create-control-manifest

v2026.09.24

Flat must-do/never-do rules sheet per system and layer, extracted from Accepted ADRs. ADRs explain why; this is actionable.

GitHub
Install command
npx skhub add donchitos/create-control-manifest
Markdown
SKILL.md

!bash "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../hooks/yaml-helper.sh" resolve_config --keys automation

Create Control Manifest

The Control Manifest is a flat, actionable rules sheet for programmers. It answers "what do I do?" and "what must I never do?" — organized by architectural layer, extracted from all Accepted ADRs, technical preferences, and engine reference docs. Where ADRs explain why, the manifest tells you what.

Output: docs/architecture/control-manifest.md

When to run: After /architecture-review passes and ADRs are in Accepted status. Re-run whenever new ADRs are accepted or existing ADRs are revised.


Every AskUserQuestion call follows .claude/docs/automation-modes.md (collaborative asks always · guided major-only · autonomous logs and proceeds; automation_always_ask categories always prompt).

1. Load All Inputs

ADRs

Establish the denominator first. Glob docs/architecture/adr-*.md. Call the count N. If N is 0: "No ADRs found — run /architecture-decision before building a control manifest." Stop.

Resolve status without reading the ADRs — the filter must precede the read, not follow it:

Grep pattern="^## Status" glob="docs/architecture/adr-*.md" output_mode="content" -A 3

Interpret against N:

ResultMeaningAction
N matches, some read AcceptedNormal.The Accepted set is A; proceed with A.
N matches, none AcceptedGenuinely no Accepted ADRs."[N] ADRs found, none Accepted. A manifest built from Proposed ADRs would encode decisions that may still change." Ask whether to proceed with Proposed or stop. Do not silently emit an empty manifest.
0 matches, N > 0Malformed ADRs — not an empty Accepted set. ## Status is BLOCKING-if-missing."[N] ADRs found, none has a ## Status section — acceptance cannot be determined. Run /architecture-decision [file] retrofit on each." Stop. Do not treat all ADRs as Accepted; do not emit a manifest.
  • Note the ADR number and title for every rule sourced.

Project Config

  • Read naming.* and performance.* from project.yaml; for any key absent or empty, fall back to .claude/docs/technical-preferences.md
  • Read approved libraries/addons and forbidden patterns from .claude/docs/technical-preferences.md (not migrated to project.yaml)

Engine Reference

  • Read docs/engine-reference/[engine]/VERSION.md for engine + version
  • Read docs/engine-reference/[engine]/deprecated-apis.md — these become forbidden API entries
  • Read docs/engine-reference/[engine]/current-best-practices.md if it exists

Report: "Loaded [N] Accepted ADRs, engine: [name + version]."


2. Extract Rules from Each ADR

Read only these four sections per Accepted ADR — not the whole file. Context, Consequences, Migration Plan and Validation Criteria explain why a decision was made; the manifest records what to do, so they are not needed here:

Grep pattern="^## (Decision|Alternatives Considered|Performance Implications|Engine Compatibility)" glob="docs/architecture/adr-*.md" output_mode="content" -A 30

Filter the results to the Accepted set A resolved above. If a section is absent for a given ADR, note it per ADR and continue; if a section is absent across all of A, report "No Accepted ADR contains a [section] section — the manifest's [category] rules will be empty. Verify this is intended." Escalate to a full read of one ADR only when its scanned sections cross-reference material outside them (e.g. a Decision that says "subject to the constraints in Context").

For each Accepted ADR, extract:

Required Patterns (from the ## Decision section)

  • Every "must", "should", "required to", "always" statement in the Decision body — including any ### Implementation Guidelines sub-heading when the ADR has one (newer ADRs emit it; older ones state mandates directly in ## Decision). Never scan for ### Implementation Guidelines alone — it is absent from many skill-authored ADRs, and scanning for it yields an empty Required Patterns section on a manifest that should have been full.
  • Every specific pattern or approach mandated

Forbidden Approaches (from "Alternatives Considered" sections)

  • Every alternative that was explicitly rejected — why it was rejected becomes the rule ("never use X because Y")
  • Any anti-patterns explicitly called out

Performance Guardrails (from "Performance Implications" section)

  • Budget constraints: "max N ms per frame for this system"
  • Memory limits: "this system must not exceed N MB"

Engine API Constraints (from "Engine Compatibility" section)

  • Post-cutoff APIs that require verification
  • Verified behaviours that differ from default LLM assumptions
  • API fields or methods that behave differently in the pinned engine version

Layer Classification

Classify each rule by the architectural layer of the system it governs:

  • Foundation: Scene management, event architecture, save/load, engine init
  • Core: Core gameplay loops, main player systems, physics/collision
  • Feature: Secondary systems, secondary mechanics, AI
  • Presentation: Rendering, audio, UI, VFX, shaders

If an ADR spans multiple layers, duplicate the rule into each relevant layer.


3. Add Global Rules

Combine rules that apply to all layers:

From project config (project.yaml, else technical-preferences.md):

  • Naming conventions — naming.*: classes, variables, signals/events, files, constants
  • Performance budgets — performance.*: target framerate, frame budget, draw call limits, memory ceiling

From deprecated-apis.md:

  • Deprecated APIs → Forbidden API entries, filtered for relevance to this project. Do not copy the deprecation table wholesale.

    Each entry must apply to what this project actually builds. deprecated-apis.md mixes dimensions and subsystems: its GodotPhysics3D → Jolt Physics 3D row is 3D-only, so emitting it unqualified gives a 2D project a global rule about a physics engine it never uses. If you cannot tell whether an entry applies — 2D vs 3D, a module the project does not include — either scope the rule ("when using 3D physics: ...") or omit it and note it as unresolved. A manifest of rules that do not apply is one nobody reads, and /create-stories consumes this file.

From current-best-practices.md (if available):

  • Engine-recommended patterns → Required entries

From technical-preferences.md forbidden patterns:

  • Copy any "Forbidden Patterns" entries directly

4. Present Rules Summary Before Writing

Before writing the manifest, present a summary to the user:

## Control Manifest Preview
Engine: [name + version]
ADRs covered: [list ADR numbers]
Total rules extracted:
  - Foundation layer: [N] required, [M] forbidden, [P] guardrails
  - Core layer: [N] required, [M] forbidden, [P] guardrails
  - Feature layer: ...
  - Presentation layer: ...
  - Global: [N] naming conventions, [M] forbidden APIs, [P] approved libraries

Use AskUserQuestion:

  • Prompt: "Does this rule summary look complete?"
  • Options:
    • [A] Yes — looks good, run the director review and write the manifest
    • [B] Add rules — I have additional rules to include before writing
    • [C] Remove rules — some extracted rules should be dropped
    • [D] Stop here — I need to review the ADRs first

4b. Director Gate — Technical Review

Review mode check — apply before spawning TD-MANIFEST:

  • solo → skip. Note: "TD-MANIFEST skipped — Solo mode." Proceed to Phase 5.
  • lean → skip. Note: "TD-MANIFEST skipped — Lean mode." Proceed to Phase 5.
  • full → spawn as normal.

Spawn technical-director via Agent using gate TD-MANIFEST (.claude/docs/director-gates/td-manifest.md).

Pass: the Control Manifest Preview from Phase 4 (rule counts per layer, full extracted rule list), the list of ADRs covered, engine version, and any rules sourced from technical-preferences.md or engine reference docs.

The technical-director reviews whether:

  • All mandatory ADR patterns are captured and accurately stated
  • Forbidden approaches are complete and correctly attributed
  • No rules were added that lack a source ADR or preference document
  • Performance guardrails are consistent with the ADR constraints

Apply the verdict:

  • APPROVE → proceed to Phase 5
  • CONCERNS → surface via AskUserQuestion with options: Revise flagged rules / Accept and proceed / Discuss further
  • REJECT → do not write the manifest; fix the flagged rules and re-present the summary

5. Write the Control Manifest

Use AskUserQuestion:

  • Prompt: "May I write the Control Manifest?"
  • Options:
    • [A] Yes — write to docs/architecture/control-manifest.md
    • [B] Show me the full draft first, then ask again
    • [C] Not yet — I want to make more changes

Format:

# Control Manifest

> **Engine**: [name + version]
> **Last Updated**: [date]
> **Manifest Version**: [date]
> **ADRs Covered**: [ADR-NNNN, ADR-MMMM, ...]
> **Status**: [Active — regenerate with `/create-control-manifest update` when ADRs change]

`Manifest Version` is the date this manifest was generated. Story files embed
this date when created. `/story-readiness` compares a story's embedded version
to this field to detect stories written against stale rules. Always matches
`Last Updated` — they are the same date, serving different consumers.

This manifest is a programmer's quick-reference extracted from all Accepted ADRs,
technical preferences, and engine reference docs. For the reasoning behind each
rule, see the referenced ADR.

---

## Foundation Layer Rules

*Applies to: scene management, event architecture, save/load, engine initialisation*

### Required Patterns
- **[rule]** — source: [ADR-NNNN]
- **[rule]** — source: [ADR-NNNN]

### Forbidden Approaches
- **Never [anti-pattern]** — [brief reason] — source: [ADR-NNNN]

### Performance Guardrails
- **[system]**: max [N]ms/frame — source: [ADR-NNNN]

---

## Core Layer Rules

*Applies to: core gameplay loop, main player systems, physics, collision*

### Required Patterns
...

### Forbidden Approaches
...

### Performance Guardrails
...

---

## Feature Layer Rules

*Applies to: secondary mechanics, AI systems, secondary features*

### Required Patterns
...

### Forbidden Approaches
...

---

## Presentation Layer Rules

*Applies to: rendering, audio, UI, VFX, shaders, animations*

### Required Patterns
...

### Forbidden Approaches
...

---

## Global Rules (All Layers)

### Naming Conventions
| Element | Convention | Example |
|---------|-----------|---------|
| Classes | [from naming.* in project.yaml, else technical-preferences.md] | [example] |
| Variables | [from naming.* in project.yaml, else technical-preferences.md] | [example] |
| Signals/Events | [from naming.* in project.yaml, else technical-preferences.md] | [example] |
| Files | [from naming.* in project.yaml, else technical-preferences.md] | [example] |
| Constants | [from naming.* in project.yaml, else technical-preferences.md] | [example] |

### Performance Budgets
| Target | Value |
|--------|-------|
| Framerate | [from performance.* in project.yaml, else technical-preferences.md] |
| Frame budget | [from performance.* in project.yaml, else technical-preferences.md] |
| Draw calls | [from performance.* in project.yaml, else technical-preferences.md] |
| Memory ceiling | [from performance.* in project.yaml, else technical-preferences.md] |

### Approved Libraries / Addons
- [library] — approved for [purpose]

### Forbidden APIs ([engine version])
These APIs are deprecated or unverified for [engine + version]:
- `[api name]` — deprecated since [version] / unverified post-cutoff
- Source: `docs/engine-reference/[engine]/deprecated-apis.md`

### Cross-Cutting Constraints
- [constraint that applies everywhere, regardless of layer]

6. Suggest Next Steps

After writing the manifest:

  • If epics/stories don't exist yet: "Run /create-epics layer: foundation then /create-stories [epic-slug] — programmers can now use this manifest when writing story implementation notes."
  • If this is a regeneration (manifest already existed): "Updated. Recommend notifying the team of changed rules — especially any new Forbidden entries."

Collaborative Protocol

Applies in collaborative mode (the default). For guided and autonomous modes, see .claude/docs/automation-modes.md — the rules below describe what collaborative mode requires, not universal behavior.

  1. Load silently — read all inputs before presenting anything
  2. Show the summary first — let the user see the scope before writing
  3. Ask before writing — always confirm before creating or overwriting the manifest. On write: Verdict: COMPLETE — control manifest written. On decline: Verdict: BLOCKED — user declined write.
  4. Source every rule — never add a rule that doesn't trace to an ADR, a technical preference, or an engine reference doc
  5. No interpretation — extract rules as stated in ADRs; do not paraphrase in ways that change meaning
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Version

v2026.09.24

Published

Sep 24, 2026

Category

Uncategorized

License

MIT

Source path

.claude/skills/create-control-manifest

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main

Latest commit

7ed2c3e

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163640a