implementer

Implementer Skill

The Implementer skill is an execution-focused tier responsible for making atomic, high-quality code changes.

When to Use

• Implementing features based on a solid technical specification
• Applying identified bug fixes
• Executing planned refactoring tasks
• Ensuring all changes pass quality gates and tests
• Even if they just say "implement this" or "make the changes"

Blueprint Validation

Before making any changes, verify the Blueprint (ADR) exists and includes:

• Clear problem statement
• Proposed solution with specific files to modify
• TRIZ contradiction analysis (if applicable)
• Success criteria and test plan
• Rollback strategy

If the Blueprint is missing or incomplete, stop and request it before proceeding.

Workflow

1. Blueprint Check: Verify that a clear implementation strategy (ADR) with TRIZ analysis exists.
2. Atomic Edits: Apply changes one concern at a time. Each edit should be independently committable.
3. Verification: Run tests and the quality gate after each atomic change.

Atomic Edit Pattern

1. Identify the single concern to change
2. Make the edit
3. Run: ./scripts/quality_gate.sh
4. If pass → commit with conventional format
5. If fail → fix, re-run quality gate, then commit
6. Move to next concern

Gotchas

• Never bundle unrelated changes in a single commit — if the quality gate fails, you can't tell which change caused it.
• If the Blueprint says "modify files X, Y, Z" but you find a better approach mid-implementation, update the Blueprint first rather than deviating silently.
• Run the quality gate locally before pushing — CI failures are expensive to diagnose remotely.

Rationalizations

Rationalization	Reality
"I'll just fix it now"	Skipping the Blueprint phase leads to scope creep and architectural regressions.
"The change is obvious, no need for a Blueprint"	Obvious changes still need atomic edits and quality gate verification.