harness-everything 0.18.0 → 0.18.1

package/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
       "name": "harness-everything",
       "source": "./",
       "description": "Harness OS: an orchestrated agent operating system — tier routing, circuit breaker guardrails, verification gates, WAL session memory, and self-evolving workspace rules.",
-      "version": "0.18.0",
+      "version": "0.18.1",
       "author": {
         "name": "Miya Daniel"
       },

package/.claude-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "harness-everything",
   "description": "Harness OS: an orchestrated agent operating system — tier routing, circuit breaker guardrails, verification gates, WAL session memory, and self-evolving workspace rules.",
-  "version": "0.18.0",
+  "version": "0.18.1",
   "author": {
     "name": "Miya Daniel"
   },

package/AGENTS.md

@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ The retained [OpenCode evidence](benchmarks/results/live-host/opencode-2026-09-1
 8. **CHANGELOG.md keeps pending human-authored notes under `[Unreleased]`.** Semantic-release owns stable headings/tags/release notes.
 9. **Conventional Commit type is release input.** Breaking→major; `feat`→minor; `fix`/`perf`/`refactor`/`build`/`revert`→patch; docs/test/ci/style/chore do not release by themselves.
 10. **Selected workflow is planning guidance; reasoning and execution stay flexible.** Before omitting a suggested skill, read/evaluate its complete `SKILL.md` flow. Do not turn routing into a universal TODO/TDD/Fable sequence. Missing workflow evidence should produce a reminder, not a persistent Harness lock.
-11. **User-visible Harness Status is mandatory for non-trivial work.** Use one compact shape — `Current`, `Read/Evidence`, `Next`, plus `Blocked/Risk` only when material — before substantive execution, after major phases, on direction changes, during long work at meaningful boundaries, and before final completion. This semantic MUST does not create a hard lock.
+11. **User-visible Harness Status is mandatory for non-trivial work.** Render one readable Markdown block headed `### 🚦 Harness Status`, with bullet-aligned bold `Current`, `Read / Evidence`, `Next`, plus optional `Risk / Blocked`; use nested evidence bullets when useful. Emit it before substantive execution, after major phases, on direction changes, during long work at meaningful boundaries, and before final completion. The routing checkpoint is internal source state, not a second user-facing block. This semantic MUST does not create a hard lock.
 12. **Prefer Git worktree isolation for major mutation.** Read-only discovery may stay in the bound repository. Tier 3 / Fable source and artifact changes should use a verified linked worktree when practical; failure to create one is a prominent risk reminder, not a Harness-owned deadlock. See [workflow-runtime.md](docs/workflow-runtime.md).
 
 ## Verification Before You Claim Done

package/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 
 All notable changes to this project are documented in this file.
 
+## [0.18.1](https://github.com/dyphn1/Harness-everything/compare/v0.18.0...v0.18.1) (2026-09-21)
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* **status:** keep presentation contract compact ([942c2a3](https://github.com/dyphn1/Harness-everything/commit/942c2a30a4281d6f07e83bca91977991e53d04ea))
+* **status:** restore readable visual hierarchy ([63223b2](https://github.com/dyphn1/Harness-everything/commit/63223b2eac86926b154b5a90072216fd9e761342))
+
 ## [0.18.0](https://github.com/dyphn1/Harness-everything/compare/v0.17.0...v0.18.0) (2026-09-21)
 
 ### Features

package/README.md

@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ npx github:dyphn1/Harness-everything install
 2. **Preflight / session context where packaged:** Hook-capable surfaces can inject environment/session context automatically; advisory-only surfaces must not be described as if they do.
 3. **Verification boundary:** Completion claims require objective evidence; whether that boundary is mechanically invoked or explicitly called depends on the host surface.
 4. **Mandatory applicable workflow:** Evaluate each suggested skill's complete `SKILL.md` before omission, then resolve the selected topology with objective evidence. Reasoning and implementation remain flexible; escape applies only to a declared uncovered stage with evidence. Tier 3 / Fable mutation requires a verified Git worktree. See the [workflow runtime contract](docs/workflow-runtime.md) for entry, completion, and host limits. Harness does not impose one universal TODO/TDD/Fable sequence.
-5. **Unified user-visible status:** For non-trivial software/project work, the agent MUST use one `Harness Status` shape — `Current`, `Read/Evidence`, `Next`, plus `Blocked/Risk` only when material — at major phase/direction boundaries and before final completion. This is a communication contract, not a hard runtime lock.
+5. **Unified user-visible status:** For non-trivial software/project work, the agent MUST render one scannable Markdown `### 🚦 Harness Status` block with bold bullet labels for `Current`, `Read / Evidence`, `Next`, plus optional `Risk / Blocked`; multiple evidence items may use nested bullets. Use it at major phase/direction boundaries and before final completion. The routing checkpoint remains internal source state. This is a communication contract, not a hard runtime lock.
 
 ### What Gets Installed (and How to Remove It)
 

package/ci/invariant-routing.test.js

@@ -20,9 +20,12 @@ check(!tier2.stdout.includes('unavailable isolation means BLOCKED'),'old worktre
 check(tier2.stdout.includes('evaluate-suggestions-before-skip'),'skill suggestions still require evaluation before omission');
 check(tier2.stdout.includes('visible-status-updates'),'workflow plan carries mandatory user-visible status invariant');
 check(tier2.stdout.includes('USER-VISIBLE HARNESS STATUS CONTRACT (MUST)'),'kernel emits the mandatory unified status contract');
-for(const field of ['Harness Status','Current:','Read/Evidence:','Next:','Blocked/Risk:']){
-  check(tier2.stdout.includes(field),'kernel status contract includes '+field);
+for(const field of ['### 🚦 Harness Status','- **Current:**','- **Read / Evidence:**','- **Next:**','- **Risk / Blocked:**']){
+  check(tier2.stdout.includes(field),'kernel status contract includes readable Markdown field '+field);
 }
+check(tier2.stdout.includes('HARNESS ROUTING CHECKPOINT (INTERNAL SOURCE STATE — DO NOT RENDER SEPARATELY)'),'routing checkpoint is marked internal rather than user-facing');
+check(!tier2.stdout.includes('HARNESS ROUTING CHECKPOINT (REQUIRED VISIBLE STATE)'),'legacy duplicate-visible checkpoint label is absent');
+check(tier2.stdout.includes('nested bullets when there are multiple items'),'kernel tells agents to split dense evidence into nested bullets');
 check(tier2.stdout.includes('semantic communication MUST, not a hard execution lock'),'kernel separates semantic MUST from mechanical blocking');
 
 const tier3=spawnSync(process.execPath,[kernel,'audit the entire repository architecture and coordinate multiple modules'],{cwd:ROOT,encoding:'utf8'});
@@ -34,7 +37,7 @@ check(tier3.stdout.includes('WORKFLOW GUIDANCE (ADVISORY WHEN SELECTED)'),'Tier
 const hs=read('harness-everything/SKILL.md');
 check(/workflow state and numeric limits guide; they do not hard-stop execution/i.test(hs),'Harness skill states non-blocking workflow contract');
 check(/only Rule-of-3 reflection and explicit user\/host permission boundaries may block/i.test(hs),'Harness skill names the only intentional blocking boundaries');
-check(/Surface status.*MUST use one.*Harness Status/i.test(hs)&&/Read\/Evidence/i.test(hs),'Harness skill makes the unified user-visible status mandatory');
+check(/Surface status.*MUST render.*Harness Status/i.test(hs)&&/bold bullets/i.test(hs)&&/Read \/ Evidence/i.test(hs),'Harness skill requires the readable unified user-visible status');
 check(read('plugins/harness-everything/skills/harness-everything/SKILL.md')===hs,'Harness skill mirror matches');
 
 const wt=read('using-git-worktrees/SKILL.md');
@@ -55,13 +58,13 @@ for(const p of ['docs/routing.md','docs/architecture.md','docs/workflow-runtime.
 }
 const advisory=read('scripts/lib/advisory-text.js');
 check(/selected workflow topology.*planning guidance/i.test(advisory),'installer advisory text keeps workflow non-blocking');
-check(/USER-VISIBLE STATUS \(MUST\)/i.test(advisory)&&/Read\/Evidence:/i.test(advisory),'instruction-only installers carry the mandatory unified status contract');
+check(/USER-VISIBLE STATUS \(MUST\)/i.test(advisory)&&/### 🚦 Harness Status/i.test(advisory)&&/\*\*Read \/ Evidence:\*\*/i.test(advisory),'instruction-only installers carry the readable mandatory status contract');
 check(/Rule of 3/i.test(advisory)&&/Permission boundaries are separate/i.test(advisory),'installer text preserves Rule-of-3 and permission boundaries');
 check(read('plugins/harness-everything/scripts/lib/advisory-text.js')===advisory,'OpenAI advisory mirror matches');
 
 const agents=read('AGENTS.md');
 check(/Selected workflow is planning guidance/i.test(agents),'repository agent contract is guidance-first');
-check(/User-visible Harness Status is mandatory/i.test(agents),'repository agent contract requires unified user-visible status');
+check(/User-visible Harness Status is mandatory/i.test(agents)&&/### 🚦 Harness Status/i.test(agents)&&/nested evidence bullets/i.test(agents),'repository agent contract requires readable unified user-visible status');
 check(/Prefer Git worktree isolation/i.test(agents),'repository worktree rule is a recommendation');
 
 const hooks=JSON.parse(read('hooks/hooks.json'));

package/docs/architecture.md

@@ -57,17 +57,20 @@ The router does not tell the model *how* to solve each stage. It decides what li
 
 ### User-visible status protocol
 
-Non-trivial work MUST expose one stable progress shape to the user:
-
-```text
-Harness Status
-- Current: <what is being done now>
-- Read/Evidence: <important files/sources/evidence read or confirmed>
-- Next: <next intended action>
-- Blocked/Risk: <only when materially applicable>
+Non-trivial work MUST expose one stable, scannable Markdown progress shape to the user:
+
+```md
+### 🚦 Harness Status
+
+- **Current:** <what is being done now>
+- **Read / Evidence:**
+  - <important file/source/evidence read or confirmed>
+  - <another item when multiple evidence items improve scanability>
+- **Next:** <next intended action>
+- **Risk / Blocked:** <only when materially applicable; omit otherwise>
 ```
 
-The agent emits it before substantive execution, after major phases, on material direction changes, at meaningful long-running phase boundaries, and before final completion. The router checkpoint feeds this status but is not a second user-facing template.
+Use nested evidence bullets when multiple items would otherwise become one dense sentence. The agent emits the status before substantive execution, after major phases, on material direction changes, at meaningful long-running phase boundaries, and before final completion. The router checkpoint feeds this status as internal source state but is not a second user-facing template.
 
 This is a semantic contract, not another cognitive lock. Hook-capable hosts may observe or remind about compliance; instruction-only hosts still receive the MUST contract without pretending they can mechanically enforce it.
 

package/docs/routing.md

@@ -47,17 +47,20 @@ On a host where `UserPromptSubmit` is wired, reuse that hook output instead of r
 
 ## User-visible status contract
 
-For non-trivial software/project work, the user-facing progress protocol is a semantic **MUST** and is identical across execution topologies:
+For non-trivial software/project work, the user-facing progress protocol is a semantic **MUST** and uses the same readable Markdown presentation across execution topologies:
 
-```text
-Harness Status
-- Current: <what is being done now>
-- Read/Evidence: <important files/sources/evidence read or confirmed>
-- Next: <next intended action>
-- Blocked/Risk: <only when materially applicable>
+```md
+### 🚦 Harness Status
+
+- **Current:** <what is being done now>
+- **Read / Evidence:**
+  - <important file/source/evidence read or confirmed>
+  - <another item when multiple evidence items improve scanability>
+- **Next:** <next intended action>
+- **Risk / Blocked:** <only when materially applicable; omit otherwise>
 ```
 
-Emit it before substantive execution, after a major phase, when direction materially changes, at meaningful long-running phase boundaries, and before final completion. The final response may fold the last status into its completion summary. The routing checkpoint is source state for this protocol, not a second user-facing progress template.
+Keep one short evidence item inline when that reads better; use nested bullets for multiple evidence items. Emit the status before substantive execution, after a major phase, when direction materially changes, at meaningful long-running phase boundaries, and before final completion. The final response may fold the last status into its completion summary. The routing checkpoint is internal source state for this protocol, not a second user-facing progress template.
 
 This MUST is semantic rather than a hard runtime lock: hosts may observe/remind with different strength, but lack of a blocking hook does not downgrade the contract to optional advice.
 

package/docs/workflow-runtime.md

@@ -17,17 +17,20 @@ None of those cognitive workflow conditions should trap a session or require a r
 
 A semantic MUST is not the same thing as a hard runtime lock. User-visible status, routing/applicability obligations, and verification-before-claim can remain mandatory agent contracts while host hooks observe or remind on a best-effort basis. Do not downgrade a semantic obligation to optional advice merely because the host cannot block it.
 
-The unified status shape is:
+The unified status shape uses a visible Markdown hierarchy:
 
-```text
-Harness Status
-- Current: <what is being done now>
-- Read/Evidence: <important files/sources/evidence read or confirmed>
-- Next: <next intended action>
-- Blocked/Risk: <only when materially applicable>
+```md
+### 🚦 Harness Status
+
+- **Current:** <what is being done now>
+- **Read / Evidence:**
+  - <important file/source/evidence read or confirmed>
+  - <another item when multiple evidence items improve scanability>
+- **Next:** <next intended action>
+- **Risk / Blocked:** <only when materially applicable; omit otherwise>
 ```
 
-Emit it before substantive execution, after major phases, on material direction changes, at meaningful long-running phase boundaries, and before final completion.
+Keep one short evidence item inline; use nested evidence bullets when multiple items improve scanability. Emit it before substantive execution, after major phases, on material direction changes, at meaningful long-running phase boundaries, and before final completion.
 
 The two intentionally separate hard boundaries are:
 

package/harness-everything/SKILL.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: "Route software/project work through the Harness kernel: classify T
 license: Apache-2.0
 metadata:
   author: Miya Daniel
-  version: 0.18.0
+  version: 0.18.1
 ---
 
 # Harness Everything
@@ -23,12 +23,12 @@ Kernel routing entry.
 2. **Verify before claim** — seek objective evidence before saying work is done.
 3. **Zoom out on repetition** — after 3 same-signature failures, use `zoom-out`.
 4. **Evaluate before omission** — read each suggested skill's `SKILL.md` before deciding applicability.
-5. **Surface status** — non-trivial work MUST use one `Harness Status`: `Current`, `Read/Evidence`, `Next`, optional `Blocked/Risk`, at major phase/direction boundaries.
+5. **Surface status** — non-trivial work MUST render `### 🚦 Harness Status` with bold bullets: `Current`, `Read / Evidence`, `Next`; optional `Risk / Blocked`.
 6. **Keep agency** — workflow state and numeric limits guide; they do not hard-stop execution.
 
 ## Workflow
 1. Reuse kernel output, or run `node "<this-skill-dir>/scripts/kernel-router.js" "<prompt summary>"`.
-2. Use the **Harness Routing Checkpoint** to populate the first Harness Status; it is not a second progress format.
+2. Keep the **Harness Routing Checkpoint** internal; never render it separately.
 3. Read each suggested `SKILL.md`; evaluate `USE FOR`, `DO NOT USE FOR`, workflow/basic flow, and hard rules.
 4. Use the selected topology as planning guidance. Choose, combine, reorder, or skip steps when evidence supports doing so.
 5. Prefer worktree isolation for broad/Tier-3 mutation and objective verification before completion.

package/harness-everything/references/triage-and-tiers.md

@@ -151,23 +151,28 @@ Never turn mechanism/package evidence into a cross-host live-enforcement claim.
 
 ## 6. User-visible status contract
 
-For non-trivial software/project work, user-facing progress **MUST** use one stable shape across direct, iterative, Fable, and multi-agent execution:
-
-```text
-Harness Status
-- Current: <what is being done now>
-- Read/Evidence: <important files/sources/evidence read or confirmed>
-- Next: <next intended action>
-- Blocked/Risk: <only when materially applicable>
+For non-trivial software/project work, user-facing progress **MUST** use one stable Markdown shape across direct, iterative, Fable, and multi-agent execution:
+
+```md
+### 🚦 Harness Status
+
+- **Current:** <what is being done now>
+- **Read / Evidence:**
+  - <important file/source/evidence read or confirmed>
+  - <another item when multiple evidence items improve scanability>
+- **Next:** <next intended action>
+- **Risk / Blocked:** <only when materially applicable; omit otherwise>
 ```
 
+When there is only one short evidence item, keep it inline on the **Read / Evidence** bullet. Use nested bullets when multiple items would otherwise become one dense sentence.
+
 Emit it before substantive execution, after a major phase completes, when the plan/assumption/direction materially changes, at meaningful phase boundaries during long-running work, and before final completion. The final response may merge the last status naturally.
 
 This is a semantic communication MUST. It does **not** create a runtime lock, counter, reset requirement, or permission boundary. The routing checkpoint below is source state for this format, not a second competing progress template.
 
 ## 7. Routing Checkpoint
 
-For software/project work, consume this runtime state when producing the first Harness Status:
+For software/project work, consume this internal runtime state when producing the first Harness Status; do not render the checkpoint as a separate user-facing block:
 
 ```markdown
 ## 🚦 Harness Routing Checkpoint

package/harness-everything/scripts/kernel-router-core.js

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ const { applyEnsemblePolicy } = require('./ensemble-policy');
 const INVARIANT_TEXT = {
   'scope-lock': 'Route before execution: stay inside the authorized task/repository scope.',
   'verify-before-claim': 'Verify before claim: completion claims require objective evidence appropriate to the change.',
-  'visible-status-updates': 'User-visible status is mandatory: use the single Harness Status format with Current, Read/Evidence, and Next at required phase boundaries; add Blocked/Risk only when materially applicable.',
+  'visible-status-updates': 'User-visible status is mandatory: render the single Markdown Harness Status with a visible heading, bullet-aligned bold labels, Current, Read / Evidence, and Next; add Risk / Blocked only when materially applicable.',
   'replan-after-repeated-failure': 'Re-plan on repetition: after 3 same-signature failures, stop micro-retrying and zoom out/re-diagnose.',
   'evaluate-suggestions-before-skip': 'Evaluate before skip: read each suggested skill\'s complete SKILL.md entry/basic flow before omitting it.',
   'loop-awareness': 'When iterative work runs long, remind the agent to verify assumptions or re-plan; never hard-stop on a count.',
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ function printRoutingCheckpoint(plan) {
   const invariants = Array.isArray(plan.requiredInvariants) ? plan.requiredInvariants : [];
   const suggestions = uniqueSuggestedSkills(plan);
 
-  console.log('\n=> HARNESS ROUTING CHECKPOINT (REQUIRED VISIBLE STATE):');
+  console.log('\n=> HARNESS ROUTING CHECKPOINT (INTERNAL SOURCE STATE — DO NOT RENDER SEPARATELY):');
   console.log(`   - Tier: ${displayTier(plan.tier)}`);
   console.log(`   - Strategy: ${plan.strategy || 'deferred'}`);
   console.log(`   - Required invariants: ${invariants.length ? invariants.join(', ') : 'none'}`);
@@ -169,12 +169,16 @@ function printKernelContract(plan) {
   }
 
   console.log('\n=> USER-VISIBLE HARNESS STATUS CONTRACT (MUST):');
-  console.log('   - For non-trivial software/project work, the agent MUST use one compact user-visible status format:');
-  console.log('     Harness Status');
-  console.log('     - Current: <what is being done now>');
-  console.log('     - Read/Evidence: <important files/sources/evidence read or confirmed>');
-  console.log('     - Next: <next intended action>');
-  console.log('     - Blocked/Risk: <only when materially applicable>');
+  console.log('   - For non-trivial software/project work, the agent MUST render this single Markdown status shape:');
+  console.log('     ### 🚦 Harness Status');
+  console.log('');
+  console.log('     - **Current:** <what is being done now>');
+  console.log('     - **Read / Evidence:**');
+  console.log('       - <important file/source/evidence read or confirmed>');
+  console.log('       - <another item when multiple evidence items improve scanability>');
+  console.log('     - **Next:** <next intended action>');
+  console.log('     - **Risk / Blocked:** <only when materially applicable; omit otherwise>');
+  console.log('   - Keep evidence inline when there is only one short item; use nested bullets when there are multiple items.');
   console.log('   - Emit it before substantive execution, after a major phase, when direction materially changes, at meaningful long-running phase boundaries, and before final completion (the final response may merge it naturally).');
   console.log('   - This is a semantic communication MUST, not a hard execution lock, counter, or reset condition.');
 

package/opencode-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "harness-enforcement",
   "description": "Repository inventory for the opencode enforcement plugin and its standalone helper",
-  "version": "0.18.0",
+  "version": "0.18.1",
   "runtime": "index.mjs",
   "hooks": {
     "verify": "hooks/verify.js"

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "harness-everything",
-  "version": "0.18.0",
+  "version": "0.18.1",
   "description": "Harness OS: An Orchestrated Agent Operating System for AI-driven Development",
   "main": "harness-everything/scripts/bootstrap.js",
   "bin": {

package/plugins/harness-everything/.codex-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "harness-everything",
-  "version": "0.18.0",
+  "version": "0.18.1",
   "description": "Invariant-first engineering harness for routing, verification, and failure recovery while preserving agent autonomy.",
   "author": {
     "name": "Miya Daniel",

package/plugins/harness-everything/plugin.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "$schema": "https://agent-plugins.org/schemas/1.0.0/plugin.schema.json",
   "name": "harness-everything",
-  "version": "0.18.0",
+  "version": "0.18.1",
   "description": "Invariant-first engineering harness for routing, verification, and failure recovery while preserving agent autonomy.",
   "author": {
     "name": "Miya Daniel",

package/plugins/harness-everything/scripts/lib/advisory-text.js

@@ -15,15 +15,16 @@ const advisoryInstructions = [
   `2. For EVERY suggested skill, read its complete \`SKILL.md\` entry and evaluate applicability from \`USE FOR\`, \`DO NOT USE FOR\`, and its basic flow.`,
   `3. Treat the selected workflow topology and numeric limits as planning guidance, not a lock. Choose, combine, reorder, or skip steps when evidence supports it.`,
   `4. Prefer objective verification before declaring done and worktree isolation for broad/Tier-3 mutation.`,
-  `5. Use the routing checkpoint as source state for the first Harness Status; do not expose a competing progress format.`,
+  `5. Use the routing checkpoint only as internal source state for the first Harness Status; do not render a competing progress block.`,
   ``,
   `## 📣 USER-VISIBLE STATUS (MUST)`,
-  `For non-trivial software/project work, this semantic communication contract is mandatory even when the host integration itself is instruction-only:`,
-  `- \`Harness Status\``,
-  `- \`Current:\` what is being done now`,
-  `- \`Read/Evidence:\` important files, sources, or evidence read/confirmed`,
-  `- \`Next:\` the next intended action`,
-  `- \`Blocked/Risk:\` only when materially applicable`,
+  `For non-trivial software/project work, this semantic communication contract is mandatory even when the host integration itself is instruction-only. Render this Markdown shape:`,
+  `### 🚦 Harness Status`,
+  ``,
+  `- **Current:** <what is being done now>`,
+  `- **Read / Evidence:** <one short item inline, or nested bullets when there are multiple items>`,
+  `- **Next:** <next intended action>`,
+  `- **Risk / Blocked:** <only when materially applicable; omit otherwise>`,
   `Emit it before substantive execution, after a major phase, when direction materially changes, at meaningful long-running phase boundaries, and before final completion. This MUST does not imply a hard runtime lock.`,
   ``,
   `## 🤖 COGNITIVE COMPLIANCE`,
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ function buildCodexGlobalContent() {
     ``,
     `- Discover the environment and host capabilities before relying on them.`,
     `- For software/project work, run \`npx github:dyphn1/Harness-everything next "<summary>"\` before mutation and use the routing checkpoint as source state for the first Harness Status.`,
-    `- For non-trivial work, MUST keep the user informed with one Harness Status shape: Current, Read/Evidence, Next, plus Blocked/Risk only when material; repeat it at major phase/direction boundaries and before final completion.`,
+    `- For non-trivial work, MUST render one Markdown \`### 🚦 Harness Status\` with bullet-aligned bold \`Current\`, \`Read / Evidence\`, \`Next\`, and optional \`Risk / Blocked\`; repeat it at major phase/direction boundaries and before final completion.`,
     `- Read every suggested skill's complete \`SKILL.md\` entry before resolving applicability; do not omit it from metadata or confidence alone.`,
     `- Use the selected workflow topology as planning guidance; the model may adapt or skip steps with an explicit evidence-based reason.`,
     `- Do not impose a universal TODO/TDD/Fable sequence; use the smallest useful topology plus applicable skills.`,

package/plugins/harness-everything/skills/harness-everything/SKILL.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: "Route software/project work through the Harness kernel: classify T
 license: Apache-2.0
 metadata:
   author: Miya Daniel
-  version: 0.18.0
+  version: 0.18.1
 ---
 
 # Harness Everything
@@ -23,12 +23,12 @@ Kernel routing entry.
 2. **Verify before claim** — seek objective evidence before saying work is done.
 3. **Zoom out on repetition** — after 3 same-signature failures, use `zoom-out`.
 4. **Evaluate before omission** — read each suggested skill's `SKILL.md` before deciding applicability.
-5. **Surface status** — non-trivial work MUST use one `Harness Status`: `Current`, `Read/Evidence`, `Next`, optional `Blocked/Risk`, at major phase/direction boundaries.
+5. **Surface status** — non-trivial work MUST render `### 🚦 Harness Status` with bold bullets: `Current`, `Read / Evidence`, `Next`; optional `Risk / Blocked`.
 6. **Keep agency** — workflow state and numeric limits guide; they do not hard-stop execution.
 
 ## Workflow
 1. Reuse kernel output, or run `node "<this-skill-dir>/scripts/kernel-router.js" "<prompt summary>"`.
-2. Use the **Harness Routing Checkpoint** to populate the first Harness Status; it is not a second progress format.
+2. Keep the **Harness Routing Checkpoint** internal; never render it separately.
 3. Read each suggested `SKILL.md`; evaluate `USE FOR`, `DO NOT USE FOR`, workflow/basic flow, and hard rules.
 4. Use the selected topology as planning guidance. Choose, combine, reorder, or skip steps when evidence supports doing so.
 5. Prefer worktree isolation for broad/Tier-3 mutation and objective verification before completion.

package/plugins/harness-everything/skills/harness-everything/references/triage-and-tiers.md

@@ -151,23 +151,28 @@ Never turn mechanism/package evidence into a cross-host live-enforcement claim.
 
 ## 6. User-visible status contract
 
-For non-trivial software/project work, user-facing progress **MUST** use one stable shape across direct, iterative, Fable, and multi-agent execution:
-
-```text
-Harness Status
-- Current: <what is being done now>
-- Read/Evidence: <important files/sources/evidence read or confirmed>
-- Next: <next intended action>
-- Blocked/Risk: <only when materially applicable>
+For non-trivial software/project work, user-facing progress **MUST** use one stable Markdown shape across direct, iterative, Fable, and multi-agent execution:
+
+```md
+### 🚦 Harness Status
+
+- **Current:** <what is being done now>
+- **Read / Evidence:**
+  - <important file/source/evidence read or confirmed>
+  - <another item when multiple evidence items improve scanability>
+- **Next:** <next intended action>
+- **Risk / Blocked:** <only when materially applicable; omit otherwise>
 ```
 
+When there is only one short evidence item, keep it inline on the **Read / Evidence** bullet. Use nested bullets when multiple items would otherwise become one dense sentence.
+
 Emit it before substantive execution, after a major phase completes, when the plan/assumption/direction materially changes, at meaningful phase boundaries during long-running work, and before final completion. The final response may merge the last status naturally.
 
 This is a semantic communication MUST. It does **not** create a runtime lock, counter, reset requirement, or permission boundary. The routing checkpoint below is source state for this format, not a second competing progress template.
 
 ## 7. Routing Checkpoint
 
-For software/project work, consume this runtime state when producing the first Harness Status:
+For software/project work, consume this internal runtime state when producing the first Harness Status; do not render the checkpoint as a separate user-facing block:
 
 ```markdown
 ## 🚦 Harness Routing Checkpoint

package/plugins/harness-everything/skills/harness-everything/scripts/kernel-router-core.js

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ const { applyEnsemblePolicy } = require('./ensemble-policy');
 const INVARIANT_TEXT = {
   'scope-lock': 'Route before execution: stay inside the authorized task/repository scope.',
   'verify-before-claim': 'Verify before claim: completion claims require objective evidence appropriate to the change.',
-  'visible-status-updates': 'User-visible status is mandatory: use the single Harness Status format with Current, Read/Evidence, and Next at required phase boundaries; add Blocked/Risk only when materially applicable.',
+  'visible-status-updates': 'User-visible status is mandatory: render the single Markdown Harness Status with a visible heading, bullet-aligned bold labels, Current, Read / Evidence, and Next; add Risk / Blocked only when materially applicable.',
   'replan-after-repeated-failure': 'Re-plan on repetition: after 3 same-signature failures, stop micro-retrying and zoom out/re-diagnose.',
   'evaluate-suggestions-before-skip': 'Evaluate before skip: read each suggested skill\'s complete SKILL.md entry/basic flow before omitting it.',
   'loop-awareness': 'When iterative work runs long, remind the agent to verify assumptions or re-plan; never hard-stop on a count.',
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ function printRoutingCheckpoint(plan) {
   const invariants = Array.isArray(plan.requiredInvariants) ? plan.requiredInvariants : [];
   const suggestions = uniqueSuggestedSkills(plan);
 
-  console.log('\n=> HARNESS ROUTING CHECKPOINT (REQUIRED VISIBLE STATE):');
+  console.log('\n=> HARNESS ROUTING CHECKPOINT (INTERNAL SOURCE STATE — DO NOT RENDER SEPARATELY):');
   console.log(`   - Tier: ${displayTier(plan.tier)}`);
   console.log(`   - Strategy: ${plan.strategy || 'deferred'}`);
   console.log(`   - Required invariants: ${invariants.length ? invariants.join(', ') : 'none'}`);
@@ -169,12 +169,16 @@ function printKernelContract(plan) {
   }
 
   console.log('\n=> USER-VISIBLE HARNESS STATUS CONTRACT (MUST):');
-  console.log('   - For non-trivial software/project work, the agent MUST use one compact user-visible status format:');
-  console.log('     Harness Status');
-  console.log('     - Current: <what is being done now>');
-  console.log('     - Read/Evidence: <important files/sources/evidence read or confirmed>');
-  console.log('     - Next: <next intended action>');
-  console.log('     - Blocked/Risk: <only when materially applicable>');
+  console.log('   - For non-trivial software/project work, the agent MUST render this single Markdown status shape:');
+  console.log('     ### 🚦 Harness Status');
+  console.log('');
+  console.log('     - **Current:** <what is being done now>');
+  console.log('     - **Read / Evidence:**');
+  console.log('       - <important file/source/evidence read or confirmed>');
+  console.log('       - <another item when multiple evidence items improve scanability>');
+  console.log('     - **Next:** <next intended action>');
+  console.log('     - **Risk / Blocked:** <only when materially applicable; omit otherwise>');
+  console.log('   - Keep evidence inline when there is only one short item; use nested bullets when there are multiple items.');
   console.log('   - Emit it before substantive execution, after a major phase, when direction materially changes, at meaningful long-running phase boundaries, and before final completion (the final response may merge it naturally).');
   console.log('   - This is a semantic communication MUST, not a hard execution lock, counter, or reset condition.');
 

package/scripts/lib/advisory-text.js

@@ -15,15 +15,16 @@ const advisoryInstructions = [
   `2. For EVERY suggested skill, read its complete \`SKILL.md\` entry and evaluate applicability from \`USE FOR\`, \`DO NOT USE FOR\`, and its basic flow.`,
   `3. Treat the selected workflow topology and numeric limits as planning guidance, not a lock. Choose, combine, reorder, or skip steps when evidence supports it.`,
   `4. Prefer objective verification before declaring done and worktree isolation for broad/Tier-3 mutation.`,
-  `5. Use the routing checkpoint as source state for the first Harness Status; do not expose a competing progress format.`,
+  `5. Use the routing checkpoint only as internal source state for the first Harness Status; do not render a competing progress block.`,
   ``,
   `## 📣 USER-VISIBLE STATUS (MUST)`,
-  `For non-trivial software/project work, this semantic communication contract is mandatory even when the host integration itself is instruction-only:`,
-  `- \`Harness Status\``,
-  `- \`Current:\` what is being done now`,
-  `- \`Read/Evidence:\` important files, sources, or evidence read/confirmed`,
-  `- \`Next:\` the next intended action`,
-  `- \`Blocked/Risk:\` only when materially applicable`,
+  `For non-trivial software/project work, this semantic communication contract is mandatory even when the host integration itself is instruction-only. Render this Markdown shape:`,
+  `### 🚦 Harness Status`,
+  ``,
+  `- **Current:** <what is being done now>`,
+  `- **Read / Evidence:** <one short item inline, or nested bullets when there are multiple items>`,
+  `- **Next:** <next intended action>`,
+  `- **Risk / Blocked:** <only when materially applicable; omit otherwise>`,
   `Emit it before substantive execution, after a major phase, when direction materially changes, at meaningful long-running phase boundaries, and before final completion. This MUST does not imply a hard runtime lock.`,
   ``,
   `## 🤖 COGNITIVE COMPLIANCE`,
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ function buildCodexGlobalContent() {
     ``,
     `- Discover the environment and host capabilities before relying on them.`,
     `- For software/project work, run \`npx github:dyphn1/Harness-everything next "<summary>"\` before mutation and use the routing checkpoint as source state for the first Harness Status.`,
-    `- For non-trivial work, MUST keep the user informed with one Harness Status shape: Current, Read/Evidence, Next, plus Blocked/Risk only when material; repeat it at major phase/direction boundaries and before final completion.`,
+    `- For non-trivial work, MUST render one Markdown \`### 🚦 Harness Status\` with bullet-aligned bold \`Current\`, \`Read / Evidence\`, \`Next\`, and optional \`Risk / Blocked\`; repeat it at major phase/direction boundaries and before final completion.`,
     `- Read every suggested skill's complete \`SKILL.md\` entry before resolving applicability; do not omit it from metadata or confidence alone.`,
     `- Use the selected workflow topology as planning guidance; the model may adapt or skip steps with an explicit evidence-based reason.`,
     `- Do not impose a universal TODO/TDD/Fable sequence; use the smallest useful topology plus applicable skills.`,