9bf9fc295d
Add 6 shared reference docs that standardize agent behavior across all GSD workflows: - universal-anti-patterns.md: 27 behavioral rules across 8 categories - context-budget.md: 4-tier system (PEAK/GOOD/DEGRADING/POOR) with read-depth rules based on context window size - gate-prompts.md: 14 named prompt patterns for decision points - revision-loop.md: Check-Revise-Escalate with stall detection (max 3) - domain-probes.md: domain-specific follow-up questions for 10 domains - agent-contracts.md: completion markers for all 21 GSD agents Wire into existing workflows via @-reference includes: - plan-phase.md: revision-loop, gate-prompts, agent-contracts - execute-phase.md: agent-contracts, context-budget - discuss-phase.md: domain-probes, gate-prompts, universal-anti-patterns
59 lines
5.1 KiB
Markdown
59 lines
5.1 KiB
Markdown
# Universal Anti-Patterns
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Rules that apply to ALL workflows and agents. Individual workflows may have additional specific anti-patterns.
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---
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## Context Budget Rules
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1. **Never** read agent definition files (`agents/*.md`) -- `subagent_type` auto-loads them. Reading agent definitions into the orchestrator wastes context for content automatically injected into subagent sessions.
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2. **Never** inline large files into subagent prompts -- tell agents to read files from disk instead. Agents have their own context windows.
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3. **Read depth scales with context window** -- check `context_window_tokens` in `.planning/config.json`. At < 500000: read only frontmatter, status fields, or summaries. At >= 500000 (1M model): full body reads permitted when content is needed for inline decisions. See `references/context-budget.md` for the complete table.
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4. **Delegate** heavy work to subagents -- the orchestrator routes, it does not build, analyze, research, investigate, or verify.
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5. **Proactive pause warning**: If you have already consumed significant context (large file reads, multiple subagent results), warn the user: "Context budget is getting heavy. Consider checkpointing progress."
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## File Reading Rules
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6. **SUMMARY.md read depth scales with context window** -- at context_window_tokens < 500000: read frontmatter only from prior phase SUMMARYs. At >= 500000: full body reads permitted for direct-dependency phases. Transitive dependencies (2+ phases back) remain frontmatter-only regardless.
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7. **Never** read full PLAN.md files from other phases -- only current phase plans.
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8. **Never** read `.planning/logs/` files -- only the health workflow reads these.
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9. **Do not** re-read full file contents when frontmatter is sufficient -- frontmatter contains status, key_files, commits, and provides fields. Exception: at >= 500000, re-reading full body is acceptable when semantic content is needed.
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## Subagent Rules
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10. **NEVER** use non-GSD agent types (`general-purpose`, `Explore`, `Plan`, `Bash`, `feature-dev`, etc.) -- ALWAYS use `subagent_type: "gsd-{agent}"` (e.g., `gsd-phase-researcher`, `gsd-executor`, `gsd-planner`). GSD agents have project-aware prompts, audit logging, and workflow context. Generic agents bypass all of this.
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11. **Do not** re-litigate decisions that are already locked in CONTEXT.md (or PROJECT.md ## Context section) -- respect locked decisions unconditionally.
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## Questioning Anti-Patterns
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Reference: `references/questioning.md` for the full anti-pattern list.
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12. **Do not** walk through checklists -- checklist walking (asking items one by one from a list) is the #1 anti-pattern. Instead, use progressive depth: start broad, dig where interesting.
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13. **Do not** use corporate speak -- avoid jargon like "stakeholder alignment", "synergize", "deliverables". Use plain language.
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14. **Do not** apply premature constraints -- don't narrow the solution space before understanding the problem. Ask about the problem first, then constrain.
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## State Management Anti-Patterns
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15. **No direct Write/Edit to STATE.md or ROADMAP.md for mutations.** Always use `gsd-tools.cjs` CLI commands (`state update`, `state advance-plan`, `roadmap update-status`) for mutations. Direct Write tool usage bypasses safe update logic and is unsafe in multi-session environments. Exception: first-time creation of STATE.md from template is allowed.
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## Behavioral Rules
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16. **Do not** create artifacts the user did not approve -- always confirm before writing new planning documents.
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17. **Do not** modify files outside the workflow's stated scope -- check the plan's files_modified list.
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18. **Do not** suggest multiple next actions without clear priority -- one primary suggestion, alternatives listed secondary.
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19. **Do not** use `git add .` or `git add -A` -- stage specific files only.
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20. **Do not** include sensitive information (API keys, passwords, tokens) in planning documents or commits.
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## Error Recovery Rules
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21. **Git lock detection**: Before any git operation, if it fails with "Unable to create lock file", check for stale `.git/index.lock` and advise the user to remove it (do not remove automatically).
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22. **Config fallback awareness**: Config loading returns `null` silently on invalid JSON. If your workflow depends on config values, check for null and warn the user: "config.json is invalid or missing -- running with defaults."
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23. **Partial state recovery**: If STATE.md references a phase directory that doesn't exist, do not proceed silently. Warn the user and suggest diagnosing the mismatch.
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## GSD-Specific Rules
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24. **Do not** check for `mode === 'auto'` or `mode === 'autonomous'` -- GSD uses `yolo` config flag. Check `yolo: true` for autonomous mode, absence or `false` for interactive mode.
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25. **Always use `gsd-tools.cjs`** (not `gsd-tools.js` or any other variant) -- GSD uses CommonJS for Node.js CLI compatibility.
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26. **Plan files MUST follow `{padded_phase}-{NN}-PLAN.md` pattern** (e.g., `01-01-PLAN.md`). Never use `PLAN-01.md`, `plan-01.md`, or any other variation -- gsd-tools detection depends on this exact pattern.
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27. **Do not start executing the next plan before writing the SUMMARY.md for the current plan** -- downstream plans may reference it via `@` includes.
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