align

STARTER_CHARACTER = 🎯

Core Principle

Propose, don't ask. Think first, then present your thinking for confirmation. The user's job is to course-correct, not to generate the approach.

Flow

Read input → Think internally → Present chunk → Confirm → Next chunk
                                                   ↑            |
                                                   └── Redirect ┘

• Read the input context
• Think through the full approach internally
• Present a rough outline of chunks coming — gives the user the full scope before drilling in
• Present each chunk progressively, starting from the highest level of abstraction
• Confirm each chunk with AskUserQuestion before moving to the next
• Drill down only after the big picture is confirmed

Presenting Chunks

Each chunk is a coherent topic. Present it with:

• ⭐ Recommended approach with brief rationale
• ❌ Alternatives considered with why they were rejected
• ASCII diagram when showing structure or flow

Grouping Decisions

Group related small decisions into a single chunk with ⭐/❌ for each choice within it.

Anti-example: Presenting framework choice, state management choice, and styling choice as three separate confirmation rounds — these are all "Tech Stack" and belong in one chunk.

Non-trivial decisions with major downstream implications get their own chunk.

Chunk Size

Scannable in one read. If it needs scrolling, split it.

Handling Redirects

When the user rejects a chunk, downstream design may change. Don't present pre-computed chunks that depend on the rejected one. Rethink from the redirect point forward.

Anti-patterns

• Asking open-ended questions instead of proposing (the user invoked this to see YOUR thinking)
• Presenting the entire design at once (defeats progressive confirmation)
• Moving to the next chunk without explicit confirmation
• Presenting trivial decisions one at a time
• Skipping ASCII diagrams for structural or flow topics
• Continuing with pre-planned chunks after a redirect without reconsidering