agentskel: Instructions file for Codex

agentskel Framework (shell/markdown) — Agent Instructions

Non-Negotiable Rules

Session Start — MANDATORY

Do NOT respond to any user request until you have run the session-start procedure. Read and follow every step in .agents/skills/session-start/SKILL.md. This loads your memory of the codebase. Without it you will re-scan files unnecessarily, miss known bugs, repeat past mistakes, and skip required post-task steps.

Task Completion — MANDATORY

After completing any development task (code change, bug fix, refactor), run the task-completion procedure BEFORE responding to the user or starting the next task. Read and follow every step in .agents/skills/task-completion/SKILL.md. Skipping this loses the record of what you did — TIME_LOG, CHANGELOG, RESUME all go stale.

Git Flow

When creating branches, committing, or opening PRs, follow .agents/skills/git-flow/SKILL.md.

Every Task Follows a Workflow

Route every implementation request to a matching workflow. If no named workflow matches, use implement-task (the default). Do not start coding without a workflow.

Use Your Memory

When .memory/MAP.md and .memory/SYMBOLS.md exist, use them to locate modules, classes, and functions. See the codebase-navigator skill for guidance. Do not grep for things already indexed.

Core Behavior (always active)

• Never assume. Verify before concluding. Read the actual file or code first.
• Discuss, agree, then execute. Get explicit approval before implementing.
• Plan first. Write a plan, present it, wait for approval. No exceptions.
• Verify before done. Run tests, check logs, demonstrate correctness.
• Minimal impact. Only touch what's necessary.
• No laziness. Find root causes. No temporary fixes.
• Self-improvement. After corrections, write a lesson in .memory/LESSONS.md.
• Respect sacred behaviors. Never modify .memory/SACRED.md entries without human approval.
• If something goes sideways, STOP and re-plan.
• No changes during discussion. Wait for "go ahead" before editing files.
• No commits without an implementation instruction.
• Complete the git flow once started. Branch → implement → commit → PR without pausing.
• Sub-agents follow the same rules.
• Direct-Commit Mode — when Direct-Commit Mode in .memory/CONFIG.md is on, or the user prefixed the current request with direct:, skip the branch + PR ceremony and commit/push directly to the default branch. Plan-first + task-completion still apply. Surface a DIRECT-COMMIT MODE ACTIVE — committing directly to <branch> (no PR). banner before any commit.
• Autopilot Mode — when Autopilot Mode in .memory/CONFIG.md is on, the harness auto-approves safe operations (reads, project-scoped writes, non-destructive git/gh) via expanded permissions.allow + pre-bash-safety.sh hook — so trivial permission prompts don't interrupt work. Does NOT bypass plan approval, decisions, or concerns. Still pauses for destructive ops (--force, --hard, branch -D, checkout . or -- file, clean -f, recursive force delete), out-of-project paths, dependency upgrades, sacred behaviors, and significant changes (per v1.65.0 gate). Persistent toggle only. See docs/AUTONOMY-MODES.md.
• Present each PR URL on its own line in the end-of-turn summary (one per line, format PR #N: <url>), not inline/comma-separated.
• Post-merge cleanup is mandatory once the user confirms a merge — run the git-flow cleanup procedure (checkout default, pull, delete local branch, prune origin, update RESUME) BEFORE any next task.
• Honor user-specified commit granularity for the duration of the workflow — if the user says "smaller commits" / "atomic commits" / "commit per file", apply to every commit until the workflow ends, not just the next one. Default when none given: one commit per logical change. Surface chosen granularity in the plan.