Add Reference

Record external observations into .feature-radar/references/.

Deep Read

<HARD-GATE> Read and follow ../feature-radar/references/DEEP-READ.md — complete all 6 steps before proceeding. </HARD-GATE>

Behavioral Directives

<HARD-GATE> Read and follow ../feature-radar/references/DIRECTIVES.md. </HARD-GATE>

Workflow

1. Identify the source — ask the user what they observed:

- Interesting project, technique, or creative approach? - Ecosystem trend or emerging pattern? - Notable feature or solution from a related project? - User comparison, feedback, or question? - Research, article, or talk with relevant insights?

1. Gather context — URL, date, key details. If the user provides a GitHub URL, fetch the issue/PR for full context.
2. Classify — determine the right file:

- Existing reference file → append a new entry - New topic → create .feature-radar/references/{topic}.md

1. Assess impact:

<HARD-GATE> Before writing to references/, assess impact by answering ALL of these:

• New opportunity or feature idea? → state yes/no, suggest file if yes
• Way to enhance existing features? → state yes/no, suggest update if yes
• Ecosystem trend? → state yes/no, suggest specs/ecosystem-trends.md update if yes

</HARD-GATE>

1. Checkpoint — State what was written and the impact assessment results. Ask: "I've updated references/{topic}.md. Does this look correct, or should I adjust anything?" Wait for user confirmation before proceeding.
2. Update base.md — increment the references count in Tracking Summary

File Format

Use the format defined in ../feature-radar/references/SPEC.md § 3.5 (references/{topic}.md).

Naming Convention

Name by the subject being tracked, not the event:

• Good: vercel-skills-ecosystem.md, agent-path-conventions.md, cli-ux-patterns.md
• Bad: 2026-02-18-update.md, interesting-finding.md

Guidelines

• Always cite source URLs and dates for traceability.
• Append new entries chronologically to existing files — don't create a new file per observation.
• Be objective. Record what happened, then assess implications separately.
• If the observation reveals an unmet need or innovation opportunity, proactively suggest creating an opportunity.
• Look for creative inspiration, not just feature gaps — how others solve problems can spark new ideas.

Example Output

→ Appended to references/cli-ux-patterns.md
→ Suggested: new opportunity "interactive config wizard"
→ Updated base.md: references 3 → 3 (appended, not new file)

Completion Summary

Follow the template in ../feature-radar/references/DIRECTIVES.md, with skill name "Ref Complete".