@jaggerxtrm/specialists 3.18.1 → 3.18.3

package/config/skills/using-specialists-v3/SKILL.md

@@ -1,1327 +0,0 @@
----
-name: using-specialists-v3
-description: >
-  Canonical specialist orchestration skill. Use proactively for substantial work
-  that should be delegated, tracked, reviewed, fixed, tested, or merged through
-  specialists: code review, debugging, implementation, planning, doc sync,
-  security checks, multi-step chains, integration-phase reconciliation,
-  debugger-restitch on conflicting chains, pre-dispatch conflict-cluster
-  mapping, test-failure-map epics, and questions about specialist workflow.
-version: 3.7
----
-
-# Using Specialists v3
-
-You are the orchestrator. Turn user intent into a strong bead contract, choose right specialist from live registry, launch chain, monitor it, consume results, drive fixes, and publish through specialist merge path.
-
-Keep skill practical. Core behavior belongs here; volatile detail stays in live commands.
-
-> **MANDATORY — Run on skill load and before every new substantial task or epic:**
-> ```bash
-> specialists list --full
-> ```
-> Do not rely on remembered roles, models, or permissions. The registry is the source of truth.
-> Run it again before dispatching any new chain or starting any epic — specialists change between sessions.
-
-## Specialist File Locations
-
-Specialists live in three layers. Know which layer you are reading or editing:
-
-| Layer | Path | Purpose |
-|-------|------|---------|
-| Package (shipped) | `config/specialists/*.specialist.json` | Canonical role definitions; versioned with the repo |
-| User override | `.specialists/user/*.specialist.json` | Per-project customizations; wins over package layer for same name |
-| Default mirror | `.specialists/default/*.specialist.json` | Repo-managed mirror of package defaults; overrides package fallback |
-
-The loader resolves in priority order: user → default-mirror → package. A same-name file in `.specialists/user/` fully replaces the package version for that specialist. When creating or editing a specialist, use `config/specialists/` for shipped roles and `.specialists/user/` for project-specific overrides. Never edit `.specialists/default/` by hand — it is managed by `update-specialists`.
-
-`specialists list --full` shows the resolved set (which layer each specialist comes from) so you always know what will actually run.
-
-### Editing Specialist Fields: `sp edit` Is Required
-
-Direct JSON editing is error-prone and bypasses schema validation. Use `sp edit` for all field changes — it validates dot-paths, handles array append/remove, and writes to the correct layer.
-
-```bash
-# Read a field
-sp edit executor --get specialist.execution.model
-
-# Set a field (schema-validated)
-sp edit executor specialist.execution.model <model-id>
-
-# Set prompt.system or task_template from a file (required for multi-line content)
-sp edit executor --set specialist.prompt.system _ --file ./my-system-prompt.txt
-
-# Append or remove tags
-sp edit executor --set specialist.metadata.tags review,security --append
-sp edit executor --set specialist.metadata.tags old-tag --remove
-
-# Apply a named preset (run sp edit --list-presets for current options)
-sp edit executor --preset power
-sp edit executor --preset cheap --dry-run   # preview first
-
-# Target a specific scope when name exists in multiple layers
-sp edit executor --scope user --set specialist.execution.model <model-id>
-
-# Bulk read across all specialists
-sp edit --all --get specialist.execution.model
-```
-
-**When `sp edit` is required vs. direct JSON edit:**
-- Model, thinking level, timeout, tags, permission, description → always `sp edit`
-- `prompt.system` or `task_template` longer than one line → `sp edit --file`
-- Structural schema fields (execution flags, output_schema) → `sp edit` with dot-path
-- Net-new specialist creation → `specialists-creator` skill, then `sp edit` for tuning
-- Bulk cross-specialist reads → `sp edit --all --get <path>`
-- Available presets → `sp edit --list-presets` (do not hardcode; varies by install)
-
-## Orchestration Discipline (Paranoid Mode)
-
-You are an orchestrator, not a hero. Move slowly enough to be correct.
-
-- Run `specialists list --full` and `sp help` again at the start of every new substantial task. Do not skip because "you remember." Roles, models, and flags drift between sessions.
-- Re-read the bead before dispatch. If you cannot defend each contract field out loud, the bead is not ready.
-- Never dispatch a chain you cannot describe end-to-end (which specialist, which bead, which workspace, which merge target).
-- Verify worktree and job state before and after each dispatch with `sp ps` and `git worktree list`. Drift is silent until merge.
-- Treat reviewer `PARTIAL` and seconder `FINDINGS` as mandatory fix loops, not advisory noise.
-- When unsure, prefer extra explorer/debugger passes over an over-eager executor. Wrong code merged is more expensive than slow research.
-
-## Project-Specific Specialists
-
-Users define their own specialists in `.specialists/user/*.specialist.json` to fit project shape (domain knowledge, language, framework, conventions). These override package defaults and may not match generic role descriptions.
-
-- Always run `specialists list --full` to see the resolved set, including project-specific roles, before choosing.
-- Read `sp help` and the specialist's description/tags to confirm fit. Do not assume a name maps to its package-default behavior — a `.specialists/user/` override may have a different prompt, model, or scope.
-- Pick the project-specific specialist when its role matches the task shape. Do not fall back to a generic role just because it is more familiar.
-- If the task does not match any project-specific role, use the package default and consider whether a new project-specific specialist would help (use `specialists-creator` skill).
-
-## Mandatory Gates: Seconder, Obligations, Security (Iron-style)
-
-For any substantive production diff, the chain shape is the canonical pipeline from [`docs/design/chain-templates.md` §2](../../../docs/design/chain-templates.md#2-the-canonical-pipeline):
-
-```
-writer (executor/debugger) → seconder → test-engineer → test-runner → security-auditor (if surface) → obligations-scanner → reviewer → Release Checklist
-```
-
-Reviewer consumes final QA evidence together with Iron gates: test-engineer output, test-runner classification, smoke/E2E proof, telemetry/log assertions, obligations-scanner, and security-auditor when applicable.
-
-`seconder`, `test-engineer`, `test-runner`, `obligations-scanner`, and `reviewer` are mandatory on production diffs (shipped via Opp 14 / `unitAI-sfwe1` + Opp 15 / `unitAI-4e194`). `security-auditor` is mandatory when the diff touches a sensitive surface. Reviewer follows canon §2.2 SCRUTINY as a chain-property, not reviewer input.
-
-### Seconder Gate — `seconder`
-
-Mandatory READ_ONLY scope/compliance + smell/type-safety/simplicity dual-verdict gate (canon §2.3). Every change gets one cheap second pair of eyes before QA and reviewer. If `overall_verdict` is FAIL or UNCLEAR where not allowed, route back to writer.
-
-- Skip permitted ONLY for: test-only diffs (entirely under `test/`, `tests/`, `__tests__/`, `*.spec.*`, `*.test.*`, `*.fixture.*`) or new-file-only diffs (no modifications to existing symbols).
-- Any other skip = escalation event. Small diffs hide the worst regressions.
-
-### Obligations Gate — `obligations-scanner`
-
-Mandatory READ_ONLY marker scan. Catches new TODO/FIXME/HACK/XXX/TEMP/WIP/NOTE(release) in production code that would otherwise leak unaccounted. Cheap (<30s, gpt-5.4-mini, bare).
-
-- Accepts structured `// TODO(<bead-id>): reason` markers if the linked bead exists and is in current bead's NON_GOALS.
-- Rejects unstructured markers in production code → reviewer issues PARTIAL "obligation: must resolve or accept".
-- Markers under test/fixture/mock/e2e/docs paths are noted but never block.
-
-The scanner produces JSON; the reviewer consumes its output directly via job feed.
-
-### Security Gate — `security-auditor`
-
-Mandatory when diff touches: auth, secrets, input handling (user/network/file), dependency lockfiles, agent/MCP/config surfaces, token-storage paths, migrations, permissions/hooks. Scan-only; recommendations only; executor applies fixes.
-
-- Never skip on sensitive-surface diff "because the diff looks small."
-- Auto-triggered by reviewer's SCRUTINY auto-escalation table when surface patterns match.
-
-### Dispatch mechanics for all three gates
-
-All run with their own bead and `--job <exec-job>` so they enter the executor workspace.
-
-Routing across chain phases:
-
-- **Per-chain dispatch**: gates run on the chain's job in canon order: seconder → test-engineer → test-runner → security-auditor (if surface) → obligations-scanner → reviewer. Seconder FAIL/UNCLEAR routes back to writer; test-runner misclassifications route to test-engineer or writer per canon §2.5.
-- **Debugger-restitch**: same gate order on the debugger's job AFTER the restitch turn, BEFORE reviewer.
-- **E2E smoke phase**: cross-cutting security-auditor on cumulative integrated diff if any landed chain touched a sensitive surface.
-- **Reviewer rebuttal**: seconder OK and security-auditor "no findings" are legitimate evidence in reviewer rebuttals (cite the advisory job id).
-
-## Monitoring Long-Running Jobs: Sleep Timers Are Mandatory
-
-Specialists run async. You will lose the chain if you do not actively monitor it.
-
-**Required pattern after every dispatch:**
-
-```bash
-sp run <role> --bead <id> --background ...   # dispatch
-sleep 10 && sp ps                             # confirm started
-```
-
-Then cycle sleeps based on average completion time per role, checking `sp ps` each cycle:
-
-| Role | Typical duration | Initial sleep cycle |
-|------|------------------|---------------------|
-| sync-docs, changelog-keeper | 60–180s | `sleep 60` then `sleep 60` |
-| seconder, security-auditor | 60–180s | `sleep 60` then `sleep 60` |
-| reviewer | 90–240s | `sleep 90` then `sleep 60` |
-| explorer, debugger, planner, overthinker | 120–300s | `sleep 120` then `sleep 90` |
-| executor | 180–600s+ | `sleep 180` then `sleep 120` |
-| test-runner | varies with suite | start at `sleep 120`, adjust |
-
-Rules:
-- After dispatch, **always** `sleep 10 && sp ps` first to confirm the job is `running`, not stuck in `queued` or already `failed`.
-- Then sleep again per the table; check `sp ps` each cycle.
-- Do not poll faster than every 30s after the initial check — it wastes context.
-- When status flips to `completed`, run `sp result <job-id>` immediately to consume output before context grows.
-- If a job exceeds 2× its typical duration without completing, inspect with `sp feed <job-id>` before assuming hang.
-
-You are not "done" until every dispatched job is `completed` or `failed` and consumed.
-
-## Worktree Cleanup After Merge
-
-Merge is now manual (see `Merge And Publication` below). You own cleanup after every merge.
-
-After every merge, verify:
-
-```bash
-git worktree list                 # any orphaned worktrees from this session?
-sp ps                             # any leftover jobs?
-git worktree prune                # drop stale worktree metadata
-```
-
-Always remove the merged feature/epic worktree explicitly:
-
-```bash
-git worktree remove <path>
-git branch -d <merged-branch>     # only after confirming merged into target
-```
-
-`sp ps` must have no active jobs and no unresolved terminal problems before session close. If it only shows old terminal history that you have intentionally acknowledged, run `sp clean --ps --dry-run` and then `sp clean --ps` to soft-hide those rows from the default dashboard. This does not delete SQLite history or change job status; use `sp ps --include-cleaned` or `sp ps --all` for audit visibility. Stale worktrees and stale jobs both block future dispatches.
-
-## When To Delegate
-
-Use specialists for substantial work: codebase exploration, debugging, implementation, review, test execution, planning, documentation sync, security/config audit, release publication, and multi-chain epics.
-
-Do small deterministic edits directly when scope is already obvious and delegation would add ceremony. Do not self-investigate or self-implement a substantial task just because you can read files faster; audit trail and specialist review are part of workflow.
-
-## Non-Negotiable Rules
-
-1. `--bead` is prompt for tracked work.
-2. Do not dispatch until bead is usable task contract.
-3. Never use `--prompt` to supplement tracked work. Update bead instead.
-4. Choose by task shape, not habit. Check `specialists list --full` when roles may have changed.
-5. Explorer/debugger answer uncertainty before executor writes code.
-6. Executor starts only when scope, constraints, and validation are clear.
-7. Reviewer uses its own bead and executor workspace via `--job <exec-job>`.
-8. Keep executor/debugger jobs alive through review so they can be resumed.
-9. Merge specialist-owned work via the documented manual git workflow (Cherry-Pick Playbook / FF / `git merge --no-ff`). Do NOT use `sp merge` or `sp epic merge` — both are known broken and awaiting a separate rework epic. The skill does not document their usage; if you find them in `sp help` output, ignore.
-10. Specialists must not perform destructive or irreversible operations.
-11. Treat tests as evidence: classify failures as in-scope, pre-existing, or infrastructure before starting fix loop.
-12. Drive routine stages autonomously once task is clear. Escalate only for human judgment, destructive actions, repeated crashes, or reviewer `FAIL`.
-13. The orchestrator NEVER edits code directly. Conflict resolution, even mechanical, goes through a debugger or executor specialist. Manual conflict resolution always escalates to the operator. (Exception: epics that explicitly restructure the specialists themselves — bootstrapping via the specialists they restructure is circular. Such epics are operator-authorized manual-orchestrator-direct work and must say so up-front.)
-14. Before dispatching any chain whose work depends on prior chain output, verify git state per the Git State Precondition section: `git status` clean, HEAD contains prior chain commits, no orphaned worktrees. Stale-base dispatch produces guaranteed debugger-restitch loops downstream.
-15. Never dispatch a specialist against a bead tagged `contract:draft` (`bd state <id> contract` returns `draft` or nothing). Promote it first — see Draft Beads And The Promotion Gate. A draft is a sanctioned capture format, not a shortcut around bead quality.
-
-## Escalation Matrix
-
-| Action | Default | Always escalate to operator |
-|---|---|---|
-| Code edit | Specialist only | (never orchestrator-direct) |
-| Cherry-pick onto integration branch | Auto if non-overlapping | Conflict requiring manual edits |
-| Manual conflict resolution | Never | Always |
-| Force push | Never | Always |
-| Branch delete | Never | Always |
-| Stash pop where conflict expected | Auto | Stash conflict that destroys session-start state |
-| `bd dolt fsck --revive-journal-with-data-loss` | Never | Always — explicit data-loss warning |
-| `sp merge` / `sp epic merge` | Never (prohibited per rule #9; both known broken) | Always — if you reach for these, stop and use manual git workflow |
-| Skip `seconder` (mandatory seconder) on production diff | Auto-skip only on test-only or new-file-only diffs | Always escalate on any other skip — seconder OK is reviewer pre-condition |
-| Skip `obligations-scanner` on production diff | Auto-skip only on test-only or new-file-only diffs | Always escalate on any other skip |
-| Skip `security-auditor` on diff touching auth/secrets/input/agent-config/lockfiles/migrations | Never | Always — sensitive-surface diffs always get the pass |
-| Manual merge with conflicts | Never auto-resolve | Always escalate to operator (rule #13) |
-| Dispatch chain on stale base (HEAD lacks prior chain commit) | Never | Always — fix base first per Git State Precondition |
-| `sp stop <job>` | Auto when job is done/stale | Never on actively-running unless context blown |
-| `git push origin <branch>` | Auto for chain branches | Force-push or delete-remote always |
-| `npm publish` | Never | Always |
-| Dependency bump | Auto for security-patch bumps | Major/minor bumps escalate |
-| Config file schema-changing edit | Never | Always |
-| Dispatch against `contract:draft` bead | Never (rule #15) | Always — promote first: explore + rewrite full 7-section contract + `bd set-state <id> contract=ready --reason "..."` |
-
-## Live Registry And Help
-
-Use live registry for role details, permissions, current models, and skills:
-
-```bash
-specialists list --full
-```
-
-Use help for command flags and subcommands:
-
-```bash
-sp help
-sp run --help
-sp ps --help
-sp feed --help
-sp result --help
-sp resume --help
-sp steer --help
-sp stop --help
-```
-
-Do not rely on stale remembered flags when help is available. (Omitted: `sp finalize`, `sp merge`, `sp epic` — see rule #9. They exist in the binary but the skill prohibits their use.)
-
-## Writing Bead Contracts Well
-
-Bead quality controls specialist quality. A title-only bead produces wandering output because specialist has no contract to optimize against. Write contract before dispatch. Tighten vague scope before launch.
-
-Bad bead:
-
-```text
-TITLE: Fix bug
-PROBLEM: Something is broken.
-SUCCESS: It works.
-SCOPE: src/
-NON_GOALS: N/A
-CONSTRAINTS: Be careful.
-VALIDATION: Tests pass.
-OUTPUT: Done.
-```
-
-Good bead:
-
-```text
-TITLE: Fix feed cursor regression in sp result
-PROBLEM: specialists feed follow skips events after restart because cursor tracks count, not last seq.
-SUCCESS: feed follow resumes from last seen seq; result still reads terminal output.
-SCOPE: src/cli/feed.ts, src/cli/result.ts, tests/unit/cli/feed.test.ts
-NON_GOALS: No new runtime format, no DB schema change, no unrelated poll changes.
-CONSTRAINTS: Preserve existing job IDs, keep backwards-compatible CLI output, avoid file-based fallback drift.
-VALIDATION: Add regression test for restart resume; run targeted CLI tests.
-OUTPUT: Changed files, test evidence, residual risks.
-```
-
-Fix three bad smells fast:
-
-- Title-only bead. Add problem, scope, validation, output.
-- Vague SCOPE like `src/`. Name files, symbols, or bounded docs.
-- Missing VALIDATION. Say what proves done, not just that work is “finished.”
-
-What differs: orchestrator writes contract before dispatch, so specialist does less guessing and more useful work.
-
-## Draft Beads And The Promotion Gate
-
-Full 7-section contracts are expensive to write for an idea you won't touch for weeks. Demanding that rigor for every captured thought is exactly what produces the other failure mode: skipping the bead entirely, or writing a one-liner. There is a third, sanctioned option — but it is a capture format, not an escape hatch.
-
-**Draft state.** Tag a bead `contract:draft` at creation:
-
-```bash
-bd create --title "..." --labels contract:draft --type task --priority 3 \
-  --description "PROBLEM: <2+ real sentences — why this matters, not a title restated>
-SCOPE: <rough guess — 'somewhere in src/auth/, needs investigation' is fine>
-SUCCESS: TBD — needs exploration
-NON_GOALS: TBD — needs exploration
-CONSTRAINTS: TBD — needs exploration
-VALIDATION: TBD — needs exploration
-OUTPUT: TBD — needs exploration"
-```
-
-**No one-liners, ever — draft or not.** A draft still requires a real PROBLEM (why this exists, in prose) and a rough SCOPE. Every other section must be present and say `TBD — needs exploration` explicitly. A bare title, or a description that just restates the title, is never a valid bead — draft state lowers the bar on *completeness*, not on *honesty about what's missing*.
-
-**The promotion gate (rule #15).** No specialist may be dispatched against a `contract:draft` bead. Before dispatch, the orchestrator must:
-
-1. Re-read the bead (`bd show <id>`).
-2. Actually explore — the same Phase 2 evidence-gathering the `planning` skill requires before writing a real contract (`gitnexus_query`/`gitnexus_context`/`gitnexus_impact`, or Serena symbol reads).
-3. Rewrite the bead in place to the full 7-section contract (`bd update <id> --description "..."`), replacing every `TBD` with real content grounded in what was just found.
-4. Flip the state: `bd set-state <id> contract=ready --reason "Explored via <what>; rewrote to full contract"`.
-
-Check before any dispatch: `bd state <id> contract` — if it returns `draft` or nothing, stop and promote. This is a hard refuse (Escalation Matrix), not a warning — a stale draft wastes a full specialist turn on a contract the executor will have to guess at, which is the exact failure this rule exists to prevent.
-
-**Current enforcement is a bridge.** This is orchestrator-discipline-enforced today, not yet a hard `sp run` pre-dispatch check — see `specialists-roadmap.md` §5.3 for the planned real enforcement (same class as the existing C1 cwd-mismatch hard-refuse). Follow the rule anyway; do not treat the absence of a hook as license to dispatch against a draft.
-
-What differs: orchestrator has a sanctioned way to capture backlog ideas cheaply without either over-scoping them immediately or letting them decay into unusable one-liners.
-
-## Bead Title Convention (canonical)
-
-Every bead dispatched to a specialist gets a title in the form:
-
-```text
-<specialist-role>: <concise task description>
-```
-
-Examples: `explorer: map auth refresh path`, `executor: implement token refresh retry`, `reviewer: verify token refresh retry`, `seconder: sanity check token retry diff`, `security-auditor: scan token retry diff`, `test-runner: refresh <epic> failure map`.
-
-Why: `bd list`, `bd ready`, `bd query`, and `sp ps` all show titles inline — a role-prefixed title makes the board scannable at a glance (which role owns which open work) without opening each bead. It also disambiguates same-named chains dispatched to different roles against the same parent (e.g. a `seconder:` and a `security-auditor:` bead both `validates`-linked to the same `executor:` bead).
-
-Rules:
-
-- Prefix with the exact specialist name from `specialists list --full` (`explorer`, `debugger`, `executor`, `reviewer`, `seconder`, `security-auditor`, `test-runner`, `test-engineer`, `obligations-scanner`, `planner`, `overthinker`, `researcher`, `sync-docs`, `changelog-keeper`, `specialists-creator`), not a role synonym.
-- Root task/epic beads that are not themselves dispatched to a single specialist (the umbrella bead a chain is built under) are exempt — keep those descriptive without a role prefix, e.g. `Epic: auth refresh hardening`, `Fix token refresh retry`.
-- Combine with the nesting default above: a role-prefixed title on a `--parent`-nested bead gives both a scannable title and a scannable ID (`bd-x.2` = `seconder: ...`).
-
-What differs: orchestrator can `bd list`/`sp ps` and immediately tell which role owns which open work, instead of opening each bead to find out.
-
-## SCRUTINY taxonomy (Iron-style)
-
-`SCRUTINY` is a chain-property from canon §2.2, not reviewer input and not a quality tier. Every substantive bead must declare it at creation. It modulates chain structure only; quality stays invariant. New beads without it are invalid unless read-only / none-chain work.
-
-```
-SCRUTINY: none | low | medium | high | critical
-```
-
-| Level | Chain-structure modulation | When to use |
-|---|---|---|
-| `none` | Read-only / design chains only. No production-diff pipeline. | planning, premortem, research-only, triage, doc-sync, memory-hygiene |
-| `low` | Minimal production diff. Keep pipeline light. | tiny isolated fixes |
-| `medium` | Default production-diff chain. | most implementation beads |
-| `high` | Heavier review / evidence floor. | cross-cutting, boundary, public API, persistence, orchestration |
-| `critical` | Max structural gating. | auth, money, irreversible state, security-sensitive work |
-
-Floor rule: author sets the minimum; dispatcher/reviewer can raise it on sensitive surfaces per canon §2.4, never lower it.
-
-Cross-ref: [`docs/design/chain-templates.md` §2.2](../../../docs/design/chain-templates.md#22-scrutiny-is-a-chain-property--it-modulates-structure-not-quality), [`§2.3`](../../../docs/design/chain-templates.md#23-roles-in-the-canonical-pipeline), [`§2.5`](../../../docs/design/chain-templates.md#25-the-behavioral-validation-contract), [`§2.6`](../../../docs/design/chain-templates.md#26-the-release-checklist), roadmap Opp 15.
-
-## Git State Precondition (before any chain dispatch)
-
-Specialist worktrees fork from the current HEAD of the orchestrator's branch at dispatch time. If prior chain edits aren't merged in yet, the new chain works on a stale base, will conflict at integration, and debugger-restitch becomes mandatory. The fix is upstream: don't dispatch until prior work has landed.
-
-Required pre-flight before dispatching any chain that depends on prior chain output:
-
-```bash
-# 1. Working tree clean — no uncommitted edits to inherit or lose
-git status                          # MUST report "working tree clean"
-
-# 2. HEAD contains prior chain's work
-git log -1 --oneline                # confirm latest commit
-git log main..HEAD --oneline        # confirm prior chain branch merged in
-
-# 3. No orphaned worktrees from prior chains
-git worktree list                   # all prior chain worktrees should be removed
-git worktree prune                  # drop stale metadata
-
-# 4. If on an integration branch
-git log integration/<date>..HEAD    # MUST be empty (in sync with integration target)
-```
-
-Decision rule: if any of the four checks fail, finish the merge/commit/cleanup first. Do not dispatch. A specialist forked from a stale base produces conflict work that costs more turns than the time saved by dispatching early.
-
-Strictness by scenario:
-
-| Scenario | Strictness |
-|---|---|
-| Sequential chains where child.B depends on child.A's edits | **Strict.** child.A merged before child.B dispatch. |
-| Parallel chains in same epic with disjoint file scopes | Relaxed. Each dispatches off the shared base; integration reconciles. |
-| Chain after orchestrator-direct edit (rule #13 exception epics) | **Strict.** Orchestrator commits + pushes their direct edits before dispatching any dependent chain. |
-| Standalone chain (no upstream dependency) | Relaxed. Just `git status` clean. |
-
-## Dependency Linking And Relationship Vocabulary
-
-Link beads with correct edge shape. The edge tells orchestrator what blocks execution, what only preserves context, which bead verifies another, and which issue has been replaced. Do not overload `blocks` for follow-ups, root-cause links, verification pairs, duplicates, or restitch replacements.
-
-Core commands:
-
-- `bd dep add <issue> <depends-on>`: issue depends on depends-on; depends-on blocks issue. Default type is `blocks`. Use only for hard sequencing. [source: bd dep add --help]
-- `bd dep <blocker> --blocks <blocked>`: reverse phrasing of the same hard sequencing edge. [source: bd dep --help]
-- `bd dep add <issue> <other> --type <type>`: store a typed relationship. Supported types: `blocks`, `tracks`, `related`, `parent-child`, `discovered-from`, `until`, `caused-by`, `validates`, `relates-to`, `supersedes`. [source: bd dep add --help]
-- `bd dep relate <a> <b>` / `bd dep unrelate <a> <b>`: bidirectional non-blocking `relates_to` link. Use for context, not order. [source: bd dep --help]
-- `bd create --parent <bead-id>`: hierarchical child edge; auto-names child `<parent>.1`, `<parent>.2`, … and nests recursively — a child's own child becomes `<parent>.1.1`. `<bead-id>` can be an epic, a plain task, or an already-nested child; bd does not restrict `--parent` by issue type (`bd create --help` describes it generically as "Parent issue ID for hierarchical child"). [source: bd create --help]
-- `bd create --deps discovered-from:<id>` or `bd dep add <new> <source> --type discovered-from`: follow-up work discovered from a source bead.
-- `bd duplicate <new> --of <canonical>`: close duplicate issue and point at canonical. Use when two beads describe the same required work.
-- `bd duplicates` / `bd find-duplicates --status open --method ai --json`: find exact or semantic duplicates before dispatching parallel chains.
-- `bd supersede <old> --with <new>` or `bd dep add <new> <old> --type supersedes`: mark a replacement when a better-scoped fix bead replaces an obsolete/abandoned one.
-- `bd dep cycles`, `bd dep tree <id>`, and `bd graph <id>`: sanity-check the execution graph before merge/publication.
-
-**Default to nesting, not loose beads.** When a chain is dispatched to service an existing bead — a top-level task, an epic, or an already-nested child like `bd-x.1` — create the new bead with `bd create --parent <that-bead>` so it inherits the next sequential child ID (`bd-x.1`, or `bd-x.1.1` if the parent is itself a child). This applies uniformly, not only under epics — the common failure mode is orchestrators treating `--parent` as epic-only and defaulting every explorer/executor/reviewer/seconder/security bead spawned mid-chain to a loose top-level bead linked solely by a typed dep. `--parent` (hierarchy/ID) and a typed `bd dep add ... --type <blocks|validates|discovered-from>` edge (semantic relationship) are independent flags — combine both when the relationship needs naming beyond parentage. Only skip `--parent` when the new bead is a genuine standalone sibling concern, not work done on behalf of the bead it services.
-
-Relationship vocabulary for specialist chains:
-
-| Relationship | Reach for it when | Example command |
-| --- | --- | --- |
-| `blocks` | Hard must-happen-before sequencing: planner before executor, implementation before reviewer, restitch before publish. | `bd dep add <impl> <plan> --type blocks` |
-| `tracks` | A local bead mirrors upstream or cross-project work whose status matters but is not owned here. | `bd dep add <local> external:xtrm-tools:<capability> --type tracks` |
-| `related` | Loose topical association when no direction or scheduling effect is intended. Prefer `bd dep relate` for bidirectional relation. | `bd dep add <a> <b> --type related` |
-| `parent-child` | Any bead spawns tracked child work — epic owning chains, a task spawning its explorer/executor/reviewer, or an already-nested child spawning its own sub-chain. Prefer `bd create --parent <bead>` (not only `<epic>`) so IDs nest and parentage stays canonical instead of drifting into loose top-level beads. | `bd create --parent <bead-id> --title "executor: Impl auth retry" ...` |
-| `discovered-from` | Reviewer, debugger, explorer, or test-runner surfaces new follow-up work from a run. | `bd dep add <follow-up> <reviewer-bead> --type discovered-from` |
-| `until` | Time-bounded or event-bounded precondition that blocks only until a stated condition lands. | `bd dep add <chain> <precondition> --type until` |
-| `caused-by` | Failure bead points to the root-cause bead/cluster that explains it. Makes test-failure-map epics navigable. | `bd dep add <failing-test> <root-cause> --type caused-by` |
-| `validates` | Reviewer, test-runner, seconder, or security-auditor bead verifies an implementation/debugger bead. | `bd dep add <review> <impl> --type validates` |
-| `relates-to` | Bidirectional context edge for conflict clusters, sibling designs, or rebuttal patterns. Prefer dedicated relate command. | `bd dep relate <chain-a> <chain-b>` |
-| `supersedes` | New fix/design/restitch bead replaces an older bead that should no longer be executed or merged. Prefer `bd supersede`. | `bd supersede <old> --with <new>` |
-
-Worked high-value patterns:
-
-```bash
-# Reviewer discovers a separate follow-up during review. Do not block the impl.
-bd create --title "Follow up: tighten retry metrics" --type task --priority 3 --description "..."
-bd dep add <follow-up> <review> --type discovered-from
-
-# Test-failure-map root cause: many failures point at one underlying issue.
-bd create --title "Root cause: stale fixture factory" --type bug --priority 2 --description "..."
-bd dep add <failing-test-bead> <root-cause> --type caused-by
-
-# Verification bead validates implementation. This is not a hard prerequisite edge.
-bd dep add <test-runner-bead> <impl> --type validates
-bd dep add <reviewer-bead> <impl> --type validates
-
-# Replacement bead supersedes an abandoned or wrongly scoped implementation.
-bd create --title "Restitch auth retry onto integration state" --type task --priority 2 --description "..."
-bd supersede <old-impl> --with <restitch>
-
-# Before merging an epic or integration branch, prove the graph is sane.
-bd dep cycles
-bd graph <epic> --compact
-```
-
-Use each form for a different reason:
-
-- `blocks` / `--blocks` for must-happen-before dependency only.
-- `validates` for review, test, sanity, and security evidence.
-- `discovered-from` for spawned follow-up beads.
-- `caused-by` for failure-to-root-cause attribution.
-- `relates-to` / `bd dep relate` for soft linkage with no schedule effect.
-- `parent-child` / `--parent` for hierarchy and child naming — use for any bead spawned to do work on behalf of another bead, not only epic ownership. Nests recursively: a chain dispatched from an already-nested child (e.g. `bd-x.1`) becomes `bd-x.1.1`, not a new loose top-level bead.
-- `supersedes` / `bd supersede` for replacement work; `duplicate` for same-work issues.
-
-Cross-repo consistency: keep this vocabulary aligned with the xtrm-tools triaging skill and sibling triage bead `xtrm-drkk`; both should use the same relationship names when rewiring issue graphs.
-
-What differs: orchestrator chooses edge type deliberately, so graph stays correct for chain execution, epic publish, duplicate cleanup, root-cause navigation, verification evidence, and follow-up traceability.
-
-## Bead Contract By Bead Type
-
-Use shape that fits specialist.
-
-> **SCRUTINY field is universal.** Every substantive bead should carry `SCRUTINY: none|low|medium|high|critical` at creation. It is a chain-property, not reviewer behavior; it controls chain structure and gate strictness per the SCRUTINY taxonomy section and canon §2.2. Reviewer may auto-escalate but never lower it. Canon refs: §2.2, §2.3, §2.5, §2.6.
-
-Task/epic bead:
-
-```text
-PROBLEM: User-facing or project-facing objective.
-SUCCESS: End-state across all child beads.
-SCRUTINY: none|low|medium|high|critical    # required at creation; chain-property, not reviewer input
-SCOPE: Area of project affected.
-REFERENCES: Optional files, skills, or docs specialist reads only if work needs them.
-NON_GOALS: Boundaries for entire effort.
-CONSTRAINTS: Sequencing, compatibility, branch/merge rules.
-VALIDATION: Final checks before close.
-OUTPUT: What orchestrator reports back.
-```
-
-`SCOPE` is always loaded as context. `REFERENCES` is progressive disclosure: name what exists, but do not force load unless task needs it. Use this when a file would bloat payload today, like citing a huge skill file in scope and dragging in all lines before specialist even knows it must read them.
-
-Example:
-
-```text
-SCOPE: config/skills/using-specialists-v3/SKILL.md, docs/specialists/handoff-schema.md
-REFERENCES: config/skills/prompt-improving/SKILL.md (xml_core conventions), sibling beads per-turn-handoff-schema and bead-id-verbatim once landed
-```
-
-Explorer bead:
-
-```text
-PROBLEM: What is unknown.
-SUCCESS: Questions answered with evidence.
-SCOPE: Code areas, docs, commands, or symbols to inspect.
-NON_GOALS: No implementation, no broad audit outside scope.
-CONSTRAINTS: READ_ONLY, cite files/symbols/flows.
-VALIDATION: Findings cite evidence.
-OUTPUT: Findings, risks, recommended implementation track, stop condition.
-```
-
-Debugger bead:
-
-```text
-PROBLEM: Symptom, regression, or failing test.
-SUCCESS: Root cause plus minimal fix path.
-SCOPE: Logs, reproduction, code paths, and related tests.
-NON_GOALS: No broad refactor.
-CONSTRAINTS: Preserve behavior outside fault line.
-VALIDATION: Repro steps and diagnosis.
-OUTPUT: Root cause, fix options, confidence, remaining unknowns.
-```
-
-Executor bead:
-
-```text
-PROBLEM: Exact behavior or artifact to change.
-SUCCESS: Observable acceptance criteria.
-SCRUTINY: none|low|medium|high|critical    # required at creation; chain-property, not reviewer input
-SCOPE: Target files/symbols; include do-not-touch boundaries.
-NON_GOALS: Related improvements explicitly excluded. (Include any accepted in-code obligation markers tracked in follow-up beads.)
-CONSTRAINTS: API compatibility, style, migrations, safety.
-VALIDATION: Lint/typecheck/tests or manual checks.
-OUTPUT: Changed files, verification, residual risks.
-```
-
-Reviewer bead:
-
-```text
-PROBLEM: Verify executor output against requirements.
-SUCCESS: PASS only if requirements + validation + Release Checklist satisfied.
-SCRUTINY: none|low|medium|high|critical    # required at creation; chain-property, not reviewer input
-SCOPE: Executor job, diff, task bead, acceptance criteria.
-NON_GOALS: Do not rewrite unless explicitly asked.
-CONSTRAINTS: Code-review mindset; findings first; emit Release Checklist.
-VALIDATION: Run or inspect required checks; consume obligations-scanner output.
-OUTPUT: PASS/PARTIAL/FAIL with file/line findings + Release Checklist block.
-```
-
-Test bead:
-
-```text
-PROBLEM: Validate one or more implementation chains.
-SUCCESS: Relevant tests/checks pass or failures are diagnosed.
-SCOPE: Commands and implementation beads covered.
-NON_GOALS: No broad unrelated suite expansion unless requested.
-CONSTRAINTS: Avoid destructive cleanup; report flaky/infra failures separately.
-VALIDATION: Command output and failure interpretation.
-OUTPUT: Pass/fail summary, failing tests, likely owner.
-```
-
-Sync-docs bead:
-
-```text
-PROBLEM: Exactly one doc drifted from source truth.
-SUCCESS: One doc updated and drift checked clean.
-SCOPE: One doc only.
-NON_GOALS: No source-code rewrite.
-CONSTRAINTS: Keep doc and source aligned.
-VALIDATION: Drift scan or bounded source cross-check.
-OUTPUT: Updated doc, drift evidence, remaining doc gaps.
-```
-
-What differs: orchestrator gives each specialist a contract shape that matches job, so role stays narrow and reviewable.
-
-For evidence-heavy or multi-item beads, let `SCOPE`, `CONSTRAINTS`, and `EXAMPLES` carry opt-in XML tags. Follow prompt-improving `xml_core` style: wrap only the subpart that needs structure, not whole bead. Example: a debugger bead can put stack trace lines in `<evidence>` and do-not-touch items in `<constraints>`, so specialist can scan facts fast without turning every field into markup.
-
-## Choosing The Specialist
-
-Run `specialists list` if you need live registry. Choose by task, not habit.
-
-| Need | Specialist | Use when |
-| --- | --- | --- |
-| Architecture/code mapping | `explorer` | Need evidence and scoped implementation track |
-| Root-cause analysis | `debugger` | Symptom, stack trace, failing test, or regression |
-| Planning/decomposition | `planner` | Need beads, dependencies, file scopes, sequencing |
-| Design/tradeoffs | `overthinker` | Approach is risky, ambiguous, or needs critique |
-| Implementation | `executor` | Contract is clear enough to write code or docs |
-| Compliance/code review | `reviewer` | Executor/debugger produced changes that need final PASS/PARTIAL/FAIL |
-| Seconder gate (mandatory) | `seconder` | Production diff — fused scope/compliance + quality gate; reviewer pre-condition |
-| Obligations gate (mandatory) | `obligations-scanner` | Production diff — scans for unstructured TODO/FIXME/HACK/XXX/TEMP/WIP/NOTE(release) markers |
-| Security/dependency audit | `security-auditor` | Diff touches auth/secrets/input/lockfiles/migrations/agent-config |
-| Test execution | `test-runner` | Need suites run and failures interpreted |
-| Docs audit/sync | `sync-docs` | Docs may be stale or need targeted synchronization |
-| External/live research | `researcher` | Any library/API/framework/CLI question — dispatch BEFORE answering from training data |
-| Specialist config | `specialists-creator` | Creating or changing specialist JSON/config |
-| Release publication | `changelog-keeper` | New tag is being cut |
-
-Selection rules:
-
-- Explorer is READ_ONLY and should answer specific questions.
-- Debugger beats explorer for failures because it traces causes and remediation.
-- Planner shapes epic/task graph before executor starts.
-- Overthinker defends risky design before code locks in. It is CoT specialist by design, so thinking-heavy turns and `<thinking>` tags fit there.
-- Reviewer already uses structured evidence/gap matrices, which is CoT in disguise; keep that structure, do not add freeform `<thinking>` blocks.
-- Executor, debugger, changelog-keeper, sync-docs, and test-runner should not carry mandatory `<thinking>` blocks. That bloats output without payoff and hides the real contract.
-- Executor does not own full test validation; use reviewer/test-runner for that phase.
-- Sync-docs is for audit/sync; executor is for heavy doc rewrites.
-- Researcher is for current external info, not repo archaeology. **Dispatch BEFORE answering any library/API/framework/CLI question from training data** — your knowledge is stale by months and APIs drift silently. The cost is one CLI call; the alternative is shipping wrong API usage.
-- Specialists-creator should precede specialist config/schema edits.
-- `parallel-review` is deprecated — old design that doesn't fit current sp shape. Do not reach for it. Use `overthinker` for independent second opinion or queue a second `reviewer` turn manually if needed.
-
-## Bug Diagnosis Chain
-
-For symptoms, errors, regressions, flakes, or failing tests where cause is unknown, start with diagnosis — not implementation. Do not dispatch executor while cause is unknown; executor is for clear implementation scope only.
-
-Default chain:
-
-1. **test-runner** or **debugger** establishes a fast deterministic feedback loop. If no loop can be built, debugger reports the blocker — do not patch in the dark.
-2. **debugger** reproduces the symptom, writes 3–5 falsifiable hypotheses, and tests one variable at a time. Any temporary instrumentation must be tagged `[DEBUG-<id>]` and removed before completion.
-3. **debugger** applies the minimal root-cause fix on the fault line and verifies via targeted lint/typecheck plus the focused repro.
-4. **test-runner** reruns the original repro/regression command (full-suite validation is its job, not debugger's).
-5. **seconder** runs if the fix smells brittle, overcomplicated, or type-risky. **security-auditor** runs if the fix touches auth/session/secrets/input handling, dependency logic, or agent/MCP/hook config.
-6. **reviewer** gates the final diff against the bead contract.
-7. If no correct regression-test seam exists, route the architecture/testability finding to **overthinker** or **planner** — do not force a brittle test just to close the loop.
-
-Explorer is useful before diagnosis only when no concrete symptom exists and architecture is unknown. For real bugs with a symptom, use debugger.
-
-## Seconder
-
-The mandatory post-writer gate (canon §2.3): one READ_ONLY dual-verdict pass over the writer's diff that checks **scope/compliance** (does the diff satisfy the bead contract sections?) and **implementation quality** (complexity, duplication, type safety, brittle async/error handling) together, before test-engineer and reviewer.
-
-Bead shape:
-
-```text
-PROBLEM: Verify the writer diff satisfies the bead contract and is implementation-sound before expensive QA.
-SUCCESS: Dual-verdict isolates any scope or quality issue, or confirms the diff is clean.
-SCOPE: Writer diff, risky files, and any nearby helpers.
-NON_GOALS: No edits, no broad refactor, no release blessing, no security audit, no broad reviewer phase-2.
-CONSTRAINTS: READ_ONLY, keep feedback cheap, cite exact sections/lines/symbols.
-VALIDATION: scope_verdict + quality_verdict + overall_verdict with concrete findings.
-OUTPUT: JSON dual-verdict (scope_verdict / scope_findings / quality_verdict / quality_findings / overall_verdict).
-```
-
-The chain reducer reads `overall_verdict`: PASS advances to test-engineer; FAIL routes back to the writer. Hand findings back with `sp resume <exec-job> "Seconder overall_verdict=FAIL — scope: ...; quality: ..."`.
-
-A seconder PASS is the upstream scope gate for the reviewer; it is not itself a reviewer PASS.
-
-What differs: orchestrator uses seconder as cheap smell screen, not as merge gate.
-
-## Security-auditor
-
-Use security-auditor when diff touches auth, secrets, input handling, dependency logic, or agent/config surfaces. Keep it advisory and scan-only.
-
-Bead shape:
-
-```text
-PROBLEM: Diff may open auth, secrets, input, dependency, or agent-config risk.
-SUCCESS: Findings isolate real security concern or confirm no obvious issue.
-SCOPE: Executor diff, touched configs, and security-relevant paths.
-NON_GOALS: No edits, no package updates, no destructive scans, no live exploit tests.
-CONSTRAINTS: LOW permissions, scan-only, recommendations only.
-VALIDATION: Findings cite risk surface and why it matters.
-OUTPUT: Recommendations for executor to apply in a separate bead.
-```
-
-Use `sp resume <exec-job> "Security findings: ..."` or `sp resume <exec-job> "Security scan clean; continue to reviewer."`.
-
-No findings is not reviewer PASS. Executor still applies fixes if any, then reviewer decides publish.
-
-What differs: orchestrator uses security-auditor to surface risk early, not to bless merge.
-
-## Dependency Graph Shapes
-
-Draw graph before dispatch.
-
-Simple chain:
-
-```text
-task -> explore -> impl -> review
-```
-
-Fix loop:
-
-```text
-debug -> exec -> seconder? -> security-auditor? -> reviewer
-                ^                                     |
-                |------ resume PARTIAL --------------|
-```
-
-Epic:
-
-```text
-epic
-├─ prep/planner
-├─ impl-a
-├─ impl-b
-├─ test-batch
-└─ merge/review chain(s)
-```
-
-What differs: orchestrator sees edge shape up front, so can pick sequential chain, fix loop, or multi-chain epic without graph drift.
-
-## Pre-Dispatch: Conflict Cluster Identification
-
-Before dispatching N parallel chains, build the file-overlap matrix:
-
-| Chain | Touches | Overlap with |
-|-------|---------|--------------|
-| chain-A | src/cli/update.ts | chain-B, chain-C |
-| chain-B | src/cli/update.ts, src/cli/install.ts | chain-A, chain-C, chain-D |
-| chain-C | src/cli/update.ts, src/cli/install.ts, src/cli/doctor.ts | chain-A, chain-B |
-
-For each cluster of overlapping chains, choose **one** of:
-
-1. **Serial dispatch** — execute chains in dependency order, each waits for previous to land. Slowest but cleanest. Encode the order with `blocks`, not notes.
-2. **Unified bead** — collapse all chains into one bead/executor pass. Larger reviewer scope but no merge conflicts. Mark obsolete split beads with `bd supersede <old> --with <unified>`.
-3. **Parallel dispatch + debugger restitch at integration** — dispatch in parallel, plan for ~40% conflict rate (empirical), budget debugger-restitch passes during integration. Link overlapping siblings with `bd dep relate <chain-a> <chain-b>` so the future restitch has visible context without creating fake blockers.
-
-Example graph rewiring:
-
-```bash
-# soft conflict-cluster context; does not change schedule
-bd dep relate <chain-a> <chain-b>
-
-# serializing because both chains edit src/cli/update.ts
-bd dep add <chain-b> <chain-a> --type blocks
-
-# replacing scattered duplicate/split beads with one unified implementation
-bd supersede <old-chain-a> --with <unified-chain>
-bd supersede <old-chain-b> --with <unified-chain>
-```
-
-Default heuristic: if 3+ chains touch the same file, **serial-dispatch them**. Conflict-resolution time at integration usually exceeds the time saved by parallel dispatch. Run `bd find-duplicates --status open --method ai --json` before launching a large wave; merge or supersede duplicate work before specialists spend tokens on it.
-
-## Pre-Epic: Test-Failure-Map Pattern
-
-Use when:
-- A test suite shows ≥ ~5 failures and the operator says "fix all"
-- The failures span multiple files / subsystems
-- Root causes are not yet attributed per failure
-
-### Step-by-step
-
-1. **Run the suite once**, save the full log. Do not interpret yet.
-2. **File one mapping bead** titled per the Bead Title Convention (e.g., `test-runner: refresh <epic> failure map`) with contract:
-   - `PROBLEM:` exact command + exit status + raw failure count.
-   - `SUCCESS:` cluster table grouping every failure by **likely shared root cause and file scope**, plus recommended fix-chain order.
-   - `SCOPE:` the log file path + bounded test files involved.
-   - `CONSTRAINTS:` READ_ONLY, no source/test edits, no fix attempts.
-3. **Dispatch test-runner / explorer / debugger** for this bead READ_ONLY (or fill inline by reading the log).
-4. **Build the cluster table**: cluster name | files (counts) | representative error | root-cause hypothesis | likely-owner area | targeted validation command. Save in bead notes.
-5. **Wire root-cause relationships** so the graph is navigable:
-   ```bash
-   bd dep add <failure-cluster-bead> <root-cause-bead> --type caused-by
-   bd dep add <test-runner-bead> <fix-bead> --type validates
-   ```
-   Use `caused-by` for attribution, not `blocks`; use `validates` for the evidence-producing test bead.
-6. **Plan fix chains** off the cluster table:
-   - One chain per cluster, file scopes disjoint where possible.
-   - Order by leverage (largest cluster first), then by simplicity.
-   - Debugger when root cause unclear; executor when bead constraint is concrete.
-7. **Save the topology insight as `bd remember`** — patterns about where a codebase's test fragility concentrates are reusable.
-
-### Why this beats dispatch-blind
-
-When 34 failures collapsed under 5 clusters in one observed run, 56% of failures shared a single root cause. A blind parallel dispatch would have over-dispatched 19 fixes instead of 1. Net specialist spend ~3× higher without the mapping pass.
-
-### Failure modes to watch for
-
-- Clusters that look shared but aren't — same error string in unrelated tests may hide different root causes. Confirm via stack traces, not error text alone.
-- One cluster's fix introduces another's regression — each chain's VALIDATION must span all known-failing areas with "no regressions in other clusters."
-- Pre-existing failures vs new regressions — name pre-existing failures explicitly in each chain's NON_GOALS so reviewers don't FAIL on them.
-
-## Canonical Single-Chain Flow
-
-Use for one implementation branch.
-
-```bash
-# 1. Create or claim root task bead with complete contract
-bd create --title "Fix token refresh retry" --type task --priority 2 --description "PROBLEM: login and refresh flow have a retry bug when transient token refresh fails before backoff clears stale state. SUCCESS: token refresh retries once, login survives transient failure, and terminal failure stays clear. SCOPE: src/auth/refresh.ts, src/cli/login.ts, tests/unit/auth/refresh.test.ts. NON_GOALS: no auth provider redesign, no storage migration, no UI changes. CONSTRAINTS: preserve token format, keep error text backward-compatible, avoid broad retry changes outside auth flow. VALIDATION: add regression test for fail-then-succeed path and run targeted auth tests. OUTPUT: changed files, test proof, residual risks."
-bd update <task> --claim
-
-# 2. Optional discovery when path is unknown — nested under task (bd-x.1) + typed edge for relationship semantics
-bd create --parent <task> --title "explorer: map auth refresh path" --type task --priority 2 --description "PROBLEM: token refresh retry path is undocumented and likely drifts on failure handling. SUCCESS: evidence-backed plan names exact files, symbols, and risk. SCOPE: src/auth/refresh.ts, src/cli/login.ts, tests/unit/auth/*.test.ts. NON_GOALS: no implementation, no broad audit. CONSTRAINTS: READ_ONLY, cite files/symbols/flows, stay within live repo evidence. VALIDATION: findings cite code path and recommended sequence. OUTPUT: tracked discovery plan with stop condition."
-bd dep add <explore> <task> --type discovered-from
-specialists run explorer --bead <explore> --context-depth 3
-specialists result <explore-job>
-
-# 3. Implementation — nested under task (bd-x.2)
-bd create --parent <task> --title "executor: implement token refresh retry" --type task --priority 2 --description "PROBLEM: login fails after transient token refresh error because retry path returns before backoff and clear error state. SUCCESS: retry waits once, preserves session on success, and surfaces final failure clearly. SCOPE: src/auth/refresh.ts, src/cli/login.ts, tests/unit/auth/refresh.test.ts. NON_GOALS: no auth redesign, no storage migration, no UI refresh. CONSTRAINTS: preserve existing token format, keep backward-compatible error text, avoid broad retry changes elsewhere. VALIDATION: add regression test for transient failure then success; run targeted auth tests. OUTPUT: changed files, test evidence, residual risks."
-bd dep add <impl> <explore-or-task> --type blocks
-specialists run executor --bead <impl> --context-depth 3
-specialists result <exec-job>
-
-# 4. Advisory passes when diff smells risky — nested under impl (bd-x.2.1, bd-x.2.2), since they service impl's diff specifically
-bd create --parent <impl> --title "seconder: sanity check token retry diff" --type task --priority 2 --description "PROBLEM: auth retry diff has control-flow and state-handling smell that could hide bug. SUCCESS: findings identify concrete simplification or confirm clean shape. SCOPE: executor diff in auth refresh and login flow. NON_GOALS: no edits, no merge gate decision. CONSTRAINTS: READ_ONLY, keep feedback cheap, cite exact lines or symbols. VALIDATION: findings name concrete improvement or say OK. OUTPUT: FINDINGS with severity or OK with caveats."
-bd dep add <sanity-bead> <impl> --type validates
-specialists run seconder --bead <sanity-bead> --job <exec-job> --context-depth 3
-
-bd create --parent <impl> --title "security-auditor: scan token retry diff" --type task --priority 2 --description "PROBLEM: auth refresh code touches secrets and session handling, so security regression is possible. SUCCESS: findings isolate real risk surface or confirm no obvious issue. SCOPE: executor diff in auth, token storage, and login path. NON_GOALS: no edits, no package updates, no destructive scans, no live exploit tests. CONSTRAINTS: LOW permissions, scan-only, recommendations only. VALIDATION: findings cite auth/secrets/input surface and why it matters. OUTPUT: recommendations for executor to apply in separate bead."
-bd dep add <security-bead> <impl> --type validates
-specialists run security-auditor --bead <security-bead> --job <exec-job> --context-depth 3
-
-# 5. Final review — nested under impl (bd-x.2.3)
-bd create --parent <impl> --title "reviewer: verify token refresh retry" --type task --priority 2 --description "PROBLEM: verify executor output against auth retry requirements. SUCCESS: PASS only if retry behavior, error handling, and tests satisfy contract. SCOPE: executor job, diff, acceptance criteria, and target auth files. NON_GOALS: do not rewrite unless explicitly asked. CONSTRAINTS: code-review mindset; findings first; verify security and sanity findings were handled. VALIDATION: inspect targeted checks and regression coverage. OUTPUT: PASS/PARTIAL/FAIL with file/line findings."
-bd dep add <review> <impl> --type validates
-specialists run reviewer --bead <review> --job <exec-job> --context-depth 3
-specialists result <review-job>
-
-# 6. Close any waiting keep-alive specialists explicitly
-sp ps                              # confirm which jobs are still waiting
-sp stop <waiting-job-id>           # repeat per waiting job
-
-# 7. Publish via manual git merge (rule #9 — sp merge is prohibited)
-git checkout master
-git pull --ff-only origin master
-git merge --no-ff feature/<impl-bead>-<slug> -m "Merge <impl-bead>: <summary>"
-git push origin master
-git worktree remove <chain-worktree-path>
-git branch -d feature/<impl-bead>-<slug>
-bd close <task> --reason "Reviewer PASS; merged to master."
-```
-
-Edit-capable specialists with `--bead` auto-provision a clean git worktree. This does **not** provision ignored project dependency artifacts (`node_modules/`, `.venv/`, build caches). If validation tools are missing inside that worktree, have the specialist run the repo's standard bootstrap command (`make bootstrap`, `just setup`, `npm ci`, `uv sync`, etc.) or report that bootstrap is required; do not solve it by tracking dependency directories. `--worktree` is accepted for clarity but usually unnecessary. Use `--job <exec-job>` for reviewer/fix passes that must enter existing executor workspace.
-
-What differs: orchestrator carries full bead contract inline, so downstream specialists inherit the actual job shape, not a title.
-
-## Multi-Chain Epic Flow
-
-Use epic when multiple implementation chains publish together.
-
-```bash
-# Epic bead
-bd create --title "Epic: auth refresh hardening" --type epic --priority 2 --description "PROBLEM: login and refresh flow have retry drift, weak error surfacing, and unclear follow-up ownership. SUCCESS: epic closes with stable retry behavior, tests, docs, and clean publish. SCOPE: src/auth/*, src/cli/login.ts, tests/unit/auth/*, docs/auth-refresh.md. NON_GOALS: no auth provider swap, no storage migration, no unrelated session revamp. CONSTRAINTS: preserve token format, keep login compatible, sequence risky fixes before merge, use child beads for parallelizable slices. VALIDATION: targeted tests, seconder or security pass if risk appears, final reviewer PASS. OUTPUT: merged chain set with notes on remaining gaps."
-
-# Planner bead — bd-epic.1
-bd create --parent <epic> --title "planner: plan auth refresh split" --type task --priority 2 --description "PROBLEM: epic needs disjoint chains before executor starts. SUCCESS: child beads, dependency edges, and file ownership split are explicit. SCOPE: auth refresh epic area. NON_GOALS: no code changes. CONSTRAINTS: keep chains disjoint, identify security-sensitive slice, name review order. VALIDATION: plan names beads and edges. OUTPUT: parallel-ready plan with risk notes."
-specialists run planner --bead <plan> --context-depth 3
-
-# Parallel impl beads — bd-epic.2, bd-epic.3
-bd create --parent <epic> --title "executor: impl auth retry" --type task --priority 2 --description "PROBLEM: transient refresh failure breaks login flow. SUCCESS: retry path succeeds after one transient failure and preserves session state. SCOPE: src/auth/refresh.ts, tests/unit/auth/refresh.test.ts. NON_GOALS: no UI changes, no storage migration, no unrelated retry framework edits. CONSTRAINTS: preserve error text, keep backoff bounded, avoid side effects outside auth flow. VALIDATION: regression test for fail-then-succeed path. OUTPUT: code diff, test proof, residual risk list."
-bd create --parent <epic> --title "executor: impl login handoff" --type task --priority 2 --description "PROBLEM: login CLI does not surface refresh outcome clearly enough for operators. SUCCESS: login shows clear success/failure handoff and no stale token state. SCOPE: src/cli/login.ts, tests/unit/cli/login.test.ts. NON_GOALS: no auth protocol redesign. CONSTRAINTS: preserve CLI flags and error codes, keep output terse. VALIDATION: CLI regression test. OUTPUT: login diff and test evidence."
-
-specialists run executor --bead <impl-a> --context-depth 3
-specialists run executor --bead <impl-b> --context-depth 3
-
-# Per-chain review — nested under each impl (bd-epic.2.1, bd-epic.3.1)
-bd create --parent <impl-a> --title "reviewer: verify auth retry" --type task --priority 2 --description "..."
-bd create --parent <impl-b> --title "reviewer: verify login handoff" --type task --priority 2 --description "..."
-bd dep add <review-a> <impl-a> --type validates
-bd dep add <review-b> <impl-b> --type validates
-specialists run reviewer --bead <review-a> --job <exec-a-job> --context-depth 3
-specialists run reviewer --bead <review-b> --job <exec-b-job> --context-depth 3
-
-# Close waiting keep-alive specialists explicitly (per chain)
-sp ps                          # see what's still waiting
-sp stop <waiting-job-id>       # repeat per waiting job in each chain
-
-# Publish via Cherry-Pick Playbook (canonical multi-chain merge — see Integration Phase section)
-bd dep cycles                  # stop if relationship rewiring introduced a cycle
-git checkout -b integration/$(date +%Y%m%d)-$EPIC_TAG
-# For each PASS chain in dependency order:
-git merge --squash feature/<chain-bead>-<slug>
-git restore --staged .beads .pi AGENTS.md CLAUDE.md   # noise filter
-git commit -m "<type>(<scope>): <summary> (<bead-id>)"
-# Operator FF-merges integration → master when satisfied.
-```
-
-Use `--epic <id>` when job belongs to epic but bead is not direct child. Avoid parallel executors on same file; sequence them or consolidate work.
-
-What differs: orchestrator splits graph first, then launches parallel work only when file scopes are provably disjoint.
-
-## Review And Fix Loop
-
-A chain stays alive until merged or abandoned.
-
-```text
-executor/debugger -> waiting
-optional seconder/security-auditor -> advisory findings
-reviewer -> PASS | PARTIAL | FAIL
-```
-
-- `PASS`: verify expected commit/diff + clean Release Checklist. Close any waiting keep-alive jobs explicitly with `sp stop <job-id>`. Then publish via manual git workflow (per-chain `git merge --no-ff` or Cherry-Pick Playbook for multi-chain epics).
-- `PARTIAL`: resume same executor/debugger with exact findings, then re-review (`sp resume <reviewer-job>`).
-- `FAIL`: stop and decide whether to replace chain, re-scope bead, or ask operator if judgment is required. If replacing a bad chain with a narrower one, use `bd supersede <failed-impl> --with <replacement>`; if reviewer discovered separate follow-up work, use `bd dep add <follow-up> <reviewer-bead> --type discovered-from`.
-
-Prefer resume over new fix executor when original job is waiting and context is healthy:
-
-```bash
-sp resume <exec-job> "Reviewer PARTIAL. Fix only these findings: ..."
-```
-
-Do not treat job completion, seconder OK, security no-findings, or test-runner pass as equivalent to reviewer PASS.
-
-What differs: orchestrator uses PASS/PARTIAL/FAIL as real control flow, not just status labels.
-
-## Mini-Flows For Under-Promoted Specialists
-
-Planner:
-- Use when epic needs bead split, dependency graph, or file ownership before code starts.
-- Bead shape: task/epic contract with clear success criteria, child beads, and edge plan.
-- Chain position: first or pre-impl.
-
-Debugger:
-- Use when symptom exists and root cause is unclear.
-- Bead shape: reproduction, logs, expected vs actual, scope to investigate.
-- Chain position: before executor, or after a failing review when cause is unclear.
-
-Overthinker:
-- Use for risky design, cross-cutting tradeoffs, or premortem before lock-in.
-- Bead shape: options, risks, constraint conflicts, decision asked for.
-- Chain position: before planner/executor when design uncertainty is high.
-
-Researcher:
-- Dispatch **BEFORE** answering any library/API/framework/CLI question from training data. Training is months stale; APIs change; cheap CLI lookups (`ctx7`, `deepwiki`, `ghgrep`) replace the guess.
-- Use for: API syntax checks, config options, version migrations, library-specific debugging, "how do others implement X", recent releases, public repo internals.
-- Anti-pattern to break: "I think Library X works like Y…" → instead dispatch researcher with the exact question. The cost (~30s, `openai-codex/gpt-5.4-mini` via tool mode) is far less than shipping wrong API usage.
-- Bead shape: source list (which libraries/repos), question set, required citations (library ID or `npx ctx7 docs /org/project "..."` output).
-- Chain position: before executor when outside facts matter; alongside explorer when a question mixes local code with external behavior.
-- Keep-alive: ask follow-ups in the same job rather than re-dispatching — researcher stays in waiting state after each turn.
-
-Three modes — researcher picks automatically based on bead shape; you write the bead, not the mode:
-
-- **Targeted lookup** (most common): "How do I configure X in library Y v1.2?" / "What does Z.method() return now?" / "Are foo and bar still the canonical replacements for baz?" → researcher resolves library ID via `ctx7 library`, then `ctx7 docs /org/project "<intent-rich query>"`. For repo-specific internals (e.g. "How does Vite handle X internally?"), `deepwiki ask <owner/repo> "..."`.
-- **Discovery**: "How do production codebases handle X?" / "Find good examples of pattern Y" / "What does the ecosystem do for Z?" → `ghgrep "<literal pattern>" --lang <langs> --repo <maybe>`, scan results, drill into the best repos with `deepwiki toc` + `deepwiki ask`.
-- **Media / discussion-recency** (rare): YouTube transcripts, social-media trends. Triggers on URLs or "what are people saying about X right now". Researcher loads `last30days` skill on-demand for this — don't fold its setup into the bead.
-
-### Dispatch triggers — when the orchestrator should reach for researcher
-
-Concrete agent thoughts that MUST be replaced with a researcher dispatch:
-
-| Agent thought | Researcher bead |
-|---|---|
-| "I think `useEffect` cleanup works like…" | `ctx7 docs /facebook/react "useEffect cleanup with async operations"` |
-| "Next.js app router middleware should be…" | `ctx7 docs /vercel/next.js "app router middleware patterns"` |
-| "Let me check if `--target` is a valid flag for tool X" | `ctx7 docs /org/tool-x "--target flag"` or `tool-x --help` (orchestrator-side if it's installed) |
-| "Production code probably handles X by…" | `ghgrep "<X-pattern>" --lang TypeScript --limit 5` then `deepwiki ask <best-repo> "<design question>"` |
-| "Library Y added feature Z in v3 (I think)" | `ctx7 library <Y> "Z"` → `ctx7 docs /org/Y/<version> "Z"` to verify version + behavior |
-| "Repo X's authentication architecture is…" | `deepwiki ask owner/X "How does the auth middleware work? What stores tokens? What controls expiry?"` |
-| "Cross-library: do A and B compose like Z?" | `deepwiki ask repo-A repo-B "How do these interact for use-case Z?"` |
-
-If you catch yourself making any of these claims without first dispatching researcher, you are about to ship stale information. Stop and dispatch.
-
-### Cost framing
-
-Researcher runs on `openai-codex/gpt-5.4-mini` via tool mode, keep-alive. Typical turn: 20-40s wall clock, ~$0.005-0.02 per call. The cost of shipping a wrong API call (debugger turn + executor fix + reviewer re-run, or worse, production regression) is orders of magnitude higher. Default to dispatch.
-
-### What researcher does NOT do
-
-- Local code mapping → use `explorer` (READ_ONLY, traces project code without external CLI cost).
-- Bug root-cause when symptoms are local → use `debugger`.
-- Reading internal docs already in this repo → use direct file read or `explorer`.
-- Security audit of third-party packages → use `security-auditor`; researcher's job is the API surface, not the threat model.
-
-Test-runner:
-- Use when commands need to run and failures need classification, not fixes.
-- Bead shape: exact command list, suites, and expected failure taxonomy.
-- Chain position: after executor or between fix loops.
-
-Sync-docs:
-- Use when one doc drifts and must be synced to source truth.
-- Bead shape: one-doc scope, source cross-check, drift checks.
-- Chain position: parallel to code only when doc scope is isolated; otherwise after code settles.
-
-What differs: orchestrator uses specialists beyond the common trio, so planning, diagnosis, research, tests, and docs do not collapse into executor work.
-
-## Specialist Rebuttal As Routine
-
-Several specialists default to over-cautious verdicts when an evidence gate looks unsatisfied. The orchestrator's job is to challenge that verdict with cited evidence, not to accept it. Common rebuttal-worthy patterns:
-
-### Overthinker
-
-- "Hold for operator decision" without specifying what decision is needed → push: "Cite file/line evidence for why this is a product decision rather than a mechanical resolution."
-- "Close as superseded by X" without verification → push: "Read the current state of `<file>` and check whether feature Y from this bead is actually present." If verified, record it structurally with `bd supersede <old> --with <new>` instead of burying the replacement in notes.
-- "Run separate small beads" or "run one big bead" without rationale → push: "Pick one and explain operationally — cost difference, conflict expectations, reviewer scope." If one big bead wins, mark replaced split beads with `bd supersede`; if the small beads remain parallel siblings, link overlap with `bd dep relate`, not `blocks`.
-
-### Reviewer
-
-- "PARTIAL — missing `gitnexus_impact` evidence" on a test-only diff → rebut: "Diff is entirely under `test/` (N files). `gitnexus_impact` analyzes runtime call graphs; test fixture mocks have no callers in the production graph. Bead's impact-gate constraint is conditional on modifying a runtime entrypoint, which did not happen here."
-- "PARTIAL — missing `gitnexus_impact`" on a small LOW-blast-radius production diff where executor used `gitnexus_detect_changes` instead → rebut: cite the executor's `impact_report.highest_risk: LOW`, the LOC count, single helper / single consumer scope. The reviewer prompt accepts `gitnexus_impact` OR `$gitnexus_summary` OR `gitnexus_detect_changes` OR LOW `impact_report` as evidence.
-- "FAIL — full suite shows N+1 fails" where one is a known concurrent-run flake → rebut: rerun the suspect test in isolation, paste clean output, resume reviewer with "Isolated rerun: P/P. Re-evaluate."
-
-### General rule
-
-Resume with explicit ammunition: file/line refs, exact rerun output, link to the bead memory documenting the rebuttal pattern. Don't argue from authority; argue from new evidence. **Findings from seconder / security-auditor are legitimate rebuttal evidence** — a clean seconder OK or a security-auditor "no findings" is concrete proof against a reviewer's "looks too complex" or "may have security risk" gate. Cite the advisory job id when rebutting on this axis.
-
-**One rebuttal per reviewer is the limit.** Second FAIL after rebuttal means stop and report. After a successful rebuttal, save the rebuttal text to `bd remember "<key>"` so the next session inherits it.
-
-## Monitoring And Steering
-
-Use `sp ps` for state and `sp result` for completed turns.
-
-```bash
-sp ps                         # active jobs + unresolved terminal problems
-sp ps --active                # active jobs only
-sp ps --health                # include detailed process tables
-sp ps --include-terminal      # include uncleaned terminal history
-sp ps --include-cleaned       # include rows hidden by sp clean --ps
-sp ps --all                   # full audit view, including cleaned/dead/history
-sp feed <job-id>
-sp result <job-id>
-```
-
-Default `sp ps` is the actionable dashboard, not raw history. Error/cancelled terminal rows stay visible until an operator acknowledges them with `sp clean --ps`; cleaned rows remain in SQLite and are visible via `--include-cleaned`/`--all`.
-
-If job is running, use `sp feed`. If it is waiting, use `sp result` and decide whether to resume, review, merge, or stop. Avoid tight polling; sleep based on task size, then check once.
-
-Use `steer` for running jobs and `resume` for waiting jobs:
-
-```bash
-sp steer <job-id> "Stop broad audit. Answer only the three bead questions."
-sp resume <job-id> "Continue with the next scoped fix. Do not refactor."
-```
-
-Context usage is an action signal when available:
-
-- 0-40%: healthy.
-- 40-65%: monitor.
-- 65-80%: steer toward conclusion.
-- Above 80%: finish, summarize, or replace job.
-
-Raw token totals are not context percentages.
-
-### Long autonomous runs — dual-mechanism monitoring
-
-For sessions where the operator is offline (overnight, async windows), use both:
-
-1. **Bash sleep timers per dispatch**, sized per role (see Monitoring Long-Running Jobs above). Bash sleep waits for an expected completion.
-2. **External cron loop** (Claude Code: `/loop 180s sp ps`) as a heartbeat at fixed cadence regardless of orchestrator's bash sleeps. Cron catches specialists that finished while the orchestrator was busy reading other results, and catches stalls.
-
-The two complement: bash sleep waits for an expected completion; cron catches unexpected completions and stalls. Without the cron, the orchestrator can miss specialists that completed during a long bash poll cycle and waste turns re-polling.
-
-## Bead Lifecycle And Parallel Commit Ordering
-
-The bd commit-gate is **project-wide**, not per-worktree. While **any** bead in the project is `in_progress`, **no** worktree can commit. Practical consequences for parallel-chain epics:
-
-- You CAN dispatch two executors in parallel — they work in separate worktrees, no commit-time collision.
-- But once executor A returns and executor B is still running, you CANNOT commit A's worktree until B's bead is closed (or vice versa).
-- Workflow: close the finished chain's executor bead FIRST (memory-ack + `bd close`), THEN commit that chain's worktree, THEN wait on the other chain.
-- This forces a serial-tail on the commit step. Plan for it: parallel-dispatch saves time on the *thinking* step, not the commit step.
-
-If the commit-gate blocks unexpectedly mid-orchestration, `bd query "status=in_progress"` reveals which claim is holding it open.
-
-### Memory-gate batch close
-
-`bd close` is blocked until `memory-acked:<id>` exists. For batch-closing many orchestrator-internal beads (sanity beads, reviewer beads, decomposition trackers), use:
-
-```bash
-for id in <impl> <sanity?> <review>; do
-  bd kv set "memory-acked:$id" "saved:<chain-memory-key>"   # OR "nothing novel: <reason>"
-done
-bd close <impl> <sanity?> <review> <parent> --reason "..."
-```
-
-The chain memory key holds the actual durable insight (one per real fix). Sanity/review beads get "nothing novel" — the parent insight covers them.
-
-## What Stays Out
-
-- `memory-processor` — memory synthesis specialist; see `/documenting`.
-- `xt-merge`: deferred to xt-merge skill; this skill names specialist flow, not merge-wrapper internals.
-- Session-close reporting (report skeleton, CHANGELOG sync, push) — see `/session-close-report` skill; this skill mandates running it at session end but does not duplicate its content.
-- Release publication (version bump, build, tag, npm publish) — see `/releasing` skill.
-
-## At Session End — Mandatory Handoff
-
-Before declaring the session done:
-
-1. Run the `/session-close-report` skill.
-2. Fill every `<!-- FILL -->` marker in the generated skeleton.
-3. Sync `CHANGELOG.md` for user-facing changes (the report skill drives this).
-4. Re-run cleanup checks: `sp ps`, `git worktree list`, `ps -ef` for stale serena/gitnexus, `tmux ls` for `sp-*`.
-5. Commit the report (and CHANGELOG if updated) before push.
-
-A session that lands code but skips the close-report leaves the next agent cold-starting blind. That cost compounds across sessions.
-
-## Adjacent xt commands
-
-Source: latest xt report + `xt --help`; keep commands here, not full CLI surface.
-- `xt report` — session report input for release synthesis; see `/session-close-report`.
-- `xt end` — close worktree session: push, PR, merge, cleanup; see `/xt-end`.
-- `xt claude` — launch Claude in sandboxed worktree; see `/using-xtrm`.
-- `xt update` — refresh xtrm-managed files in one repo or many; see `/update-xt`.
-- `xt doctor` — diagnose xtrm drift in current project; see `/update-xt`.
-- `xt init` — bootstrap xtrm in project; see xtrm-tools docs.
-- `xt release prepare/publish` — legacy release path; canonical flow is `/releasing`.
-- `bd prime` — refresh beads workflow context; see `CLAUDE.md`.
-- `memory-processor` — memory synthesis specialist; see `/documenting`.
-- `xt-merge` — defer merge-queue internals to `/xt-merge`.
-
-## Merge And Publication (manual git is canonical)
-
-> **Rule #9:** `sp merge` and `sp epic merge` are prohibited — known broken, awaiting a separate rework epic. Even if `sp help` shows them, do not use. The Cherry-Pick Playbook below is the canonical merge path for specialist-owned work.
-
-### Per-chain merge (standalone or one chain at a time inside an epic)
-
-After reviewer PASS on a chain whose work lives in `feature/<bead-id>-<slug>` worktree:
-
-```bash
-# 1. Verify reviewer PASS verdict was recorded (Release Checklist clean)
-bd show <bead-id>   # check notes for the verdict
-
-# 2. Verify the chain's gates passed:
-#    seconder OK | obligations-scanner CLEAN | security-auditor clean (if surface)
-#    Reviewer's Release Checklist block enumerates these.
-
-# 3. Switch to target branch (master or integration/<date>) and FF or merge
-git checkout <target>
-git pull --ff-only origin <target>
-git merge --no-ff feature/<bead-id>-<slug> -m "Merge <bead-id>: <summary>"
-git push origin <target>
-
-# 4. Cleanup the chain worktree + branch
-git worktree remove <chain-worktree-path>
-git branch -d feature/<bead-id>-<slug>
-git worktree prune
-```
-
-Use `git update-ref` for FF-equivalent when checkout is blocked by transient working-tree state (e.g., bd auto-export churn on `.beads/issues.jsonl`):
-
-```bash
-git merge-base --is-ancestor <target> feature/<bead-id>-<slug> && \
-  git update-ref refs/heads/<target> feature/<bead-id>-<slug> && \
-  git push origin <target>
-```
-
-### Multi-chain epic merge
-
-Use the Cherry-Pick Playbook (below). Each chain lands as one squash commit on an integration branch (visible to operator before main), then operator FF-merges integration → main when satisfied.
-
-### Closing the keep-alive specialists
-
-If reviewer/executor jobs are still `waiting` after PASS:
-
-```bash
-sp stop <waiting-job-id>   # explicit close per job; verify with sp ps before
-```
-
-No automatic cascade-finalizer. Close each waiting job explicitly. (Yes, this is more ceremony than `sp finalize` provided — but `sp finalize` lived inside the broken sp merge path.)
-
-### Rules
-
-- Merge only after reviewer PASS + clean Release Checklist unless operator explicitly accepts a draft.
-- Always use `git merge --no-ff` for chain merges to keep the chain branch visible in history.
-- If merge reports a dirty worktree on the target branch, inspect what's dirty. Revert generated noise (e.g., `.beads/issues.jsonl` churn) only when clearly unrelated; otherwise ask the operator.
-- After merge, always remove the chain worktree + delete the branch + prune.
-- Stale-base failures: per Git State Precondition section, dispatch chains only when target branch HEAD contains all prior dependent chains' commits.
-
-## Integration Phase — Cherry-Pick Playbook (canonical multi-chain merge)
-
-The canonical path for landing multiple specialist chains. Operator gets visibility on an integration branch before the work hits main.
-
-### Step-by-step
-
-1. Stash uncommitted state on working branch: `git stash push -u -m "pre-integration"`.
-2. Create integration branch off the working branch: `git checkout -b integration/<date>-orchestrator`.
-3. For each non-overlapping chain (security/critical first, then test-baseline, then features):
-   - `git merge --squash <chain-branch>`
-   - Restore noise files (see "Chain noise filter checklist" below)
-   - **Advisory passes** before commit: if the staged diff smells overcomplicated/duplicative/type-risky, dispatch `seconder --job <last-exec-job-of-chain>`; if it touches auth/secrets/input/agent-config, dispatch `security-auditor --job <last-exec-job-of-chain>`. Link those beads with `bd dep add <advisory-bead> <chain-bead> --type validates`. Apply findings or document why skipped.
-   - `git commit -m "<type>(<scope>): <summary> (<bead-id>)"` — one squash commit per chain.
-4. For each overlapping chain, add `bd dep relate <overlap-a> <overlap-b>` if not already linked, then switch to the **debugger-restitch** pattern (next section).
-5. Before publication, run `bd dep cycles`; fix any accidental cycle before operator FF-merges integration → main.
-6. After all chains land, run E2E smoke phase (below) before declaring done.
-7. Operator FF-merges integration → main when satisfied.
-
-### Chain noise filter checklist
-
-For manual cherry-pick / squash flows, unstage these before committing (otherwise the chain commit will carry orchestrator-bookkeeping noise):
-
-- `.pi/npm` — accidentally created by xt commands inside worktrees
-- `cli/pnpm-lock.yaml`, `cli/pnpm-workspace.yaml` — pnpm side-effects
-- `AGENTS.md`, `CLAUDE.md` — gitnexus stat-refresh hook noise
-- `.beads/issues.jsonl`, `.beads/interactions.jsonl` — bd state churn
-- `.specialists/executor-result.md` — transient specialist output
-
-```bash
-git restore --staged .beads .pi AGENTS.md CLAUDE.md
-git checkout HEAD -- .beads AGENTS.md CLAUDE.md
-rm -f .pi/npm
-```
-
-If a chain commits its own `.beads` symlink (older bd-in-worktree behavior), `rm -f .beads` then `git checkout HEAD -- .beads` to restore the real directory.
-
-## Debugger-Restitch Pattern
-
-When chain X conflicts with already-landed chain Y on shared files, raw `git cherry-pick` will revert Y's work. The debugger-restitch pattern preserves both, but only when the debugger gets an explicit "preserve already-landed work" contract.
-
-1. **Reopen X**: `bd reopen <X> --reason="integration stitch onto post-Y state"`. If the old X chain is no longer publishable, create a restitch bead and mark replacement explicitly: `bd supersede <X> --with <X-restitch>`. Link X and Y with `bd dep relate <X-restitch> <Y>` for conflict context; use `caused-by` only when a concrete failure bead is attributable to Y's already-landed change.
-2. **Strengthen the bead contract** with these fields:
-   - `## CRITICAL CONSTRAINTS:` heading at the top.
-   - "Fork off `integration/<date>-orchestrator`. Verify with `git log integration/...$..HEAD` empty before any commits."
-   - List the symbols/lines from Y that MUST be preserved verbatim (with file paths).
-   - "ADD X's intent ON TOP" with a numbered list of the additions.
-   - "Reference original `feature/<X>-executor` for symbol shapes only — do NOT cherry-pick or merge. Re-implement on integration's current state."
-   - `## VALIDATION:` includes both Y's tests passing AND X's new tests passing.
-   - `## OUTPUT:` mandates a 5-line code excerpt showing both Y and X features coexisting.
-3. **Dispatch debugger** with `--force-stale-base` if X is an epic child:
-   ```bash
-   sp run debugger --bead <X> --force-stale-base --keep-alive --background
-   ```
-4. **Sanity check the result**: when debugger reports back:
-   ```bash
-   git log integration/<date>..feature/<X>-debugger --oneline
-   git diff integration/<date>...feature/<X>-debugger -- <key-files>
-   ```
-   Confirm the debugger's diff is **additive** — no reverts of Y's lines.
-5. **Advisory passes**: before landing the restitch, dispatch `seconder --job <debugger-job>` if the restitch added control-flow complexity, and `security-auditor --job <debugger-job>` if it touched a sensitive surface. Link each advisory bead back with `bd dep add <advisory> <X-restitch-or-X> --type validates`. Restitched diffs are higher-risk than fresh executor diffs because the debugger had to thread around already-landed work.
-6. **Land via FF or cherry-pick the named commit** (NOT the checkpoint commit). Look for the commit with the proper `<type>(<scope>):` message; ignore `checkpoint(debugger):` commits above it.
-7. **Verify tests** before marking done.
-
-### Failure mode to watch for
-
-If the debugger forks off the OLD baseline (pre-Y) instead of integration, its commit will revert Y. Symptom: `git diff integration..feature/<X>-debugger -- <Y's-file>` shows DELETIONS of Y's symbols. Fix: resume the debugger with explicit "cd to a fresh worktree forked from `integration/<date>-orchestrator`" instruction. Re-verify with `git log integration..HEAD` empty. If the bad restitch became a tracked bead, supersede it with the corrected restitch bead so nobody merges the obsolete chain.
-
-## E2E Smoke Phase
-
-Run **every** npm script + entry point that any chain added or modified. The smoke phase is the only way to catch missed chains, false-positive CI gates, missing intermediate files, and runtime regressions invisible to unit tests.
-
-### Procedure
-
-```bash
-# Build sanity
-bun run build   # or equivalent
-
-# Test sanity — record PRE-baseline first
-git checkout <baseline-branch>
-bun test 2>&1 | tail -5   # record N failed / M passed
-
-# Switch back and re-run
-git checkout integration/<date>-orchestrator
-bun test 2>&1 | tail -5   # MUST be ≥ baseline. Net regression is a stop-the-line.
-
-# Run every check:* script the integration added
-for s in $(jq -r '.scripts | keys[] | select(startswith("check:"))' package.json); do
-  echo "=== $s ==="
-  npm run "$s" 2>&1 | tail -10
-done
-
-# Targeted unit tests for chains touching the same files
-bunx vitest run <chain-test-files>
-```
-
-For each smoke that fails, decide before continuing:
-- False positive (script flags itself) → file follow-up bead, document, continue
-- Missing dependency (vendor not run) → expected gate, document
-- Real regression → stop, dispatch debugger to fix, re-smoke
-
-### Cross-cutting security-auditor pass
-
-If any landed chain in this integration touched auth, secrets, input handling, dependency lockfiles, or agent/MCP/config surfaces, dispatch one `security-auditor` on the cumulative integration diff BEFORE declaring smoke done:
-
-```bash
-git diff <baseline>..integration/<date>-orchestrator > /tmp/integration-diff.patch
-sp run security-auditor --bead <sec-bead> --context-depth 3 --background
-```
-
-Per-chain security-auditor passes catch chain-local risks; this cross-cutting pass catches interaction risks that only appear once all chains coexist (e.g. one chain weakens an input validator that another newly relies on). Skipping this on a sensitive-surface integration is an escalation event.
-
-Record all smoke results in the session-close-report under a `## Smoke test results` table (see `/session-close-report` skill).
-
-## Failure Recovery
-
-When something fails:
-
-```bash
-sp ps <job-id>
-sp feed <job-id>
-sp result <job-id>
-sp doctor
-```
-
-Then choose one action:
-
-- Resume waiting executor/debugger with exact findings.
-- Re-run with better bead if contract was weak.
-- Re-scope bead if scope was wrong.
-- Escalate if human decision is needed.
-- Replace specialist only if failure mode repeats.
-
-### Common failure patterns (and the canonical fix)
-
-| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
-|---|---|---|
-| `git checkout <branch>` aborts with "would overwrite untracked/changes" mid-orchestration | bd auto-export keeps re-staging `.beads/issues.jsonl` after every bd op | Use `git update-ref refs/heads/<target> <source>` for FF-equivalent without checkout; or commit the .beads churn as a separate "chore(beads): export state" commit before switching |
-| Stale `.git/index.lock` blocks git commands | bd hooks or other tooling crashed mid-operation | Check no real git process is running (`ps -ef \| grep "git "`); if clear, `rm -f .git/index.lock` and retry |
-| `git add .beads/issues.jsonl` says "ignored by gitignore" but `git status` shows it modified | File is in `.git/info/exclude` but already tracked in the index | The staged change can still be committed directly (`git commit` without `git add`); don't fight the exclude |
-| Validation fails with `command not found`, `vitest: not found`, missing Python tools, or `ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND` in a fresh worktree | Normal git worktree behavior: ignored dependency dirs (`node_modules/`, `.venv/`) are not copied into new worktrees | Run the repo's standard bootstrap inside that worktree (`make bootstrap`, `just setup`, `npm ci`, `uv sync`, etc.) or report bootstrap-required. Do not track dependency artifacts. |
-| `sp ps` shows old terminal jobs after a session | Default dashboard keeps unresolved terminal problems visible until acknowledged | `sp clean --ps --dry-run`, then `sp clean --ps` to soft-hide from default ps; use `sp ps --include-cleaned`/`--all` for audit history |
-| Reviewer keeps returning PARTIAL on functional contracts already met | Reviewer demanding tool-event evidence — typically obsoleted after the gate relaxation, but if it persists check the executor's `gitnexus_detect_changes` ran and use the rebuttal pattern (see Specialist Rebuttal As Routine) | Rebut with cited evidence; second FAIL = escalate |
-| Multiple `sp run` background launches drop silently under shell parallelism | Known launch-ceremony race | Re-check `sp ps` after each dispatch and retry the missing one; serialize when reliability matters |
-| `sp run` returns `Warning: job started but ID not yet available` and nothing appears in `sp ps --bead <id>` after 30s | Dispatch was refused by epic guard or base-staleness check; stderr now surfaces the refusal reason (see `sp run --background` post-fix) | Read the surfaced reason; retry with `--force-stale-base` if intentional, or fix the bead/lineage |
-| `sp feed <job-id>` returns short tail with no tool events | Confirms DB-backed replay is active; if you see ≤10 lines on a real run, the DB is missing events for that job — verify with raw SQL on observability.db | If DB truly lacks events: re-run job; if DB has events but feed truncates: file bug bead — should not happen on current build |
-| bd "database not found" or per-project Dolt server respawn | bd has spawned a per-project Dolt instead of routing to the shared server | `ps aux \| grep "<repo>/.beads/dolt" \| awk '{print $2}' \| xargs -r kill -9`; ensure `.beads/config.yaml` contains `dolt.shared-server: true`; `bd ready` should now route to `~/.beads/shared-server/` |
-| Dolt journal corruption (`possible data loss detected at offset N`) | bd-internal | Operator-only — do NOT auto-recover. Stop bd writes, snapshot `~/.beads/shared-server/dolt`, run `dolt fsck` (read-only) first. Operator decides on `--revive-journal-with-data-loss` after reviewing the warning |
-
-## What Orchestrator Does Differently Because Of This Skill
-
-- Writes bead contract before dispatch.
-- Nests specialist-dispatch beads under the bead they service via `--parent`, regardless of whether that bead is an epic, a task, or already a nested child — never defaults to loose top-level beads.
-- Titles every specialist-dispatch bead `<specialist-role>: <task>` so `bd list`/`sp ps` are scannable by role at a glance.
-- Chooses edge type before creating chain.
-- Uses specialist role by job shape, not by habit.
-- Keeps fix loops alive with resume, not re-spawn.
-- Treats reviewer PASS as only publish gate.
-- Maps file-overlap surface BEFORE dispatching parallel waves.
-- Files one READ_ONLY test-failure-map bead before fix chains when ≥5 failures span subsystems.
-- Uses overthinker and reviewer as conversation, not one-shot oracles — rebuts with cited evidence once, then escalates.
-- Smokes every npm script and entry point before declaring integration done; runs cross-cutting security-auditor on cumulative diff when sensitive surfaces were touched.
-- Commits debugger-restitch results via FF or cherry-pick of the named commit, not the checkpoint commit above it.
-- Closes finished chain's bead BEFORE committing that worktree when other chains still in_progress (project-wide commit-gate).
-- Applies SCRUTINY field on every substantive bead; lets reviewer auto-escalate.
-- Verifies Git State Precondition before every dependent-chain dispatch.
-- Merges specialist work via manual git workflow (Cherry-Pick Playbook); never `sp merge` / `sp epic merge` (rule #9 — known broken).
-- Runs `/session-close-report` at session end and only then declares done.
-- Keeps memory-processor, xt-merge, session-close-report, and releasing out of this skill on purpose — each has its own.