<!-- CODEX:PROJECT-REFERENCE-LOADING:START -->Codex compatibility note:
- Invoke repository skills with
$skill-namein Codex; this mirrored copy rewrites legacy Claude/skill-namereferences.- 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_agentsubagent(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 fulldocs/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.mdplus the spec docs above - Derived spec indexes/ERDs/reimplementation guides:
spec-system-reference.mdand source Feature Specs underdocs/specs/ - Integration test implementation/review:
integration-test-reference.md - E2E test implementation/review:
e2e-test-reference.md - Code review/audit work:
code-review-rules.mdplus 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.
<!-- PROMPT-ENHANCE:STEP-TASK-ANCHOR:END -->[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_progresswhen step starts, setcompletedwhen 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: Execute broad web search on a topic, collect and classify sources, and produce a tiered, deduplicated source map plus a gap list — the triaged candidate-source feedstock that deep-research dives into next — NOT a final research report.
Summary:
- Hard-cap fan-out at 10
WebSearchcalls per invocation — generate 5-10 angle-varied queries (overview, current-state, comparison, data, expert, criticism) and stop searching at the cap; this is breadth-then-triage, not deep-dive. - Classify every result into Tier 1-4 (.gov/.edu/official > industry reports > established blogs/Wikipedia > forums/social) and dedupe by URL/syndicated content before it counts as a source.
- The deliverable is the intermediate source map at
.claude/tmp/_sources-{slug}.md(sources table + Gaps Identified), NOT a synthesized report — hand it off todeep-research. - Mine the source set for gaps (missing perspectives, missing quantitative data, stale recency) so the next step knows what to dig deeper on.
Workflow:
- Define scope — Parse topic, generate 5-10 search queries from varied angles
- Execute searches — Run WebSearch for each query, collect results
- Source triage — Classify each source by Tier (1-4), filter duplicates
- Build source map — Write structured source list to working file
- Identify gaps — Note underexplored angles for deep-research
Key Rules:
- Maximum 10 WebSearch calls per invocation
- Follow source hierarchy: Official docs (Tier 1) > Peer-reviewed (Tier 2) > Industry blogs (Tier 3) > Forums (Tier 4)
- Output intermediate source map, not final report
Be skeptical. Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence percentages (Idea should be more than 80%).
Web Research
Knowledge Work Rules (canonical)
Web Research Protocol — Every factual claim needs 2+ independent sources. Source tiers: Tier 1 (authoritative .gov/.edu/official docs), Tier 2 (industry reports), Tier 3 (credible blogs — cross-validate), Tier 4 (unverified — NEVER cite as fact). Declare confidence for all findings.
- Follow source hierarchy (official docs > peer-reviewed > industry blogs > forums) for all factual claims
- Include source citations with Tier classification (inline
[N]) - Cross-validate claims with 2+ independent sources
- Declare confidence level (95/80/60/<60%) for all findings
- Use enforced template structure — all sections required
- Working files →
.claude/tmp/, final output →docs/knowledge/
This protocol is the canonical home for the knowledge-work rules that apply to knowledge/research workspaces; deep-research and knowledge-synthesis reference it.
Step 1: Define Search Scope
Parse user's topic, generate 5-10 search queries covering:
- Definition/overview — "what is {topic}"
- Current state — "{topic} 2026" or "{topic} latest"
- Comparison — "{topic} vs alternatives"
- Data/statistics — "{topic} market size" or "{topic} statistics"
- Expert opinion — "{topic} expert analysis" or "{topic} review"
- Criticism/risks — "{topic} challenges" or "{topic} risks"
Step 2: Execute Searches
For each query:
- Run
WebSearchwith the query - Record: title, URL, snippet, apparent source type
- Stop at 10 WebSearch calls maximum
Step 3: Source Triage
For each result, classify by Tier:
- Tier 1: .gov, .edu, official docs, peer-reviewed
- Tier 2: Industry reports, major publications
- Tier 3: Established blogs, verified experts, Wikipedia
- Tier 4: Forums, personal blogs, social media
Filter out duplicates (same URL or syndicated content).
Step 4: Build Source Map
Write to .claude/tmp/_sources-{slug}.md:
# Source Map: {Topic}
**Date:** {date}
**Queries executed:** {count}
**Sources found:** {count} (Tier 1: N, Tier 2: N, Tier 3: N, Tier 4: N)
## Sources
| # | Title | URL | Tier | Relevance | Notes |
| --- | ----- | --- | ---- | --------- | ------------- |
| 1 | ... | ... | 1 | High | Official docs |
## Gaps Identified
- {angle not covered}
- {topic needing deeper research}
Step 5: Identify Gaps
Review source map for:
- Missing perspectives (only positive sources? need criticism)
- Missing data types (no quantitative data? need statistics)
- Recency issues (all sources old? need current data)
Note gaps for the deep-research step.
Workflow Recommendation
MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — NO EXCEPTIONS: If you are NOT already in a workflow, you MUST ATTENTION use a direct user question to ask the user. Do NOT judge task complexity or decide this is "simple enough to skip" — the user decides whether to use a workflow, not you:
- Activate
workflow-researchworkflow (Recommended) — web-research → deep-research → synthesis → review- Execute
$web-researchdirectly — run this skill standalone
Next Steps
MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — NO EXCEPTIONS after completing this skill, you MUST ATTENTION use a direct user question to present these options. Do NOT skip because the task seems "simple" or "obvious" — the user decides:
- "$deep-research (Recommended)" — Deep-dive into top sources
- "$business-evaluation" — If evaluating business viability
- "Skip, continue manually" — user decides
[IMPORTANT] Use task tracking to break ALL work into small tasks BEFORE starting.
External Memory: For complex or lengthy work (research, analysis, scan, review), write intermediate findings and final results to a report file in
plans/reports/— prevents context loss and serves as deliverable.
<!-- SYNC:web-research -->Evidence Gate: MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — every claim, finding, and recommendation requires
file:lineproof or traced evidence with confidence percentage (>80% to act, <80% must verify first).
<!-- /SYNC:web-research --> <!-- SYNC:ai-mistake-prevention -->Web Research — Structured web search for evidence gathering.
- Form 3-5 specific search queries (not generic questions)
- Use WebSearch for each query, collect top 3-5 sources
- Validate source credibility (official docs > blogs > forums)
- Cross-validate claims across 2+ sources before citing
- Write findings to research report with source URLs
NEVER cite a single source as authoritative. Always cross-validate.
<!-- /SYNC:ai-mistake-prevention --> <!-- SYNC:critical-thinking-mindset -->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.
<!-- /SYNC:critical-thinking-mindset --> <!-- SYNC:critical-thinking-mindset:reminder -->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.
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.
<!-- /SYNC:ai-mistake-prevention:reminder --> <!-- PROMPT-ENHANCE:STEP-TASK-CLOSING:START -->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: Produce a tiered, deduplicated source map plus a gap list — the triaged candidate-source feedstock that deep-research dives into next — NOT a final research report.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — Protocols in force (concise digest of the SYNC/shared blocks this skill carries):
- Web Research: Cross-validate every claim across 2+ credible sources; NEVER cite one source as authoritative.
- AI Mistake Prevention: verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references, verify all affected outputs, re-read after context loss, surface ambiguity.
- Critical Thinking: Traced proof per claim, confidence >80% to act; NEVER present guess as fact.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION cap WebSearch at 10 calls per invocation; generate 5-10 angle-varied queries (overview, current-state, comparison, data, expert, criticism) then stop at the cap — why: bounded fan-out keeps this breadth-then-triage, not a deep-dive into one angle.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION rank every source by tier (Tier 1 .gov/.edu/official > Tier 2 industry reports > Tier 3 established blogs/Wikipedia > Tier 4 forums/social) and dedupe by URL/syndicated content before it counts — why: tier ranking + dedupe keep the feedstock high-signal for deep-research.
MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION NEVER cite a Tier 4 / single source as authoritative — cross-validate every factual claim against 2+ independent sources and declare confidence (95/80/60/<60%) — why: one unverified source = a hallucination-amplifier downstream.
MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION the deliverable is the intermediate source map at .claude/tmp/_sources-{slug}.md (sources table + Gaps Identified), NOT a synthesized report — hand it off to deep-research; mine the set for gaps (missing perspectives, missing quantitative data, stale recency) so the next step knows where to dig.
MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION break work into small todo tasks using task tracking BEFORE starting; add a final review todo task to verify work quality; transition one task at a time.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION persist intermediate findings/results to a report file in plans/reports/ for complex or lengthy work — why: external memory prevents context loss and is itself the deliverable.
MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION if NOT already in a workflow, validate the route with the user via a direct user question — NEVER auto-decide "simple enough to skip"; the user decides workflow vs. standalone $web-research.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION every claim, finding, and recommendation requires file:line proof or traced evidence with confidence percentage (>80% to act, <80% verify first) — NEVER speculate without proof.
Anti-Rationalization:
| Evasion | Rebuttal |
| -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| "One strong source is enough" | NEVER — cross-validate against 2+ independent sources; Tier 4 is never authoritative |
| "I'll just write the report now" | Out of scope — output the source map + gaps; deep-research synthesizes, not this |
| "Keep searching, more results help" | Hard-cap is 10 WebSearch calls — breadth then triage, never an unbounded crawl |
| "Topic is simple, skip tiering/dedupe" | Tier + dedupe every source — untiered feedstock degrades every downstream step |
| "Just do it, skip task tracking" | Skip depth, never skip tracking — task tracking first, one task in progress |
[TASK-PLANNING] Before acting, analyze task scope and systematically break it into small todo tasks and sub-tasks using task tracking.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Goal: triaged, tiered, deduplicated source map + gap list as feedstock for deep-research — NOT a final report.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION cap WebSearch at 10; cross-validate every claim with 2+ sources; NEVER cite Tier 4 as fact.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION task tracking to break ALL work into small tasks BEFORE starting — this is very important.
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.
- 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.
- ANALYZE: Choose the best option: execute directly, invoke a skill, activate a standard workflow, or compose a custom step combination.
- AUTO-SELECT: Pick the best option yourself. Do not ask the user to choose between direct execution, skill, standard workflow, or custom workflow.
- ACTIVATE: For a selected workflow, call
$start-workflow <workflowId>; for a selected skill, invoke that skill; for a custom workflow, sequence custom steps directly; for direct execution, proceed with the task. - CREATE TASKS: task tracking for ALL workflow/skill/custom steps before execution when the selected path has multiple steps.
- EXECUTE: Advance per the Workflow Step Advancement & Parallel Phases rule in your context instructions — model-driven; a sub-agent completion advances a step identically to an inline call; a parallel-phase group is an all-return barrier (advance only after ALL members return, never serialize it)
Shared AI-SDD Protocol Markers
Source: .claude/skills/shared/sync-inline-versions.md
SYNC:ai-sdd-artifact-contract
AI-SDD Artifact Contract — Shared spec-driven development rules stay portable and source-owned.
- Keep reusable AI-SDD principles in
.claude; put repository-specific paths, commands, owners, products, and formats in project config/reference docs.- Preserve cycle:
spec -> plan -> tasks -> implement -> verify -> update spec/docs.- Trace every requirement or invariant through decision, task, TC/test, source evidence, and docs/spec update.
- Treat code-to-spec extraction as reference-only until accepted by the canonical spec owner.
- Any supported AI tool may plan, implement, review, or verify with synced context; using multiple tools is optional.
- Update
.claudesource first, then sync generated mirrors; do not manually edit.agents,.codex, orAGENTS.md. — why: mirrors are generated artifacts; hand-edits are overwritten on the next sync- If
docs/project-config.json, root instruction files, or a required project-reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run$project-initor the narrow lower-level route before ordinary project-specific work.Active reference:
shared/sdd-artifact-contract.mdin the active skills root.
SYNC:ai-sdd-artifact-contract:reminder
- MANDATORY Apply
shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md; keep reusable AI-SDD in.claudeand 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
.claudesource before syncing generated mirrors; do not manually edit.agents,.codex, orAGENTS.md. - MANDATORY Missing or stale project config, root instruction files, or required reference docs route project-specific work through
$project-initor 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:
- Name the FAILURE MODE (reasoning/assumption failure), not symptom — "assumed API existed without reading source" not "used wrong enum value".
- Generality test: does this failure mode apply to ≥3 contexts/codebases? If not, abstract one level up.
- Write as a universal rule — strip project-specific names/paths/classes. Useful on any codebase.
- Consolidate: multiple mistakes sharing one failure mode → ONE lesson.
- Recurrence gate: "Would this recur in future session WITHOUT this reminder?" — No → skip
$learn. - Auto-fix gate: "Could
$code-review/$code-simplifier/$security-review/$lintcatch this?" — Yes → improve review skill instead. - 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.