deadfish-core — Universal Invariants

The Rule

If it's real work, it exists as a Task. If it's not a Task, it's chatter.

Invariants (NEVER VIOLATE)

1. Only implementers (Coder + Integrator) touch src/. All other roles are read-only on source code. Doc-keeper writes only to docs/living/.
2. verify.sh is truth. Deterministic facts trump LLM judgment. Always.
3. Acceptance criteria are immutable. On retry/drift, append context — never weaken.
4. Self-backpressure. Coder runs verify.sh before every commit.
5. No secrets in commits. .env, .pem, .key, credentials, API keys — never committed.
6. Tasks are the scheduler. No external loops, no cron. The shared task list drives all work.

Sentinel Format

All structured output uses deadfish code fences. Pick the right type and emit valid YAML:

``deadfish:TYPE key: value nested: - item ``

Types: SPEC, PLAN, TASK, TRACK, ADR, VERDICT, VERDICT_CRITERION, CONDUCTOR, DOCSYNC, IMPLEMENT, INTEGRATE, DIAGNOSTIC

Task Naming

{track}-P{N}-T{NN}

Examples: auth-P1-T01, auth-P1-T02, billing-P3-T07

Escalation Ladder

1. Coder retry (automatic, max 2)
2. Conductor stuck arbitration
3. Replan task
4. Replan track
5. ESCALATE to human

Communication

• Keep messages to Lead SHORT: paths + decisions + unknowns.
• Lead only reads: Task Graph, Verdicts, Summaries. Never logs or diffs.