edit-chapter

name	edit-chapter
description	Invoke this skill before making substantive edits to any file in guide/ — changing content, titles, template references, or canonical terms. Follow this workflow proactively when editing chapters, not only when the user explicitly requests it. Ensures structural changes propagate to all dependent files.

Edit Chapter

Guided workflow for safely editing a guide chapter. Ensures structural changes propagate to all dependent files.

Before Editing

1. Read the entire chapter file
2. Note the current H1 title (line 1)
3. Note any template paths referenced (lines mentioning templates/)
4. Note any canonical terms used ("five-tier context hierarchy", "document cascade")

During Editing

• Maintain prescriptive voice — no hedging phrases (see .claude/rules/guide-chapter.md)
• Preserve required sections: Principles, What the Human Should Do, What the Agent Should Do
• Use RecipeVault for examples (not "Beacon")
• Keep heading hierarchy: ## for major sections, ### for subsections
• Use fenced code blocks with language identifiers

After Editing

Check each condition and take action if true:

If the H1 title changed:

1. Update README.md chapter listing (lines 45-93)
2. Update CLAUDE.md if the chapter is referenced there
3. Update the "Next:" link in the prior chapter's footer

If template references changed:

1. Verify each referenced template path exists in templates/
2. If a path was removed or renamed, grep for the old path across the repo

If a canonical term changed:

1. Search all .md files for the old term
2. Update every occurrence to match the new term

Always (every edit):

1. Verify the chapter ends with a Next: footer linking to the correct successor chapter, unless the file is 11-failure-modes.md
2. The footer must follow this format:

   ---
   
   Next: [Chapter NN -- Title](NN-slug.md)
   

If any structural change was made (title, file references, canonical terms):

1. Run the cross-reference-check skill to verify consistency