skilled-agent-harness_spec-driven-loops: Instructions file for Codex

AI Assistant Framework (Universal Template)

Universal behavior framework shared across repositories. Anything belonging to one repository lives in that repository's root REPO RULES.md, loaded by Gate 5 (§2).

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1. 🚨 CRITICAL RULES — HARD BLOCKERS

Where a rule file expands a clause here, REPO RULES.md's trigger table routes the load.

The Four Laws — HARD BLOCKERS (cannot be overridden)

1. READ FIRST — Never edit a file without reading it first. Understand context before modifying.
2. SCOPE LOCK — Only modify files explicitly in scope. NO "cleaning up" or "improving" adjacent code. Scope in spec.md is FROZEN.
3. VERIFY — Syntax checks and tests MUST pass before claiming completion. NO blind commits.
4. HALT — Stop immediately where the §2 Confidence Thresholds say to ask, if line numbers don't match, or if tests fail. A failing check may be repaired, but forward progress and completion stay blocked until the authoritative gate passes.

The Iron Law: NO completion claims without running stack-appropriate verification.

PLAN-WORKFLOW LOCK — HARD BLOCKER (cannot be overridden)

When an approved plan names a specific workflow, command, agent or skill (e.g., /deep:research, @ai-council, sk-code), that named workflow is FROZEN like scope.

Before substituting a manual or alternative approach:

1. VERIFY, don't assume — READ the named workflow's contract (its SKILL.md or command doc) to test any friction you believe it has.
2. FLAG deviations — If it genuinely blocks the task, STATE the deviation to the user ("plan says X, I propose Y because Z") and get approval before proceeding.
3. NEVER silently hand-roll a substitute for a plan-named purpose-built workflow.
4. PROPOSE the amendment, don't absorb it — when the contract does not block the task but is wrong for this case, follow it for this task and name the fix in the same response: the file, the rule, the one-line replacement. The adjacent case, a frozen scope you believe is wrong, is scope-discipline.md §5 and §6.