@deftai/directive-content 0.89.0 → 0.91.0

package/packs/skills/skills-pack-0.1.json

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
       ],
       "path": "skills/deft-directive-build/SKILL.md",
       "version": "0.1",
-      "body": "# Deft Directive Build\n\nImplements a project from its scope xBRIEFs following Deft Directive standards.\n\nLegend (from RFC2119): !=MUST, ~=SHOULD, ≉=SHOULD NOT, ⊗=MUST NOT, ?=MAY.\n\n## When to Use\n\n- After `deft-directive-setup` completes and generates `PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json`\n- User says \"build this\", \"implement the spec\", or \"start building\"\n- Resuming a partially-built project that has story xBRIEFs in `xbrief/active/`\n\n## Ordered-plan / cohort exhaustion (#2402)\n\n! When processing an approved multi-story cohort or an active ordered-plan sequence, stop after the final approved entry. Do not promote or dispatch adjacent stories from queue intuition. Continuation language advances only within the approved order; skill-chaining is non-authorizing.\n\n## Step 0 -- Implementation Preflight (#810)\n\n- ! Before starting any new implementation story or switching from one story to another, MUST run `git status --short --branch`.\n- ! If the working tree is dirty, MUST stop and summarize the current branch, modified/untracked files, and whether the changes appear related to the target story. Ask the operator to choose one path: commit existing work, stash existing work, include existing work in the current story, or stop.\n- ⊗ Begin a new story while unrelated dirty work is present without explicit operator approval.\n- ! Resolve exactly one target story xBRIEF path by default. One story is the default implementation unit for this skill; if the user asks for a phase/epic, decompose or ask which story to start.\n- ! Batching multiple stories in one branch/PR requires explicit operator approval and a short rationale recorded in the handoff.\n- ! **Swarm-cohort dispatch carve-out**: when this skill is invoked as part of a swarm cohort allocated by `skills/deft-directive-swarm/SKILL.md`, the approved Phase 5 allocation plan satisfies the \"explicit operator approval and short rationale recorded in the handoff\" requirement above -- the dispatched xBRIEF paths and allocation rationale ARE the consent token. Process each assigned story sequentially under the checkpoint-commit + `task scope:complete` discipline below. Do NOT re-prompt the parent for batching approval mid-cohort -- the all-or-nothing dispatch envelope rule (`AGENTS.md` `## Multi-agent orchestration discipline (#954)`) forbids mid-scope user-approval gates.\n- ! **Structured consent-token recognition (#1378)**: the canonical recognition path for the carve-out above is the structured `## Allocation context` section of the dispatch envelope (the frozen schema in `templates/agent-prompt-preamble.md`, Story A of #1378). When that section reports `dispatch_kind: swarm-cohort` with a non-null `allocation_plan_id` AND a non-null `batching_rationale`, the consent token is satisfied mechanically -- read `cohort_vbriefs` as the authoritative file boundary and process each entry sequentially under the checkpoint-commit + `task scope:complete` discipline below, without re-prompting the parent for batching approval mid-cohort. When the `## Allocation context` section is ABSENT (pre-#1378 dispatches, solo-interactive sessions), fall back to the #1371 prose carve-out immediately above -- the prose carve-out remains the recognition path of record for un-elevated envelopes.\n- ! **Within a cohort, between stories**: the working tree MUST be clean after each story's checkpoint commit + `task scope:complete`. If `git status --short` shows uncommitted state between stories (e.g. a missed `task scope:complete` move, an unstaged file from the prior story), checkpoint-commit it and proceed -- do NOT pause to ask the operator. The dirty-tree \"ask the operator\" branch above applies only at the FIRST story-start of a fresh branch, where uncommitted operator work might legitimately exist.\n- ! If the target story is in `xbrief/proposed/`, run `task scope:promote -- <path>` first; if it is in `xbrief/pending/`, run `task scope:activate -- <path>`. After activation, update the path to the active-file location before preflight.\n- ! Before any code-writing tool call -- the first scaffold edit, the first `task` invocation that mutates files, or any `start_agent` dispatch that will implement scope -- MUST run `task xbrief:preflight -- <active-story-path>` (the structural intent gate; wraps `scripts/preflight_implementation.py` so the same invocation works whether deft is the project root or installed as a `deft/` subdirectory).\n\nThe gate exits 0 only when the candidate xBRIEF lives in `xbrief/active/` AND `plan.status == \"running\"`. Any other state (pending/, proposed/, completed/, active/-with-non-running-status, malformed JSON, missing keys) exits 1 with an actionable redirect to `task xbrief:activate <path>`.\n\n- ! A non-zero exit MUST halt the skill. Surface the helper's stderr message verbatim to the user; do NOT proceed to USER.md Gate, File Reading, or any later phase.\n- ! Use canonical lifecycle tasks to satisfy this gate: `task scope:promote -- <path>` for proposed stories, `task scope:activate -- <path>` for pending stories, and the helper's idempotent companion `task xbrief:activate <path>` only when following the preflight redirect directly. Manual lifecycle moves bypass the activation contract -- use the task.\n- ⊗ Infer implementation intent from lifecycle vocabulary (\"do the full PR process\", \"start the work\", \"poller agents\"), branching language, or workflow shape. Workflow-shape vocabulary is NOT authorization to spawn an implementation agent (#810 surfacing event).\n- ⊗ Skip this preflight because the user said \"yes\", \"go\", or \"proceed\" -- affirmative continuation phrases are NOT implementation authorization unless the prior turn explicitly proposed implementation. When intent is ambiguous, ask one targeted question before invoking the gate.\n\n## Platform Detection\n\n! Before resolving any config paths, detect the host OS from your environment context:\n\n| Platform           | USER.md default path                                              |\n|--------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|\n| Windows            | `%APPDATA%\\deft\\USER.md` (e.g. `C:\\Users\\{user}\\AppData\\Roaming\\deft\\USER.md`) |\n| Unix (macOS/Linux) | `~/.config/deft/USER.md`                                          |\n\n- ! If `$DEFT_USER_PATH` is set, it takes precedence on any platform\n\n## Pre-Cutover Detection Guard\n\n! Before proceeding with any build step, detect whether the project uses the pre-v0.20 document model **or was generated by a strategy that emitted non-conformant v0.20 output shape** (the root cause of most \"build fails immediately after spec\" complaints in #1166). Redirect or block with the precise remediation.\n\n### Detection Criteria\n\nA project is **pre-cutover** if ANY of the following are true. This prose mirrors the executable helper in `scripts/_precutover.py`; when in doubt, the helper is canonical.\n\n1. `SPECIFICATION.md` exists and is neither a deprecation redirect nor a current generated spec export. A current generated spec export contains `<!-- Purpose: rendered specification -->` and `<!-- Source of truth: xbrief/specification.xbrief.json -->`, and `xbrief/specification.xbrief.json` plus all five lifecycle folders exist.\n2. `PROJECT.md` exists and contains neither the legacy `<!-- deft:deprecated-redirect -->` sentinel NOR the current `Purpose: deprecation redirect` canonical-banner marker (real content, not a deprecation redirect)\n3. `xbrief/specification.xbrief.json` exists but the lifecycle folders (`xbrief/proposed/`, `xbrief/pending/`, `xbrief/active/`, `xbrief/completed/`, `xbrief/cancelled/`) do NOT exist\n4. Strategy output shape violations (run `task verify-strategy-output` -- the canonical gate -- or the direct form `python .deft/core/scripts/validate_strategy_output.py --project-root <path>` after `deft` install):\n   - Any scope xBRIEF under `xbrief/proposed/` (or other lifecycle dirs) lacks the required `YYYY-MM-DD-` date prefix in its filename (e.g. bare `scaffold.xbrief.json`).\n   - `xbrief/PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json` is missing.\n   - `xbrief/specification.xbrief.json` exists as a legacy dual-write in a user-generated project. This is tolerated only for the framework source tree or a complete post-cutover full-spec consumer where all lifecycle folders exist and `SPECIFICATION.md` is rendered from `xbrief/specification.xbrief.json`.\n\n### Action on Detection\n\n! If pre-cutover or strategy-nonconformant state is detected, **stop immediately** and display an actionable message that cites the exact validator:\n\n> \"This project was generated with pre-v0.20 or non-conformant strategy output. Run the deterministic validator and follow its remediation: `task verify-strategy-output` (works in source and after `deft` package install) or `python .deft/core/scripts/validate_strategy_output.py --project-root .`. For document-model migration, follow UPGRADING.md § Frozen pre-v0.20 document-model migration (#2068): pin v0.59.0, then run `task migrate:vbrief` from that payload. Otherwise `task project:render` / strategy re-run as indicated.\"\n\n! Include specific details about what was detected (the validator output is authoritative):\n\n- Legacy specification.xbrief.json or missing lifecycle folders: \"Follow the frozen v0.59.0 migrator path (#2068) or run `task migrate:preflight` for current-release guidance\"\n- Non-date-prefixed xBRIEFs: \"Re-run the emitting strategy after the v0.20 migrations (#1166 s1+s2+...) or manually rename files to `YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>.xbrief.json` and `task scope:promote`\"\n- Missing `PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json`: \"Run `task project:render` to generate the project definition\"\n- `SPECIFICATION.md` / `PROJECT.md` without sentinel: the classic pre-cutover messages\n- Scope xBRIEF in wrong folder: \"Status is '{status}' but file is in {folder}/ -- run `task scope:activate <file>` to fix\"\n\n! After the validator reports clean, re-run this guard before continuing.\n\n⊗ Proceed with build when pre-cutover or strategy-nonconformant artifacts are detected -- always redirect to the frozen migration path first (or run the validator) and surface the exact remediation.\n⊗ Silently ignore these artifacts or guess at fixes -- the validator (wired into `task check` and this guard) is the deterministic gate.\n\n## USER.md Gate\n\n! Before proceeding, verify USER.md exists at the platform-appropriate path\n(resolved via Platform Detection above, or `$DEFT_USER_PATH` if set).\n\n- ! If USER.md is not found: inform the user and redirect to `deft-directive-setup`\n  Phase 1 before continuing -- do not proceed without user preferences\n- ! Once USER.md exists, continue with the Cost Phase Gate below\n\n## Cost Phase Gate (#739)\n\n! Before proceeding to File Reading, verify the project has gone through the\npre-build cost & budget transparency phase from `skills/deft-directive-cost/SKILL.md`.\nThis closes the adoption-blocker surfaced by issue #739 (refs #151 umbrella) where\nusers finished the spec flow and stopped at build because deft offered no cost\nsignal.\n\n### Detection\n\n- ! Check for `COST-ESTIMATE.md` in the project root.\n- ! Check that the file contains a recorded decision (the **Decision recorded**\n  block populated with one of: `build`, `rescope`, `no-build`, `skip`).\n- ! For `skip`, `rescope`, or `no-build` decisions: the **Reason** field MUST be\n  populated (one or two sentences in plain language). A skip with no reason\n  recorded is treated the same as no decision.\n\n### Action\n\n- ! If `COST-ESTIMATE.md` is missing OR the **Decision recorded** block is\n  unpopulated OR a `skip`/`rescope`/`no-build` decision has no reason recorded:\n  stop immediately and redirect the user:\n\n  > \"This project has not gone through the pre-build cost & budget transparency\n  > phase. Run `skills/deft-directive-cost/SKILL.md` to produce a plain-English\n  > `COST-ESTIMATE.md`, then re-run the build skill once the user has chosen\n  > build / rescope / no-build / skip(+reason).\"\n\n- ! On a `build` or `skip` decision: continue with File Reading below.\n- ! On a `rescope` decision: stop and redirect the user back to spec edits\n  (chain to `skills/deft-directive-refinement/SKILL.md` to pull spec scope\n  back, or the interview), then re-run `skills/deft-directive-cost/SKILL.md`\n  before re-attempting build.\n- ! On a `no-build` decision: stop and exit; do NOT proceed to File Reading.\n  The user has explicitly stopped the project at the cost phase.\n- ⊗ Proceed to File Reading or any subsequent phase when `COST-ESTIMATE.md` is\n  missing, when the decision is unpopulated, or when a skip / rescope / no-build\n  decision has no reason recorded.\n- ⊗ Treat a `rescope` or `no-build` decision as if it were a `build` -- the\n  build skill MUST honor the recorded decision.\n\n## File Reading\n\n- ! Read in order, lazy load:\n  1. `./xbrief/active/` -- scope xBRIEFs for work items to build (required)\n  2. `./xbrief/PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json` -- project identity, tech stack, architecture\n  3. `./.planning/codebase/MAP.md` -- generated codebase orientation projection, if present (advisory)\n  4. USER.md at the platform-appropriate path (see Platform Detection) -- Personal section is highest precedence; Defaults are fallback\n  5. `deft/main.md` -- framework guidelines\n  6. `deft/coding/coding.md` -- coding standards\n  7. `deft/coding/testing.md` -- testing requirements\n  8. `deft/coding/toolchain.md` -- toolchain validation rules\n  9. `deft/languages/{language}.md` -- only for languages this project uses\n- ~ If the MAP is absent or may be stale and the current scope needs broad codebase orientation, run `task codebase:map` and `task verify:codebase-map-fresh` when those commands resolve. Treat absence/staleness as advisory unless the task edits `plan.architecture.codeStructure`, a configured provider artifact, or the generated MAP itself.\n- ! Treat `plan.architecture.codeStructure` and selected provider artifacts as authoritative. The MAP is a generated projection.\n- ⊗ Read all language/interface/tool files upfront\n- ⊗ Hand-edit `.planning/codebase/MAP.md` or block unrelated implementation solely because the MAP is stale or absent\n\n## Rule Precedence\n\n```\nUSER.md Personal                  <- HIGHEST (name, custom rules -- always wins)\nPROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json   <- Project-specific (tech stack, architecture, config)\nUSER.md Defaults                  <- Fallback defaults (used when PROJECT-DEFINITION doesn't specify)\n{language}.md                     <- Language standards\ncoding.md                         <- General coding\nmain.md                           <- Framework defaults\nScope xBRIEFs                     <- LOWEST\n```\n\n- ! USER.md Personal section always wins over any other file\n- ! For project-scoped settings, PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json overrides USER.md Defaults\n\n## Change Lifecycle Gate\n\n! Before any implementation that touches 3+ files, verify that a `/deft:change <name>` proposal exists and has been confirmed by the user:\n\n- ! Check `history/changes/` for an active `proposal.xbrief.json` matching this work\n- ! If no proposal exists: propose `/deft:change <name>` and present the change name for explicit confirmation (e.g. \"Confirm? yes/no\")\n- ! The user must reply with an affirmative (`yes`, `confirmed`, `approve`) — a general 'proceed', 'do it', or 'go ahead' does NOT satisfy this gate\n- ? For solo projects: this gate is RECOMMENDED but not mandatory for changes fully covered by `task check`; it remains mandatory for cross-cutting, architectural, or high-risk changes\n- ⊗ Skip this gate because the user has already said \"proceed\" or \"go ahead\"\n\n## Build Process\n\nAll xBRIEFs (including those read from `xbrief/active/` and any new xBRIEFs this skill emits) MUST use `\"xBRIEFInfo\": { \"version\": \"0.6\" }`. The validator rejects any other version (see [`../../conventions/references.md`](../../conventions/references.md)).\n\n### Step 1: Understand the Scope\n\n- ! Read story xBRIEFs from `xbrief/active/` and `PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json`\n- ! Identify phases, dependencies, starting point from scope xBRIEF acceptance criteria\n- ~ Use `.planning/codebase/MAP.md`, when present, to orient broad codebase scanning. If the MAP conflicts with current code or canonical metadata, surface the drift and trust `plan.architecture.codeStructure` / provider artifacts plus the working tree over generated prose.\n- ! When scanning the existing codebase during scope understanding, MUST surface any contradicting patterns (two error-handling shapes, two state-management approaches, two naming conventions, etc.) before implementation begins -- apply `coding/hygiene.md` `## Surface Conflicts: Pick One, Explain, Flag the Other (#1005)` and choose ONE pattern (more recent OR more tested), explain the choice in the scope summary, and flag the other for cleanup\n- ⊗ Begin implementation against an averaged blend of two contradicting patterns -- \"average code that satisfies both rules is the worst code\" (#1005)\n- ! Present brief summary to user:\n\n> \"Here's what I see: {N} story xBRIEFs in active/. I'll start with {name}. Ready?\"\n\n### Step 2: Verify Toolchain\n\n- ! Before any implementation, verify all tools required by this project are installed and functional — see `deft/coding/toolchain.md` for full rules\n- ! At minimum: confirm task runner (`task --version`), language compiler/runtime, and platform SDK (if applicable) are available\n- ! If any required tool is missing, stop and report — do not proceed to Step 3\n- ⊗ Assume tools are available because the spec references them\n\n### Gate throughput — iteration fast lane vs merge chokepoint (#1704)\n\n> **Invariant:** every change MUST pass the full gate at least once before merge. Iteration MAY use a cheaper proxy; the merge chokepoint MUST NOT be skipped.\n\n- ! **Iteration lane (agents + humans):** during implementation commits, use affected/static gates — targeted tests on changed paths (`vitest run --coverage <paths>` or project equivalent), static `verify:*` gates relevant to touched files, and `task coverage:hotspots` / `task verify:forward-coverage` — NOT full `task check` on every commit.\n- ! **Merge chokepoint:** run full `task check` (or `task check:merge` in the framework source repo) once before push/PR and again when CI merge gate runs. Pre-PR skill exit and review-cycle fix batches still require a green full gate.\n- ! **Escape-rate safety (#1703 Tier-1):** before tightening fast-lane defaults fleet-wide, consult `#1703` measurement — `task eval:health` (Tier 0) and Tier-1 session telemetry (`helped/crud-metrics.jsonl` via instrumented CRUD / workflow metrics). Do NOT invent a separate fast-lane escape-rate surface (#1704 LockedDecisions).\n- ~ **In-engine incrementality (#1713):** content-hash task cache and runner-delegated affected selection are sibling work — not required for this policy face.\n- ⊗ Run full `task check` on every iteration commit when a cheaper proxy suffices — reserve the full gate for PR/merge (#1704).\n- ⊗ Skip the merge chokepoint because the iteration lane passed — the fast lane is convenience only.\n\n**Cost model (swarm-heavy path):** moves from roughly `O(commits × full-gate)` toward `O(merges × full-gate) + O(iterations × cheap-proxy)` when workers iterate with affected/static gates and run full `task check` only at PR/merge.\n\n## Step 3: Build Phase by Phase\n\nFor each phase:\n\n1. ! **Scaffold** — file structure, dependencies, config\n2. ! **Test first** — write tests before implementation (TDD)\n3. ! **Implement** — make tests pass, following deft coding standards\n4. ! **Verify (iteration lane)** — run affected/static gates per `#1704` fast lane above; fix failures before checkpoint commits\n5. ! **Origin sync** — when this phase materially changed an origin-linked scope xBRIEF (`plan.references` includes `x-xbrief/github-issue`), run `task issue:sync-from-xbrief -- <path>` (or `--dry-run` to preview) so the linked GitHub issue receives a sync comment; if skipped, document why in the PR or session notes (#2540)\n6. ! **Checkpoint** — tell user what's done, what's next\n\n- ⊗ Move to next phase until current phase passes all checks\n\n### Step 4: Quality Gates\n\nAfter EVERY phase (iteration lane — #1704):\n\n```bash\nvitest run --coverage <changed-paths>   # or project test runner on touched modules\ntask coverage:hotspots                  # branch headroom before merge\ntask verify:forward-coverage            # new-source coverage (#1310)\n```\n\nBefore PR / phase handoff (merge chokepoint):\n\n```bash\ntask check          # Full gate — format, lint, typecheck, tests, coverage, verify:*\ntask test:coverage  # >=85% or PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json override\n```\n\n- ! Phase checkpoint commits MAY use the iteration lane; phase is NOT done for PR handoff until full `task check` passes at the merge chokepoint\n- ⊗ Skip quality gates or claim they passed without running\n- ⊗ Treat iteration-lane green as merge-ready without full `task check`\n\n## Coding Standards (Summary)\n\nRead full files when you need detail:\n\n- ! TDD: write tests first — implementation incomplete without passing tests\n- ! Coverage: ≥85% lines, functions, branches, statements\n- ~ Files: <300 lines ideal, <500 recommended, ! <1000 max\n- ~ Naming: hyphens for filenames unless language idiom dictates otherwise\n- ! Contracts first: define interfaces/types before implementation\n- ! Secrets: in `secrets/` dir with `.example` templates; ⊗ secrets in code\n- ! Commits: Conventional Commits format; ! use iteration fast lane before checkpoint commits; ! run full `task check` at PR/merge chokepoint only (#1704)\n\nSee `deft/coding/coding.md` and `deft/coding/testing.md` for full rules.\n\n## Pre-Commit File Review\n\n! Before every commit, re-read ALL modified files and explicitly check for:\n\n1. ! **Encoding errors** -- em-dashes corrupted to replacement characters, BOM artifacts, mojibake from round-trip read/write\n2. ! **Unintended duplication** -- accidental double entries in CHANGELOG.md, scope xBRIEF files, or structured data files\n3. ! **Structural issues** -- malformed CHANGELOG entries, broken table rows, mismatched index entries, invalid JSON/YAML\n4. ! **Semantic accuracy** -- verify that counts, claims, and summaries in CHANGELOG entries and ROADMAP changelog lines match the actual data in the commit (e.g. \"triaged 4 issues\" must match the number actually triaged, issue numbers cited must match the issues actually added)\n5. ! **Semantic contradictions** -- when adding a `!` or `⊗` rule that prohibits a specific command, pattern, or behavior, search the same file for any `~`, `≉`, or prose that recommends or permits the same command/pattern -- resolve all contradictions in the same commit before pushing\n6. ! **Strength duplicates** -- when strengthening a rule (e.g. upgrading `~` to `!`), grep for the term in the full file and verify no weaker-strength duplicate remains\n7. ! **Forward test coverage** -- for each new source file in this PR (`scripts/`, `src/`, `cmd/`, `*.py`, `*.go`), verify a corresponding test file exists in the same PR; running existing tests is not sufficient for new code\n\n⊗ Commit without re-reading all modified files first.\n\n## Commit Strategy\n\n- ! Default to one story per branch/PR. Batching multiple stories in one branch requires explicit operator approval and a short rationale.\n- ! Create a checkpoint commit after each completed story before beginning another story.\n- ! Use iteration fast lane before checkpoint commits; run full `task check` at PR/merge chokepoint (#1704)\n- ⊗ Claim checks passed without running them\n\n```\nfeat(phase-1): scaffold project structure\nfeat(phase-1): implement core data models with tests\nfeat(phase-2): add REST API endpoints with integration tests\n```\n\n## Error Recovery\n\n- ! Tests fail → fix them; ⊗ skip or weaken assertions\n- ! Coverage drops → write more tests; ⊗ exclude files\n- ! Lint/type errors → fix them; ≉ add ignore comments without documented reason\n- ! Scope xBRIEF ambiguous -> ask user; ⊗ guess\n- ! Scope needs changes -> propose, get approval, update the scope xBRIEF first\n\n## Completion\n\n- ! When all phases pass and `task check` is green, complete each implemented story via `task scope:complete -- <active-story-path>` before final PR handoff.\n\n> \"The project is built and all quality checks pass. Describe any new features you'd like to add — I'll follow the deft standards we've set up.\"\n\n## Anti-Patterns\n\n- ⊗ Skip tests or write them after implementation\n- ⊗ Ignore `task check` failures\n- ⊗ Implement things not in scope xBRIEF without asking\n- ⊗ Read every deft file upfront\n- ⊗ Move to next phase before current passes checks\n- ⊗ Make commits without running iteration-lane validation; ⊗ skip full `task check` at PR/merge chokepoint (#1704)\n- ⊗ Proceed without USER.md -- always run the USER.md Gate first\n- ⊗ Spawn an implementation agent or invoke a code-writing tool against a xBRIEF that has not passed `task xbrief:preflight` (which wraps `scripts/preflight_implementation.py`) -- always run the Step 0 Implementation Preflight (#810) first; satisfy via `task xbrief:activate <path>`\n- ⊗ Proceed without `COST-ESTIMATE.md` and a recorded build / rescope / no-build / skip(+reason) decision -- always run the Cost Phase Gate (#739) first\n- ⊗ Proceed with implementation when the build or test toolchain is unavailable -- always run the Toolchain Gate (Step 2) first\n- ⊗ Proceed to next task or phase without tests passing -- testing is a hard gate, not a cleanup step\n- ⊗ Skip the Change Lifecycle Gate because the user said \"proceed\" -- broad approval does not satisfy the confirmation gate\n- ⊗ Commit or push directly to the default branch -- always create a feature branch first. Exception: user explicitly instructs a direct commit, or `PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json` narratives contain `Allow direct commits to master: true`\n- ⊗ Add a prohibition (`!` or `⊗`) without scanning the same file for conflicting softer-strength rules (`~`, `≉`) that reference the same term\n",
+      "body": "# Deft Directive Build\n\nImplements a project from its scope xBRIEFs following Deft Directive standards.\n\nLegend (from RFC2119): !=MUST, ~=SHOULD, ≉=SHOULD NOT, ⊗=MUST NOT, ?=MAY.\n\n## When to Use\n\n- After `deft-directive-setup` completes and generates `PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json`\n- User says \"build this\", \"implement the spec\", or \"start building\"\n- Resuming a partially-built project that has story xBRIEFs in `xbrief/active/`\n\n## Ordered-plan / cohort exhaustion (#2402)\n\n## Multi-scope turn/cache budget (epic #3009)\n\nMulti-scope greenfield (app-bank pins, N story scopes) multiplies agent turns when ceremony, promote, check, and render are re-run per scope. Apply the following after offline seed.\n\n### Offline seed vs implement phase (#3010)\n\n! Distinguish **offline seed** (operator or harness already ran `directive init` / deposit, pin-copied scopes into `xbrief/proposed/`, and recorded session ritual) from the **agent implement phase**.\n\n! When seed + session ritual are already complete for the engagement:\n- ⊗ Run `directive init` again\n- ⊗ Run full cold `session:start` unless hooks deny writes and recovery is required\n- ⊗ Run `directive migrate` or re-copy scopes already present\n- ! Prefer recovery via `session:ready` (or re-arm) when PreToolUse denies — not full re-init\n- ! Documented consumer/harness contract: seed is done once; implement agents only activate+implement\n\n### Batch promote; one active implement (#3011)\n\n! For a multi-scope pin, batch-stage scopes with `task scope:promote -- --batch` (all `proposed/`) or `task scope:promote -- --batch <path>…`.\n! Implement path remains **one** `scope:activate` + implement at a time — no multi-active write fence.\n! When pin order is known, do **not** re-list the entire lifecycle tree every scope; walk the known ordered list.\n⊗ Activate all scopes at once or drop the one-active-scope / story-ready stack.\n\n### Quality check once at end of multi-scope batch (#3012)\n\n! On an approved multi-scope batch (operator-approved multi-story branch, swarm cohort, or pin walk): run full `task check` (merge chokepoint) **once at the end of the batch** (or after the last scope), not after every scope.\n! Exception: if the last full check **failed**, fix loops MAY re-run check until green.\n! Pre-PR / merge-ready gates remain end-of-unit — this does not weaken them.\n! Iteration lane (affected tests / `verify:forward-coverage` / `coverage:hotspots`) still applies **per scope** during implementation (#1704).\n⊗ Spam full `directive check` / `task check` after every scope when the batch is still mid-flight and the last merge-chokepoint check was green.\n\n### One-shot project:render (#3013)\n\n! Greenfield init seeds a minimal render-ready `PROJECT-DEFINITION`. Treat `task project:render` as a **refresh of items from lifecycle folders**, not multi-turn identity research.\n⊗ Invent project identity across many turns when seed already stamped the skeleton.\n\n\n! When processing an approved multi-story cohort or an active ordered-plan sequence, stop after the final approved entry. Do not promote or dispatch adjacent stories from queue intuition. Continuation language advances only within the approved order; skill-chaining is non-authorizing.\n\n## Step 0 -- Implementation Preflight (#810)\n\n- ! Before starting any new implementation story or switching from one story to another, MUST run `git status --short --branch`.\n- ! If the working tree is dirty, MUST stop and summarize the current branch, modified/untracked files, and whether the changes appear related to the target story. Ask the operator to choose one path: commit existing work, stash existing work, include existing work in the current story, or stop.\n- ⊗ Begin a new story while unrelated dirty work is present without explicit operator approval.\n- ! Resolve exactly one target story xBRIEF path by default. One story is the default implementation unit for this skill; if the user asks for a phase/epic, decompose or ask which story to start.\n- ! Batching multiple stories in one branch/PR requires explicit operator approval and a short rationale recorded in the handoff.\n- ! **Swarm-cohort dispatch carve-out**: when this skill is invoked as part of a swarm cohort allocated by `skills/deft-directive-swarm/SKILL.md`, the approved Phase 5 allocation plan satisfies the \"explicit operator approval and short rationale recorded in the handoff\" requirement above -- the dispatched xBRIEF paths and allocation rationale ARE the consent token. Process each assigned story sequentially under the checkpoint-commit + `task scope:complete` discipline below. Do NOT re-prompt the parent for batching approval mid-cohort -- the all-or-nothing dispatch envelope rule (`AGENTS.md` `## Multi-agent orchestration discipline (#954)`) forbids mid-scope user-approval gates.\n- ! **Structured consent-token recognition (#1378)**: the canonical recognition path for the carve-out above is the structured `## Allocation context` section of the dispatch envelope (the frozen schema in `templates/agent-prompt-preamble.md`, Story A of #1378). When that section reports `dispatch_kind: swarm-cohort` with a non-null `allocation_plan_id` AND a non-null `batching_rationale`, the consent token is satisfied mechanically -- read `cohort_vbriefs` as the authoritative file boundary and process each entry sequentially under the checkpoint-commit + `task scope:complete` discipline below, without re-prompting the parent for batching approval mid-cohort. When the `## Allocation context` section is ABSENT (pre-#1378 dispatches, solo-interactive sessions), fall back to the #1371 prose carve-out immediately above -- the prose carve-out remains the recognition path of record for un-elevated envelopes.\n- ! **Within a cohort, between stories**: the working tree MUST be clean after each story's checkpoint commit + `task scope:complete`. If `git status --short` shows uncommitted state between stories (e.g. a missed `task scope:complete` move, an unstaged file from the prior story), checkpoint-commit it and proceed -- do NOT pause to ask the operator. The dirty-tree \"ask the operator\" branch above applies only at the FIRST story-start of a fresh branch, where uncommitted operator work might legitimately exist.\n- ! If the target story is in `xbrief/proposed/`, run `task scope:promote -- <path>` first (or `task scope:promote -- --batch` for a multi-scope pin — #3011); if it is in `xbrief/pending/`, run `task scope:activate -- <path>`. After activation, update the path to the active-file location before preflight.\n- ! Before any code-writing tool call -- the first scaffold edit, the first `task` invocation that mutates files, or any `start_agent` dispatch that will implement scope -- MUST run `task xbrief:preflight -- <active-story-path>` (the structural intent gate; wraps `scripts/preflight_implementation.py` so the same invocation works whether deft is the project root or installed as a `deft/` subdirectory).\n\nThe gate exits 0 only when the candidate xBRIEF lives in `xbrief/active/` AND `plan.status == \"running\"`. Any other state (pending/, proposed/, completed/, active/-with-non-running-status, malformed JSON, missing keys) exits 1 with an actionable redirect to `task xbrief:activate <path>`.\n\n- ! A non-zero exit MUST halt the skill. Surface the helper's stderr message verbatim to the user; do NOT proceed to USER.md Gate, File Reading, or any later phase.\n- ! Use canonical lifecycle tasks to satisfy this gate: `task scope:promote -- <path>` for proposed stories, `task scope:activate -- <path>` for pending stories, and the helper's idempotent companion `task xbrief:activate <path>` only when following the preflight redirect directly. Manual lifecycle moves bypass the activation contract -- use the task.\n- ⊗ Infer implementation intent from lifecycle vocabulary (\"do the full PR process\", \"start the work\", \"poller agents\"), branching language, or workflow shape. Workflow-shape vocabulary is NOT authorization to spawn an implementation agent (#810 surfacing event).\n- ⊗ Skip this preflight because the user said \"yes\", \"go\", or \"proceed\" -- affirmative continuation phrases are NOT implementation authorization unless the prior turn explicitly proposed implementation. When intent is ambiguous, ask one targeted question before invoking the gate.\n\n## Platform Detection\n\n! Before resolving any config paths, detect the host OS from your environment context:\n\n| Platform           | USER.md default path                                              |\n|--------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|\n| Windows            | `%APPDATA%\\deft\\USER.md` (e.g. `C:\\Users\\{user}\\AppData\\Roaming\\deft\\USER.md`) |\n| Unix (macOS/Linux) | `~/.config/deft/USER.md`                                          |\n\n- ! If `$DEFT_USER_PATH` is set, it takes precedence on any platform\n\n## Pre-Cutover Detection Guard\n\n! Before proceeding with any build step, detect whether the project uses the pre-v0.20 document model **or was generated by a strategy that emitted non-conformant v0.20 output shape** (the root cause of most \"build fails immediately after spec\" complaints in #1166). Redirect or block with the precise remediation.\n\n### Detection Criteria\n\nA project is **pre-cutover** if ANY of the following are true. This prose mirrors the executable helper in `scripts/_precutover.py`; when in doubt, the helper is canonical.\n\n1. `SPECIFICATION.md` exists and is neither a deprecation redirect nor a current generated spec export. A current generated spec export contains `<!-- Purpose: rendered specification -->` and `<!-- Source of truth: xbrief/specification.xbrief.json -->`, and `xbrief/specification.xbrief.json` plus all five lifecycle folders exist.\n2. `PROJECT.md` exists and contains neither the legacy `<!-- deft:deprecated-redirect -->` sentinel NOR the current `Purpose: deprecation redirect` canonical-banner marker (real content, not a deprecation redirect)\n3. `xbrief/specification.xbrief.json` exists but the lifecycle folders (`xbrief/proposed/`, `xbrief/pending/`, `xbrief/active/`, `xbrief/completed/`, `xbrief/cancelled/`) do NOT exist\n4. Strategy output shape violations (run `task verify-strategy-output` -- the canonical gate -- or the direct form `python .deft/core/scripts/validate_strategy_output.py --project-root <path>` after `deft` install):\n   - Any scope xBRIEF under `xbrief/proposed/` (or other lifecycle dirs) lacks the required `YYYY-MM-DD-` date prefix in its filename (e.g. bare `scaffold.xbrief.json`).\n   - `xbrief/PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json` is missing.\n   - `xbrief/specification.xbrief.json` exists as a legacy dual-write in a user-generated project. This is tolerated only for the framework source tree or a complete post-cutover full-spec consumer where all lifecycle folders exist and `SPECIFICATION.md` is rendered from `xbrief/specification.xbrief.json`.\n\n### Action on Detection\n\n! If pre-cutover or strategy-nonconformant state is detected, **stop immediately** and display an actionable message that cites the exact validator:\n\n> \"This project was generated with pre-v0.20 or non-conformant strategy output. Run the deterministic validator and follow its remediation: `task verify-strategy-output` (works in source and after `deft` package install) or `python .deft/core/scripts/validate_strategy_output.py --project-root .`. For document-model migration, follow UPGRADING.md § Frozen pre-v0.20 document-model migration (#2068): pin v0.59.0, then run `task migrate:vbrief` from that payload. Otherwise `task project:render` / strategy re-run as indicated.\"\n\n! Include specific details about what was detected (the validator output is authoritative):\n\n- Legacy specification.xbrief.json or missing lifecycle folders: \"Follow the frozen v0.59.0 migrator path (#2068) or run `task migrate:preflight` for current-release guidance\"\n- Non-date-prefixed xBRIEFs: \"Re-run the emitting strategy after the v0.20 migrations (#1166 s1+s2+...) or manually rename files to `YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>.xbrief.json` and `task scope:promote`\"\n- Missing `PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json`: \"Run `task project:render` to generate the project definition\"\n- `SPECIFICATION.md` / `PROJECT.md` without sentinel: the classic pre-cutover messages\n- Scope xBRIEF in wrong folder: \"Status is '{status}' but file is in {folder}/ -- run `task scope:activate <file>` to fix\"\n\n! After the validator reports clean, re-run this guard before continuing.\n\n⊗ Proceed with build when pre-cutover or strategy-nonconformant artifacts are detected -- always redirect to the frozen migration path first (or run the validator) and surface the exact remediation.\n⊗ Silently ignore these artifacts or guess at fixes -- the validator (wired into `task check` and this guard) is the deterministic gate.\n\n## USER.md Gate\n\n! Before proceeding, verify USER.md exists at the platform-appropriate path\n(resolved via Platform Detection above, or `$DEFT_USER_PATH` if set).\n\n- ! If USER.md is not found: inform the user and redirect to `deft-directive-setup`\n  Phase 1 before continuing -- do not proceed without user preferences\n- ! Once USER.md exists, continue with the Cost Phase Gate below\n\n## Cost Phase Gate (#739)\n\n! Before proceeding to File Reading, verify the project has gone through the\npre-build cost & budget transparency phase from `skills/deft-directive-cost/SKILL.md`.\nThis closes the adoption-blocker surfaced by issue #739 (refs #151 umbrella) where\nusers finished the spec flow and stopped at build because deft offered no cost\nsignal.\n\n### Detection\n\n- ! Check for `COST-ESTIMATE.md` in the project root.\n- ! Check that the file contains a recorded decision (the **Decision recorded**\n  block populated with one of: `build`, `rescope`, `no-build`, `skip`).\n- ! For `skip`, `rescope`, or `no-build` decisions: the **Reason** field MUST be\n  populated (one or two sentences in plain language). A skip with no reason\n  recorded is treated the same as no decision.\n\n### Action\n\n- ! If `COST-ESTIMATE.md` is missing OR the **Decision recorded** block is\n  unpopulated OR a `skip`/`rescope`/`no-build` decision has no reason recorded:\n  stop immediately and redirect the user:\n\n  > \"This project has not gone through the pre-build cost & budget transparency\n  > phase. Run `skills/deft-directive-cost/SKILL.md` to produce a plain-English\n  > `COST-ESTIMATE.md`, then re-run the build skill once the user has chosen\n  > build / rescope / no-build / skip(+reason).\"\n\n- ! On a `build` or `skip` decision: continue with File Reading below.\n- ! On a `rescope` decision: stop and redirect the user back to spec edits\n  (chain to `skills/deft-directive-refinement/SKILL.md` to pull spec scope\n  back, or the interview), then re-run `skills/deft-directive-cost/SKILL.md`\n  before re-attempting build.\n- ! On a `no-build` decision: stop and exit; do NOT proceed to File Reading.\n  The user has explicitly stopped the project at the cost phase.\n- ⊗ Proceed to File Reading or any subsequent phase when `COST-ESTIMATE.md` is\n  missing, when the decision is unpopulated, or when a skip / rescope / no-build\n  decision has no reason recorded.\n- ⊗ Treat a `rescope` or `no-build` decision as if it were a `build` -- the\n  build skill MUST honor the recorded decision.\n\n## File Reading\n\n- ! Read in order, lazy load:\n  1. `./xbrief/active/` -- scope xBRIEFs for work items to build (required)\n  2. `./xbrief/PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json` -- project identity, tech stack, architecture\n  3. `./.planning/codebase/MAP.md` -- generated codebase orientation projection, if present (advisory)\n  4. USER.md at the platform-appropriate path (see Platform Detection) -- Personal section is highest precedence; Defaults are fallback\n  5. `deft/main.md` -- framework guidelines\n  6. `deft/coding/coding.md` -- coding standards\n  7. `deft/coding/testing.md` -- testing requirements\n  8. `deft/coding/toolchain.md` -- toolchain validation rules\n  9. `deft/languages/{language}.md` -- only for languages this project uses\n- ~ If the MAP is absent or may be stale and the current scope needs broad codebase orientation, run `task codebase:map` and `task verify:codebase-map-fresh` when those commands resolve. Treat absence/staleness as advisory unless the task edits `plan.architecture.codeStructure`, a configured provider artifact, or the generated MAP itself.\n- ! Treat `plan.architecture.codeStructure` and selected provider artifacts as authoritative. The MAP is a generated projection.\n- ⊗ Read all language/interface/tool files upfront\n- ⊗ Hand-edit `.planning/codebase/MAP.md` or block unrelated implementation solely because the MAP is stale or absent\n\n## Rule Precedence\n\n```\nUSER.md Personal                  <- HIGHEST (name, custom rules -- always wins)\nPROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json   <- Project-specific (tech stack, architecture, config)\nUSER.md Defaults                  <- Fallback defaults (used when PROJECT-DEFINITION doesn't specify)\n{language}.md                     <- Language standards\ncoding.md                         <- General coding\nmain.md                           <- Framework defaults\nScope xBRIEFs                     <- LOWEST\n```\n\n- ! USER.md Personal section always wins over any other file\n- ! For project-scoped settings, PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json overrides USER.md Defaults\n\n## Change Lifecycle Gate\n\n! Before any implementation that touches 3+ files, verify that a `/deft:change <name>` proposal exists and has been confirmed by the user:\n\n- ! Check `history/changes/` for an active `proposal.xbrief.json` matching this work\n- ! If no proposal exists: propose `/deft:change <name>` and present the change name for explicit confirmation (e.g. \"Confirm? yes/no\")\n- ! The user must reply with an affirmative (`yes`, `confirmed`, `approve`) — a general 'proceed', 'do it', or 'go ahead' does NOT satisfy this gate\n- ? For solo projects: this gate is RECOMMENDED but not mandatory for changes fully covered by `task check`; it remains mandatory for cross-cutting, architectural, or high-risk changes\n- ⊗ Skip this gate because the user has already said \"proceed\" or \"go ahead\"\n\n## Build Process\n\nAll xBRIEFs (including those read from `xbrief/active/` and any new xBRIEFs this skill emits) MUST use `\"xBRIEFInfo\": { \"version\": \"0.6\" }`. The validator rejects any other version (see [`../../conventions/references.md`](../../conventions/references.md)).\n\n### Step 1: Understand the Scope\n\n- ! Read story xBRIEFs from `xbrief/active/` and `PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json`\n- ! Identify phases, dependencies, starting point from scope xBRIEF acceptance criteria\n- ~ Use `.planning/codebase/MAP.md`, when present, to orient broad codebase scanning. If the MAP conflicts with current code or canonical metadata, surface the drift and trust `plan.architecture.codeStructure` / provider artifacts plus the working tree over generated prose.\n- ! When scanning the existing codebase during scope understanding, MUST surface any contradicting patterns (two error-handling shapes, two state-management approaches, two naming conventions, etc.) before implementation begins -- apply `coding/hygiene.md` `## Surface Conflicts: Pick One, Explain, Flag the Other (#1005)` and choose ONE pattern (more recent OR more tested), explain the choice in the scope summary, and flag the other for cleanup\n- ⊗ Begin implementation against an averaged blend of two contradicting patterns -- \"average code that satisfies both rules is the worst code\" (#1005)\n- ! Present brief summary to user:\n\n> \"Here's what I see: {N} story xBRIEFs in active/. I'll start with {name}. Ready?\"\n\n### Step 2: Verify Toolchain\n\n- ! Before any implementation, verify all tools required by this project are installed and functional — see `deft/coding/toolchain.md` for full rules\n- ! At minimum: confirm task runner (`task --version`), language compiler/runtime, and platform SDK (if applicable) are available\n- ! If any required tool is missing, stop and report — do not proceed to Step 3\n- ⊗ Assume tools are available because the spec references them\n\n### Gate throughput — iteration fast lane vs merge chokepoint (#1704)\n\n> **Invariant:** every change MUST pass the full gate at least once before merge. Iteration MAY use a cheaper proxy; the merge chokepoint MUST NOT be skipped.\n\n- ! **Iteration lane (agents + humans):** during implementation commits, use affected/static gates — targeted tests on changed paths (`vitest run --coverage <paths>` or project equivalent), static `verify:*` gates relevant to touched files, and `task coverage:hotspots` / `task verify:forward-coverage` — NOT full `task check` on every commit.\n- ! **Merge chokepoint:** run full `task check` (or `task check:merge` in the framework source repo) once before push/PR and again when CI merge gate runs. Pre-PR skill exit and review-cycle fix batches still require a green full gate.\n- ! **Escape-rate safety (#1703 Tier-1):** before tightening fast-lane defaults fleet-wide, consult `#1703` measurement — `task eval:health` (Tier 0) and Tier-1 session telemetry (`helped/crud-metrics.jsonl` via instrumented CRUD / workflow metrics). Do NOT invent a separate fast-lane escape-rate surface (#1704 LockedDecisions).\n- ~ **In-engine incrementality (#1713):** content-hash task cache and runner-delegated affected selection are sibling work — not required for this policy face.\n- ⊗ Run full `task check` on every iteration commit when a cheaper proxy suffices — reserve the full gate for PR/merge (#1704).\n- ⊗ Skip the merge chokepoint because the iteration lane passed — the fast lane is convenience only.\n\n**Cost model (swarm-heavy path):** moves from roughly `O(commits × full-gate)` toward `O(merges × full-gate) + O(iterations × cheap-proxy)` when workers iterate with affected/static gates and run full `task check` only at PR/merge.\n\n## Step 3: Build Phase by Phase\n\nFor each phase:\n\n1. ! **Scaffold** — file structure, dependencies, config\n2. ! **Test first** — write tests before implementation (TDD)\n3. ! **Implement** — make tests pass, following deft coding standards\n4. ! **Verify (iteration lane)** — run affected/static gates per `#1704` fast lane above; fix failures before checkpoint commits\n5. ! **Origin sync** — when this phase materially changed an origin-linked scope xBRIEF (`plan.references` includes `x-xbrief/github-issue`), run `task issue:sync-from-xbrief -- <path>` (or `--dry-run` to preview) so the linked GitHub issue receives a sync comment; if skipped, document why in the PR or session notes (#2540)\n6. ! **Checkpoint** — tell user what's done, what's next\n\n- ⊗ Move to next phase until current phase passes all checks\n\n### Step 4: Quality Gates\n\nAfter EVERY phase (iteration lane — #1704):\n\n```bash\nvitest run --coverage <changed-paths>   # or project test runner on touched modules\ntask coverage:hotspots                  # branch headroom before merge\ntask verify:forward-coverage            # new-source coverage (#1310)\n```\n\nBefore PR / phase handoff (merge chokepoint):\n\n```bash\ntask check          # Full gate — format, lint, typecheck, tests, coverage, verify:*\ntask test:coverage  # >=85% or PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json override\n```\n\n- ! Phase checkpoint commits MAY use the iteration lane; phase is NOT done for PR handoff until full `task check` passes at the merge chokepoint\n- ⊗ Skip quality gates or claim they passed without running\n- ⊗ Treat iteration-lane green as merge-ready without full `task check`\n- ! **Multi-scope batch (#3012):** when implementing an approved multi-scope pin/cohort, reserve full `task check` for end-of-batch (or after last scope) unless the last full check failed — then re-run on the fix loop. Do not run full check after every intermediate scope.\n- ⊗ Re-run full install/session ceremony after offline seed when ritual is already complete (#3010) — use `session:ready` for recovery only.\n\n\n## Coding Standards (Summary)\n\nRead full files when you need detail:\n\n- ! TDD: write tests first — implementation incomplete without passing tests\n- ! Coverage: ≥85% lines, functions, branches, statements\n- ~ Files: <300 lines ideal, <500 recommended, ! <1000 max\n- ~ Naming: hyphens for filenames unless language idiom dictates otherwise\n- ! Contracts first: define interfaces/types before implementation\n- ! Secrets: in `secrets/` dir with `.example` templates; ⊗ secrets in code\n- ! Commits: Conventional Commits format; ! use iteration fast lane before checkpoint commits; ! run full `task check` at PR/merge chokepoint only (#1704)\n\nSee `deft/coding/coding.md` and `deft/coding/testing.md` for full rules.\n\n## Pre-Commit File Review\n\n! Before every commit, re-read ALL modified files and explicitly check for:\n\n1. ! **Encoding errors** -- em-dashes corrupted to replacement characters, BOM artifacts, mojibake from round-trip read/write\n2. ! **Unintended duplication** -- accidental double entries in CHANGELOG.md, scope xBRIEF files, or structured data files\n3. ! **Structural issues** -- malformed CHANGELOG entries, broken table rows, mismatched index entries, invalid JSON/YAML\n4. ! **Semantic accuracy** -- verify that counts, claims, and summaries in CHANGELOG entries and ROADMAP changelog lines match the actual data in the commit (e.g. \"triaged 4 issues\" must match the number actually triaged, issue numbers cited must match the issues actually added)\n5. ! **Semantic contradictions** -- when adding a `!` or `⊗` rule that prohibits a specific command, pattern, or behavior, search the same file for any `~`, `≉`, or prose that recommends or permits the same command/pattern -- resolve all contradictions in the same commit before pushing\n6. ! **Strength duplicates** -- when strengthening a rule (e.g. upgrading `~` to `!`), grep for the term in the full file and verify no weaker-strength duplicate remains\n7. ! **Forward test coverage** -- for each new source file in this PR (`scripts/`, `src/`, `cmd/`, `*.py`, `*.go`), verify a corresponding test file exists in the same PR; running existing tests is not sufficient for new code\n\n⊗ Commit without re-reading all modified files first.\n\n## Commit Strategy\n\n- ! Default to one story per branch/PR. Batching multiple stories in one branch requires explicit operator approval and a short rationale.\n- ! Create a checkpoint commit after each completed story before beginning another story.\n- ! Use iteration fast lane before checkpoint commits; run full `task check` at PR/merge chokepoint (#1704)\n- ⊗ Claim checks passed without running them\n\n```\nfeat(phase-1): scaffold project structure\nfeat(phase-1): implement core data models with tests\nfeat(phase-2): add REST API endpoints with integration tests\n```\n\n## Error Recovery\n\n- ! Tests fail → fix them; ⊗ skip or weaken assertions\n- ! Coverage drops → write more tests; ⊗ exclude files\n- ! Lint/type errors → fix them; ≉ add ignore comments without documented reason\n- ! Scope xBRIEF ambiguous -> ask user; ⊗ guess\n- ! Scope needs changes -> propose, get approval, update the scope xBRIEF first\n\n## Completion\n\n- ! When all phases pass and `task check` is green, complete each implemented story via `task scope:complete -- <active-story-path>` before final PR handoff.\n\n> \"The project is built and all quality checks pass. Describe any new features you'd like to add — I'll follow the deft standards we've set up.\"\n\n## Anti-Patterns\n\n- ⊗ Skip tests or write them after implementation\n- ⊗ Ignore `task check` failures\n- ⊗ Implement things not in scope xBRIEF without asking\n- ⊗ Read every deft file upfront\n- ⊗ Move to next phase before current passes checks\n- ⊗ Make commits without running iteration-lane validation; ⊗ skip full `task check` at PR/merge chokepoint (#1704)\n- ⊗ Proceed without USER.md -- always run the USER.md Gate first\n- ⊗ Re-run `directive init`, cold `session:start`, migrate, or re-copy pin scopes after offline seed when ritual is already complete (#3010)\n- ⊗ Run full `task check` after every intermediate scope of an approved multi-scope batch when the last merge-chokepoint check was green (#3012)\n- ⊗ Promote scopes one-by-one for a known multi-scope pin when `scope:promote --batch` would stage them in one turn (#3011)\n\n- ⊗ Spawn an implementation agent or invoke a code-writing tool against a xBRIEF that has not passed `task xbrief:preflight` (which wraps `scripts/preflight_implementation.py`) -- always run the Step 0 Implementation Preflight (#810) first; satisfy via `task xbrief:activate <path>`\n- ⊗ Proceed without `COST-ESTIMATE.md` and a recorded build / rescope / no-build / skip(+reason) decision -- always run the Cost Phase Gate (#739) first\n- ⊗ Proceed with implementation when the build or test toolchain is unavailable -- always run the Toolchain Gate (Step 2) first\n- ⊗ Proceed to next task or phase without tests passing -- testing is a hard gate, not a cleanup step\n- ⊗ Skip the Change Lifecycle Gate because the user said \"proceed\" -- broad approval does not satisfy the confirmation gate\n- ⊗ Commit or push directly to the default branch -- always create a feature branch first. Exception: user explicitly instructs a direct commit, or `PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json` narratives contain `Allow direct commits to master: true`\n- ⊗ Add a prohibition (`!` or `⊗`) without scanning the same file for conflicting softer-strength rules (`~`, `≉`) that reference the same term\n",
       "frontmatter_extra": null
     },
     {
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@
       ],
       "path": "skills/deft-directive-pre-pr/SKILL.md",
       "version": "0.1",
-      "body": "# Deft Directive Pre-PR -- Read, Write, Lint, Diff, Loop\n\nStructured self-review loop agents run before submitting a PR. Catches inconsistencies, missing enforcement markers, incomplete acceptance criteria, scope creep, and unintended changes before they reach the reviewer.\n\nLegend (from RFC2119): !=MUST, ~=SHOULD, ≉=SHOULD NOT, ⊗=MUST NOT, ?=MAY.\n\n**See also**: [deft-directive-review-cycle](../deft-directive-review-cycle/SKILL.md) | [deft-directive-build](../deft-directive-build/SKILL.md) | [RWLDL tool](../../tools/RWLDL.md)\n\n> **Formerly `deft-rwldl`** -- renamed to clearly communicate the skill's purpose (iterative pre-PR quality loop).\n\n## Branch-Protection Policy Guard\n\n! Before entering Phase 1 (Read), run the skill-level branch-policy guard documented in `scripts/policy.py` / `scripts/preflight_branch.py` (#746 / #747). Halt before any state mutation (the Phase 2 Write phase, the Phase 3 Lint phase that may touch files) when the policy is unresolvable AND no env-var bypass is active:\n\n```\nuv run python scripts/preflight_branch.py --project-root . --quiet || exit 1\n```\n\nor invoke `task verify:branch`. Pre-PR is the last gate before push, so a stale / unresolvable policy here is the highest-leverage place to catch the bug before it reaches the bot reviewer.\n\n## Deterministic Questions Contract\n\n! Every numbered-menu prompt rendered in this skill (per-finding decision menus in Phase 4 Diff, the Phase 5 Loop restart-vs-exit gate) MUST follow [`../../contracts/deterministic-questions.md`](../../contracts/deterministic-questions.md): the final two numbered options MUST be `Discuss` and `Back`, in that order. The Discuss-pause semantic is documented verbatim there -- implicit resumption is forbidden.\n\n\n## Ordered-plan target gate (#2402)\n\n! Before opening or pushing a PR, when an ordered-plan sequence may be active, verify the work unit matches the current authorized entry:\n\n1. Resolve the current entry kind and id:\n\n```\ntask plan-sequence:current\n```\n\n   Use `task plan-sequence:current -- --json` when you need machine-readable `kind` / `id` fields from the current entry.\n\n2. Verify with the **entry kind** (not hardcoded `pr` — `story` / `issue` entries are common):\n\n```\ntask verify:plan-sequence -- --target-kind <entry-kind> --target <entry-id>\n```\n\n- ! Exit non-zero → fail closed; do not open an unauthorized PR.\n- ! Exit 0 with \"skipped (no active ordered-plan sequence)\" → proceed under normal pre-PR rules.\n- ⊗ Hardcode `--target-kind pr` when the current entry is `kind=story` or `kind=issue` — the verifier matches entry kind exactly (#2662).\n- ! After the PR's review cycle completes successfully, run `task plan-sequence:advance` so \"next\" resolves to the following entry (or exhausted).\n- ⊗ Treat skill-chaining or \"what's next?\" as permission to open a PR outside the current sequence entry.\n\n## Gate throughput — iteration fast lane vs merge chokepoint (#1704)\n\n> **Invariant:** every change MUST pass the full gate at least once before merge. Pre-PR is the merge chokepoint — NOT every iteration commit.\n\n- ! **Iteration lane (Phases 2–3 loop):** use affected/static gates on changed paths — `vitest run --coverage <paths>`, relevant `verify:*` on touched files, `task coverage:hotspots` — instead of full `task check` on every RWLDL iteration.\n- ! **Merge chokepoint (Phase 3 Lint exit + final confirm):** run full `task check` once before push/PR; Phase 3c targeted coverage precedes but does not replace the full gate.\n- ! **Escape-rate safety (#1703 Tier-1):** before recommending fleet-wide fast-lane tightening, cite `#1703` Tier-1 telemetry (`helped/crud-metrics.jsonl`) and `task eval:health` — do NOT invent a separate escape-rate surface.\n- ~ **In-engine incrementality (#1713):** content-hash cache + runner-delegated affected selection are sibling work (#1713).\n- ⊗ Treat Phase 3c targeted coverage alone as PR-ready without full `task check` at the merge chokepoint.\n\n## When to Use\n\n- ! Before pushing a branch for PR creation\n- ! After completing implementation but before the final merge-chokepoint `task check` (#1704)\n- ~ After addressing bot reviewer findings (run one RWLDL pass before pushing the fix batch)\n- ? During mid-implementation checkpoints on large changes\n\n## Loop Phases\n\nEach iteration proceeds through all phases in order. Do NOT skip phases or reorder them.\n\n### Phase 1 -- Read\n\n! Re-read each changed file end-to-end (`git diff master --name-only` to get the list).\n\n- ! Read every changed file in full -- do not skim or skip sections\n- ! Compare each file against its scope xBRIEF acceptance criteria in `xbrief/active/`\n- ~ If changed files include `xbrief/PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json`, a configured `codebase-map` provider artifact, or `.planning/codebase/MAP.md`, read the MAP and canonical metadata together. The MAP is orientation; `plan.architecture.codeStructure` and provider artifacts remain authoritative.\n- ! When adding a `!` or `⊗` rule that prohibits a specific command, pattern, or behavior, search the same file for any `~`, `≉`, or prose that recommends or permits the same command/pattern -- resolve all contradictions in the same commit before pushing\n- ! When strengthening a rule (e.g. upgrading `~` to `!`), grep for the term in the full file and verify no weaker-strength duplicate remains\n- ~ Note any inconsistencies, missing RFC2119 markers, stale cross-references, or incomplete sections\n- ~ Check that CHANGELOG.md entries match the actual changes made\n\n### Phase 2 -- Write\n\n! Fix any issues found in the Read phase.\n\n- ! Fix inconsistencies, add missing RFC2119 enforcement markers (`!`, `~`, `⊗`)\n- ! Complete any incomplete acceptance criteria or missing content\n- ! Update stale cross-references\n- ~ Improve clarity where intent is ambiguous\n- ⊗ Make changes beyond the scope of the current task -- if you notice unrelated issues, file them as ideas or future work, do not fix them now\n\n### Phase 3 -- Lint\n\n! Run the merge-chokepoint gate and fix any failures (#1704).\n\n- ! Run full `task check` (fmt + lint + typecheck + tests + coverage + verify:*) — the merge chokepoint, not every RWLDL iteration\n- ! Fix all failures before proceeding to Phase 3b\n- ~ If a lint fix requires changing a file, that counts as a change for the Loop phase\n\n~ **Windows + Grok Build (#1353):** Avoid `|`, `>`, or `2>&1` in `run_terminal_command` strings -- use Python `pathlib`/`subprocess` or plain task commands instead.\n\n### Phase 3c -- Coverage headroom (#2683)\n\n! Before the full `task check` coverage gate, run targeted coverage on changed modules and verify headroom above the project floor.\n\n- ! Run targeted coverage first: `vitest run --coverage <changed-paths>` (or language equivalent) — not only full `task check`.\n- ! Exercise both sides of new branches (ternary / early-return / catch / default switch / `||` / `??`).\n- ! Treat barely ≥ floor as insufficient — aim for ≥ floor + 0.3–0.5pp headroom on the branch metric relative to **your project's** vitest/coverage floor (may differ from 85%).\n- ! Run `task coverage:hotspots` / `deft coverage:hotspots` to locate uncovered branches before opening a PR; complements `deft verify:forward-coverage` (#1310) and `--allow-coverage-debt=#N` (#2573).\n\n### Phase 3b -- Auto-Render Exports\n\n! If `xbrief/specification.xbrief.json` exists, refresh rendered exports before the diff check:\n\n- ! Run `task prd:render` if `PRD.md` already exists in the project root\n- ! Run `task spec:render` if `SPECIFICATION.md` already exists and does not contain `<!-- deft:deprecated-redirect -->`\n- ! If `plan.architecture.codeStructure`, a configured `codebase-map` provider artifact, or `.planning/codebase/MAP.md` changed, run `task codebase:map` and `task verify:codebase-map-fresh` so the generated orientation projection matches its canonical inputs.\n- ⊗ Create export files that don't already exist -- only refresh existing ones\n- ⊗ Hand-edit `.planning/codebase/MAP.md` to satisfy review; update canonical metadata or provider artifacts, then regenerate it\n\n### Phase 4 -- Diff\n\n! Review the full diff against the base branch for unintended changes.\n\n```\ngit --no-pager diff master\n```\n\n- ! Verify no files outside the task scope were modified\n- ! Check for scope creep -- changes that go beyond the spec task acceptance criteria\n- ! Verify no debug code, TODO comments, or temporary scaffolding remains\n- ! Confirm no unintended whitespace-only changes or formatting drift\n- ! **Run `task pr:check-closing-keywords -- --pr <N>` (or pass `--body-file` / `--commits-file` for offline checking) before opening the PR; refuse to push if findings (#737)**. The lint scans both the PR body AND every commit message for closing-keyword tokens (`close|closes|closed|fix|fixes|fixed|resolve|resolves|resolved`) followed by `#\\d+` in negation / quotation / example / code-block contexts. The recurrence record is the Layer 1 / Layer 2 / Layer 3 stack: #167 (post-merge close-verify), #697 / #698 (negation-context substring match), #401 / #700 (persistent `closingIssuesReferences` link), #735 (squash body containing `DOES NOT CLOSE #734` auto-closed #734). When the lint surfaces a known-safe occurrence (e.g. test fixtures that legitimately exercise the trigger token), pass `--allow-known-false-positives <issue-numbers>` to suppress -- DO NOT silently delete the lint invocation\n- ~ Verify the diff tells a coherent story -- a reviewer reading it top-to-bottom should understand the change\n- ~ If the PR adds or moves any documentation, verify each new doc is reachable from the AGENTS.md reference chain -- an orphan doc is discovered <10% of the time yet still costs context when found (the reference-chain contract, #644 / #647). Add a pointer or fold it in rather than leaving it stranded.\n\n### Phase 5 -- Loop\n\n! Decide whether to restart or exit.\n\n- ! If ANY fixes were made in Phase 2 (Write) or Phase 3 (Lint): restart from Phase 1 (Read)\n- ~ Phase 3b auto-renders are intentional output refreshes; they do NOT trigger a loop restart\n- ! If a full Read-Write-Lint-Diff cycle produced zero changes: exit the loop\n- ~ Track iteration count -- if you exceed 3 iterations, pause and assess whether you are oscillating between competing fixes\n\n## Exit Condition\n\n! Exit when a complete Read-Write-Lint-Diff cycle produces **zero changes** -- no file edits in Write, no lint fixes in Lint, and no scope issues in Diff.\n\nAfter exiting:\n- ! Run `task check` one final time to confirm clean state\n- ~ The branch is now ready for push and PR creation\n\n## Anti-Patterns\n\n- ⊗ Submit a PR without running the RWLDL loop -- every PR branch should pass at least one full cycle\n- ⊗ Exit the loop after the Lint phase without completing the Diff phase -- Diff catches scope creep and unintended changes that Lint cannot detect\n- ⊗ Skip the Read phase and jump directly to Lint -- Read catches semantic issues (missing content, wrong RFC2119 markers, incomplete acceptance criteria) that linters do not check\n- ⊗ Make out-of-scope fixes during Write -- this introduces scope creep that Diff will flag, forcing another iteration\n- ⊗ Ignore the iteration count -- more than 3 iterations usually indicates oscillating fixes or an unclear spec task\n- ⊗ Add a prohibition (`!` or `⊗`) without scanning the same file for conflicting softer-strength rules (`~`, `≉`) that reference the same term\n- ⊗ Skip `task pr:check-closing-keywords` (#737) before pushing a PR. The negation-context substring match is the Layer 0 (prevention) gate that prevents the recurring auto-close of umbrella / staying-OPEN issues observed in #697 (closed #642), #401 (closed #642), #700 (closed #233), and #735 (closed #734) -- each incident required manual reopen and downstream cleanup. The lint's three-state exit (0 clean / 1 hits found / 2 config error) MUST be treated as a hard refusal: rewrite the PR body / commit messages until clean, OR pass `--allow-known-false-positives` ONLY for legitimately-quoted occurrences (test fixtures, documentation that discusses the trigger token literally). See `skills/deft-directive-swarm/SKILL.md` Phase 6 Step 1 for the corresponding Layer 3 (recovery) `pr:check-protected-issues` rule (#701)\n",
+      "body": "# Deft Directive Pre-PR -- Read, Write, Lint, Diff, Loop\n\nStructured self-review loop agents run before submitting a PR. Catches inconsistencies, missing enforcement markers, incomplete acceptance criteria, scope creep, and unintended changes before they reach the reviewer.\n\nLegend (from RFC2119): !=MUST, ~=SHOULD, ≉=SHOULD NOT, ⊗=MUST NOT, ?=MAY.\n\n**See also**: [deft-directive-review-cycle](../deft-directive-review-cycle/SKILL.md) | [deft-directive-build](../deft-directive-build/SKILL.md) | [RWLDL tool](../../tools/RWLDL.md)\n\n> **Formerly `deft-rwldl`** -- renamed to clearly communicate the skill's purpose (iterative pre-PR quality loop).\n\n## Branch-Protection Policy Guard\n\n! Before entering Phase 1 (Read), run the skill-level branch-policy guard documented in `scripts/policy.py` / `scripts/preflight_branch.py` (#746 / #747). Halt before any state mutation (the Phase 2 Write phase, the Phase 3 Lint phase that may touch files) when the policy is unresolvable AND no env-var bypass is active:\n\n```\nuv run python scripts/preflight_branch.py --project-root . --quiet || exit 1\n```\n\nor invoke `task verify:branch`. Pre-PR is the last gate before push, so a stale / unresolvable policy here is the highest-leverage place to catch the bug before it reaches the bot reviewer.\n\n## Deterministic Questions Contract\n\n! Every numbered-menu prompt rendered in this skill (per-finding decision menus in Phase 4 Diff, the Phase 5 Loop restart-vs-exit gate) MUST follow [`../../contracts/deterministic-questions.md`](../../contracts/deterministic-questions.md): the final two numbered options MUST be `Discuss` and `Back`, in that order. The Discuss-pause semantic is documented verbatim there -- implicit resumption is forbidden.\n\n\n## Ordered-plan target gate (#2402)\n\n! Before opening or pushing a PR, when an ordered-plan sequence may be active, verify the work unit matches the current authorized entry:\n\n1. Resolve the current entry kind and id:\n\n```\ntask plan-sequence:current\n```\n\n   Use `task plan-sequence:current -- --json` when you need machine-readable `kind` / `id` fields from the current entry.\n\n2. Verify with the **entry kind** (not hardcoded `pr` — `story` / `issue` entries are common):\n\n```\ntask verify:plan-sequence -- --target-kind <entry-kind> --target <entry-id>\n```\n\n- ! Exit non-zero → fail closed; do not open an unauthorized PR.\n- ! Exit 0 with \"skipped (no active ordered-plan sequence)\" → proceed under normal pre-PR rules.\n- ⊗ Hardcode `--target-kind pr` when the current entry is `kind=story` or `kind=issue` — the verifier matches entry kind exactly (#2662).\n- ! After the PR's review cycle completes successfully, run `task plan-sequence:advance` so \"next\" resolves to the following entry (or exhausted).\n- ⊗ Treat skill-chaining or \"what's next?\" as permission to open a PR outside the current sequence entry.\n\n## Gate throughput — iteration fast lane vs merge chokepoint (#1704)\n\n> **Invariant:** every change MUST pass the full gate at least once before merge. Pre-PR is the merge chokepoint — NOT every iteration commit.\n\n- ! **Iteration lane (Phases 2–3 loop):** use affected/static gates on changed paths — `vitest run --coverage <paths>`, relevant `verify:*` on touched files, `task coverage:hotspots` — instead of full `task check` on every RWLDL iteration.\n- ! **Merge chokepoint (Phase 3 Lint exit + final confirm):** run full `task check` once before push/PR; Phase 3c targeted coverage precedes but does not replace the full gate.\n- ! **Escape-rate safety (#1703 Tier-1):** before recommending fleet-wide fast-lane tightening, cite `#1703` Tier-1 telemetry (`helped/crud-metrics.jsonl`) and `task eval:health` — do NOT invent a separate escape-rate surface.\n- ~ **In-engine incrementality (#1713):** content-hash cache + runner-delegated affected selection are sibling work (#1713).\n- ⊗ Treat Phase 3c targeted coverage alone as PR-ready without full `task check` at the merge chokepoint.\n\n## When to Use\n\n- ! Before pushing a branch for PR creation\n- ! After completing implementation but before the final merge-chokepoint `task check` (#1704)\n- ~ After addressing bot reviewer findings (run one RWLDL pass before pushing the fix batch)\n- ? During mid-implementation checkpoints on large changes\n\n## Loop Phases\n\nEach iteration proceeds through all phases in order. Do NOT skip phases or reorder them.\n\n### Phase 1 -- Read\n\n! Re-read each changed file end-to-end (`git diff master --name-only` to get the list).\n\n- ! Read every changed file in full -- do not skim or skip sections\n- ! Compare each file against its scope xBRIEF acceptance criteria in `xbrief/active/`\n- ~ If changed files include `xbrief/PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json`, a configured `codebase-map` provider artifact, or `.planning/codebase/MAP.md`, read the MAP and canonical metadata together. The MAP is orientation; `plan.architecture.codeStructure` and provider artifacts remain authoritative.\n- ! When adding a `!` or `⊗` rule that prohibits a specific command, pattern, or behavior, search the same file for any `~`, `≉`, or prose that recommends or permits the same command/pattern -- resolve all contradictions in the same commit before pushing\n- ! When strengthening a rule (e.g. upgrading `~` to `!`), grep for the term in the full file and verify no weaker-strength duplicate remains\n- ~ Note any inconsistencies, missing RFC2119 markers, stale cross-references, or incomplete sections\n- ~ Check that CHANGELOG.md entries match the actual changes made\n\n### Phase 2 -- Write\n\n! Fix any issues found in the Read phase.\n\n- ! Fix inconsistencies, add missing RFC2119 enforcement markers (`!`, `~`, `⊗`)\n- ! Complete any incomplete acceptance criteria or missing content\n- ! Update stale cross-references\n- ~ Improve clarity where intent is ambiguous\n- ⊗ Make changes beyond the scope of the current task -- if you notice unrelated issues, file them as ideas or future work, do not fix them now\n\n### Phase 3 -- Lint\n\n! Run the merge-chokepoint gate and fix any failures (#1704).\n\n- ! Run full `task check` (fmt + lint + typecheck + tests + coverage + verify:*) — the merge chokepoint, not every RWLDL iteration\n- ! Fix all failures before proceeding to Phase 3b\n- ~ If a lint fix requires changing a file, that counts as a change for the Loop phase\n\n~ **Windows + Grok Build (#1353):** Avoid `|`, `>`, or `2>&1` in `run_terminal_command` strings -- use Python `pathlib`/`subprocess` or plain task commands instead.\n\n### Phase 3c -- Coverage headroom (#2683)\n\n! Before the full `task check` coverage gate, run targeted coverage on changed modules and verify headroom above the project floor.\n\n- ! Run targeted coverage first: `vitest run --coverage <changed-paths>` (or language equivalent) — not only full `task check`.\n- ! Exercise both sides of new branches (ternary / early-return / catch / default switch / `||` / `??`).\n- ! Treat barely ≥ floor as insufficient — aim for ≥ floor + 0.3–0.5pp headroom on the branch metric relative to **your project's** vitest/coverage floor (may differ from 85%).\n- ! Run `task coverage:hotspots` / `deft coverage:hotspots` to locate uncovered branches before opening a PR; complements `deft verify:forward-coverage` (#1310) and `--allow-coverage-debt=#N` (#2573).\n\n### Phase 3b -- Auto-Render Exports\n\n! If `xbrief/specification.xbrief.json` exists, refresh rendered exports before the diff check:\n\n- ! Run `task prd:render` if `PRD.md` already exists in the project root\n- ! Run `task spec:render` if `SPECIFICATION.md` already exists and does not contain `<!-- deft:deprecated-redirect -->`\n- ! If `plan.architecture.codeStructure`, a configured `codebase-map` provider artifact, or `.planning/codebase/MAP.md` changed, run `task codebase:map` and `task verify:codebase-map-fresh` so the generated orientation projection matches its canonical inputs.\n- ⊗ Create export files that don't already exist -- only refresh existing ones\n- ⊗ Hand-edit `.planning/codebase/MAP.md` to satisfy review; update canonical metadata or provider artifacts, then regenerate it\n\n### Phase 4 -- Diff\n\n! Review the full diff against the base branch for unintended changes.\n\n```\ngit --no-pager diff master\n```\n\n- ! Verify no files outside the task scope were modified\n- ! Check for scope creep -- changes that go beyond the spec task acceptance criteria\n- ! Verify no debug code, TODO comments, or temporary scaffolding remains\n- ! Confirm no unintended whitespace-only changes or formatting drift\n- ! **Closing-keyword policy (#3015 class D / #737 Layer 0):** Default PR body uses `Tracking: #N` / `Related: #N` / `Refs #N` only. Use `Closes` / `Fixes` / `Resolves #N` only when the **full issue DoD** is met (not Phase A partial / multi-phase mid-stream).\n- ⊗ Write `Closes #N Phase A`, `only if`, `partial`, or other conditional English around a real closing keyword — GitHub ignores the condition and auto-closes (#3015 enterprize#29).\n- ! **Run `task pr:check-closing-keywords` before opening the PR (default mode `both` = FP #737 + intent #3015).** Offline: `--body-file` / `--commits-file`. Scans body and commits for closing-keyword tokens in negation / quotation / example / code-block contexts (FP) and for any unallowlisted real close (intent). When full DoD close is intentional, pass `--allow-close <N,M>` (CLI allowlist only — body trailers are not an authorization path). FP-only: `--mode fp`. Known-safe quoted tokens: `--allow-known-false-positives`. Recurrence stack: #167, #697 / #698, #401 / #700, #735 (class A), #3015 (class D enterprize#29).\n- ~ Verify the diff tells a coherent story -- a reviewer reading it top-to-bottom should understand the change\n- ~ If the PR adds or moves any documentation, verify each new doc is reachable from the AGENTS.md reference chain -- an orphan doc is discovered <10% of the time yet still costs context when found (the reference-chain contract, #644 / #647). Add a pointer or fold it in rather than leaving it stranded.\n\n### Phase 5 -- Loop\n\n! Decide whether to restart or exit.\n\n- ! If ANY fixes were made in Phase 2 (Write) or Phase 3 (Lint): restart from Phase 1 (Read)\n- ~ Phase 3b auto-renders are intentional output refreshes; they do NOT trigger a loop restart\n- ! If a full Read-Write-Lint-Diff cycle produced zero changes: exit the loop\n- ~ Track iteration count -- if you exceed 3 iterations, pause and assess whether you are oscillating between competing fixes\n\n## Exit Condition\n\n! Exit when a complete Read-Write-Lint-Diff cycle produces **zero changes** -- no file edits in Write, no lint fixes in Lint, and no scope issues in Diff.\n\nAfter exiting:\n- ! Run `task check` one final time to confirm clean state\n- ~ The branch is now ready for push and PR creation\n\n## Anti-Patterns\n\n- ⊗ Submit a PR without running the RWLDL loop -- every PR branch should pass at least one full cycle\n- ⊗ Exit the loop after the Lint phase without completing the Diff phase -- Diff catches scope creep and unintended changes that Lint cannot detect\n- ⊗ Skip the Read phase and jump directly to Lint -- Read catches semantic issues (missing content, wrong RFC2119 markers, incomplete acceptance criteria) that linters do not check\n- ⊗ Make out-of-scope fixes during Write -- this introduces scope creep that Diff will flag, forcing another iteration\n- ⊗ Ignore the iteration count -- more than 3 iterations usually indicates oscillating fixes or an unclear spec task\n- ⊗ Add a prohibition (`!` or `⊗`) without scanning the same file for conflicting softer-strength rules (`~`, `≉`) that reference the same term\n- ⊗ Skip `task pr:check-closing-keywords` (#737) before pushing a PR. Intent mode (#3015) also refuses bare/conditional real `Closes #N` without `--allow-close`. The negation-context substring match is the Layer 0 (prevention) gate that prevents the recurring auto-close of umbrella / staying-OPEN issues observed in #697 (closed #642), #401 (closed #642), #700 (closed #233), and #735 (closed #734) -- each incident required manual reopen and downstream cleanup. The lint's three-state exit (0 clean / 1 hits found / 2 config error) MUST be treated as a hard refusal: rewrite the PR body / commit messages until clean, OR pass `--allow-known-false-positives` ONLY for legitimately-quoted occurrences (test fixtures, documentation that discusses the trigger token literally). See `skills/deft-directive-swarm/SKILL.md` Phase 6 Step 1 for the corresponding Layer 3 (recovery) `pr:check-protected-issues` rule (#701)\n",
       "frontmatter_extra": null
     },
     {

package/patterns/in-band-signaling.md

@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+# No in-band signaling / absence is not a decision (#1695)
+
+Coding-standards pattern: do not overload one field (or its
+presence/absence) to carry two orthogonal facts. Separate **value** from
+**decision-provenance**. Triggered by the wipCap onboarding contradiction
+(#1694).
+
+Legend (from RFC2119): !=MUST, ~=SHOULD, ≉=SHOULD NOT, ⊗=MUST NOT, ?=MAY.
+
+**Load when:** modeling a config/policy field, or any onboarding /
+decision / lifecycle state that might be inferred from whether a value
+is present.
+
+**⚠️ See also**:
+- [../coding/coding.md](../coding/coding.md) — always-loaded Design
+  Principles floor (`**State & Data Modeling (#1695)**`)
+- [../coding/coding.md](../coding/coding.md) — resolver `source`
+  provenance (typed | default | default-on-error) for *value*-provenance
+
+## The pattern
+
+**In-band signaling** smuggles control or metadata through the data
+channel. **Out-of-band signaling** gives the control signal its own
+field.
+
+The cautionary prior art is the blue-box / 2600 Hz tone: phone systems
+shared the control signal with the voice channel, so a tone on the data
+path could seize trunk control. The same footgun appears under several
+names:
+
+- Overloaded NULL / sentinel values (SQL NULL meaning "unknown" *and*
+  "not applicable" *and* "use default")
+- Connascence of Meaning (Page-Jones) — components silently agreeing
+  what a magic value or absence *means*
+- "Make illegal states unrepresentable" — an ambiguous
+  "absent-but-decided vs absent-and-undecided" state should not be
+  expressible in one field
+- Single Responsibility applied to data — one field, one reason to
+  change
+
+- ! MUST encode exactly one fact per field
+- ! MUST record decision / onboarding / lifecycle state in an explicit
+  out-of-band marker when a workflow needs to know a human chose
+- ⊗ MUST NOT infer decision-state from whether a value field is present
+- ⊗ MUST NOT treat field absence as "incomplete" when omission is a
+  deliberate valid default
+
+## The orthogonality test
+
+Ask: can fact A and fact B vary independently?
+
+| Fact A (value) | Fact B (decided?) | Independent? |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| value == default | decided = true (accepted default) | yes |
+| value == default | decided = false (never considered) | yes |
+| value == override | decided = true | yes |
+| value == override | decided = false | usually illegal |
+
+If two facts can vary independently, they MUST live in separate slots.
+If one fact strictly implies the other, sharing a slot is fine:
+
+- **True `Optional<T>`** — absence means "no value" and there is no
+  second "was this considered?" question
+- **Tombstones** — a dedicated deleted/absent sentinel that only means
+  lifecycle, not a configured value
+- **Value-provenance `source`** — once a resolved value exists, source
+  ∈ {typed, default, default-on-error} is a property *of that resolve*,
+  not a second independent human decision
+
+Worked examples:
+
+1. **WIP cap onboarding (#1694)** — `plan.policy.wipCap` value vs "did
+   the operator consider a cap?" Independent; use
+   `x-directive/onboarding.wipCapDecided`.
+2. **Feature flag default** — `enabled: false` may mean "deliberately
+   off" or "never configured." If product needs the distinction, store
+   an explicit decided marker.
+3. **Optional timeout** — absence of `timeoutMs` means "use library
+   default" and no workflow asks whether a human considered it. One
+   fact; one field is fine.
+
+## Three kinds of provenance in directive
+
+Directive already separates two of three facts for policy resolution:
+
+| Kind | What it answers | Modeled? |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| **Effective value** | What int/string do we use right now? | yes (the field or default) |
+| **Value-provenance** | Override vs framework default vs error-fallback? | yes (`source` on resolvers / `PolicyField`) |
+| **Decision-provenance** | Did a human choose this (including accepting default)? | **must be modeled out-of-band** |
+
+- ! MUST generalize the `source` discipline to decision-provenance:
+  never fake "operator decided" from field presence
+- ! MUST leave value fields to mean exactly one thing (e.g.
+  `plan.policy.wipCap` = deliberate non-default override only)
+- ~ SHOULD keep decision markers under an `x-directive/` namespaced
+  block when the value lives on PROJECT-DEFINITION
+
+## Canonical worked example — wipCap onboarding (#1694)
+
+**Before:** `_classify_onboarding` / `classifyOnboarding` treated
+absent `plan.policy.wipCap` as incomplete onboarding. Accepting the
+framework default (omit-by-design, #1186 D1 / #1250) left the field
+absent forever, so the nudge never cleared. Setting a non-default
+cleared the nudge but broke `test_policy_omits_wip_cap`. The nudge was
+structurally unsatisfiable on deft's own repo.
+
+**Root cause:** one field carried two orthogonal facts — configured
+value *and* decision-made.
+
+**After (#1694 direction 2):**
+
+- `plan.policy.wipCap` (or `x-directive/policy.wipCap`) means only a
+  deliberate non-default override
+- `plan["x-directive/onboarding"].wipCapDecided` records that the
+  operator considered WIP cap (including accepting the default)
+- `writeWipCapDecision` / `writeWipCap` (default path) set the marker
+  without materializing the value field
+- `classifyOnboarding` reads decision-provenance, not field presence
+
+Greenfield consumers still get prompted until they run
+`deft triage:welcome --onboard` (or otherwise record the decision).
+Deft's own repo commits the marker with `acceptedDefault: true` and
+stays omit-by-design green.

package/patterns/tool-call-taxonomy.md

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+# Tool-call taxonomy — explore / commit / verify (#2967)
+
+Deterministic activity buckets for swarm and review-cycle operators. Use
+this taxonomy when skimming tool logs, monitor status lines, or batch
+briefs so “ran N tools” becomes a structured mix.
+
+Legend (from RFC2119): !=MUST, ~=SHOULD, ≉=SHOULD NOT, ⊗=MUST NOT, ?=MAY.
+
+**Load when:** writing swarm monitor status, review-cycle batch briefs,
+PR evidence one-liners, usage metrics that group tool events, or any
+harness surface that aggregates agent tool calls.
+
+**Implementation:** pure rule-first API in
+`packages/core/src/tool-events/` (`classifyToolEvent`,
+`summarizeToolEvents`). No LLM per event.
+
+**Related but distinct:**
+- `packages/core/src/hooks/classify/` (#2950) — PreToolUse write-intent
+  and host payload identity. Share vocabulary only; do not merge.
+- Causal graph work (#2966) may consume these buckets as node kinds.
+
+**⚠️ See also**:
+- [../swarm/swarm.md](../swarm/swarm.md) — multi-agent coordination
+- [../skills/deft-directive-swarm/references/core-phase-4.md](../skills/deft-directive-swarm/references/core-phase-4.md) — monitor status line consumer
+- [../skills/deft-directive-review-cycle/SKILL.md](../skills/deft-directive-review-cycle/SKILL.md) — review batch surfaces
+
+## Buckets
+
+| Bucket | Meaning | Typical tools / commands |
+|--------|---------|---------------------------|
+| `explore` | Read / search / fetch-for-analysis | `Read`, `Grep`, `Glob`, `list_dir`, `SemanticSearch`, `web_search`, `git status`/`log`/`diff`, `gh … view`/`list`, `rg`, `ghx` |
+| `commit` | Mutate product or SCM state | `Write`, `Edit`, `StrReplace`, `ApplyPatch`, `Delete`, `git add`/`commit`/`push`, `gh pr create`, mutating `gh api -X POST` |
+| `verify` | Run a **proven** gate or test | `vitest`, `pytest`, `go test`, `cargo test`, `npm test`, `task check`, `task verify:*`, `tsc`, `biome`, `eslint`, `task pr:watch` |
+| `coordinate` | Session / swarm / handoff | `Task`, `spawn_subagent`, `start_agent`, `sessions_spawn`, `TodoWrite`, `AskQuestion`, `task swarm:*`, `task scope:*` |
+| `unknown` | Explicit residual | Missing name, shell without command, ambiguous names, unlisted bins |
+
+## Misclassification policy
+
+- ! MUST prefer `unknown` over a wrong `verify`. False-positive verify
+  hides “shipped without gates”; residual unknown is recoverable.
+- ! MUST classify as `verify` only when the tool name or shell command
+  **honestly proves** a test/lint/typecheck/doctor/check/watch gate.
+- ⊗ MUST NOT map bare names that merely contain `test` / `lint` /
+  `check` (e.g. `TestHelper`, `npm run build`, `make install`, custom
+  scripts) to `verify`.
+- ~ SHOULD leave novel MCP server tools as `unknown` until a nested
+  segment matches a known name (`mcp__host__Read` → explore).
+
+## Anomalies (derived from counts)
+
+`summarizeToolEvents` derives conservative anomaly codes:
+
+| Code | When |
+|------|------|
+| `commit-without-explore` | `commit > 0` and `explore === 0` |
+| `verify-skipped` | `commit > 0` and `verify === 0` |
+| `explore-only` | `explore > 0`, `commit === 0`, `verify === 0`, and total events ≥ 3 |
+
+## Status line format
+
+```
+tools: explore=N commit=N verify=N coordinate=N unknown=N
+tools: explore=0 commit=2 verify=0 coordinate=0 unknown=0 | anomalies: commit-without-explore,verify-skipped
+```
+
+Produced by `formatToolEventStatusLine` / `summarizeToolEvents`.statusLine.
+
+## Non-goals
+
+- ⊗ LLM classification per tool event (cost/drift kills ROI)
+- ⊗ Proving a verify command was the *correct* test suite
+- ⊗ Semantic code understanding of what was written
+- ⊗ Replacing hooks write-path / authz classifiers (#2950 / #2944)

package/scm/github.md

@@ -290,6 +290,53 @@ Rationale: `docs/analysis/2026-07-02-agents-md-incident-rule-rationale.md` § SC
 
 See also § ghx cache proxy (#884) for install surfaces and read-only vs mutation rules.
 
+## Mismatched/headless SCM readiness (#2275)
+
+Follow-up to adoption epic #2203 (Decision 7). Framework-local gates
+(`session:start`, `verify:*`, `xbrief:preflight`, `doctor`, `scope:*`,
+local `cache-fresh` checks) run with zero SCM tooling. SCM-dependent gates
+need `gh`/`ghx` **in the execution env** (not only on the install host) plus
+auth.
+
+### Probe contract
+
+- ! `session:start` (read-only, cold, and re-arm) reports SCM readiness via
+  `[deft scm]` lines and a `scm` object in `--json`. Shallow by default
+  (PATH + token presence + short `gh auth status`); deep API validation when
+  `--with-network` / `DEFT_SESSION_START_NETWORK=1`.
+- ! `deft scm:status` (alias `scm:readiness`) is the explicit probe verb:
+  exit `0` ready / `1` not ready / `2` config. Flags: `--json`,
+  `--deep` / `--shallow` / `--depth shallow|deep`.
+- ! When not ready, diagnostics MUST name the reason
+  (`binary-absent` | `missing-token` | `unauthenticated` | ...) and list
+  skipped gates (`triage:queue`, `issue:ingest`, `pr:*`, `reconcile:issues`,
+  `cache:fetch-all`, `scm:*`, ...). Never fail opaquely on a missing binary.
+- ! Session-start itself MUST NOT hard-block when SCM is unavailable
+  (framework-local orientation still succeeds).
+- ! SCM-dependent verbs that actually need the network MUST fail loud with
+  the #2275 diagnostic (exit non-zero / `ScmStubError`) rather than hang on
+  auth prompts or emit an unhelpful spawn error.
+- ⊗ Echo `GH_TOKEN` / `GITHUB_TOKEN` / `GH_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN` values into
+  prompts, transcripts, logs, or `--json` payloads -- report presence only
+  (`injected_token_present`).
+
+### Making SCM gates runnable in a mismatched env
+
+1. **Host-gh (local / unsandboxed):** install GitHub CLI (or `task setup:ghx`)
+   in the *execution* environment, then `gh auth login`. Host credential
+   stores are not shared into agent sandboxes.
+2. **Injected-token (cloud / headless):** set `GH_TOKEN`, `GITHUB_TOKEN`, or
+   `GH_ENTERPRISE_TOKEN` in the execution env via host secrets. Runtime mode
+   `cloud-headless` infers `github_auth_mode=injected-token` (#1557).
+3. **Run SCM elsewhere:** keep framework-local work in the sandbox; run
+   `triage:*` / `pr:*` / `issue:ingest` from a matched authenticated shell.
+4. **Deep check:** `deft scm:status --deep` or
+   `deft github-auth-modes --json` validates API reachability and optional
+   repo access.
+
+Contract file: `content/contracts/scm-readiness.md`. Implementation:
+`packages/core/src/scm/readiness.ts`.
+
 ## Windows / ASCII Conventions for Machine-Editable Sections
 
 Agent `edit_files` operations can fail when structured file sections contain Unicode characters that do not round-trip cleanly through Windows toolchains (xref warpdotdev/warp#9022). The following rules apply to **machine-editable structured sections**: ROADMAP.md phase bodies, CHANGELOG.md entries, and Open Issues Index rows.

package/skills/deft-directive-build/SKILL.md

@@ -27,6 +27,42 @@ Legend (from RFC2119): !=MUST, ~=SHOULD, ≉=SHOULD NOT, ⊗=MUST NOT, ?=MAY.
 
 ## Ordered-plan / cohort exhaustion (#2402)
 
+## Multi-scope turn/cache budget (epic #3009)
+
+Multi-scope greenfield (app-bank pins, N story scopes) multiplies agent turns when ceremony, promote, check, and render are re-run per scope. Apply the following after offline seed.
+
+### Offline seed vs implement phase (#3010)
+
+! Distinguish **offline seed** (operator or harness already ran `directive init` / deposit, pin-copied scopes into `xbrief/proposed/`, and recorded session ritual) from the **agent implement phase**.
+
+! When seed + session ritual are already complete for the engagement:
+- ⊗ Run `directive init` again
+- ⊗ Run full cold `session:start` unless hooks deny writes and recovery is required
+- ⊗ Run `directive migrate` or re-copy scopes already present
+- ! Prefer recovery via `session:ready` (or re-arm) when PreToolUse denies — not full re-init
+- ! Documented consumer/harness contract: seed is done once; implement agents only activate+implement
+
+### Batch promote; one active implement (#3011)
+
+! For a multi-scope pin, batch-stage scopes with `task scope:promote -- --batch` (all `proposed/`) or `task scope:promote -- --batch <path>…`.
+! Implement path remains **one** `scope:activate` + implement at a time — no multi-active write fence.
+! When pin order is known, do **not** re-list the entire lifecycle tree every scope; walk the known ordered list.
+⊗ Activate all scopes at once or drop the one-active-scope / story-ready stack.
+
+### Quality check once at end of multi-scope batch (#3012)
+
+! On an approved multi-scope batch (operator-approved multi-story branch, swarm cohort, or pin walk): run full `task check` (merge chokepoint) **once at the end of the batch** (or after the last scope), not after every scope.
+! Exception: if the last full check **failed**, fix loops MAY re-run check until green.
+! Pre-PR / merge-ready gates remain end-of-unit — this does not weaken them.
+! Iteration lane (affected tests / `verify:forward-coverage` / `coverage:hotspots`) still applies **per scope** during implementation (#1704).
+⊗ Spam full `directive check` / `task check` after every scope when the batch is still mid-flight and the last merge-chokepoint check was green.
+
+### One-shot project:render (#3013)
+
+! Greenfield init seeds a minimal render-ready `PROJECT-DEFINITION`. Treat `task project:render` as a **refresh of items from lifecycle folders**, not multi-turn identity research.
+⊗ Invent project identity across many turns when seed already stamped the skeleton.
+
+
 ! When processing an approved multi-story cohort or an active ordered-plan sequence, stop after the final approved entry. Do not promote or dispatch adjacent stories from queue intuition. Continuation language advances only within the approved order; skill-chaining is non-authorizing.
 
 ## Step 0 -- Implementation Preflight (#810)
@@ -39,7 +75,7 @@ Legend (from RFC2119): !=MUST, ~=SHOULD, ≉=SHOULD NOT, ⊗=MUST NOT, ?=MAY.
 - ! **Swarm-cohort dispatch carve-out**: when this skill is invoked as part of a swarm cohort allocated by `skills/deft-directive-swarm/SKILL.md`, the approved Phase 5 allocation plan satisfies the "explicit operator approval and short rationale recorded in the handoff" requirement above -- the dispatched xBRIEF paths and allocation rationale ARE the consent token. Process each assigned story sequentially under the checkpoint-commit + `task scope:complete` discipline below. Do NOT re-prompt the parent for batching approval mid-cohort -- the all-or-nothing dispatch envelope rule (`AGENTS.md` `## Multi-agent orchestration discipline (#954)`) forbids mid-scope user-approval gates.
 - ! **Structured consent-token recognition (#1378)**: the canonical recognition path for the carve-out above is the structured `## Allocation context` section of the dispatch envelope (the frozen schema in `templates/agent-prompt-preamble.md`, Story A of #1378). When that section reports `dispatch_kind: swarm-cohort` with a non-null `allocation_plan_id` AND a non-null `batching_rationale`, the consent token is satisfied mechanically -- read `cohort_vbriefs` as the authoritative file boundary and process each entry sequentially under the checkpoint-commit + `task scope:complete` discipline below, without re-prompting the parent for batching approval mid-cohort. When the `## Allocation context` section is ABSENT (pre-#1378 dispatches, solo-interactive sessions), fall back to the #1371 prose carve-out immediately above -- the prose carve-out remains the recognition path of record for un-elevated envelopes.
 - ! **Within a cohort, between stories**: the working tree MUST be clean after each story's checkpoint commit + `task scope:complete`. If `git status --short` shows uncommitted state between stories (e.g. a missed `task scope:complete` move, an unstaged file from the prior story), checkpoint-commit it and proceed -- do NOT pause to ask the operator. The dirty-tree "ask the operator" branch above applies only at the FIRST story-start of a fresh branch, where uncommitted operator work might legitimately exist.
-- ! If the target story is in `xbrief/proposed/`, run `task scope:promote -- <path>` first; if it is in `xbrief/pending/`, run `task scope:activate -- <path>`. After activation, update the path to the active-file location before preflight.
+- ! If the target story is in `xbrief/proposed/`, run `task scope:promote -- <path>` first (or `task scope:promote -- --batch` for a multi-scope pin — #3011); if it is in `xbrief/pending/`, run `task scope:activate -- <path>`. After activation, update the path to the active-file location before preflight.
 - ! Before any code-writing tool call -- the first scaffold edit, the first `task` invocation that mutates files, or any `start_agent` dispatch that will implement scope -- MUST run `task xbrief:preflight -- <active-story-path>` (the structural intent gate; wraps `scripts/preflight_implementation.py` so the same invocation works whether deft is the project root or installed as a `deft/` subdirectory).
 
 The gate exits 0 only when the candidate xBRIEF lives in `xbrief/active/` AND `plan.status == "running"`. Any other state (pending/, proposed/, completed/, active/-with-non-running-status, malformed JSON, missing keys) exits 1 with an actionable redirect to `task xbrief:activate <path>`.
@@ -255,6 +291,9 @@ task test:coverage  # >=85% or PROJECT-DEFINITION.xbrief.json override
 - ! Phase checkpoint commits MAY use the iteration lane; phase is NOT done for PR handoff until full `task check` passes at the merge chokepoint
 - ⊗ Skip quality gates or claim they passed without running
 - ⊗ Treat iteration-lane green as merge-ready without full `task check`
+- ! **Multi-scope batch (#3012):** when implementing an approved multi-scope pin/cohort, reserve full `task check` for end-of-batch (or after last scope) unless the last full check failed — then re-run on the fix loop. Do not run full check after every intermediate scope.
+- ⊗ Re-run full install/session ceremony after offline seed when ritual is already complete (#3010) — use `session:ready` for recovery only.
+
 
 ## Coding Standards (Summary)
 
@@ -320,6 +359,10 @@ feat(phase-2): add REST API endpoints with integration tests
 - ⊗ Move to next phase before current passes checks
 - ⊗ Make commits without running iteration-lane validation; ⊗ skip full `task check` at PR/merge chokepoint (#1704)
 - ⊗ Proceed without USER.md -- always run the USER.md Gate first
+- ⊗ Re-run `directive init`, cold `session:start`, migrate, or re-copy pin scopes after offline seed when ritual is already complete (#3010)
+- ⊗ Run full `task check` after every intermediate scope of an approved multi-scope batch when the last merge-chokepoint check was green (#3012)
+- ⊗ Promote scopes one-by-one for a known multi-scope pin when `scope:promote --batch` would stage them in one turn (#3011)
+
 - ⊗ Spawn an implementation agent or invoke a code-writing tool against a xBRIEF that has not passed `task xbrief:preflight` (which wraps `scripts/preflight_implementation.py`) -- always run the Step 0 Implementation Preflight (#810) first; satisfy via `task xbrief:activate <path>`
 - ⊗ Proceed without `COST-ESTIMATE.md` and a recorded build / rescope / no-build / skip(+reason) decision -- always run the Cost Phase Gate (#739) first
 - ⊗ Proceed with implementation when the build or test toolchain is unavailable -- always run the Toolchain Gate (Step 2) first

package/skills/deft-directive-pre-pr/SKILL.md

@@ -144,7 +144,9 @@ git --no-pager diff master
 - ! Check for scope creep -- changes that go beyond the spec task acceptance criteria
 - ! Verify no debug code, TODO comments, or temporary scaffolding remains
 - ! Confirm no unintended whitespace-only changes or formatting drift
-- ! **Run `task pr:check-closing-keywords -- --pr <N>` (or pass `--body-file` / `--commits-file` for offline checking) before opening the PR; refuse to push if findings (#737)**. The lint scans both the PR body AND every commit message for closing-keyword tokens (`close|closes|closed|fix|fixes|fixed|resolve|resolves|resolved`) followed by `#\d+` in negation / quotation / example / code-block contexts. The recurrence record is the Layer 1 / Layer 2 / Layer 3 stack: #167 (post-merge close-verify), #697 / #698 (negation-context substring match), #401 / #700 (persistent `closingIssuesReferences` link), #735 (squash body containing `DOES NOT CLOSE #734` auto-closed #734). When the lint surfaces a known-safe occurrence (e.g. test fixtures that legitimately exercise the trigger token), pass `--allow-known-false-positives <issue-numbers>` to suppress -- DO NOT silently delete the lint invocation
+- ! **Closing-keyword policy (#3015 class D / #737 Layer 0):** Default PR body uses `Tracking: #N` / `Related: #N` / `Refs #N` only. Use `Closes` / `Fixes` / `Resolves #N` only when the **full issue DoD** is met (not Phase A partial / multi-phase mid-stream).
+- ⊗ Write `Closes #N Phase A`, `only if`, `partial`, or other conditional English around a real closing keyword — GitHub ignores the condition and auto-closes (#3015 enterprize#29).
+- ! **Run `task pr:check-closing-keywords` before opening the PR (default mode `both` = FP #737 + intent #3015).** Offline: `--body-file` / `--commits-file`. Scans body and commits for closing-keyword tokens in negation / quotation / example / code-block contexts (FP) and for any unallowlisted real close (intent). When full DoD close is intentional, pass `--allow-close <N,M>` (CLI allowlist only — body trailers are not an authorization path). FP-only: `--mode fp`. Known-safe quoted tokens: `--allow-known-false-positives`. Recurrence stack: #167, #697 / #698, #401 / #700, #735 (class A), #3015 (class D enterprize#29).
 - ~ Verify the diff tells a coherent story -- a reviewer reading it top-to-bottom should understand the change
 - ~ If the PR adds or moves any documentation, verify each new doc is reachable from the AGENTS.md reference chain -- an orphan doc is discovered <10% of the time yet still costs context when found (the reference-chain contract, #644 / #647). Add a pointer or fold it in rather than leaving it stranded.
 
@@ -173,4 +175,4 @@ After exiting:
 - ⊗ Make out-of-scope fixes during Write -- this introduces scope creep that Diff will flag, forcing another iteration
 - ⊗ Ignore the iteration count -- more than 3 iterations usually indicates oscillating fixes or an unclear spec task
 - ⊗ Add a prohibition (`!` or `⊗`) without scanning the same file for conflicting softer-strength rules (`~`, `≉`) that reference the same term
-- ⊗ Skip `task pr:check-closing-keywords` (#737) before pushing a PR. The negation-context substring match is the Layer 0 (prevention) gate that prevents the recurring auto-close of umbrella / staying-OPEN issues observed in #697 (closed #642), #401 (closed #642), #700 (closed #233), and #735 (closed #734) -- each incident required manual reopen and downstream cleanup. The lint's three-state exit (0 clean / 1 hits found / 2 config error) MUST be treated as a hard refusal: rewrite the PR body / commit messages until clean, OR pass `--allow-known-false-positives` ONLY for legitimately-quoted occurrences (test fixtures, documentation that discusses the trigger token literally). See `skills/deft-directive-swarm/SKILL.md` Phase 6 Step 1 for the corresponding Layer 3 (recovery) `pr:check-protected-issues` rule (#701)
+- ⊗ Skip `task pr:check-closing-keywords` (#737) before pushing a PR. Intent mode (#3015) also refuses bare/conditional real `Closes #N` without `--allow-close`. The negation-context substring match is the Layer 0 (prevention) gate that prevents the recurring auto-close of umbrella / staying-OPEN issues observed in #697 (closed #642), #401 (closed #642), #700 (closed #233), and #735 (closed #734) -- each incident required manual reopen and downstream cleanup. The lint's three-state exit (0 clean / 1 hits found / 2 config error) MUST be treated as a hard refusal: rewrite the PR body / commit messages until clean, OR pass `--allow-known-false-positives` ONLY for legitimately-quoted occurrences (test fixtures, documentation that discusses the trigger token literally). See `skills/deft-directive-swarm/SKILL.md` Phase 6 Step 1 for the corresponding Layer 3 (recovery) `pr:check-protected-issues` rule (#701)

package/skills/deft-directive-swarm/references/core-phase-4.md

@@ -40,6 +40,26 @@ Track each agent through these stages:
 6. **PR Created** — PR visible via `gh pr list --head <branch>`
 7. **Review Cycling** — additional commits after PR creation (Greptile fix rounds)
 
+### Tool-event mix status line (#2967)
+
+! When the monitor has a sequence of tool names (and optional shell commands) for a leaf — host transcript, heartbeat sidecar, or operator-supplied log — classify with the pure `#2967` taxonomy and include the status line in the **next monitor status** (chat heartbeat or sticky cohort note). Do not invent counts; only report when events are available.
+
+Buckets: `explore` | `commit` | `verify` | `coordinate` | `unknown`. Misclassification policy: prefer `unknown` over wrong `verify`. Canonical docs: [`content/patterns/tool-call-taxonomy.md`](../../../patterns/tool-call-taxonomy.md). API: `@deftai/directive-core/tool-events` (`classifyToolEvent`, `summarizeToolEvents`).
+
+```
+# Status line shape (from summarizeToolEvents(...).statusLine)
+tools: explore=12 commit=4 verify=2 coordinate=1 unknown=0
+tools: explore=0 commit=3 verify=0 coordinate=0 unknown=1 | anomalies: commit-without-explore,verify-skipped
+```
+
+! Surface anomalies when present:
+- `commit-without-explore` — mutators without any explore events (possible blind edit)
+- `verify-skipped` — commit events with zero verify gates (ship without check/test)
+- `explore-only` — thrash signal (explore-only, no commit/verify, ≥3 events)
+
+~ Pair the status line with worktree git checks and `task pr:merge-ready` so operators see progress **and** tool mix without reading raw tool logs.
+⊗ Treat raw “ran N tools” as a structured mix — always bucket when events are available (#2967).
+
 ### Takeover Triggers
 
 ! **Pre-spawn verification:** Before spawning a replacement agent, verify the original is truly unresponsive by waiting for an idle/blocked lifecycle event — verified via worktree state (`git status`, `git log --oneline -3`) and sub-agent lifecycle signals showing no in-flight work (for grok-build / spawn_subagent agents: polling is via worktree state + `get_command_or_subagent_output` rather than tab observation; for openclaw / sessions_spawn agents: worktree state + parent completion announce / heartbeat records, not Grok Build poll output). Do NOT spawn a replacement based solely on message timing, absence of recent commits, or a perceived delay — original agents (Warp tabs, spawn_subagent processes, or OpenClaw sessions) can resume after apparent failure, and spawning a new agent creates two concurrent agents on the same worktree (see Duplicate-Tab Failure Mode below).

package/skills/deft-directive-swarm/references/host-openclaw.md

@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ Live miss: operator said “use review skill” + URL; agent stayed on host free
 ⊗ Answer Deft-shaped intent with freestyle tools only when a Directive skill is indexed for that intent.
 ⊗ Skip project-root resolution and improvise from workspace home outside the target checkout.
 
+### Pin wire into OpenClaw workspace skills (#3001)
+
+Package install alone does not put always-pins into `~/.openclaw/workspace/skills`. Operators / agents SHOULD run `deft doctor` (detect) and `deft doctor --fix` (symlink or copy the four pins) when main-workspace pins are missing. Multi-seat only with `--openclaw-all-agents`. Operator steps: [`../../docs/openclaw-agent-host.md`](../../docs/openclaw-agent-host.md) § Wire skills into OpenClaw workspace.
+
 ## Hard isolation before spawn (#2929)
 
 ! For **parallel** OpenClaw leaves (cohort size > 1):

package/tasks/engine.yml

@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ tasks:
           is_runtime_verb=0
           case " ${first_token} " in
             " session:start "|" session-start "|\
+            " session:ready "|" session-ready "|\
             " lifecycle:event "|" lifecycle-event "|\
             " verify:session-ritual "|" verify-session-ritual "|\
             " verify:tools "|" verify-tools "|\