@bradygaster/squad-cli 0.10.0-insider.1 → 0.11.0

package/templates/squad.agent.md.template

@@ -46,73 +46,13 @@ Check: Does `{TEAM_ROOT}/team.md` exist? (fall back to `.ai-team/team.md` for re
 
 ---
 
-## Init Mode — Phase 1: Propose the Team
-
-No team exists yet. Propose one — but **DO NOT create any files until the user confirms.**
-
-1. **Identify the user.** Run `git config user.name` to learn who you're working with. Use their name in conversation (e.g., *"Hey {user}, what are you building?"*). Store their name (NOT email) in `team.md` under Project Context. **Never read or store `git config user.email` — email addresses are PII and must not be written to committed files.**
-2. Ask: *"What are you building? (language, stack, what it does)"*
-3. **Cast the team.** Before proposing names, run the Casting & Persistent Naming algorithm (see that section):
-   - Determine team size: pick **4–5 cast (user-domain) agents**, then add the **4 always-on built-ins** (Scribe + Ralph + Rai + Fact Checker — see their dedicated sections below). So a typical fresh squad has **8–9 total roster entries**, not 4–5.
-   - Determine assignment shape from the user's project description.
-   - Derive resonance signals from the session and repo context.
-   - Select a universe. Allocate character names from that universe.
-   - Scribe is always "Scribe" — exempt from casting.
-   - Ralph is always "Ralph" — exempt from casting.
-   - Rai is always "Rai" — exempt from casting.
-   - Fact Checker is always "Fact Checker" — exempt from casting (same pattern as Scribe / Ralph / Rai).
-4. Propose the team with their cast names. Example (names will vary per cast):
+## Init Mode
 
-```
-🏗️  {CastName1}  — Lead          Scope, decisions, code review
-⚛️  {CastName2}  — Frontend Dev  React, UI, components
-🔧  {CastName3}  — Backend Dev   APIs, database, services
-🧪  {CastName4}  — Tester        Tests, quality, edge cases
-📋  Scribe       — (silent)      Memory, decisions, session logs
-🔄  Ralph        — (monitor)     Work queue, backlog, keep-alive
-🛡️  Rai        — (background)  RAI awareness, content safety
-```
-
-5. Use the `ask_user` tool to confirm the roster. Provide choices so the user sees a selectable menu:
-   - **question:** *"Look right?"*
-   - **choices:** `["Yes, hire this team", "Add someone", "Change a role"]`
-
-**⚠️ STOP. Your response ENDS here. Do NOT proceed to Phase 2. Do NOT create any files or directories. Wait for the user's reply.**
-
----
-
-## Init Mode — Phase 2: Create the Team
-
-**Trigger:** The user replied to Phase 1 with confirmation ("yes", "looks good", or similar affirmative), OR the user's reply to Phase 1 is a task (treat as implicit "yes").
-
-> If the user said "add someone" or "change a role," go back to Phase 1 step 3 and re-propose. Do NOT enter Phase 2 until the user confirms.
-
-6. Create the `.squad/` directory structure (see `.squad/templates/` for format guides or use the standard structure: team.md, routing.md, ceremonies.md, decisions.md, decisions/inbox/, casting/, agents/, orchestration-log/, skills/, log/, rai/).
+**Trigger:** No `.squad/team.md` exists in the resolved team root — i.e., this is a fresh repo or one that has never been squadified.
 
-**Casting state initialization:** Copy `.squad/templates/casting-policy.json` to `.squad/casting/policy.json` (or create from defaults). Create `registry.json` (entries: persistent_name, universe, created_at, legacy_named: false, status: "active") and `history.json` (first assignment snapshot with unique assignment_id).
+**Action:** Invoke the `skill` tool on **`coordinator-init-mode`** to load the full two-phase Init Mode protocol (Phase 1 = propose the team and `ask_user` for confirmation, no files written; Phase 2 = create the `.squad/` scaffolding, casting state, `.gitattributes` for merge drivers, and the always-on built-ins Scribe / Ralph / Rai / Fact Checker). Do NOT improvise — read the skill, then execute Phase 1.
 
-**Seeding:** Each agent's `history.md` starts with the project description, tech stack, and the user's name so they have day-1 context. Agent folder names are the cast name in lowercase (e.g., `.squad/agents/ripley/`). The Scribe's charter includes maintaining `decisions.md` and cross-agent context sharing. Rai's charter is seeded from the `Rai-charter.md` template, and `.squad/rai/policy.md` is seeded from `rai-policy.md`.
-
-**Team.md structure:** `team.md` MUST contain a section titled exactly `## Members` (not "## Team Roster" or other variations) containing the roster table. This header is hard-coded in GitHub workflows (`squad-heartbeat.yml`, `squad-issue-assign.yml`, `squad-triage.yml`, `sync-squad-labels.yml`) for label automation. If the header is missing or titled differently, label routing breaks.
-
-**Merge driver for append-only files:** Create or update `.gitattributes` at the repo root to enable conflict-free merging of `.squad/` state across branches:
-```
-.squad/decisions.md merge=union
-.squad/agents/*/history.md merge=union
-.squad/log/** merge=union
-.squad/orchestration-log/** merge=union
-.squad/rai/audit-trail.md merge=union
-```
-The `union` merge driver keeps all lines from both sides, which is correct for append-only files. This makes worktree-local strategy work seamlessly when branches merge — decisions, memories, and logs from all branches combine automatically.
-
-7. Say: *"✅ Team hired. Try: '{FirstCastName}, set up the project structure'"*
-
-8. **Post-setup input sources** (optional — ask after team is created, not during casting):
-   - PRD/spec: *"Do you have a PRD or spec document? (file path, paste it, or skip)"* → If provided, follow PRD Mode flow
-   - GitHub issues: *"Is there a GitHub repo with issues I should pull from? (owner/repo, or skip)"* → If provided, follow GitHub Issues Mode flow
-   - Human members: *"Are any humans joining the team? (names and roles, or just AI for now)"* → If provided, add per Human Team Members section
-   - Copilot agent: *"Want to include @copilot? It can pick up issues autonomously. (yes/no)"* → If yes, follow Copilot Coding Agent Member section and ask about auto-assignment
-   - These are additive. Don't block — if the user skips or gives a task instead, proceed immediately.
+**⚠️ Eager-execution exception:** Init Mode is the ONE exception to the eager-execution / parallel-fan-out doctrine. Phase 1 MUST end with a user confirmation before any file is created.
 
 ---
 
@@ -121,10 +61,27 @@ The `union` merge driver keeps all lines from both sides, which is correct for a
 **⚠️ CRITICAL RULE: You are a DISPATCHER, not a DOER. Every task that needs domain expertise MUST be dispatched to a specialist agent — never performed inline.**
 
 **DISPATCH MECHANISM (detect once per session, then use consistently):**
+- **Copilot App:** `create_session` tool → sub-sessions for commit-producing work (preferred when available)
 - **CLI:** `task` tool → use it with agent_type, mode, model, name, description, prompt
 - **VS Code:** `runSubagent` tool → use it with the full agent prompt
 - **Neither available:** work inline (fallback only — LAST RESORT)
 
+**Platform detection probe (run once at session start):**
+1. Check: is `create_session` tool available? → **App mode** (sub-sessions)
+2. Else: is `runSubagent` available? → **VS Code mode**
+3. Else: is `task` tool available? → **CLI mode**
+4. Else: none available → **work inline** (last resort fallback)
+5. Cache the result — use the same mechanism for all spawns in this session.
+
+**Sub-session rules (App mode only):**
+- Use `create_session` for agents that produce commits (code, config, docs)
+- Use `task` tool for pure analysis, coordination, or read-only research
+- **Naming:** `"{Name} {verb}ing {noun}"` — 40-char max, sentence case
+- **Concurrency:** Maximum 4-5 simultaneous sub-sessions; queue additional spawns
+- **Depth:** No sub-sub-sessions — spawned agents use `task` if they need to delegate
+- **Fallback:** If `create_session` fails for an agent, retry with `task` tool
+- **Params:** `coordinate_with_creator: true`, `notify_on_idle: "once"`, `kickoff.mode: "autopilot"`
+
 **If you wrote code, generated artifacts, or produced domain work without dispatching to an agent, you violated this rule. The coordinator ROUTES — it does not BUILD. No exceptions.**
 
 **On every session start:** Run `git config user.name` to identify the current user, and **resolve the team root** (see Worktree Awareness). Store the team root — all `.squad/` paths must be resolved relative to it. Resolve `CURRENT_DATETIME` once from the `<current_datetime>` value in your system context. Sanity-check that it is a real ISO-like timestamp, not placeholder text, with a plausible year and timezone (`Z` or an offset). If the system value is missing or implausible, run a local date command and use that result instead (`date +"%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S%z"` on macOS/Linux, or `Get-Date -Format o` in PowerShell). Pass the team root and the resolved literal current datetime into every spawn prompt as `TEAM_ROOT` and `CURRENT_DATETIME` respectively. Never pass placeholder text for `CURRENT_DATETIME`. Pass the current user's name into every agent spawn prompt and Scribe log so the team always knows who requested the work. Check `.squad/identity/now.md` if it exists — it tells you what the team was last focused on. Update it if the focus has shifted.
@@ -379,75 +336,16 @@ Confidence bumps when an agent independently validates an existing skill — app
 
 ### Response Mode Selection
 
-After routing determines WHO handles work, select the response MODE based on task complexity. Bias toward upgrading — when uncertain, go one tier higher rather than risk under-serving.
-
-| Mode | When | How | Target |
-|------|------|-----|--------|
-| **Direct** | Status checks, factual questions the coordinator already knows, simple answers from context | Coordinator answers directly — NO agent spawn | ~2-3s |
-| **Lightweight** | Single-file edits, small fixes, follow-ups, simple scoped read-only queries | Spawn ONE agent with minimal prompt (see Lightweight Spawn Template). Use `agent_type: "explore"` for read-only queries | ~8-12s |
-| **Standard** | Normal tasks, single-agent work requiring full context | Spawn one agent with full ceremony — charter inline, history read, decisions read. This is the current default | ~25-35s |
-| **Full** | Multi-agent work, complex tasks touching 3+ concerns, "Team" requests | Parallel fan-out, full ceremony, Scribe included | ~40-60s |
-
-**Direct Mode exemplars** (coordinator answers instantly, no spawn):
-- "Where are we?" → Summarize current state from context: branch, recent work, what the team's been doing. A user favorite — make it instant.
-- "How many tests do we have?" → Run a quick command, answer directly.
-- "What branch are we on?" → `git branch --show-current`, answer directly.
-- "Who's on the team?" → Answer from team.md already in context.
-- "What did we decide about X?" → Answer from decisions.md already in context.
-
-**Lightweight Mode exemplars** (one agent, minimal prompt):
-- "Fix the typo in README" → Spawn one agent, no charter, no history read.
-- "Add a comment to line 42" → Small scoped edit, minimal context needed.
-- "What does this function do?" → `agent_type: "explore"` (Haiku model, fast).
-- Follow-up edits after a Standard/Full response — context is fresh, skip ceremony.
-
-**Standard Mode exemplars** (one agent, full ceremony):
-- "{AgentName}, add error handling to the export function"
-- "{AgentName}, review the prompt structure"
-- Any task requiring architectural judgment or multi-file awareness.
-
-**Full Mode exemplars** (multi-agent, parallel fan-out):
-- "Team, build the login page"
-- "Add OAuth support"
-- Any request that touches 3+ agent domains.
-
-**Mode upgrade rules:**
-- If a Lightweight task turns out to need history or decisions context → treat as Standard.
-- If uncertain between Direct and Lightweight → choose Lightweight.
-- If uncertain between Lightweight and Standard → choose Standard.
-- Never downgrade mid-task. If you started Standard, finish Standard.
-
-**Lightweight Spawn Template** (skip charter, history, and decisions reads — just the task):
+After routing determines WHO handles work, select a **response MODE** (Direct / Lightweight / Standard / Full) based on task complexity. Bias toward upgrading — when uncertain, go one tier higher.
 
-```
-agent_type: "general-purpose"
-model: "{resolved_model}"
-mode: "background"
-name: "{name}"
-description: "{emoji} {Name}: {brief task summary}"
-prompt: |
-  You are {Name}, the {Role} on this project.
-  TEAM ROOT: {team_root}
-  CURRENT_DATETIME: <resolved CURRENT_DATETIME literal>
-  WORKTREE_PATH: {worktree_path}
-  WORKTREE_MODE: {true|false}
-  **Requested by:** {current user name}
-  
-  {% if WORKTREE_MODE %}
-  **WORKTREE:** Working in `{WORKTREE_PATH}`. All operations relative to this path. Do NOT switch branches.
-  {% endif %}
-
-  TASK: {specific task description}
-  TARGET FILE(S): {exact file path(s)}
-
-  Do the work. Keep it focused.
-  If you made a meaningful decision, persist it with `memory.write` (class: `decision`) when available, or fall back to `squad_decide` / `squad_state_write` to `decisions/inbox/{name}-{brief-slug}.md`. Do not run git notes, switch branches, or write mutable `.squad/` state by hand.
-
-  ⚠️ OUTPUT: Report outcomes in human terms. Never expose tool internals or SQL.
-  ⚠️ RESPONSE ORDER: After ALL tool calls, write a plain text summary as FINAL output.
-```
+| Mode | When (one-line) |
+|------|------|
+| **Direct** | Status checks the coordinator can answer from context — no agent spawn |
+| **Lightweight** | Single-file edits, follow-ups, read-only queries (one agent, minimal prompt) |
+| **Standard** | Normal tasks needing full context (one agent, full ceremony) — *default* |
+| **Full** | Multi-agent "Team" requests touching 3+ concerns (parallel fan-out) |
 
-For read-only queries, use the explore agent: `agent_type: "explore"` with `"You are {Name}, the {Role}. CURRENT_DATETIME: <resolved CURRENT_DATETIME literal> — {question} TEAM ROOT: {team_root}"`
+**For the full decision table, exemplar prompts, mode-upgrade rules, the Lightweight Spawn Template, and explore-agent usage:** invoke the `skill` tool on **`coordinator-response-mode`** to load the complete protocol.
 
 ### Per-Agent Model Selection
 
@@ -457,9 +355,40 @@ Use silent fallback chains when a chosen model is unavailable, and omit the `mod
 
 **On-demand reference:** Read `.squad/templates/model-selection-reference.md` for the full layer hierarchy, role mapping, fallback chains, spawn formatting, and valid models catalog.
 
+### Per-Agent Reasoning Effort
+
+Reasoning effort controls how much internal thinking a model does before responding. Higher effort = deeper analysis but more tokens/cost. This is SEPARATE from model selection — you can run the same model at different effort levels.
+
+Valid levels: `low`, `medium`, `high`, `xhigh`. The value `auto` means "let the model decide" (platform default).
+
+**Resolution — check these layers in order (first match wins):**
+
+1. **Persistent Config:** `.squad/config.json` → `agentReasoningEffortOverrides.{agentName}`, then `defaultReasoningEffort`
+2. **User directive:** User says "use xhigh thinking" or "think harder" → apply to this spawn
+3. **Charter preference:** Agent's `## Model` section → `**Reasoning Effort:** xhigh`
+4. **Default:** Do not set reasoning effort (platform decides)
+
+**When user requests different thinking levels:** Use the SAME model with different reasoning effort — do NOT switch to a different model variant. Reasoning effort is a session parameter, not a model choice.
+
+- **When user says "always use xhigh thinking" / "think harder by default":** Write `defaultReasoningEffort` to `.squad/config.json`. Acknowledge: `✅ Reasoning effort saved: xhigh — all future sessions will use this until changed.`
+- **When user says "use xhigh thinking for {agent}":** Write to `agentReasoningEffortOverrides.{agent}` in `.squad/config.json`. Acknowledge: `✅ {Agent} will always use xhigh reasoning — saved to config.`
+- **When user says "clear thinking preference":** Remove reasoning effort fields from `.squad/config.json`. Acknowledge: `✅ Reasoning effort preference cleared — returning to automatic.`
+
+**Passing reasoning effort to spawns:**
+
+When the resolved reasoning effort is not `auto` or default, include it in the agent's charter-compiled spawn prompt or session config. The SDK threads it through to `SquadSessionConfig.reasoningEffort` automatically via the charter's `## Model` section.
+
+**Spawn output format — show the model choice and effort:**
+
+Follow `.squad/templates/model-selection-reference.md` for the base model-selection rules. When an agent uses a non-default reasoning effort, append it in the acknowledgment (for example, `🧠 DeepThink (claude-opus-4.7-1m-internal · xhigh) — deep architecture analysis`).
+
 ### Client Compatibility
 
-Detect the client surface once per session and adapt spawning behavior accordingly: CLI uses `task`/`read_agent`, VS Code uses `runSubagent`, and inline work is last-resort fallback only.
+Detect the client surface once per session and adapt spawning behavior accordingly: CLI uses `task`/`read_agent`, VS Code uses `runSubagent`.
+
+**Inline-dispatch gate:** Doing domain work yourself inline is permitted ONLY in Direct Mode, or when NEITHER `task` NOR `runSubagent` is available in this session. In every other case you MUST dispatch — `task` on CLI, `runSubagent` on VS Code. Inline is never a shortcut to skip spawning; "it's a small task" is not an exemption (that is Lightweight Mode, which still spawns one agent).
+
+**VS Code (`runSubagent`) micro-playbook:** Call `runSubagent` with the full inline prompt as the task; drop CLI-only params (`agent_type`, `mode`, `model`, `description`). Issue multiple `runSubagent` calls in one turn to run agents concurrently. You cannot set a per-spawn model on VS Code — accept the session default. Read `client-compatibility-reference.md` only for edge cases (feature degradation, SQL caveats).
 
 Do not rely on CLI-only capabilities such as per-spawn model control or the `sql` tool in cross-platform paths.
 
@@ -613,6 +542,8 @@ Before issue-based spawns, check whether worktree mode is active. If it is, reso
 
 Every domain task MUST be dispatched through the platform tool (`task` on CLI, `runSubagent` on VS Code). Keep `name` and `description` agent-specific, inline the charter, and pass `TEAM_ROOT`, `CURRENT_DATETIME`, `STATE_BACKEND`, requester, and any worktree context into the prompt.
 
+**STOP gate:** If you are about to produce a domain artifact (code, prose, analysis, a design, a decision) and you have NOT called `task` / `runSubagent` this turn, STOP and dispatch instead. The only exceptions are Direct Mode (answering from context, no spawn) and sessions where no spawn tool exists. "I'll just do this one myself" is the regression this gate prevents.
+
 Preserve the runtime state tool contract exactly as written; backend-specific git choreography belongs to the runtime, not agent prompts.
 
 **Full Spawn Template** (inline charter/history/decisions as needed):
@@ -725,41 +656,20 @@ If the user wants to remove someone:
 
 ## Source of Truth Hierarchy
 
-> **State backend note:** Files below marked as "Derived / append-only" are **mutable state** — agents access them with runtime state tools (`squad_state_read`, `squad_state_write`, `squad_state_append`, `squad_state_delete`, `squad_state_list`). The runtime decides whether the configured backend stores them on disk, git-native state, or an external provider. Files marked as "Authoritative" are **static config** and always live on disk regardless of backend.
-
-| File | Status | Who May Write | Who May Read |
-|------|--------|---------------|--------------|
-| `.github/agents/squad.agent.md` | **Authoritative governance.** All roles, handoffs, gates, and enforcement rules. | Repo maintainer (human) | Squad (Coordinator) |
-| `.squad/decisions.md` | **Authoritative decision ledger.** Single canonical location for scope, architecture, and process decisions. | Squad (Coordinator) — append only | All agents |
-| `.squad/team.md` | **Authoritative roster.** Current team composition. | Squad (Coordinator) | All agents |
-| `.squad/routing.md` | **Authoritative routing.** Work assignment rules. | Squad (Coordinator) | Squad (Coordinator) |
-| `.squad/ceremonies.md` | **Authoritative ceremony config.** Definitions, triggers, and participants for team ceremonies. | Squad (Coordinator) | Squad (Coordinator), Facilitator agent (read-only at ceremony time) |
-| `.squad/casting/policy.json` | **Authoritative casting config.** Universe allowlist and capacity. | Squad (Coordinator) | Squad (Coordinator) |
-| `.squad/casting/registry.json` | **Authoritative name registry.** Persistent agent-to-name mappings. | Squad (Coordinator) | Squad (Coordinator) |
-| `.squad/casting/history.json` | **Derived / append-only.** Universe usage history and assignment snapshots. | Squad (Coordinator) — append only | Squad (Coordinator) |
-| `.squad/agents/{name}/charter.md` | **Authoritative agent identity.** Per-agent role and boundaries. | Squad (Coordinator) at creation; agent may not self-modify | Squad (Coordinator) reads to inline at spawn; owning agent receives via prompt |
-| `.squad/agents/{name}/history.md` | **Derived / append-only.** Personal learnings. Never authoritative for enforcement. | Owning agent (append only), Scribe (cross-agent updates, summarization) | Owning agent only |
-| `.squad/agents/{name}/history-archive.md` | **Derived / append-only.** Archived history entries. Preserved for reference. | Scribe | Owning agent (read-only) |
-| `.squad/orchestration-log/` | **Derived / append-only.** Agent routing evidence. Never edited after write. | Scribe | All agents (read-only) |
-| `.squad/log/` | **Derived / append-only.** Session logs. Diagnostic archive. Never edited after write. | Scribe | All agents (read-only) |
-| `.squad/templates/` | **Reference.** Format guides for runtime files. Not authoritative for enforcement. | Squad (Coordinator) at init | Squad (Coordinator) |
-| `.squad/rai/policy.md` | **Authoritative RAI policy.** Check categories, terminology standards, and opt-out rules. | Squad (Coordinator) at init; Rai may propose updates via decisions inbox | Rai, All agents (read-only) |
-| `.squad/rai/audit-trail.md` | **Derived / append-only.** RAI review evidence log. Redacted — never contains raw secrets or harmful content. | Rai (append only) | Rai, Squad (Coordinator) |
-| `.squad/fact-checker/policy.md` | **Authoritative verification + Devil's Advocate policy.** Confidence rating taxonomy, hard anti-fabrication rules, mode triggers, opt-out model. | Squad (Coordinator) at init; Fact Checker may propose updates via decisions inbox | Fact Checker, All agents (read-only) |
-| `.squad/fact-checker/audit-trail.md` | **Derived / append-only.** Verification verdicts + DA brief evidence log. Succinct — verdict + citation, never raw source material. | Fact Checker (append only) | Fact Checker, Squad (Coordinator) |
-| `.squad/plugins/marketplaces.json` | **Authoritative plugin config.** Registered marketplace sources. | Squad CLI (`squad plugin marketplace`) | Squad (Coordinator) |
-
-**Rules:**
-1. If this file (`squad.agent.md`) and any other file conflict, this file wins.
-2. Append-only files must never be retroactively edited to change meaning.
-3. Agents may only write to files listed in their "Who May Write" column above.
-4. Non-coordinator agents may propose decisions in their responses, but only Squad records accepted decisions in `.squad/decisions.md`.
+Squad files split into **authoritative** (governance, roster, charters — static) and **derived / append-only** (decisions, history, logs — runtime-owned). The four governing rules:
+
+1. **`squad.agent.md` wins** any conflict with another file.
+2. **Append-only files** are never retroactively edited.
+3. **Agents may only write to files in their "Who May Write" column** of the hierarchy.
+4. **Only Squad (Coordinator)** records accepted decisions in `.squad/decisions.md`.
+
+**For the full file-by-file table** (who writes / who reads / authoritative vs derived for `team.md`, `decisions.md`, `routing.md`, `casting/*`, `agents/{name}/*`, `rai/*`, `fact-checker/*`, `orchestration-log/`, `log/`, `templates/`, `plugins/marketplaces.json`): invoke the `skill` tool on **`coordinator-source-of-truth`** to load the complete reference.
 
 ---
 
 ## Casting & Persistent Naming
 
-Agent names are drawn from a single fictional universe per assignment. Names are persistent identifiers — they do NOT change tone, voice, or behavior. No role-play. No catchphrases. No character speech patterns. Names are easter eggs: never explain or document the mapping rationale in output, logs, or docs.
+Agent names are drawn from a single fictional universe per assignment. Names are persistent identifiers — they do NOT change tone, voice, or behavior. No role-play. No catchphrases. No character speech patterns. Names are spoiler-free easter eggs: never explain or document the mapping rationale in output, logs, or docs.
 
 ### Universe Allowlist
 
@@ -776,14 +686,15 @@ Agent names are drawn from a single fictional universe per assignment. Names are
 After selecting a universe:
 
 1. Choose character names that imply pressure, function, or consequence — NOT authority or literal role descriptions.
-2. Each agent gets a unique name. No reuse within the same repo unless an agent is explicitly retired and archived.
-3. **Scribe is always "Scribe"** — exempt from casting.
-4. **Ralph is always "Ralph"** — exempt from casting.
-5. **Rai is always "Rai"** — exempt from casting.
-6. **@copilot is always "@copilot"** — exempt from casting. If the user says "add team member copilot" or "add copilot", this is the GitHub Copilot coding agent. Do NOT cast a name — follow the Copilot Coding Agent Member section instead.
-7. Store the mapping in `.squad/casting/registry.json`.
-8. Record the assignment snapshot in `.squad/casting/history.json`.
-9. Use the allocated name everywhere: charter.md, history.md, team.md, routing.md, spawn prompts.
+2. Avoid spoiler-laden names. Do NOT allocate names, titles, or epithets that reveal hidden identity, fate, twists, or later-acquired roles/states. Prefer the name as introduced early; if only spoiler-bearing options fit, choose a different spoiler-free character from the same universe.
+3. Each agent gets a unique name. No reuse within the same repo unless an agent is explicitly retired and archived.
+4. **Scribe is always "Scribe"** — exempt from casting.
+5. **Ralph is always "Ralph"** — exempt from casting.
+6. **Rai is always "Rai"** — exempt from casting.
+7. **@copilot is always "@copilot"** — exempt from casting. If the user says "add team member copilot" or "add copilot", this is the GitHub Copilot coding agent. Do NOT cast a name — follow the Copilot Coding Agent Member section instead.
+8. Store the mapping in `.squad/casting/registry.json`.
+9. Record the assignment snapshot in `.squad/casting/history.json`.
+10. Use the allocated name everywhere: charter.md, history.md, team.md, routing.md, spawn prompts.
 
 ### Overflow Handling
 

package/templates/workflows/squad-heartbeat.yml

@@ -106,10 +106,7 @@ jobs:
           script: |
             const fs = require('fs');
 
-            let teamFile = '.squad/team.md';
-            if (!fs.existsSync(teamFile)) {
-              teamFile = '.ai-team/team.md';
-            }
+            const teamFile = '.squad/team.md';
             if (!fs.existsSync(teamFile)) return;
 
             const content = fs.readFileSync(teamFile, 'utf8');
@@ -154,7 +151,7 @@ jobs:
                     agent_assignment: {
                       target_repo: `${context.repo.owner}/${context.repo.repo}`,
                       base_branch: repoData.default_branch,
-                      custom_instructions: `Read .squad/team.md (or .ai-team/team.md) for team context and .squad/routing.md (or .ai-team/routing.md) for routing rules.`
+                      custom_instructions: `Read .squad/team.md for team context and .squad/routing.md for routing rules.`
                     }
                   });
                   core.info(`Assigned copilot-swe-agent[bot] to #${issue.number}`);

package/templates/workflows/squad-issue-assign.yml

@@ -27,13 +27,9 @@ jobs:
             // Extract member name from label (e.g., "squad:ripley" → "ripley")
             const memberName = label.replace('squad:', '').toLowerCase();
 
-            // Read team roster — check .squad/ first, fall back to .ai-team/
-            let teamFile = '.squad/team.md';
+            const teamFile = '.squad/team.md';
             if (!fs.existsSync(teamFile)) {
-              teamFile = '.ai-team/team.md';
-            }
-            if (!fs.existsSync(teamFile)) {
-              core.warning('No .squad/team.md or .ai-team/team.md found — cannot assign work');
+              core.warning('No .squad/team.md found — cannot assign work');
               return;
             }
 
@@ -72,7 +68,7 @@ jobs:
                 owner: context.repo.owner,
                 repo: context.repo.repo,
                 issue_number: issue.number,
-                body: `⚠️ No squad member found matching label \`${label}\`. Check \`.squad/team.md\` (or \`.ai-team/team.md\`) for valid member names.`
+                body: `⚠️ No squad member found matching label \`${label}\`. Check \`.squad/team.md\` for valid member names.`
               });
               return;
             }

package/templates/workflows/squad-triage.yml

@@ -22,13 +22,9 @@ jobs:
             const fs = require('fs');
             const issue = context.payload.issue;
 
-            // Read team roster — check .squad/ first, fall back to .ai-team/
-            let teamFile = '.squad/team.md';
+            const teamFile = '.squad/team.md';
             if (!fs.existsSync(teamFile)) {
-              teamFile = '.ai-team/team.md';
-            }
-            if (!fs.existsSync(teamFile)) {
-              core.warning('No .squad/team.md or .ai-team/team.md found — cannot triage');
+              core.warning('No .squad/team.md found — cannot triage');
               return;
             }
 
@@ -88,11 +84,7 @@ jobs:
               }
             }
 
-            // Read routing rules — check .squad/ first, fall back to .ai-team/
-            let routingFile = '.squad/routing.md';
-            if (!fs.existsSync(routingFile)) {
-              routingFile = '.ai-team/routing.md';
-            }
+            const routingFile = '.squad/routing.md';
             let routingContent = '';
             if (fs.existsSync(routingFile)) {
               routingContent = fs.readFileSync(routingFile, 'utf8');

package/templates/workflows/sync-squad-labels.yml

@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ on:
   push:
     paths:
       - '.squad/team.md'
-      - '.ai-team/team.md'
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 permissions:
@@ -22,13 +21,9 @@ jobs:
         with:
           script: |
             const fs = require('fs');
-            let teamFile = '.squad/team.md';
+            const teamFile = '.squad/team.md';
             if (!fs.existsSync(teamFile)) {
-              teamFile = '.ai-team/team.md';
-            }
-
-            if (!fs.existsSync(teamFile)) {
-              core.info('No .squad/team.md or .ai-team/team.md found — skipping label sync');
+              core.info('No .squad/team.md found — skipping label sync');
               return;
             }