scaffold

[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: Generate and validate the project's architecture scaffolding — all base classes, interfaces, infrastructure abstractions, and reusable foundation code — BEFORE any feature story implementation begins, producing a copy-ready, OOP/SOLID-compliant architecture foundation with quality-gate tooling that every feature story reuses before implementation starts.

Summary:

Gate-first: check Activation Guards before any work — proceed ONLY in workflow-greenfield-init / workflow-big-feature AND when grep finds NO existing base/abstract/infrastructure scaffolding; otherwise SKIP and mark the step completed.
Main steps (do ALL, in order): (1) Read Plan — parse tech stack, architecture decisions, domain model; (2) Generate Scaffolding Checklist from the Backend + Frontend/UI categories; (3) Validate Against Plan — every architecture decision has a scaffolding item; (4) Present to User via AskUserQuestion to confirm the checklist; (5) Scaffold — create all base classes, interfaces, abstractions, infra code + the 5 production-readiness foundations; (6) Verify — build/compile + OOP/SOLID compliance + Verification Gate. Then invoke /linter-setup → /harness-setup, then AskUserQuestion handoff.
Scope: architecture-infrastructure creation (base classes, interfaces, DI, repos, cross-cutting), NOT feature implementation — checklists are TEMPLATES: adapt naming to the detected tech stack, skip irrelevant items, add plan-specific ones.
Production-readiness: stand up all 5 foundations (code-quality tooling, error handling, loading state, Docker, integration points) and delegate ALL sensor setup to /linter-setup then /harness-setup — never hand-configure linters/hooks here. — why: a checklist of installs is not a harness.
Hard gate: enforce OOP/SOLID on every base class and HARD-BLOCK the handoff to /feature-implement until the Verification Gate passes — all 5 foundations verified plus /linter-setup and /harness-setup complete.

Purpose: Scaffolded project copy-ready as starter template. All base code, utilities, interfaces, infrastructure services created — best-practice setup, generic functions any feature story reuses.

Key distinction: Architecture infrastructure creation, NOT feature implementation — the foundation layer all stories build upon.

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

Activation Guards (MANDATORY — Check Before Executing)

ALL conditions must be true to proceed:

Workflow check: Active workflow is workflow-greenfield-init OR workflow-big-feature. If not → SKIP this skill entirely, mark step as completed.
Existing scaffolding check: AI MUST ATTENTION self-investigate for existing base/foundational abstractions:

If existing scaffolding found → SKIP. Log: "Existing scaffolding detected at {file:line}. Skipping /scaffold step." Mark step as completed.
If NO foundational abstractions found → PROCEED with full scaffolding workflow below.

When to Use

After the second /plan + /plan-review in greenfield-init or big-feature workflows
Before /feature-implement begins implementing feature stories
When a new service/module needs its own base architecture within an existing project
NOT when the project already has established base classes and infrastructure

Workflow

Read Plan — Parse the implementation plan for architecture decisions, tech stack, and domain model
Generate Scaffolding Checklist — Produce a checklist of all required base classes and infrastructure from the Backend + Frontend checklists below
Validate Against Plan — Ensure every architecture decision in the plan has corresponding scaffolding items
Present to User — Use AskUserQuestion to confirm checklist before generating code
Scaffold — Create all base classes, interfaces, abstractions, and infrastructure code
Verify — Compile/build to ensure no syntax errors; validate OOP/SOLID compliance

Backend Scaffolding Categories

AI must self-investigate chosen tech stack, produce a checklist covering these categories. Names below are illustrative — adapt to the project's language, framework conventions, and actual needs.

Domain Layer

Base entity interface + abstract class (Id, timestamps, audit fields)
Value object base (equality by value)
Domain event interface

Application Layer

Command/query handler abstractions (CQRS if applicable)
Validation result pattern
Base DTO with mapping protocol
Pagination wrapper
Operation result pattern (success/failure)

Infrastructure Layer

Generic repository interface + one concrete implementation
Unit of work interface (if applicable)
Messaging/event bus abstraction
External service abstractions (cache, storage, email — only if plan requires them)
Database context / connection setup
DI/IoC registration module

Cross-Cutting

Current user context abstraction
Testable date/time provider
Exception hierarchy (domain, validation, not-found)
Error handling middleware
Strongly-typed configuration models

Frontend Scaffolding Categories

Core Architecture

Base component with lifecycle/destroy cleanup
Base form component with validation, dirty tracking
Base list component with pagination, sorting, filtering

State & API

Base state store with loading/error/data pattern
Base API service with interceptors, error handling
Auth interceptor + environment config

Shared Utilities

Base model with serialization helpers
Common utility functions (date, validation, formatting)

UI Foundation

Skip if: Backend-only project, no frontend component. Apply if: Project has ANY frontend.

Design Token Files

Create design token file(s) per chosen format (CSS custom properties / SCSS variables / JSON)
Define minimum token set: colors (primary, secondary, surface, bg, text, error, success, warning), spacing (xs-xl), typography (heading/body/caption families + sizes), breakpoints, shadows, z-index
Create theme file(s) if theming required (light/dark CSS classes or theme provider)

Base Layout & Responsive

Base layout component (app shell: header, sidebar/nav, main content, footer)
Responsive container/grid utility
Responsive mixin/utility for breakpoints
Mobile-first media query definitions

Base UI Components

Loading indicator component (spinner or skeleton)
Error display component (inline + page-level)
Empty state component (message + action)
Notification/toast component
Base button component with variants (primary, secondary, ghost, danger)
Base input component with validation display

Design System Documentation

Create docs/project-reference/design-system/README.md skeleton with: token naming conventions, component tier classification (Common/Domain-Shared/Page), usage examples
Author docs/project-reference/ui-review-principles.md (the project-adopted UI-review PRINCIPLES the later /ui-review gate reads — these are design-time decisions, hand-authored, NOT code-derived). Capture, as project-enforced principles, every UI-review dimension: Overflow & scroll containment (long-content truncation/wrap) · Responsive & small-screen (flex-wrap / row-to-column so it stays usable on small devices) · Flex-vs-fixed sizing (flex-grow vs hard-coded dimensions) · z-index discipline (a documented layering scale, no ad-hoc values) · BEM on all elements · Async states (loading indicator, user-visible error surface, empty state, in-flight disable) · Nesting depth ≤ 3 / no magic numbers. Cross-link to design-system/README.md and scss-styling-guide so the seeded principle doc and the scan-derived docs form one navigable set. Contains NO real endpoints/keys.

- No-UI skip rule: author this doc ONLY when a frontend/UI stack is scaffolded. Backend-only project → SKIP and log the reason.

Example / Golden-Path Reference Scaffolding (copy-me implementations — MANDATORY)

MANDATORY when scaffolding a foundation: beyond the empty base abstractions above, emit ONE worked, compile-checked example per best-practice pattern — a copy-me reference implementation per layer. Empty abstractions are unverified skeletons; a worked example built ON TOP turns each base class into demonstrated, reviewable usage. This example set is exactly what Phase-02's /architecture-review-full grades, so it must exist before that gate runs.

Location & lifecycle (isolated, production-excluded)

Examples live in a DEDICATED, ISOLATED examples/ tree (project-root examples/ or docs/project-reference/examples/) — NEVER mixed into the production src/ tree.
Name every file .example. (e.g. create-order.command.example.ts, Order.entity.example.cs).
CI-compiled/linted but EXCLUDED from the production build via a project-appropriate mechanism (separate compile target / tsconfig references / test-only project / build-exclude glob).
Devs COPY an example into src/ to start a real feature; the whole examples/ tree is deleted wholesale once no longer needed.

One worked example per applicable pattern (target ≥ 11)

Backend: command · query · command/query handler · entity-with-invariants · value-object · repository (concrete impl) · domain event + event handler.
Frontend (only if a UI stack is present): form component · list component · state store · API service.
Tests: one example integration test exercising the example command/query on BOTH the happy path AND a failure path.
Absent-layer skips: render fewer ONLY when a layer is genuinely absent (e.g. a backend-only project skips the frontend examples) — LOG each skipped example and WHY.

Every example MUST

Follow the project's detected patterns — read docs/project-reference/*-patterns-reference.md and mirror the exact shapes.
USE the scaffolded base abstractions (demonstrate them in action; do NOT re-implement them).
Compile/lint clean under the CI (non-production) target.
Carry this header comment verbatim (adapt the comment syntax to the language): GOLDEN-PATH EXAMPLE — copy into src/ for real features; the examples/ tree is deleted when unused; NOT compiled into the production build.
Contain NO secrets, real credentials, or real endpoints — use obvious placeholders ONLY (EXAMPLEAPIKEY, example.invalid, 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000).

Right-sizing

Examples DEMONSTRATE patterns — NOT a feature. Honor the scale-tier guard: a tiny T0/B0 project gets the minimal applicable set, never speculative extras.

Code Quality Gate Tooling (MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION — Setup Before Any Feature Code)

MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION scaffold ALL code quality enforcement tools as part of project infrastructure — code that passes without quality gates is technical debt from day one.

Static Analysis & Linting

MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION configure language-appropriate linter with strict ruleset (zero warnings policy on new code)
MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION configure static code analyzer with quality gate thresholds (complexity, duplication) — treat line-coverage as a reported DIAGNOSTIC, NOT a build-failing threshold
MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION enable compiler/transpiler strict mode and treat warnings as errors on build
MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION add code style formatter with shared config (enforce consistent formatting across team)

Build-Time Quality Enforcement

MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION configure pre-commit hooks to run linter + formatter automatically
MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION configure CI pipeline to fail on any linter violation, analyzer warning, or test failure
MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION do NOT gate the build on a line-coverage %; report line-coverage as a diagnostic only (low = useful untested-area signal, high ≠ quality). If a test-strength gate is wanted, gate on mutation score (surviving mutant = missing/weak assertion) with line-coverage as the diagnostic. Keep behavior/change-coverage (each behavior-changing file has a test asserting the changed outcome) as the meaningful coverage notion
MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION enable security vulnerability scanning in dependency management

Code Rules & Standards

MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION create shared linter config file at project root (team-wide consistency)
MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION create shared formatter config file at project root
MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION create .editorconfig for cross-IDE consistency (indentation, encoding, line endings)
MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION document code quality standards in project README or contributing guide

Harness Integration (MANDATORY — Do Not Skip)

MANDATORY MUST ATTENTION delegate ALL computational sensor setup to /linter-setup:

Do NOT manually configure linters, formatters, or pre-commit hooks in this skill
/linter-setup handles: tool research → install → configure → pre-commit hooks → CI gates
/harness-setup handles: full harness inventory (feedforward guides + all feedback types)

WHY: Code quality tooling is part of the project's outer agent harness. A checklist of installs is not a harness — a harness is a system of guides and sensors where each control fires at the right lifecycle stage and produces signals the agent can consume.

After scaffold, invoke (in order):

/linter-setup — computational feedback sensors (deterministic, fast, always-on)
/harness-setup — full harness inventory (all feedforward guides + all feedback sensors)

Do NOT proceed to /feature-implement until both complete. (/scaffold verification gate enforces this)

Production Readiness Scaffolding (MANDATORY)

Scaffold Production Readiness — See  block above for full inline protocol.

Every scaffolded project MUST ATTENTION include these 5 foundations. AI must detect tech stack from the plan/architecture report, present 2-3 options per concern via AskUserQuestion.

1. Code Quality Tooling

Handled by /linter-setup skill — do NOT duplicate here. Verify completion: check that .editorconfig, linter config, and pre-commit hook config files exist. If missing → block scaffold completion, invoke /linter-setup.

2. Error Handling Foundation

Detect frontend framework → select from protocol's framework patterns
Generate: error types, HTTP interceptor, notification service, global error handler
Minimum 4 files for frontend, 3 for backend-only
Run protocol's verification checklist

3. Loading State Management

Detect frontend framework → select from protocol's framework patterns
Generate: loading service, HTTP loading interceptor, loading indicator component
Counter-based tracking, 300ms display delay, skip token mechanism
Run protocol's verification checklist

4. Docker Development Environment

Always scaffold (unless user explicitly opts out)
Generate: docker-compose.yml (with profiles), Dockerfile (multi-stage), .dockerignore, .env.example
Use 127.0.0.1 binding, health checks on all services, non-root user in prod
Run protocol's verification checklist

5. Integration Points

Document each outbound boundary (downstream service, queue, third-party API, shared DB)
Configure retry + circuit breaker + timeout per outbound dependency
Generate integration tests for both the happy path and the failure path
Run protocol's verification checklist

Scaffold Handoff from Architecture-Design

If an architecture report exists (from /architecture-design), read the "Scaffold Handoff — Tool Choices" table and use those selections instead of re-asking the user.

OOP/SOLID Compliance Rules (ENFORCE)

Single Responsibility — Each base class handles ONE concern
Open/Closed — Base classes are extensible via inheritance, closed for modification
Liskov Substitution — Concrete implementations are substitutable for their base
Interface Segregation — Small, focused interfaces (not one giant IService)
Dependency Inversion — All infrastructure behind interfaces, injected via DI

Anti-patterns to prevent:

God classes combining multiple concerns
Concrete dependencies (always depend on abstractions)
Base classes with unused methods that subclasses must override
Missing generic type parameters where applicable

Adaptation Protocol

The checklists above are templates. Before scaffolding:

Read the plan — What tech stack was chosen?
Adapt naming — Match target framework and language conventions
Skip irrelevant items — Not every project needs every item (e.g., skip IFileStorageService if no file uploads)
Add project-specific items — The plan may require additional base classes not in the template
Use AskUserQuestion — Confirm final checklist with user before generating code

Output

After scaffolding is complete:

Scaffolding Report — List of all created files with brief descriptions
Build Verification — Compilation/type-check passes
Architecture Diagram — Optional: generate diagram showing the base class hierarchy
Production Readiness Verification — All 5 concern areas verified via protocol checklists
Config Files Generated — Linter, formatter, pre-commit, Docker configs all created
Golden-Path Examples — one worked, compile-checked example per applicable pattern emitted under the isolated, production-excluded examples/ tree; absent-layer skips logged with reason

Verification Gate (MANDATORY before proceeding to /feature-implement)

Run ALL verification checklists from the production readiness protocol:

Code quality tooling verified (Section 1)
Error handling foundation verified (Section 2)
Loading state management verified (Section 3)
Docker development environment verified (Section 4)
Integration points verified (Section 5)
/linter-setup completed (linter + formatter + pre-commit + CI gate configured)
/harness-setup completed (harness-inventory.md produced, feedforward guides in place)
Golden-path examples present — one worked example per applicable pattern under an isolated, production-excluded examples/ tree; each compiles/lints under the CI (non-production) target; every example carries the GOLDEN-PATH EXAMPLE header and NO secrets/real endpoints; absent-layer skips logged with reason

BLOCK proceeding to /feature-implement if ANY verification item fails. Fix issues first, then re-verify.

Next Steps

MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — NO EXCEPTIONS after completing this skill, MUST ATTENTION use AskUserQuestion to present these options. Do NOT skip because the task seems "simple" or "obvious" — the user decides:

"/feature-implement (Recommended)" — Begin implementing feature stories on top of the scaffolding
"/workflow-review-changes" — Review scaffolding code before proceeding
"Skip, continue manually" — user decides

[IMPORTANT] Use TaskCreate 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.

Evidence Gate: MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — every claim, finding, and recommendation requires file:line proof or traced evidence with confidence percentage (>80% to act, <80% must verify first).

Nested Task Expansion Contract — For workflow-step invocation, the [Workflow] ... row is only a parent container; the child skill still creates visible phase tasks.

1. Call TaskList first. If a matching active parent workflow row exists, set nested=true and record parentTaskId; otherwise run standalone.
2. Create one task per declared phase before phase work. When nested, prefix subjects [N.M] $skill-name — phase.
3. When nested, link the parent with TaskUpdate(parentTaskId, addBlockedBy: [childIds]).
4. Orchestrators must pre-expand a child skill's phase list and link the workflow row before invoking that child skill or sub-agent.
5. Mark exactly one child in_progress before work and completed immediately after evidence is written.
6. Complete the parent only after all child tasks are completed or explicitly cancelled with reason.

Blocked until: TaskList done, child phases created, parent linked when nested, first child marked in_progress.

Project Reference Docs Gate — Run after task-tracking bootstrap and before target/source file reads, grep, edits, or analysis. Project docs override generic framework assumptions.

1. Identify scope: file types, domain area, and operation.
2. Read docs/project-config.json first — the project's machine-readable map. It is the single source of truth for THIS repo (modules/paths, framework + search keywords, test/E2E/integration run-commands, design system, architecture rules, workflow patterns); ground exact paths, run-commands, and conventions on it before investigating, planning, or coding — never assume framework defaults (CLAUDE.md + reference docs are derived from it). If it — or the docs index, lessons.md, CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, or any required reference doc — is missing or stale, auto-run /project-init or the narrow route (/project-config, /docs-init, /scan-all, /scan --target=<key>, /claude-md-init) first; if Codex mirrors or AGENTS.md are stale, ask the user to run /sync-codex (never auto-run it).
3. Required docs by trigger: always docs/project-reference/lessons.md; doc lookup docs-index-reference.md; review code-review-rules.md; backend/CQRS/API backend-patterns-reference.md; domain/entity domain-entities-reference.md; frontend/UI frontend-patterns-reference.md; styles/design scss-styling-guide.md + design-system/design-system-canonical.md; integration tests integration-test-reference.md; E2E e2e-test-reference.md; feature docs/specs feature-spec-reference.md + spec-system-reference.md + spec-principles.md; behavior/public-contract/spec-test-code sync workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md; derived spec index/ERD/reimplementation guides spec-system-reference.md + source Feature Specs under docs/specs/; architecture/new area project-structure-reference.md.
4. Read every required doc, then before target work state: Reference docs read: ... | Not applicable: ....

Ready when: scope evaluated, docs/project-config.json consulted, required docs checked/read or setup route completed, lessons.md confirmed, citation emitted.

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.

Understand Code First — HARD-GATE: Do NOT write, plan, or fix until you READ existing code.

1. Search 3+ similar patterns (grep/glob) — cite file:line evidence
2. Read existing files in target area — understand structure, base classes, conventions
3. Run python .claude/scripts/code_graph trace <file> --direction both --json when .code-graph/graph.db exists
4. Map dependencies via connections or callers_of — know what depends on your target
5. Write investigation to .ai/workspace/analysis/ for non-trivial tasks (3+ files)
6. Re-read analysis file before implementing — never work from memory alone. — why: long context drifts from the file; the file is ground truth
7. NEVER invent new patterns when existing ones work — match exactly or document deviation. — why: divergent patterns fragment the codebase and slow every future reader

BLOCKED until: - [ ] Read target files - [ ] Grep 3+ patterns - [ ] Graph trace (if graph.db exists) - [ ] Assumptions verified with evidence

Scaffold Production Readiness — Every scaffolded project MUST ATTENTION include 5 foundations:

1. Code Quality Tooling — linting, formatting, pre-commit hooks, CI gates. Specific tool choices → docs/project-reference/ or project-config.json.
2. Error Handling Foundation — HTTP interceptor, error classification (4xx/5xx taxonomy), user notification, global uncaught handler.
3. Loading State Management — counter-based tracker (not boolean toggle), skip-token for background requests, 300ms flicker guard.
4. Docker Development Environment — compose profiles (dev/test/infra), multi-stage Dockerfile, health checks on all services, non-root production user.
5. Integration Points — document each outbound boundary; configure retry + circuit breaker + timeout; integration tests for happy path and failure path.

BLOCK /feature-implement if any foundation is unchecked. Present 2-3 options per concern via AskUserQuestion before implementing.

Harness Engineering — An outer agent harness has two jobs: raise first-attempt quality + provide self-correction feedback loops before human review.

Controls split:

| Axis | Type | Examples | Frequency |
| ----------- | ------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------- |
| Feedforward | Computational | .editorconfig, strict compiler flags, enforced module boundaries | Always-on |
| Feedforward | Inferential | CLAUDE.md conventions, skill prompts, architecture notes, pattern catalogs | Always-on |
| Feedback | Computational | Linters, type checks, pre-commit hooks, ArchUnit/arch-fitness tests, mutation-score gate, CI gates | Pre-commit → CI |
| Feedback | Inferential | /code-review skill, /production-readiness-review, /security-review, LLM-as-judge passes | Post-commit → CI |

Test-strength sensor — gate on mutation score, NOT line coverage. Line coverage is a DIAGNOSTIC only: low coverage is a useful NEGATIVE signal (something is untested); high coverage is NOT evidence of quality (tests can execute lines without asserting intent) — NEVER fail a build on a line-coverage %. The real test-strength metric is mutation score (inject faults into changed code; surviving mutant = a missing/weak assertion = write the killing test); gate the build on it where a mutation tool exists. Add property coverage as a second sensor — each [HARD] §4 rule / §5 invariant guarded by ≥1 property/metamorphic test. The property tests themselves are REQUIRED for invariant-owning behaviors (spec [mode=tests] + integration-test force them, not opt-in); what is optional is only wiring property coverage as an automated CI sensor on top. Keep behavior/change-coverage (does each behavior-changing file have a test that asserts the changed outcome) — that notion is meaningful and stays.

Three harness types:

1. Maintainability — Complexity, duplication, line-coverage (diagnostic only — never a gate), style. Easiest: rich deterministic tooling.
2. Architecture fitness — Module boundaries, dependency direction, performance budgets, observability conventions.
3. Behaviour — Functional correctness. Hardest: gate on mutation score + property coverage; line coverage stays a diagnostic.

Keep quality left: pre-commit sensors fire first (cheap), CI sensors fire second, post-review last (expensive).

Research-driven: Never hardcode tool choices. Detect tech stack → research ecosystem → present top 2-3 options → user decides. Enforce strictest defaults; loosen only with explicit approval.

Harnessability signals: Strong typing, explicit module boundaries, opinionated frameworks = easier to harness. Treat these as greenfield architectural choices, not just style preferences.

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.

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION search 3+ existing patterns and read code BEFORE any modification. Run graph trace when graph.db exists.

MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION cite file:line evidence for every claim. Confidence >80% to act, <60% = do NOT recommend.

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION verify all 5 production-readiness foundations (code quality, error handling, loading state, Docker, integration points) before marking scaffold complete.

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.

MANDATORY Before investigating, planning, or coding, read docs/project-config.json (the project map: modules/paths, run-commands, conventions, architecture/workflow rules) + the required project-reference docs, and cite Reference docs read: ....
MANDATORY Always include lessons.md; project config + conventions override generic framework defaults.
MANDATORY If project config, root instruction files, or any required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run /project-init or the narrow lower-level route before ordinary project-specific work.

MANDATORY Parent workflow rows do not replace child phase tracking; expand phases and link the parent when nested.
MANDATORY Orchestrators pre-expand child skill phases before invocation; use [N.M] $skill-name — phase prefixes and one-in_progress discipline.

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 copy-ready, OOP/SOLID-compliant architecture foundation — base classes, infrastructure abstractions, and quality-gate tooling — that every feature story reuses before implementation starts.

MUST ATTENTION — Main steps (execute ALL, in order; AI keeps forgetting these): (1) Read Plan → (2) Generate Scaffolding Checklist (Backend + Frontend/UI categories) → (3) Validate Against Plan → (4) Present to User via AskUserQuestion → (5) Scaffold base classes/interfaces/infra + 5 production-readiness foundations → (6) Verify (build + OOP/SOLID + Verification Gate) → invoke /linter-setup → /harness-setup → AskUserQuestion handoff. NEVER skip, reorder, or merge a step without explicit user approval.

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

Nested Task Creation: Expand child phases; link parent when nested.
Project Reference Docs Guide: Read required project docs; ALWAYS include lessons.md.
Critical Thinking Mindset: Traced proof per claim; confidence >80% to act.
Understand Code First: Grep 3+ patterns, read code before modifying.
Scaffold Production Readiness: Verify 5 foundations before scaffold complete.
Harness Setup: Gate on mutation score; NEVER gate on line coverage.
AI Mistake Prevention: verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references, verify all affected outputs, re-read after context loss, surface ambiguity.

MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION check Activation Guards FIRST — proceed ONLY in workflow-greenfield-init/workflow-big-feature AND when grep finds NO existing base/abstract/infrastructure scaffolding; otherwise SKIP and mark step completed — why: re-scaffolding an established project duplicates foundations and corrupts existing abstractions. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION grep 3+ existing base/abstract/infra patterns (abstract class.Base, interface I\w+<, IRepository, base.component, DI registration) and cite file:line BEFORE generating any scaffolding — existing scaffolding found = SKIP — why: scaffolding over real foundations is the failure the Activation Guards exist to prevent. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION BLOCK /feature-implement until the Verification Gate passes — all 5 production-readiness foundations verified AND both /linter-setup and /harness-setup complete — why: code shipped without quality gates is technical debt from day one. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION delegate ALL sensor setup to /linter-setup then /harness-setup — NEVER hand-configure linters/formatters/pre-commit hooks in this skill — why: a checklist of installs is not a harness; the harness skills wire each control to its lifecycle stage. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION enforce OOP/SOLID on EVERY base class (SRP per concern, depend on abstractions, small focused interfaces, no unused methods subclasses must override) — why: a god/concrete base class propagates its design flaw into every feature story that inherits it. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION the checklists are TEMPLATES — self-investigate the chosen tech stack, adapt naming to framework conventions, skip irrelevant items, and confirm the final checklist via AskUserQuestion before generating code — NEVER auto-decide scope — why: scaffolding the wrong stack's idioms forces a costly rewrite before any feature lands. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION evaluate fit before copying a nearby pattern — closest example ≠ matching preconditions; verify the new context shares the same base classes, scope, and lifetime — why: a foundation lifted from a mismatched context fails silently. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION gate the build on mutation score, NOT a line-coverage % — line coverage is a DIAGNOSTIC only (low = useful untested signal, high ≠ quality) — why: tests can execute lines without asserting intent, so a coverage gate rewards hollow tests. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION cite file:line proof + confidence % for EVERY claim (>80% to act, <60% DO NOT recommend) — NEVER present a guess as fact — why: speculation without evidence is the root of hallucinated foundations. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION break work into small todo tasks using TaskCreate BEFORE starting, mark one in_progress, mark completed immediately after evidence lands, and add a final review todo — why: external task state survives context compaction; memory does not. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION after scaffold, present /feature-implement vs /workflow-review-changes vs skip via AskUserQuestion — the user decides; do NOT skip because it "seems obvious" — why: the user owns the handoff decision.

Anti-Rationalization (Closing — reject these excuses):

Excuse the model tells itself	Reality
"It's a new feature, just scaffold it"	Check Activation Guards first — wrong workflow OR existing scaffolding = SKIP and mark completed.
"Already searched for base classes"	Show `file:line` grep evidence for all 6 guard patterns. No proof = no search.
"I'll just configure the linter inline, it's quick"	NEVER hand-configure sensors — delegate to `/linter-setup` then `/harness-setup`. Installs ≠ harness.
"Coverage is high, the foundation is well-tested"	Line coverage is a diagnostic, not a gate. Gate on mutation score; high coverage ≠ asserted intent.
"The stack is obvious, skip the AskUserQuestion"	Checklists are templates — confirm the adapted final checklist with the user before generating code.
"Found a nearby base class, just copy it"	Evaluate fit first — same base classes/scope/lifetime? Closest ≠ matching. Verify before reusing.
"Scaffold's done, jump straight to /feature-implement"	BLOCKED until the Verification Gate passes — all 5 foundations + `/linter-setup` + `/harness-setup`.

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION check Activation Guards FIRST (SKIP if existing scaffolding or wrong workflow) · BLOCK /feature-implement until the Verification Gate passes · cite file:line + confidence >80% for every claim.

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