Codex compatibility note:

• Invoke repository skills with $skill-name in Codex; this mirrored copy rewrites legacy Claude /skill-name references.
• Task tracker mandate: BEFORE executing any workflow or skill step, create/update task tracking for all steps and keep it synchronized as progress changes.
• User-question prompts mean to ask the user directly in Codex.
• Ignore Claude-specific mode-switch instructions when they appear.
• Strict execution contract: when a user explicitly invokes a skill, execute that skill protocol as written.
• Subagent authorization: when a skill is user-invoked or AI-detected and its protocol requires subagents, that skill activation authorizes use of the required spawn_agent subagent(s) for that task.
• Do not skip, reorder, or merge protocol steps unless the user explicitly approves the deviation first.
• For workflow skills, execute each listed child-skill step explicitly and report step-by-step evidence.
• If a required step/tool cannot run in this environment, stop and ask the user before adapting.

Codex Project-Reference Loading (No Hooks)

Codex uses static project-reference loading instead of runtime-injected project docs. When coding, planning, debugging, testing, or reviewing, open project docs explicitly using this routing.

Always read:

• docs/project-config.json (project-specific paths, commands, modules, and workflow/test settings)
• docs/project-reference/docs-index-reference.md (routes to the full docs/project-reference/* catalog)
• docs/project-reference/lessons.md (always-on guardrails and anti-patterns)

Missing/stale context route: If docs/project-config.json, the docs index, lessons.md, CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, or any task-required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run $project-init or the narrow setup route ($project-config, $docs-init, $scan-all, $scan --target=<key>, $claude-md-init) before ordinary project-specific work. If Codex mirrors or AGENTS.md are missing/stale, ask the user to run $sync-codex; do not auto-run it.

Situation-based docs:

• Project structure/architecture/tech-stack/deployment/setup (any layer — backend, frontend, or infra): project-structure-reference.md
• Backend/CQRS/API/domain/entity changes: backend-patterns-reference.md, domain-entities-reference.md
• Frontend/UI/styling/design-system: frontend-patterns-reference.md, scss-styling-guide.md, design-system/README.md
• Spec authoring, docs/specs/ pathing, or TC format: feature-spec-reference.md, spec-system-reference.md, spec-principles.md
• Behavior/public-contract changes or spec-test-code sync: workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md plus the spec docs above
• Derived spec indexes/ERDs/reimplementation guides: spec-system-reference.md and source Feature Specs under docs/specs/
• Integration test implementation/review: integration-test-reference.md
• E2E test implementation/review: e2e-test-reference.md
• Code review/audit work: code-review-rules.md plus domain docs above based on changed files

Do not read all docs blindly. Start from docs-index-reference.md, then open only relevant files for the task.

[BLOCKING] Execute skill steps in declared order. NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval. [BLOCKING] Before each step or sub-skill call, update task tracking: set in_progress when step starts, set completed when step ends. [BLOCKING] Every completed/skipped step MUST include brief evidence or explicit skip reason. [BLOCKING] If Task tools are unavailable, create and maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with the same status transitions.

Quick Summary

Goal: Produce a structured, tech-agnostic UI/UX design specification from a requirement/PBI/story/wireframe so a developer can rebuild the UI on ANY stack — every component, state, design token, responsive rule, and accessibility need documented and linked back to the governing Feature Spec.

Summary (read this if nothing else — PURPOSE + every main step):

• Purpose — translate requirements into a developer-ready UI/UX spec (component inventory, states, design tokens, responsive behavior, accessibility), tech-agnostic: name components by UX role, never by framework/library class.
• Step 0–0b — research first: inventory existing related screens/components + map connected flows, record in §1 so the spec matches the live UI system; if a governing Feature Spec exists, seed from its §6 interaction surface and reuse its view + observable-state vocabulary verbatim. — why: divergent vocabulary breaks the navigable spec↔design hub.
• Step 1–2 — read & route input, set complexity: Figma URL → $figma-design; image/screenshot → visual analysis tooling; wireframe/sketch → --mode=wireframe; PBI/text → extract requirements. Pick Quick Spec (§1–4) vs Full Spec (§1–7, +Flow Diagram for multi-page).
• Step 3–6 — author the body: build component inventory (new vs existing), define all 7 states + interactions, extract design tokens (reuse design-system), document responsive breakpoints (mobile 320–767 / tablet 768–1023 / desktop 1024+).
• Step 7–8 — save & link back: write the artifact to team-artifacts/design-specs/, then set the governing Feature Spec's design_spec:/mockup: frontmatter to the saved path — frontmatter only, never the §1–8 body. — why: artifact-review --type=design fails if the path is not recorded.

Workflow:

1. Read Source — Extract UI requirements from PBI, story, or Figma URL
2. Determine Complexity — Quick Spec (sections 1-4) vs Full Spec (all 7 sections)
3. Build Component Inventory — List new vs existing components
4. Define States & Tokens — Interactions, design tokens, responsive breakpoints
5. Save Artifact — Output to team-artifacts/design-specs/

Key Rules:

• If Figma URL provided → auto-routes to $figma-design for context extraction
• If wireframe image provided (hand-drawn/digital/tool-export) → handled internally via --mode=wireframe (see "Mode: wireframe" below)
• If screenshot provided → uses visual analysis tooling for design extraction
• Reference existing design system tokens from docs/project-reference/design-system/
• Component patterns: docs/project-reference/frontend-patterns-reference.md
• Include accessibility requirements (keyboard nav, ARIA labels, contrast)
• [BLOCKING] Tech-agnostic output: spec prose/headings follow docs/project-reference/spec-principles.md §3 — describe components by UX role, not framework/library names; source paths and class names appear ONLY in evidence fields (**Evidence**, [Source:]), frontmatter, and Mermaid.

Be skeptical. Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence percentages (Idea should be more than 80%).

Design Specification

Create structured UI/UX design specification documents from requirements or PBIs for developer handoff.

When to Use

• A PBI or user story needs a design spec before implementation
• Translating requirements into concrete UI layout, states, and tokens
• Documenting component inventory and interaction patterns
• Creating responsive breakpoint specifications

When NOT to Use

• This skill auto-routes Figma URLs to $figma-design; wireframes are handled internally via --mode=wireframe — no need to call a separate skill
• Building the actual UI -- use design --lane=marketing (marketing/creative) or design --lane=product (product UIs)
• Reviewing existing UI code -- use web-design-guidelines

Prerequisites

Read before executing:

• The source PBI, user story, or requirements document
• docs/project-reference/design-system/ -- project design tokens (if applicable)
• Existing design specs in team-artifacts/design-specs/ for format consistency

Frontend/UI Context

When this task involves frontend or UI changes,

• Frontend patterns: docs/project-reference/frontend-patterns-reference.md
• Styling/BEM guide: docs/project-reference/scss-styling-guide.md
• Design system tokens: docs/project-reference/design-system/README.md

Workflow

[BLOCKING] Step 0 — Inventory existing UI + map connected flows (per the SYNC:existing-ui-research protocol carried by this skill). Before authoring the spec, inventory the existing related screens / components / pages already serving this feature or domain, and map every connected feature flow that links to / embeds / navigates to-or-from the new screen. Record the matched screens + flows in §1 Overview so the spec faithfully matches the current UI system. Skip only for backend-only work (state it explicitly).

[BLOCKING] Step 0b — Seed from the governing Feature Spec's §6 interaction surface (when one exists). Detect whether a canonical Feature Spec already governs this feature (look under docs/specs/** for a spec covering the same capability). If one exists, READ its §6 Process Flows & Interaction Surface — the View Inventory (§6.2), Navigation Map (§6.3), Key UI States (§6.4), and Per-Story Interaction Flow (§6.5) — and use it as this design-spec's starting frame:

• Reuse the spec's vocabulary verbatim — carry over the SAME UX-role view names from §6.2 and the SAME observable-state names from §6.4 (the Default / Loading / Disabled / Error / Empty / Success vocabulary in this skill's "Observable State Definitions" table is the shared language). NEVER rename or re-partition what the spec already named — the two artifacts MUST speak the same language or the navigable hub breaks.
• Deepen, do not diverge or contradict. The spec stays tech-agnostic; this design-spec is the companion that adds visual fidelity (layout, tokens, pixel detail) ON TOP of the spec's intent. Map each §6.5 step and each §6.4 state into concrete visual treatment, preserving the US-/OP-/BR- logical-ID cross-refs the spec already owns.
• This coupling is the SYNC:ui-intent-layer contract carried below — see that block for the full rule; do not restate it here.

Skip ONLY when no governing Feature Spec exists (author the interaction frame from the source PBI/story instead) — state which case applies.

1. Read source input & route by type

   Input Detected	Detection	Action
   Figma URL	figma.com/design or figma.com/file in text	Activate $figma-design to extract context, then continue
   Image/screenshot	Image file attached to prompt	Use visual analysis tooling to extract design guidelines, then continue
   Hand-drawn wireframe	Image + "wireframe"/"sketch" keyword	Run --mode=wireframe (internal — see "Mode: wireframe" section)
   PBI/story text	Acceptance criteria present	Extract UI requirements from text, continue
   Verbal/text requirements	No image, no URL, no PBI	Clarify with user, then continue

For ANY visual input: extract design context FIRST, then proceed to spec generation.

2. Determine spec complexity

   IF single form or simple component → Quick Spec (sections 1-4 only)
   IF full page or multi-component view → Full Spec (all 7 sections)
   IF multi-page flow → Full Spec + Flow Diagram
   

3. Build component inventory

   • List all UI components needed
   • Identify reusable vs feature-specific components
   • Note existing components from shared component library or design system

4. Define states and interactions

   • Default, hover, active, disabled, error, loading, empty states
   • User interactions (click, drag, keyboard shortcuts)
   • Transitions and animations

5. Extract design tokens

   • Colors, typography, spacing, shadows, border-radius
   • Reference existing design system tokens where possible

6. Document responsive behavior

   • Mobile (320-767px), Tablet (768-1023px), Desktop (1024px+)
   • What changes at each breakpoint (layout, visibility, sizing)
   • Small-screen minimum bar (spec it explicitly): the layout MUST stay usable on mobile. Preferred = reflow (rows flex-wrap / row → column, grids collapse to one column). Where a component genuinely can't reflow (data tables, canvases, wide grids), specify a min-width/min-height + overflow: auto scroll as the accepted fallback — scrolling is OK. Hard requirement = nothing broken (no clipped, cut-off, or unreachable content/controls). If a component needs a large redesign to work on mobile, flag it for the user rather than assuming a rewrite.

7. Save artifact — pick the filename variant by artifact type:

   • Design spec: team-artifacts/design-specs/{YYMMDD}-designspec-{feature-slug}.md
   • Accessibility audit: team-artifacts/design-specs/{YYMMDD}-ux-audit-{feature-slug}.md
   • Single-component doc: team-artifacts/design-specs/{YYMMDD}-ux-component-{component-name}.md

8. Link back to the governing Feature Spec (when one exists). After saving the artifact, keep the spec the navigable hub: open the governing Feature Spec under docs/specs/** and set its frontmatter design_spec: key to this design-spec's saved path (add the key if absent, update it if stale). If a mockup was also produced (e.g. via $pbi-mockup), set the mockup: key the same way. Edit frontmatter only — never touch the §1–§8 spec body. This satisfies the artifact-review --type=design link-back gate, which fails when a design-spec exists but its path is not recorded in the spec's design_spec: frontmatter. Skip ONLY when no governing Feature Spec exists (the design-spec is standalone) — state that.

Role Context & Artifact Path (canonical)

Applies to Writes under team-artifacts/design-specs/.

• Active Role: ui-ux-designer · Skill: design-spec
• Path: team-artifacts/design-specs/ · Type: designspec · Role token: ux
• Template: .claude/docs/team-artifacts/templates/design-spec-template.md
• Naming: {YYMMDD}-ux-{type}-{slug}.md (general artifact-path pattern: {YYMMDD}-{role}-{type}-{slug}.md)
• Context: DESIGN SPEC — include component states, design tokens, accessibility requirements.
• Quality checklist: - [ ] All states documented · - [ ] Design tokens specified · - [ ] Accessibility notes included · - [ ] Responsive breakpoints defined

Mode: wireframe (image → spec)

Invoke with --mode=wireframe (or whenever a hand-drawn wireframe, digital wireframe, or UI sketch is the input). This mode is an INPUT adapter: it analyzes the image, then flows into the normal spec sections (Output Format) and the M1-M5/M7 compliance gate. design-spec is the canonical owner of wireframe→spec conversion.

Input Routing (wireframe)

Wireframe Analysis

Use visual analysis tooling with these prompts:

Prompt 1: Layout Extraction — "Analyze this wireframe image. Identify: (1) page layout regions (header, sidebar, main, footer), (2) all UI elements with approximate position and type (button, input, table, card, dropdown, modal, tabs), (3) content hierarchy (what is primary vs secondary), (4) interactive elements, (5) any text labels or annotations, (6) navigation patterns."

Prompt 2: Component Identification — "From the wireframe, list every distinct UI component. For each: name it descriptively, classify its complexity (primitive=single element, composite=grouped elements, section=page region), note its purpose."

Wireframe Output Generation

After image analysis, generate (per the SYNC:ui-wireframe-protocol block below):

1. ASCII Wireframe — Recreate layout using box-drawing characters
2. Component Inventory — List with tier classification (Common/Domain-Shared/Page)
3. States Table — Default, Loading, Empty, Error per view
4. Component Decomposition Tree — If detail level warrants (refine/story)
5. Responsive Suggestions — Based on layout complexity

Apply the M1-M5/M7 Compliance for UI Specs gate (below) to all wireframe-derived prose: business-level component names, no code-prop refs, map to feature logic by logical ID, observable state transitions, rebuild-from-spec, business-visible subject matter.

Wireframe-derived specs carry the same Design-Principles Obligations (below): the States Table (item 3) is authored empty/loading/error FIRST (UI-1.5) and covers all 5 interaction states per interactive element (UI-5.2); the Responsive Suggestions (item 5) break where the CONTENT breaks, not at device names (UI-4.4); and where the sketch is silent on type scale, spacing unit, or contrast (UI-2.5, UI-4.1, UI-3.1), record them in §4 as [UNVERIFIED — needs design-system mapping] rather than inventing one-off values measured off the drawing.

Mapped Business Operations

Emit this table linking each interactive component to the feature operations/rules it drives (logical ID is the primary spine; mark [UNVERIFIED — needs feature-spec mapping] when the wireframe alone cannot determine it):

Wireframe Output Formats

• Format A: PBI Section (default) — output a standalone ## UI Layout section compatible with PBI/story templates (consumed by $pbi-mockup).
• Format B: Standalone Spec — output to team-artifacts/design-specs/{YYMMDD}-wireframe-spec-{slug}.md.

Confidence & Review (wireframe)

• Always display confidence level for wireframe interpretation (analysis is 70-80% accurate).
• Always recommend human review before proceeding to implementation.
• If confidence <70%: ask clarifying questions about ambiguous elements by asking the user directly.

Output Format

# Design Spec: {Feature Name}

**Source:** {PBI/story reference}
**Date:** {YYMMDD}
**Status:** Draft | Review | Approved

## 1. Overview

{1-2 sentence summary of what this UI does}

## 2. Component Inventory

| Component | Type     | Source           | Notes                       |
| --------- | -------- | ---------------- | --------------------------- |
| UserCard  | New      | Feature-specific | Displays user avatar + name |
| DataTable | Existing | shared library   | Reuse with custom columns   |

## 3. Layout

{Description or ASCII wireframe of layout structure}

- Desktop: {layout description}
- Tablet: {layout changes}
- Mobile: {layout changes}

## 4. Design Tokens

| Token      | Value          | Usage                 |
| ---------- | -------------- | --------------------- |
| $primary   | #1976D2        | Action buttons, links |
| $text-body | 14px/1.5 Inter | Body text             |
| $gap-md    | 16px           | Section spacing       |

## 5. States & Interactions

| Element  | Default    | Hover      | Active     | Disabled         | Error |
| -------- | ---------- | ---------- | ---------- | ---------------- | ----- |
| Save btn | Blue/white | Darken 10% | Scale 0.98 | Gray/50% opacity | --    |

## 6. Accessibility

- Keyboard navigation order
- ARIA labels for interactive elements
- Color contrast compliance notes

## 7. Open Questions

- {Any unresolved design decisions}

Design-Principles Obligations (per spec section)

The spec is where the 40 UI/UX Design Principles (UI-1.1–UI-9.4, the SYNC:ui-ux-design-principles block below) become INHERITABLE — a downstream implementer builds what the spec SAYS, so an unstated clause is an unbuilt clause. Every spec this skill emits MUST carry these obligations in the named Output Format sections. Project design-system docs OUTRANK the clauses; a genuine conflict is surfaced to the user with both sides, NEVER resolved silently.

Keep every clause obligation written in observable UX language so it survives the M1-M5/M7 gate below — state the visible outcome, never a CSS property or framework prop.

Skip ONLY when the feature has no user-facing surface — state that explicitly so the skip is auditable, not an omission.

M1-M5/M7 Compliance for UI Specs

See .claude/skills/shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md → "AI-SDD Mandates (M1-M7)" for BLOCKING criteria. A UI spec MUST satisfy these before handoff:

• M1 — Business-level component names. Name every component by its UX role — Primary Button, Secondary Button, Modal Dialog, Data Table, Dropdown, Toast — NEVER by a framework component class name or library import. FAIL on tech-term prose.
• M2 — No code-prop refs in prose. Describe behavior and appearance in plain UX language. NEVER reference component-state props, CSS class names, framework directives, or selectors in prose. Those belong only in **Evidence**/[Source:] carriers, frontmatter, and Mermaid.
• M3 — Cross-reference by logical ID. For every behavior driven by feature logic, cite the driving operation or rule by its logical ID (OP-/BR-/FR-) — link UI behavior back to the feature spec, not to handler code. Keep any [Source: namespace/service/id] abstract anchor strictly in the Evidence carrier — never physical code coordinates or repository-root paths.
• M4 — Testable, unambiguous behavior. Every state and interaction MUST have exactly one valid interpretation and an observable completion marker. Replace vague phrases ("handle appropriately", "show feedback") with the concrete observable result.
• M5 — Rebuild-from-spec. A reader with zero codebase knowledge MUST be able to rebuild this UI on ANY framework from the spec alone. If a marker is only resolvable by reading source, it fails M5 — restate it as a visual/textual observable.
• M7 — Business-visibility. A UI spec is a business-tree artifact, so apply the demo test to each case's BODY: "what would a stakeholder SEE change?" — no answer → FAIL as TECHNICAL-ONLY. Every Given = a state a user could arrange; every When = an action a user could take; every Then = an outcome a user could see. FAIL a When that is an invocation (a handler runs, a consumer receives, a job fires, data syncs) or a Then asserting schema/type/nullability/call-count. Judge the BODY, never the title or ID. ⚠️ A UI state a user can SEE is business and PASSES M7 — a spinner, an empty placeholder, an error border, a disabled control are all demoable outcomes, not technical cases. Only invocation-shaped or schema-asserting cases fail.

M1 vs M7 — they are not the same gate. M1 governs vocabulary; M7 governs subject matter. A technical case in impeccably tech-free prose satisfies M1 while violating M7 — "the view correctly reflects the synchronized record" names no framework, passes M1, and is still a technical case wearing a business costume. That gap is the most common way business specs rot. Ask what a user could SEE, not which words were used.

Observable State Definitions

Define every state by what a user can SEE (color, icon, position, text), the business meaning, and the operation/rule that triggers it — NEVER by CSS class or component-state prop:

Component States Checklist

Every interactive component MUST document all 7 states by their observable appearance and business meaning — never by CSS class or framework prop (see M2):

• Default — resting appearance; action available to the actor
• Hover — pointer-over affordance change (cursor / elevation / color shift)
• Active — pressed/engaged feedback during interaction
• Focus — keyboard-focus indicator (visible ring/outline) for a11y traversal
• Disabled — muted/non-interactive; precondition or permission not met
• Error — validation/operation failure with inline message + alert affordance
• Loading — in-progress indicator (spinner / skeleton); control non-interactive

Accessibility Audit (WCAG 2.1 AA)

For an accessibility-audit deliverable, produce this checklist report and save it as {YYMMDD}-ux-audit-{feature-slug}.md:

## Accessibility Audit: {Feature}

**Date:** {Date}
**Auditor:** {Name}
**Standard:** WCAG 2.1 AA

### Criteria Checklist

#### Perceivable

- [ ] 1.1.1 Non-text Content: Alt text for images
- [ ] 1.3.1 Info and Relationships: Semantic HTML
- [ ] 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence: Logical reading order
- [ ] 1.4.1 Use of Color: Not sole means of conveying info
- [ ] 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum): 4.5:1 text, 3:1 large text
- [ ] 1.4.4 Resize Text: Readable at 200% zoom
- [ ] 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast: 3:1 for UI components

#### Operable

- [ ] 2.1.1 Keyboard: All functions keyboard accessible
- [ ] 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap: Can navigate away
- [ ] 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks: Skip navigation available
- [ ] 2.4.3 Focus Order: Logical tab sequence
- [ ] 2.4.4 Link Purpose: Clear from link text
- [ ] 2.4.6 Headings and Labels: Descriptive
- [ ] 2.4.7 Focus Visible: Clear focus indicator

#### Understandable

- [ ] 3.1.1 Language of Page: lang attribute set
- [ ] 3.2.1 On Focus: No unexpected context change
- [ ] 3.2.2 On Input: No unexpected context change
- [ ] 3.3.1 Error Identification: Clear error messages
- [ ] 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions: Form labels present

#### Robust

- [ ] 4.1.1 Parsing: Valid HTML
- [ ] 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value: ARIA where needed

### Issues Found

| #   | Criterion | Issue | Severity | Recommendation |
| --- | --------- | ----- | -------- | -------------- |
| 1   |           |       | P1/P2/P3 |                |

### Audit Status: PASS / FAIL / CONDITIONAL

**Remediation Priority:**
{List items by severity}

Examples

Example 1: Simple form spec

Input: "Design spec for customer onboarding form"

Output: Quick Spec with sections 1-4 covering form fields (name, email, company name, plan-tier dropdown), validation rules, submit/cancel actions, and mobile stacking behavior.

Example 2: Complex dashboard spec

Input: "Design spec for order pipeline dashboard with drag-and-drop columns"

Output: Full Spec covering Kanban board layout, order cards (component inventory), drag-and-drop interactions, column states (empty, populated, over-limit), filter bar, responsive collapse to list view on mobile, and accessibility for keyboard drag operations.

Related Skills

Workflow Recommendation

MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — NO EXCEPTIONS: If you are NOT already in a workflow, you MUST ATTENTION use ask the user directly to ask the user. Do NOT judge task complexity or decide this is "simple enough to skip" — the user decides whether to use a workflow, not you:

1. Run the design sequence (Recommended) — $design-spec → $design --lane=product (product UIs) or $design --lane=marketing (marketing/creative) → $workflow-review-changes
2. Execute $design-spec directly — run this skill standalone

[IMPORTANT] Use task tracking to break ALL work into small tasks BEFORE starting — including tasks for each file read. This prevents context loss from long files. For simple tasks, AI MUST ATTENTION ask user whether to skip.

[BLOCKING] Understand the existing UI before you design or spec a new/updated screen. Before producing any wireframe, mockup, screen design, or UI spec:

1. Inventory existing related UI — search the project for screens, pages, and components already serving this feature or its domain (consult design-system docs + the real component inventory).
2. Map connected flows — identify every feature that links to, embeds, includes, or navigates to/from the new screen; trace its entry and exit flows so the new screen fits them.
3. Reuse before invent — prefer existing components, patterns, and layout conventions; justify any new component against what already exists.
4. Record findings — note the matched existing screens/components + connected flows in the artifact so downstream design faithfully matches the current UI system.

Skip ONLY when the feature is backend-only (no UI) — state that explicitly.

[BLOCKING] Capture a tech-agnostic UI/UX intent layer in every UI-bearing spec — a reader must be able to visualize how the feature works without naming any technology. When the feature has a user interface, the spec MUST ATTENTION carry an interaction-surface section so the application — not just its API — can be rebuilt on any stack:

1. View Inventory — list each view/screen by its UX ROLE and purpose (e.g. "list of items", "item editor", "confirmation step") and what information it presents. Describe by role, never by an implementation name.
2. Navigation Map — how a user moves between views: entry points, transitions, and exits. Trace how this surface connects to neighboring features already in the system.
3. Key observable UI States — the distinct states a user can observe per view (empty, loading, populated, error, success, permission-denied, etc.) — described as what the user perceives, not how it is rendered.
4. Per-story interaction flow — for each user story, the step-by-step click/action path from intent to outcome, cross-referenced to the logical IDs the spec already owns (US-/OP-/BR-).
5. Couple to the companion design artifact — keep deep visual fidelity (layout, tokens, pixel detail) OUT of the spec; it lives in the linked design-spec/mockup. Record that companion's path in the spec frontmatter so the spec stays the navigable hub.

M1-clean (NON-NEGOTIABLE): the prose names ZERO frameworks, routes/URLs, CSS, or component-class names — only roles, information, states, and flows. Technology detail belongs in the companion design artifact, never here.

Skip ONLY when the feature is backend-only (no UI) — state that reason explicitly in the section.

AI Mistake Prevention — Failure modes to avoid on every task:

Re-read files after context changes. Context compaction, resume, or long-running work can make memory stale; verify current files before acting. Verify generated content against source evidence. AI hallucinates APIs, names, claims, and document facts. Check the relevant source before documenting or referencing. Check downstream references before deleting or renaming. Removing an artifact can stale docs, generated mirrors, configs, and callers; map references first. Trace the full impact chain after edits. Changing a definition can miss derived outputs and consumers. Follow the affected chain before declaring done. Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first. One green check is not all green checks; validate every output surface the change can affect. Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing OR flagging one as a defect. Before changing or reporting a constant, limit, flag, cutoff, wording, or pattern, read nearby context and history, the CALLER's ordering, and 2+ sibling call sites of the same convention. A doc stating WHAT without WHY is missing rationale, not proof of a missing guard. Surface ambiguity before acting — don't pick silently. Multiple valid interpretations require an explicit question or stated assumption with risk. Assert the outcome your system owns, not the intermediate state your infrastructure owns. When verifying async work, assert the final business state — never the delivery/retry bookkeeping held in shared infrastructure that any co-running process can write. Such a check passes when run alone and flakes the moment anything else shares that infrastructure. Keep shared guidance role-relevant. Universal guidance must help every receiving skill or agent; code-specific obligations belong only in code-specific protocols.

UI System Context — For ANY task touching .ts, .html, .scss, or .css files:

MUST ATTENTION READ before implementing:

1. docs/project-reference/frontend-patterns-reference.md — component base classes, stores, forms
2. docs/project-reference/scss-styling-guide.md — BEM methodology, SCSS variables, mixins, responsive
3. docs/project-reference/design-system/README.md — design tokens, component inventory, icons

Reference docs/project-config.json for project-specific paths.

UI/UX Design Principles (Rev 1.0 — 40 clauses, web + mobile) — the working rule set for ANY task that designs, plans, implements, or reviews a user interface. Applies to BOTH platforms unless a clause names one (§8 is mobile/touch). Cite clauses by ID: UI-3.1, UI-8.2.

Precedence: project design-system / SCSS / frontend-pattern docs OUTRANK these clauses; these clauses outrank generic taste. A genuine conflict is SURFACED to the user with both sides — NEVER resolved silently. — why: the project's own recorded decision is the authority; these clauses are the default when it is silent.

1.0 Visual Hierarchy & Layout

• UI-1.1 One focal point per screen. Two elements competing for first read → demote one.
• UI-1.2 Signal order: size → weight → colour → position. Use the cheapest signal that works before adding another.
• UI-1.3 Group by proximity, NEVER by border. Whitespace separates cleanly; boxes inside boxes do not.
• UI-1.4 Align to a shared edge. Every unexplained indent reads as an accident.
• UI-1.5 Design the empty, loading and error state FIRST. The full state is the easy one.

2.0 Typography

• UI-2.1 Max 2 families, 3 weights each. More variety reads as inconsistency, not range.
• UI-2.2 Body text 16px web, 17px mobile. NEVER below 14px for anything a user must read.
• UI-2.3 Line length 45–75 characters. Constrain the measure, not the container.
• UI-2.4 Leading scales inversely with size: 1.5 body, 1.1–1.2 display.
• UI-2.5 Fixed type scale — 6 named steps shared with engineering. NEVER one-off sizes.

3.0 Colour & Contrast

• UI-3.1 Contrast 4.5:1 text, 3:1 UI edges. Measure it — NEVER judge by eye on a bright screen.
• UI-3.2 One accent, one job. An accent that is everywhere points at nothing.
• UI-3.3 Colour NEVER carries meaning alone — pair it with an icon, label or position.
• UI-3.4 Dark mode is NOT inverted light mode. Lift surfaces to signal elevation; soften pure-white text.

4.0 Spacing & Grid

• UI-4.1 One spacing unit, multiplied — 4px or 8px base; every gap a multiple of it.
• UI-4.2 Space belongs to the container, not the child. Use gap; reserve margins for exceptions.
• UI-4.3 Tighter inside, looser between — inner padding always smaller than the gap to the next group.
• UI-4.4 Breakpoints follow content, not devices. Break where the layout stops working.

5.0 Interaction & Feedback

• UI-5.1 Every action gets a response under 100ms, even when the result takes longer.
• UI-5.2 Specify all 5 states — default, hover, focus, active, disabled — plus loading where it applies.
• UI-5.3 Prefer undo over confirmation. Confirm ONLY what cannot be reversed.
• UI-5.4 Motion clarifies cause and effect: 150–250ms, ease-out, honours reduced-motion.
• UI-5.5 Keep the visible focus ring. Restyle it if it clashes; NEVER remove it.

6.0 Navigation & IA

• UI-6.1 Every screen answers: where am I, what's here, where next.
• UI-6.2 Max 5 top-level destinations. Depth beats a crowded first level.
• UI-6.3 Label by the user's word, not the internal one. Team vocabulary is not a taxonomy.
• UI-6.4 Every state deserves a URL or a back path. Deep links and hardware back must land somewhere sensible.

7.0 Forms & Input

• UI-7.1 Ask for less. Every field needs a reason it exists today.
• UI-7.2 Labels stay visible. Placeholders are hints, NEVER labels.
• UI-7.3 Validate on blur, not on keystroke. Errors sit next to the field and say how to fix it.
• UI-7.4 Match keyboard to data type — correct input type, autocomplete and autocapitalise on every field.
• UI-7.5 NEVER lose entered data. Preserve input across errors, navigation and refresh.

8.0 Mobile & Touch (mobile/touch surfaces)

• UI-8.1 Hit target ≥44×44pt, 8px apart. The target may exceed the visible icon.
• UI-8.2 Primary actions in the bottom third — that is where the thumb lives.
• UI-8.3 Gestures are shortcuts, NEVER the only route. Anything swipeable is also tappable.
• UI-8.4 Respect safe areas and the keyboard. Notch, home indicator and on-screen keyboard all steal space.

9.0 Speed & Perceived Speed

• UI-9.1 Show structure before data — skeletons for known layouts, spinners only for unknown waits.
• UI-9.2 Assume success optimistically. Update UI first, reconcile after, roll back visibly on failure.
• UI-9.3 Reserve space for anything that loads. Images, ads and fonts must NEVER shift the layout.
• UI-9.4 Design for the slow connection. Offline, timeout and retry are states, NOT edge cases.

Apply by role — the clauses are one set; what you DO with them depends on the task:

Role	Obligation
DESIGN / PLAN a surface	Clauses shape the artifact: empty/loading/error specified first (UI-1.5), all 5 states enumerated (UI-5.2), type scale + spacing unit declared (UI-2.5, UI-4.1)
IMPLEMENT a component	Pre-completion gate: states · tokens · contrast · focus ring · touch target · reserved space (UI-5.2, UI-2.5/UI-4.1, UI-3.1, UI-5.5, UI-8.1, UI-9.3)
REVIEW UI code or a design artifact	Each clause is a fail-condition; every finding cites UI-<clause> + file:line + severity. NEVER a tick-box sweep — one focused pass per section
SCAN / document a UI system	Record where the PROJECT deliberately deviates, so the overriding doc becomes the recorded authority

Skip ONLY when the change has no user-facing surface (backend-only, tooling, docs) — state that explicitly so the skip is auditable, not an omission.

UI Wireframe Protocol — Wireframe-to-implementation flow: (1) Process design input (Figma/screenshot/sketch via visual analysis tooling). (2) Create ASCII wireframe with box-drawing chars. (3) Build component inventory with tier classification (Common/Domain-Shared/Page). (4) Document states (Default/Loading/Empty/Error). (5) Map to design tokens. (6) Define responsive breakpoints. Search existing component libraries before creating new. Progressive detail by skill level (idea=sketch, story=full tree+specs).

Critical Thinking Mindset — Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act. Anti-hallucination: Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination.

• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION read frontend-patterns-reference, scss-styling-guide, design-system/README before any UI change. <!-- /SYNC:ui-system-context:reminder -->

• MUST ATTENTION apply the 40 UI/UX Design Principles (UI-1.1–UI-9.4) to any user-facing surface: one focal point, proximity grouping, empty/loading/error designed FIRST (§1) · ≤2 families, 16px web / 17px mobile body, never <14px, 45–75ch, fixed 6-step scale (§2) · 4.5:1 text / 3:1 edges measured, one accent, colour never alone, dark mode ≠ inversion (§3) · one 4/8px unit, gap over margins, tighter-inside-looser-between, content-driven breakpoints (§4) · <100ms response, all 5 states, undo over confirm, 150–250ms ease-out honouring reduced-motion, visible focus ring (§5) · where-am-I/what's-here/where-next, ≤5 top-level destinations, user's words, URL or back path (§6) · fewer fields, visible labels, validate on blur, matched keyboard, NEVER lose input (§7) · ≥44×44pt targets 8px apart, bottom-third primaries, gestures never the only route, safe areas (§8) · structure before data, optimistic update with visible rollback, reserved space, slow-connection states (§9). Project design-system docs OUTRANK these clauses — a genuine conflict goes to the user, NEVER resolved silently. Cite every finding as UI-<clause> + file:line. Skip ONLY for changes with no user-facing surface, stated explicitly.

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION follow wireframe protocol: ASCII wireframe, component inventory with tiers, states table, design tokens, responsive breakpoints.

• MANDATORY For UI-bearing specs, author/maintain the tech-agnostic interaction-surface layer (View Inventory + Navigation Map + observable UI States + per-story US-/OP-/BR--traced flow); keep deep visual fidelity in the linked design-spec/mockup recorded in frontmatter; name ZERO frameworks/routes/CSS/component classes; skip ONLY for backend-only features with a stated reason.

MUST ATTENTION apply critical + sequential thinking — every claim needs appropriate traced evidence (file:line for repo/code claims; source URL or artifact section for research, product, content, and docs claims); confidence >80% to act, <60% DO NOT recommend. Anti-hallucination: never present guess as fact, admit uncertainty freely, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence.

MUST ATTENTION apply AI mistake prevention — verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references before deleting or renaming, verify all affected outputs, re-read files after context loss, and surface ambiguity before acting.

Prompt-Enhance Closing Anchors

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION follow declared step order for this skill; NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION for every step/sub-skill call: set in_progress before execution, set completed after execution IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION every skipped step MUST include explicit reason; every completed step MUST include concise evidence IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION if Task tools unavailable, maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with synchronized statuses

Project Protocol Overlay — Before executing this skill, resolve any PROJECT overlay rules layered onto it: match this skill's name against the Target column of the project's skill-protocol index (docs/project-reference/skill-protocols-reference.md by default; a referenceDocs entry in docs/project-config.json overrides the path), taking the most specific matching tier ONLY — exact name > glob > *. That precedence orders overlays against EACH OTHER, never against this skill. Read ONLY the matched bodies, resolved as <protocols-dir>/<Name>.md; a row's Body link is display text, never a read path. A matched body that is missing or malformed is REPORTED and skipped — never reconstructed from the index Description. No index, or no match -> proceed with no overlay, silently. Full contract: .claude/skills/project-skill-protocol/references/registry.md.

Overlays are ADDITIVE ONLY: they ADD rules on top of this skill's own protocol and NEVER replace, override, disable, or reinterpret a rule it already states — removing every overlay must return this skill to exactly its documented behavior. An overlay is a BRIEF, not an authority escalation: it can NEVER waive a workflow gate, git discipline, a review gate, or a user-confirmation gate. A genuine overlay-vs-skill conflict, or two equally-specific overlays that directly contradict -> surface both to the user; NEVER resolve silently.

MUST ATTENTION resolve project protocol overlays for this skill BEFORE executing — most specific matching tier only (exact > glob > *, which ranks overlays against each other, NEVER against this skill), read only matched bodies at <protocols-dir>/<Name>.md; a missing or malformed body is reported, never reconstructed. Overlays are ADDITIVE ONLY (they never replace this skill's own rules) and are a brief, NEVER an authority escalation; an equal-specificity contradiction goes to the user.

Closing Reminders

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Goal: Produce a structured, tech-agnostic UI/UX design specification from a requirement/PBI/story/wireframe so a developer can rebuild the UI on ANY stack — every component, state, design token, responsive rule, and accessibility need documented and linked back to the governing Feature Spec.

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION main steps (do not forget any):

• Step 0–0b first — inventory existing related UI + map connected flows (record in §1); seed from the governing Feature Spec's §6 and reuse its view/state vocabulary verbatim — why: reinventing what exists or renaming spec terms breaks the navigable hub.
• Step 1–2 — route by input type (Figma→$figma-design, image→visual analysis, wireframe→--mode=wireframe, PBI/text→extract), then set Quick (§1–4) vs Full (§1–7) complexity.
• Step 3–6 — author component inventory (new vs existing), all 7 states + interactions, design tokens (reuse design-system), responsive breakpoints.
• Step 7–8 — save to team-artifacts/design-specs/, then set the governing Feature Spec's design_spec:/mockup: frontmatter to the saved path (frontmatter only) — why: the link-back gate fails without it.
• M1–M5 gate (BLOCKING) — business-level component names, no code-prop refs in prose, cross-ref behavior by logical ID (OP-/BR-/FR-), one testable interpretation per state, rebuildable from spec alone — why: a tech-leaking spec cannot be rebuilt on another stack.

Protocols in force (concise digest of the SYNC/shared blocks this skill carries):

• AI Mistake Prevention: verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references, verify all affected outputs, re-read after context loss, surface ambiguity.

• UI System Context: read frontend-patterns, scss-styling, design-system before any UI change.

• UI Wireframe: ASCII wireframe, tiered component inventory, states table, tokens, responsive breakpoints.

• Critical Thinking: traced file:line proof per claim, confidence >80% to act.

• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION break work into small todo tasks using task tracking BEFORE starting

• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION search codebase for 3+ similar patterns before creating new code

• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION cite file:line evidence for every claim (confidence >80% to act)

• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION add a final review todo task to verify work quality

• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION carry the 40 UI/UX Design Principles (UI-1.1–UI-9.4) into the spec sections so implementers INHERIT them: §5 authors empty/loading/error FIRST (UI-1.5) and enumerates all 5 interaction states per interactive element (UI-5.2); §4 DECLARES the 6-step type scale (UI-2.5) and the ONE 4/8px spacing unit (UI-4.1) instead of one-off values, with contrast targets measured and stated (4.5:1 text / 3:1 edges, UI-3.1); §6 keeps the focus ring visible (UI-5.5), colour never alone (UI-3.3), and ≥44×44pt targets + bottom-third primaries on touch surfaces (UI-8.1, UI-8.2); §7 records every deliberate deviation — why: an unstated clause is an unbuilt clause once the spec leaves this skill

Anti-Rationalization:

[TASK-PLANNING] Before acting, analyze task scope and systematically break it into small todo tasks and sub-tasks using task tracking.

[IMPORTANT] Analyze how big the task is and break it into many small todo tasks systematically before starting — this is very important.

Hookless Prompt Protocol Mirror (Auto-Synced)

Source: .claude/.ck.json + .claude/skills/shared/sync-inline-versions.md (:full blocks) + .claude/scripts/lib/hookless-prompt-protocol.cjs

[WORKFLOW-EXECUTION-PROTOCOL] [BLOCKING] Workflow Execution Protocol — MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST CRITICAL. Do not skip for any reason.

Generic portability boundary: Reusable skills and protocol text stay project-neutral; project-specific conventions are discovered from docs/project-config.json and docs/project-reference/. Apply shared AI-SDD from shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md. Read docs/project-config.json and docs/project-reference/docs-index-reference.md, then open the project reference docs named there. For spec, test-case, behavior-change, public-contract, or docs/specs/ work, route through the local spec docs named by the docs index: feature-spec-reference.md, spec-system-reference.md, spec-principles.md, and workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md when specs/tests/code must stay synchronized. If either file or a required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run $project-init (or the narrow lower-level route such as $project-config, $docs-init, $scan-all, or $scan --target=<key>) before ordinary project-specific work. Any supported AI tool may execute when this shared context and local docs are available.

1. DETECT: If the prompt starts with an explicit slash skill/workflow command, execute it directly. Otherwise match the prompt against the workflow catalog and skill list.
2. ANALYZE: Choose the best option: execute directly, invoke a skill, activate a standard workflow, or compose a custom step combination.
3. AUTO-SELECT: Pick the best option yourself. Do not ask the user to choose between direct execution, skill, standard workflow, or custom workflow.
4. ACTIVATE: For a selected workflow, call $start-workflow <workflowId>; for a selected skill, invoke that skill; for a custom workflow, sequence custom steps directly; for direct execution, proceed with the task.
5. CREATE TASKS: task tracking for ALL workflow/skill/custom steps before execution when the selected path has multiple steps.
6. PARALLELIZE: Before executing the task list, tag each task PAR (independent inputs + write set disjoint from every other PAR task) or SEQ (name the blocking dependency), group PAR tasks into waves, declare the wave plan, and spawn each wave's sub-agents in ONE message — all-return barrier per wave, fan-out one level deep unless a sub-agent's own definition authorizes further fan-out. Sequential-by-default is a defect when tasks are independent; do not parallelize shared write targets, output-consuming tasks, trivial single-file work, ordering a skill or workflow explicitly fixes, or user-approval gates.
7. EXECUTE: Advance per the Workflow Step Advancement & Parallel Phases rule in your context instructions — model-driven; a sub-agent completion advances a step identically to an inline call; a parallel-phase group is an all-return barrier (advance only after ALL members return, never serialize it)

Shared AI-SDD Protocol Markers

Source: .claude/skills/shared/sync-inline-versions.md

SYNC:ai-sdd-artifact-contract

AI-SDD Artifact Contract — Shared spec-driven development rules stay portable and source-owned.

1. Keep reusable AI-SDD principles in .claude; put repository-specific paths, commands, owners, products, and formats in project config/reference docs.
2. Preserve cycle: spec -> plan -> tasks -> implement -> verify -> update spec/docs.
3. Trace every requirement or invariant through decision, task, TC/test, source evidence, and docs/spec update.
4. Treat code-to-spec extraction as reference-only until accepted by the canonical spec owner.
5. Any supported AI tool may plan, implement, review, or verify with synced context; using multiple tools is optional.
6. Update .claude source first, then sync generated mirrors; do not manually edit .agents, .codex, or AGENTS.md. — why: mirrors are generated artifacts; hand-edits are overwritten on the next sync
7. If docs/project-config.json, root instruction files, or a required project-reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run $project-init or the narrow lower-level route before ordinary project-specific work.

Active reference: shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md in the active skills root.

SYNC:ai-sdd-artifact-contract:reminder

• MANDATORY Apply shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md; keep reusable AI-SDD in .claude and local rules in project docs.
• MANDATORY Code-to-spec extraction is reference-only until canonical acceptance; any supported AI tool may execute with synced context.
• MANDATORY Update .claude source before syncing generated mirrors; do not manually edit .agents, .codex, or AGENTS.md.
• MANDATORY Missing or stale project config, root instruction files, or required reference docs route project-specific work through $project-init or the narrow setup route automatically. [TASK-PLANNING] [MANDATORY] BEFORE executing any workflow or skill step, create/update task tracking for all planned steps, then keep it synchronized as each step starts/completes.

[LESSON-LEARNED-REMINDER] [BLOCKING] Task Planning & Continuous Improvement — MANDATORY. Do not skip.

Break work into small tasks (task tracking) before starting. Add final task: "Analyze AI mistakes & lessons learned".

Extract lessons — ROOT CAUSE ONLY, not symptom fixes:

1. Name the FAILURE MODE (reasoning/assumption failure), not symptom — "assumed API existed without reading source" not "used wrong enum value".
2. Generality test: does this failure mode apply to ≥3 contexts/codebases? If not, abstract one level up.
3. Write as a universal rule — strip project-specific names/paths/classes. Useful on any codebase.
4. Consolidate: multiple mistakes sharing one failure mode → ONE lesson.
5. Recurrence gate: "Would this recur in future session WITHOUT this reminder?" — No → skip $learn.
6. Auto-fix gate: "Could $code-review/$code-simplifier/$security-review/$lint catch this?" — Yes → improve review skill instead.
7. BOTH gates pass → ask user to run $learn. [CRITICAL-THINKING-MINDSET] Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act. Anti-hallucination principle: Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination. AI Attention principle (Primacy-Recency): Put the 3 most critical rules at both top and bottom of long prompts/protocols so instruction adherence survives long context windows. Goal-driven execution: Define success criteria first, loop until verified, and stop only when observable checks pass. Tests verify intent: Tests must protect business rules/invariants and fail when the protected intent breaks, not only mirror current behavior.

Common AI Mistake Prevention (System Lessons)

• Re-read files after context compaction. Edit requires prior Read in same context; compaction wipes read state. Re-read before editing.
• Grep for old terms after bulk replacements. AI over-trusts find/replace completeness. Grep full repo after bulk edits for missed refs in docs/configs/catalogs.
• Check downstream references before deleting. Deletions cascade doc/code staleness. Map referencing files before removal.
• After memory loss, check existing state before creating new. Compaction wipes prior-work memory. Query current state to resume — never blindly duplicate.
• Verify AI-generated content against actual code. AI hallucinates APIs, class names, method signatures. Grep to confirm existence before documenting/referencing.
• Trace full dependency chain after edits. Changing a definition misses downstream consumers. Trace the full chain.
• When renaming, grep ALL consumer file types. Some file types silently ignore missing refs (no compile error). Search code, templates, configs, generated files.
• Trace ALL code paths when verifying correctness. Code existing ≠ code executing. Trace early exits, error branches, conditional skips — not just happy path.
• Update docs that embed canonical data when source changes. Docs inlining derived data (workflows, schemas, configs) go stale silently. Update all embedding docs alongside source.
• Verify sub-agent results after context recovery. Background agents may finish while parent compacted — grep-verify output, don't trust assumed completion.
• Cross-check full target list against sub-agent assignments. Parallel sub-agents by category miss boundary items. Reconcile union of assignments against target list before proceeding.
• Sub-agents inherit knowledge only from their agent .md definition — use custom agent types, not built-in Explore. Tool adoption = permission + knowledge + enforcement (numbered workflow step).
• Persist sub-agent findings incrementally, not as a final batch. Long sub-agents hit cutoffs before final write — findings lost. Instruct append-per-section to report file.
• When debugging, ask "whose responsibility?" before fixing. Trace caller (wrong data) vs callee (wrong handling). Fix at responsible layer — never patch symptom site.
• Test failure → record a provisional verdict before trace/edit, then investigate. Use the full five-way taxonomy: SOURCE-WRONG (production violates intent), TEST-WRONG (assertion/setup is stale), TEST-NOT-OPTIMAL (valid but fragile or low-signal test), ENVIRONMENT-BLOCKED (external state prevents a verdict), or AMBIGUOUS (intent/evidence cannot choose safely). Then trace root cause and triangulate against the governing spec (docs/specs/** if one exists) AND source. NEVER weaken an assertion, add a skip, relax a timeout, or change source merely to force green.
• Grep ALL removed names after extraction/refactoring. Primary file "done" ≠ secondary files clean. Grep entire scope for every removed symbol before declaring complete.
• Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing OR flagging one as a defect. Pattern-matching as "wrong" skips context. Before changing or reporting any constant/limit/flag/cutoff: read comments, git blame, the CALLER's ordering (the guarantee that makes the value correct usually lives in code running immediately BEFORE the cited line), and 2+ sibling call sites of the same convention. A doc stating WHAT without WHY is missing rationale, not proof of a missing guard — and in a validation pass, an accurate file:line citation proves the transcription, never the defect.
• Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first. One build green ≠ all green. Multi-stack changes (backend/frontend/tests/docs) require verifying EVERY output.
• Evaluate fit before copying a nearby pattern. Closest example ≠ matching preconditions — verify the new context shares the same constraints, base classes, scope, lifetime.
• Holistic-first debugging — resist nearest-attention trap. Don't dive into first plausible cause. List EVERY precondition (config, env vars, paths, DB, endpoints, creds, versions, DI, data). Verify each against evidence (grep/query — not reasoning). Ask "what would falsify this?" — if nothing, it's not a hypothesis. Most expensive failure: going deeper in "obvious" layer while bug sits in layer never questioned.
• Surgical changes — apply the diff test (context-aware). Two modes: (1) Bug fix → every line traces to the bug; no restyling; orphan cleanup only for imports YOUR changes made unused. (2) Review/enhancement → implement improvements AND announce as "Enhancement beyond main request: [what]". Never silently scope-creep. Diff test: "Would this line exist if I wasn't asked to do X?" — if no, delete or announce.
• Surface ambiguity before coding — don't pick silently. Multiple valid interpretations → present each with effort: "[Request] could mean (1) [N h], (2) [N h]. Which matters?" List scope/format/volume/constraints assumptions first. If simpler path exists, say so. Never silently pick.
• [MANDATORY FIRST ACTION] ALWAYS activate a suitable skill or workflow BEFORE responding. Match task against workflow catalog + skill list; invoke via skill invocation or $start-workflow <workflowId>. NEVER answer or write code before checking. Skip = protocol violation.
• Why-Review adversarial mindset — apply when reviewing any plan, decision, or design. Default SKEPTIC not VALIDATOR: steel-man a rejected alternative, invert each stated reason ("what does it sacrifice?"), stress-test top 2-3 assumptions, run pre-mortem ("ships, fails in 3 months — what breaks?"), surface 1-2 alternatives author missed. Section presence ≠ quality; quality = causal reasoning + concrete mitigations + evidence, not "it's better" or "monitor closely".
• Front-load report-write in sub-agent prompts for large reviews. Many-file sub-agents hit budget before final write — findings lost. Design prompts so: (1) report-write is first explicit deliverable, (2) append per-file/section (not batched), (3) scope bounded so reads don't exhaust budget. Truncated mid-sentence with no report file → spawn narrower scope, don't retry same prompt.
• After context compaction, re-verify all prior phase outcomes before continuing. Summaries describe intent, not environment state (git index, filesystem, processes). On resume, FIRST audit: git status, re-read modified files, verify filesystem. Every "completed" claim is an untested hypothesis until evidence confirms.
• OOM/memory: check row count before row size. Triage: (1) Unbounded query — no DB filter for trigger? Push filter to DB; eliminates OOM. (2) Large rows? Projection reduces proportionally. Row reduction > projection in ROI.
• Assert the outcome your system OWNS, never the intermediate state your INFRASTRUCTURE owns. When testing anything asynchronous (queue/broker delivery, retries, background jobs, caches, replication), assert the final business/entity state. NEVER assert the delivery bookkeeping — consume/send status, attempt counts, last-error, row existence or counts in a broker, scheduler, or outbox/inbox table. That bookkeeping lives in shared infrastructure that ANY co-running process (a peer worker, a second replica, a leftover local container) can write, usually under a deterministic shared key, so the assertion silently tests the developer's environment instead of the system: green when run alone, flaky the instant anything else shares that broker + database. Gate question for every assertion: "would this hold no matter WHICH process did the work?" — if no, assert the converged data state instead. Corollary: process-local fault injection and in-process telemetry cannot gate work any process may perform — use them as stress amplifiers (arm → bounded window → disarm → assert convergence), never as preconditions.
• Keep domain concepts out of generic/shared/infrastructure layers. Reusable layer (shared library, framework, infra module) must reference NO consumer-specific domain concept — tenant/customer/product IDs, business entities, feature rules. Leak compiles + runs → passes review silently while coupling the "reusable" layer to one consumer. Keep shared type domain-free; push domain fields/logic down into the consumer via subclass/composition. — why: a layer coupled to one consumer's domain is no longer reusable.