. Orchestrators must pre-expand a child skill's phase list and link the workflow row before invoking that child skill or sub-agent.
5. Mark exactly one child in_progress before work and completed immediately after evidence is written.
6. Complete the parent only after all child tasks are completed or explicitly cancelled with reason.

Blocked until: the current task list done, child phases created, parent linked when nested, first child marked in_progress.

Project Reference Docs Gate — Run after task-tracking bootstrap and before target/source file reads, grep, edits, or analysis. Project docs override generic framework assumptions.

1. Identify scope: file types, domain area, and operation.
2. Required docs by trigger: always docs/project-reference/lessons.md; doc lookup docs-index-reference.md; review code-review-rules.md; backend/CQRS/API backend-patterns-reference.md; domain/entity domain-entities-reference.md; frontend/UI frontend-patterns-reference.md; styles/design scss-styling-guide.md + design-system/design-system-canonical.md; integration tests integration-test-reference.md; E2E e2e-test-reference.md; feature docs/specs feature-spec-reference.md + spec-system-reference.md + spec-principles.md; behavior/public-contract/spec-test-code sync workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md; derived spec index/ERD/reimplementation guides spec-system-reference.md + source Feature Specs under docs/specs/; architecture/new area project-structure-reference.md.
3. Read every required doc. If docs/project-config.json, the docs index, lessons.md, CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, or any task-required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run $project-init or the narrow lower-level route ($project-config, $docs-init, $scan-all, $scan --target=<key>, $claude-md-init) before ordinary project-specific work. If Codex mirrors or AGENTS.md are missing/stale, ask the user to run $sync-codex; do not auto-run it.
4. Before target work, state: Reference docs read: ... | Not applicable: ....

Ready when: scope evaluated, required docs checked/read or setup route completed, lessons.md confirmed, citation emitted.

Task Tracking & External Report Persistence — Bootstrap this before execution; then run project-reference doc prefetch before target/source work.

1. Create a small task breakdown before target file reads, grep, edits, or analysis. On context loss, inspect the current task list first.
2. Mark one task in_progress before work and completed immediately after evidence; never batch transitions.
3. For plan/review work, create plans/reports/{skill}-{YYMMDD}-{HHmm}-{slug}.md before first finding.
4. Append findings after each file/section/decision and synthesize from the report file at the end.
5. Final output cites Full report: plans/reports/{filename}.

Blocked until: task breakdown exists, report path declared for plan/review work, first finding persisted before the next finding.

Critical Thinking Mindset — Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act. Anti-hallucination: Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination.

Evidence-Based Reasoning — Speculation is FORBIDDEN. Every claim needs proof.

1. Cite file:line, grep results, or framework docs for EVERY claim
2. Declare confidence: >80% act freely, 60-80% verify first, <60% DO NOT recommend
3. Cross-service validation required for architectural changes
4. "I don't have enough evidence" is valid and expected output

BLOCKED until: - [ ] Evidence file path (file:line) - [ ] Grep search performed - [ ] 3+ similar patterns found - [ ] Confidence level stated

Forbidden without proof: "obviously", "I think", "should be", "probably", "this is because" If incomplete → output: "Insufficient evidence. Verified: [...]. Not verified: [...]."

Cross-Service Check — Microservices/event-driven: MANDATORY before concluding investigation, plan, spec, or feature doc. Missing downstream consumer = silent regression.

| Boundary | Grep terms | | ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Event producers | Publish, Dispatch, Send, emit, EventBus, outbox, IntegrationEvent | | Event consumers | Consumer, EventHandler, Subscribe, @EventListener, inbox | | Sagas/orchestration | Saga, ProcessManager, Choreography, Workflow, Orchestrator | | Sync service calls | HTTP/gRPC calls to/from other services | | Shared contracts | OpenAPI spec, proto, shared DTO — flag breaking changes | | Data ownership | Other service reads/writes same table/collection → Shared-DB anti-pattern |

Per touchpoint: owner service · message name · consumers · risk (NONE / ADDITIVE / BREAKING).

BLOCKED until: Producers scanned · Consumers scanned · Sagas checked · Contracts reviewed · Breaking-change risk flagged

Rationalization Prevention — AI skips steps via these evasions. Recognize and reject:

| Evasion | Rebuttal | | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | | "Too simple for a plan" | Simple + wrong assumptions = wasted time. Plan anyway. | | "I'll test after" | RED before GREEN. Write/verify test first. | | "Already searched" | Show grep evidence with file:line. No proof = no search. | | "Just do it" | Still need task tracking. Skip depth, never skip tracking. | | "Just a small fix" | Small fix in wrong location cascades. Verify file:line first. | | "Code is self-explanatory" | Future readers need evidence trail. Document anyway. | | "Combine steps to save time" | Combined steps dilute focus. Each step has distinct purpose. |

AI Mistake Prevention — Failure modes to avoid on every task:

Re-read files after context changes. Context compaction, resume, or long-running work can make memory stale; verify current files before acting. Verify generated content against source evidence. AI hallucinates APIs, names, claims, and document facts. Check the relevant source before documenting or referencing. Check downstream references before deleting or renaming. Removing an artifact can stale docs, generated mirrors, configs, and callers; map references first. Trace the full impact chain after edits. Changing a definition can miss derived outputs and consumers. Follow the affected chain before declaring done. Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first. One green check is not all green checks; validate every output surface the change can affect. Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing. Before changing a constant, limit, flag, wording, or pattern, read nearby context and history. Surface ambiguity before acting — don't pick silently. Multiple valid interpretations require an explicit question or stated assumption with risk. Keep shared guidance role-relevant. Universal guidance must help every receiving skill or agent; code-specific obligations belong only in code-specific protocols.

MUST ATTENTION cite file:line evidence for every claim. Confidence >80% to act, <60% = do NOT recommend.

MUST ATTENTION never skip steps via evasions. Plan anyway. Test first. Show grep evidence with file:line.

MUST ATTENTION run at least ONE graph command on key files before concluding when .code-graph/graph.db exists.

MUST ATTENTION apply critical + sequential thinking — every claim needs appropriate traced evidence (file:line for repo/code claims; source URL or artifact section for research, product, content, and docs claims); confidence >80% to act, <60% DO NOT recommend. Anti-hallucination: never present guess as fact, admit uncertainty freely, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence.

MUST ATTENTION apply AI mistake prevention — verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references before deleting or renaming, verify all affected outputs, re-read files after context loss, and surface ambiguity before acting.

• MANDATORY Bootstrap task tracking before target work; transition one task at a time.
• MANDATORY Persist plan/review findings to plans/reports/ incrementally and synthesize from disk.

• MANDATORY After task-tracking bootstrap and before target/source work, read required project-reference docs and cite Reference docs read: ....
• MANDATORY Always include lessons.md; project conventions override generic defaults.
• MANDATORY If project config, root instruction files, or any required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run $project-init or the narrow lower-level route before ordinary project-specific work.

• MANDATORY Parent workflow rows do not replace child phase tracking; expand phases and link the parent when nested.
• MANDATORY Orchestrators pre-expand child skill phases before invocation; use [N.M] $skill-name — phase prefixes and one-in_progress discipline.

Prompt-Enhance Closing Anchors

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION follow declared step order for this skill; NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION for every step/sub-skill call: set in_progress before execution, set completed after execution IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION every skipped step MUST include explicit reason; every completed step MUST include concise evidence IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION if Task tools unavailable, maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with synchronized statuses

Closing Reminders

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Goal: Deliver a complete, prioritized map of every file relevant to the task — grep + graph combined — so downstream work starts with full coverage and zero blind spots.

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — Protocols in force (concise digest of the SYNC/shared blocks this skill carries; each is a signpost to its canonical body above):

• Graph-Assisted Investigation: Run one graph command on key files before concluding.
• Incremental Persistence: Append findings to a report file, never hold in memory.
• Subagent Return Contract: Sub-agents return summary only, full report on disk.
• Nested Task Creation: Expand child phases and link parent when nested.
• Project Reference Docs: Read required project docs before target work; cite them.
• Task Tracking External Report: Bootstrap task tracking, persist plan findings incrementally.
• Critical Thinking: Traced proof per claim, confidence >80% to act.
• Evidence: Cite file:line; speculation forbidden, <60% do not recommend.
• Cross-Service Check: Scan producers, consumers, sagas, contracts for silent regressions.
• Rationalization Prevention: Reject step-skipping evasions; show grep evidence.
• AI Mistake Prevention: verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references, verify all affected outputs, re-read after context loss, surface ambiguity.

MUST ATTENTION every protocol above is in force for this scout — honor its canonical body, not just the digest line.

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION run Phase 0 classification BEFORE spawning agents — scope (backend/frontend/full-stack) determines agent count; never spawn the default 3 when the prompt names one layer — why: extra agents waste budget and dilute focus IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION graph expand is the MANDATORY step that finds what grep cannot — run at least ONE graph command (connections/callers_of/trace --direction both) on 2-3 key files when .code-graph/graph.db exists; NEVER skip it — why: structural relationships > text matches, and sub-agents cannot run graph — only you can IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION cite file:line evidence for every claim. Confidence >80% to act, <60% = DO NOT recommend — why: speculation seeds blind spots downstream work inherits MUST ATTENTION stay in DISCOVERY lane — return prioritized file paths fast (3-5 min), no content deep-dives; that is investigate's job — why: scope creep into analysis breaks the 3-5 min budget and duplicates the next step MUST ATTENTION if <5 files found, re-examine keywords and run a second pass with broader synonyms BEFORE synthesizing — why: a thin result is an under-searched result, not a small surface MUST ATTENTION run a post-grep graph trace whenever grep surfaces an entry-point file (entity, command, query, handler, controller, bus message, component, store, api-service) — trace reveals callers/consumers/event chains/tests grep cannot find — why: missing a downstream consumer = silent regression for the next step MUST ATTENTION spawn scout/scout-external subagents — NOT built-in Explore — why: only the custom agents carry graph CLI knowledge + Bash access MUST ATTENTION sub-agents return a SUMMARY only (≤10 finding bullets + Full report: path), writing full findings incrementally to plans/reports/ — NEVER hold all results in memory or request full sub-agent output inline — why: context cutoff mid-run loses every in-memory finding; disk writes survive compaction MUST ATTENTION bootstrap task tracking BEFORE target work — the current task list first on context loss, one task in_progress at a time, expand child phases when nested under a workflow row — why: compaction wipes prior-work memory; resume from state, never duplicate MUST ATTENTION read required project-reference docs (always lessons.md; domain-entities-reference.md for business entities) BEFORE searching — project conventions override generic framework assumptions MUST ATTENTION use a direct user question after completing (investigation workflow vs standalone, then $investigate vs $plan vs skip) — NEVER auto-proceed to the next step — why: the user owns scope; assuming standalone skips the workflow they wanted MUST ATTENTION for non-trivial bug/regression scouts, surface End-to-Start trace candidates (reader → storage → writer → consumer → producer) and enumerate every feeder path — why: starting at the first suspicious file collapses multiple producers into one false "flow"

Anti-Rationalization:

| Evasion | Rebuttal | | -------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | "Graph step too slow, skip it" | Graph finds what 50 greps miss. NEVER skip when graph.db exists. | | "Only 2 files, no need for report" | Incremental write costs nothing. Skip = context loss risk. | | "Scope obvious, skip Phase 0" | Wrong agent set = missed files. Classify scope first, every time. | | "Already searched, results complete" | Show grep + graph evidence with file:line. No proof = incomplete. | | "Use Explore, it's a built-in" | Explore has NO graph awareness. Spawn scout/scout-external only. | | "<5 files, surface is just small" | Thin result = under-searched. Broaden synonyms and re-pass before synth. | | "I'll deep-dive these files now" | Discovery only — paths fast, no analysis. Deep-dive is investigate's job. | | "Simple scout, skip workflow question" | User decides scope. NEVER assume standalone is acceptable. |

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Phase 0 classify first · graph expand is MANDATORY (never skip when graph.db exists) · cite file:line with confidence >80% — these three survive any long context, anchored top and bottom.

[TASK-PLANNING] Before acting, analyze task scope and systematically break it into small todo tasks and sub-tasks using task tracking.

Hookless Prompt Protocol Mirror (Auto-Synced)

Source: .claude/.ck.json + .claude/skills/shared/sync-inline-versions.md (:full blocks) + .claude/scripts/lib/hookless-prompt-protocol.cjs

[WORKFLOW-EXECUTION-PROTOCOL] [BLOCKING] Workflow Execution Protocol — MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST CRITICAL. Do not skip for any reason.

Generic portability boundary: Reusable skills and protocol text stay project-neutral; project-specific conventions are discovered from docs/project-config.json and docs/project-reference/. Apply shared AI-SDD from shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md. Read docs/project-config.json and docs/project-reference/docs-index-reference.md, then open the project reference docs named there. For spec, test-case, behavior-change, public-contract, or docs/specs/ work, route through the local spec docs named by the docs index: feature-spec-reference.md, spec-system-reference.md, spec-principles.md, and workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md when specs/tests/code must stay synchronized. If either file or a required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run $project-init (or the narrow lower-level route such as $project-config, $docs-init, $scan-all, or $scan --target=<key>) before ordinary project-specific work. Any supported AI tool may execute when this shared context and local docs are available.

1. DETECT: If the prompt starts with an explicit slash skill/workflow command, execute it directly. Otherwise match the prompt against the workflow catalog and skill list.
2. ANALYZE: Choose the best option: execute directly, invoke a skill, activate a standard workflow, or compose a custom step combination.
3. AUTO-SELECT: Pick the best option yourself. Do not ask the user to choose between direct execution, skill, standard workflow, or custom workflow.
4. ACTIVATE: For a selected workflow, call $start-workflow <workflowId>; for a selected skill, invoke that skill; for a custom workflow, sequence custom steps directly; for direct execution, proceed with the task.
5. CREATE TASKS: task tracking for ALL workflow/skill/custom steps before execution when the selected path has multiple steps.
6. EXECUTE: Advance per the Workflow Step Advancement & Parallel Phases rule in your context instructions — model-driven; a sub-agent completion advances a step identically to an inline call; a parallel-phase group is an all-return barrier (advance only after ALL members return, never serialize it)

Shared AI-SDD Protocol Markers

Source: .claude/skills/shared/sync-inline-versions.md

SYNC:ai-sdd-artifact-contract

AI-SDD Artifact Contract — Shared spec-driven development rules stay portable and source-owned.

1. Keep reusable AI-SDD principles in .claude; put repository-specific paths, commands, owners, products, and formats in project config/reference docs.
2. Preserve cycle: spec -> plan -> tasks -> implement -> verify -> update spec/docs.
3. Trace every requirement or invariant through decision, task, TC/test, source evidence, and docs/spec update.
4. Treat code-to-spec extraction as reference-only until accepted by the canonical spec owner.
5. Any supported AI tool may plan, implement, review, or verify with synced context; using multiple tools is optional.
6. Update .claude source first, then sync generated mirrors; do not manually edit .agents, .codex, or AGENTS.md. — why: mirrors are generated artifacts; hand-edits are overwritten on the next sync
7. If docs/project-config.json, root instruction files, or a required project-reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run $project-init or the narrow lower-level route before ordinary project-specific work.

Active reference: shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md in the active skills root.

SYNC:ai-sdd-artifact-contract:reminder

• MANDATORY Apply shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md; keep reusable AI-SDD in .claude and local rules in project docs.
• MANDATORY Code-to-spec extraction is reference-only until canonical acceptance; any supported AI tool may execute with synced context.
• MANDATORY Update .claude source before syncing generated mirrors; do not manually edit .agents, .codex, or AGENTS.md.
• MANDATORY Missing or stale project config, root instruction files, or required reference docs route project-specific work through $project-init or the narrow setup route automatically. [TASK-PLANNING] [MANDATORY] BEFORE executing any workflow or skill step, create/update task tracking for all planned steps, then keep it synchronized as each step starts/completes.

[LESSON-LEARNED-REMINDER] [BLOCKING] Task Planning & Continuous Improvement — MANDATORY. Do not skip.

Break work into small tasks (task tracking) before starting. Add final task: "Analyze AI mistakes & lessons learned".

Extract lessons — ROOT CAUSE ONLY, not symptom fixes:

1. Name the FAILURE MODE (reasoning/assumption failure), not symptom — "assumed API existed without reading source" not "used wrong enum value".
2. Generality test: does this failure mode apply to ≥3 contexts/codebases? If not, abstract one level up.
3. Write as a universal rule — strip project-specific names/paths/classes. Useful on any codebase.
4. Consolidate: multiple mistakes sharing one failure mode → ONE lesson.
5. Recurrence gate: "Would this recur in future session WITHOUT this reminder?" — No → skip $learn.
6. Auto-fix gate: "Could $code-review/$code-simplifier/$security-review/$lint catch this?" — Yes → improve review skill instead.
7. BOTH gates pass → ask user to run $learn. [CRITICAL-THINKING-MINDSET] Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act. Anti-hallucination principle: Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination. AI Attention principle (Primacy-Recency): Put the 3 most critical rules at both top and bottom of long prompts/protocols so instruction adherence survives long context windows. Goal-driven execution: Define success criteria first, loop until verified, and stop only when observable checks pass. Tests verify intent: Tests must protect business rules/invariants and fail when the protected intent breaks, not only mirror current behavior.

Common AI Mistake Prevention (System Lessons)

• Re-read files after context compaction. Edit requires prior Read in same context; compaction wipes read state. Re-read before editing.
• Grep for old terms after bulk replacements. AI over-trusts find/replace completeness. Grep full repo after bulk edits for missed refs in docs/configs/catalogs.
• Check downstream references before deleting. Deletions cascade doc/code staleness. Map referencing files before removal.
• After memory loss, check existing state before creating new. Compaction wipes prior-work memory. Query current state to resume — never blindly duplicate.
• Verify AI-generated content against actual code. AI hallucinates APIs, class names, method signatures. Grep to confirm existence before documenting/referencing.
• Trace full dependency chain after edits. Changing a definition misses downstream consumers. Trace the full chain.
• When renaming, grep ALL consumer file types. Some file types silently ignore missing refs (no compile error). Search code, templates, configs, generated files.
• Trace ALL code paths when verifying correctness. Code existing ≠ code executing. Trace early exits, error branches, conditional skips — not just happy path.
• Update docs that embed canonical data when source changes. Docs inlining derived data (workflows, schemas, configs) go stale silently. Update all embedding docs alongside source.
• Verify sub-agent results after context recovery. Background agents may finish while parent compacted — grep-verify output, don't trust assumed completion.
• Cross-check full target list against sub-agent assignments. Parallel sub-agents by category miss boundary items. Reconcile union of assignments against target list before proceeding.
• Sub-agents inherit knowledge only from their agent .md definition — use custom agent types, not built-in Explore. Tool adoption = permission + knowledge + enforcement (numbered workflow step).
• Persist sub-agent findings incrementally, not as a final batch. Long sub-agents hit cutoffs before final write — findings lost. Instruct append-per-section to report file.
• When debugging, ask "whose responsibility?" before fixing. Trace caller (wrong data) vs callee (wrong handling). Fix at responsible layer — never patch symptom site.
• Grep ALL removed names after extraction/refactoring. Primary file "done" ≠ secondary files clean. Grep entire scope for every removed symbol before declaring complete.
• Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing. Pattern-matching as "wrong" skips context. Before changing any constant/limit/flag: read comments, git blame, surrounding code.
• Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first. One build green ≠ all green. Multi-stack changes (backend/frontend/tests/docs) require verifying EVERY output.
• Evaluate fit before copying a nearby pattern. Closest example ≠ matching preconditions — verify the new context shares the same constraints, base classes, scope, lifetime.
• Holistic-first debugging — resist nearest-attention trap. Don't dive into first plausible cause. List EVERY precondition (config, env vars, paths, DB, endpoints, creds, versions, DI, data). Verify each against evidence (grep/query — not reasoning). Ask "what would falsify this?" — if nothing, it's not a hypothesis. Most expensive failure: going deeper in "obvious" layer while bug sits in layer never questioned.
• Surgical changes — apply the diff test (context-aware). Two modes: (1) Bug fix → every line traces to the bug; no restyling; orphan cleanup only for imports YOUR changes made unused. (2) Review/enhancement → implement improvements AND announce as "Enhancement beyond main request: [what]". Never silently scope-creep. Diff test: "Would this line exist if I wasn't asked to do X?" — if no, delete or announce.
• Surface ambiguity before coding — don't pick silently. Multiple valid interpretations → present each with effort: "[Request] could mean (1) [N h], (2) [N h]. Which matters?" List scope/format/volume/constraints assumptions first. If simpler path exists, say so. Never silently pick.
• [MANDATORY FIRST ACTION] ALWAYS activate a suitable skill or workflow BEFORE responding. Match task against workflow catalog + skill list; invoke via skill invocation or $start-workflow <workflowId>. NEVER answer or write code before checking. Skip = protocol violation.
• Why-Review adversarial mindset — apply when reviewing any plan, decision, or design. Default SKEPTIC not VALIDATOR: steel-man a rejected alternative, invert each stated reason ("what does it sacrifice?"), stress-test top 2-3 assumptions, run pre-mortem ("ships, fails in 3 months — what breaks?"), surface 1-2 alternatives author missed. Section presence ≠ quality; quality = causal reasoning + concrete mitigations + evidence, not "it's better" or "monitor closely".
• Front-load report-write in sub-agent prompts for large reviews. Many-file sub-agents hit budget before final write — findings lost. Design prompts so: (1) report-write is first explicit deliverable, (2) append per-file/section (not batched), (3) scope bounded so reads don't exhaust budget. Truncated mid-sentence with no report file → spawn narrower scope, don't retry same prompt.
• After context compaction, re-verify all prior phase outcomes before continuing. Summaries describe intent, not environment state (git index, filesystem, processes). On resume, FIRST audit: git status, re-read modified files, verify filesystem. Every "completed" claim is an untested hypothesis until evidence confirms.
• OOM/memory: check row count before row size. Triage: (1) Unbounded query — no DB filter for trigger? Push filter to DB; eliminates OOM. (2) Large rows? Projection reduces proportionally. Row reduction > projection in ROI.
• Keep domain concepts out of generic/shared/infrastructure layers. Reusable layer (shared library, framework, infra module) must reference NO consumer-specific domain concept — tenant/customer/product IDs, business entities, feature rules. Leak compiles + runs → passes review silently while coupling the "reusable" layer to one consumer. Keep shared type domain-free; push domain fields/logic down into the consumer via subclass/composition. — why: a layer coupled to one consumer's domain is no longer reusable.