9.6 KiB
Agent Instructions
This project uses bd (beads) for issue tracking. Run bd prime for full workflow context.
Architecture in one line: Issues live in a local Dolt database (
.beads/dolt/); cross-machine sync usesbd dolt push/pull(a git-compatible protocol), stored underrefs/dolt/dataon your git remote — separate fromrefs/heads/*where your code lives..beads/issues.jsonlis a passive export, not the wire protocol.See SYNC_CONCEPTS.md for the one-screen overview and anti-patterns (don't treat JSONL as the source of truth; don't
bd importduring normal operation; don't reach for third-party Dolt hosting before trying the default).
Quick Reference
bd ready # Find available work
bd show <id> # View issue details
bd update <id> --claim # Claim work atomically
bd close <id> # Complete work
bd dolt push # Push beads data to remote
Non-Interactive Shell Commands
ALWAYS use non-interactive flags with file operations to avoid hanging on confirmation prompts.
Shell commands like cp, mv, and rm may be aliased to include -i (interactive) mode on some systems, causing the agent to hang indefinitely waiting for y/n input.
Use these forms instead:
# Force overwrite without prompting
cp -f source dest # NOT: cp source dest
mv -f source dest # NOT: mv source dest
rm -f file # NOT: rm file
# For recursive operations
rm -rf directory # NOT: rm -r directory
cp -rf source dest # NOT: cp -r source dest
Other commands that may prompt:
scp- use-o BatchMode=yesfor non-interactivessh- use-o BatchMode=yesto fail instead of promptingapt-get- use-yflagbrew- useHOMEBREW_NO_AUTO_UPDATE=1env var
Beads Issue Tracker
This project uses bd (beads) for issue tracking. Run bd prime to see full workflow context and commands.
Quick Reference
bd ready # Find available work
bd show <id> # View issue details
bd update <id> --claim # Claim work
bd close <id> # Complete work
Rules
- Use
bdfor ALL task tracking — do NOT use TodoWrite, TaskCreate, or markdown TODO lists - Run
bd primefor detailed command reference and session close protocol - Use
bd rememberfor persistent knowledge — do NOT use MEMORY.md files
Architecture in one line: issues live in a local Dolt DB; sync uses refs/dolt/data on your git remote; .beads/issues.jsonl is a passive export. See https://github.com/gastownhall/beads/blob/main/docs/SYNC_CONCEPTS.md for details and anti-patterns.
Session Completion
When ending a work session, you MUST complete ALL steps below. Work is NOT complete until git push succeeds.
MANDATORY WORKFLOW:
- File issues for remaining work - Create issues for anything that needs follow-up
- Run quality gates (if code changed) - Tests, linters, builds
- Update issue status - Close finished work, update in-progress items
- PUSH TO REMOTE - This is MANDATORY:
git pull --rebase git push git status # MUST show "up to date with origin" - Clean up - Clear stashes, prune remote branches
- Verify - All changes committed AND pushed
- Hand off - Provide context for next session
CRITICAL RULES:
- Work is NOT complete until
git pushsucceeds - NEVER stop before pushing - that leaves work stranded locally
- NEVER say "ready to push when you are" - YOU must push
- If push fails, resolve and retry until it succeeds
Required Turn Documentation
At the end of repository work, use this decision flow:
- Classify the task.
- If the change is minor/trivial under the exemption list below, do not create a turn document.
- If the task changed code, configuration, tests, project files, or substantive docs inside the repo, create or update a turn document.
- If classification is ambiguous or mixed, ask the user before creating a turn document.
- Document substantive implementation work.
- New work: create
docs/turns/YYYY-MM-DD-short-task-name.html. - Minor update to a previous substantive change: update that existing turn document instead of creating a duplicate.
- New work: create
- Complete the closeout for documented work.
- Update Beads.
- Run relevant quality gates, or document any failures.
- Commit changes.
- Run
bd dolt push. - Run
git push. - Confirm
git statusshows the branch is up to date withforgejo/<branch>.
The minor/trivial exemptions override the general turn-document rule.
Minor/Trivial Exemptions
Do not create a turn document when the change cleanly matches one of these categories:
AGENTS.mdchanges or other documentation-only changes- Syntax-only fixes
- Refactor-only changes with no behavior change
- PR/conflict reconciliation work
- Issue-tracker-only updates such as
beads/issues.json - Support-file changes that only accompany one of the exempt categories above, such as lockfile or manifest updates required for docs-workflow changes
If a change does not cleanly fit either exempt or substantive buckets, ask the user before creating a turn document.
Turn Document Requirements
Use the impeccable skill to structure and style the document as clean, readable HTML. For this repository, impeccable is the styling and layout authority for turn documents when available. Do not apply global non-repo computer-task house styling to repository turn documents.
Future turn documents must start from docs/turns/template.html. The template is the canonical appearance baseline for this repository: dark polished layout, lavender and pink accent colors, compact header metadata, clear section rhythm, and contained diff shells modeled after /Users/kell/dev/islandflow/docs/turns/2026-05-20-fix-alert-flow-packet-history.html.
If impeccable is unavailable or blocked by an actual tool/file error, still create a well-structured standalone HTML file.
Each turn document must include these sections:
- Summary
- Changes Made
- Context
- Important Implementation Details
- Relevant Diff Snippets (follow the Rendered Diff Documentation rule)
- Expected Impact for End-Users
- Validation
- Issues, Limitations, and Mitigations
- Follow-up Work
For a minor update to a previous substantive change, add this section to the existing document:
"New Changes as of {time and date at which the change was made}"
- Summary of changes
- Why this change was made
- Code diffs (follow the Rendered Diff Documentation rule)
- Related issues or PRs
Rendered Diff Documentation
When turn documentation needs rendered code diffs, use Clean SSR with @pierre/diffs through its ESM server-side renderer. The final HTML must be readable as a static file and must not depend on client-side package loading.
Use @pierre/diffs/ssr with Node ESM imports. Do not test, load, or diagnose this package with CommonJS require(), because @pierre/diffs is ESM and require('@pierre/diffs/ssr') can falsely look like an export or package failure.
Preferred availability check:
node --input-type=module -e "import { preloadPatchDiff } from '@pierre/diffs/ssr'; console.log(typeof preloadPatchDiff)"
Preferred rendering pattern:
node --input-type=module <<'NODE'
import { readFileSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs';
import { preloadPatchDiff } from '@pierre/diffs/ssr';
const patch = readFileSync('/tmp/change.patch', 'utf8');
const { prerenderedHTML } = await preloadPatchDiff({
patch,
options: { diffType: 'unified' }
});
writeFileSync('/tmp/rendered-diff.html', prerenderedHTML);
NODE
preloadPatchDiff expects exactly one file diff per call. If a git diff contains multiple files, split it into one patch per file, render each file patch separately, and concatenate the rendered HTML into the turn document.
Do not run npx @pierre/diffs; the package is a rendering library and does not expose a CLI executable.
Diff output must follow these readability rules:
- Use curated, relevant snippets rather than dumping an entire commit or full-file diff when a focused snippet explains the change.
- Render one file diff per
.diff-shell, with a clear.diff-titlenaming the file and purpose. - Insert generated SSR HTML only inside the matching
.diff-viewelement fromdocs/turns/template.html. - Never paste generated SSR output as a freestanding section body or outside the diff shell.
- Keep normal prose sections around the generated markup so the source and rendered page remain navigable.
- Mark a shell with
class="diff-shell rendered"when SSR output is present so the fallback is hidden.
Only use a clearly labeled plain diff or code-block fallback in the template's <pre class="diff-fallback"> block when the ESM import-and-render pattern above fails because of a real tool, install, or runtime error. Document the failure briefly in the turn document.
Plan Mode Documentation
When working in plan mode, do not modify implementation files.
If the user asks to save the plan, create a user-readable HTML plan document in:
docs/plans/
Use a clear timestamped filename:
docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-short-plan-name.html
The plan document should be labeled clearly as a plan and should include:
- Plan Summary
- Goals
- Proposed Changes
- Relevant Context
- Implementation Steps
- Risks, Limitations, and Mitigations
- Open Questions