Update the shadow knowledge base after code changes and from conversational insights. Detects what changed via git diff, refreshes per-file shadows, captures knowledge shared by the user during the session, and updates cross-cutting discoveries. Invoke manually with /shadow-frog-update; the preToolUse hook will remind the agent when the shadow is behind HEAD.
Update the shadow knowledge base after code changes and from conversational insights. Detects what changed via git diff, refreshes per-file shadows, captures knowledge shared by the user during the session, and updates cross-cutting discoveries. Invoke manually with /shadow-frog-update; the preToolUse hook will remind the agent when the shadow is behind HEAD.
ShadowFrog Update
Updates .shadow/ from two sources: code changes (git diff) and conversational
knowledge (what the user said during the session). Prerequisite: .shadow/ exists.
Triggers
Hook reminder: preToolUse injects a staleness warning when
.shadow/_meta/state.json#last_commit differs from HEAD. The hook
only reminds — it does NOT auto-run update.
Manual: user invokes /shadow-frog-update
Phase 1: Detect Changes
# Read last_commit defensively: it may be missing, or the literal "none"# when init ran without git (e.g. inside a container). `git diff none HEAD`# would abort with "fatal: bad revision 'none'", and a missing key would# make $LAST_COMMIT empty so `git diff HEAD` silently reports the wrong set.
LAST_COMMIT=$(python3 -c "import json,sys; print(json.load(sys.stdin).get('last_commit','none'))" < .shadow/_meta/state.json 2>/dev/null || echo"none")
if git rev-parse --verify "$LAST_COMMIT" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
git diff --name-only "$LAST_COMMIT" HEAD
git diff --name-only HEAD
git diff --name-only --cached
# committed changes since last update
else
echo
"WARNING: state.json has no usable last_commit — falling back to a full re-scan."
fi
# uncommitted changes
# staged changes
Categorize: modified, added, deleted, renamed.
Phase 2: Update Per-File Shadows (Symbol-Level)
For each changed file, update its shadow at the symbol level:
Added symbols → add new ## section
Removed symbols → mark section as REMOVED, keep discoveries for history
Anchor to the specific file::symbol. source: user and source: interaction
are always verified.
Auto-Placement
Users will not specify where to store their knowledge. You must find the
correct location. Procedure:
Parse the user's statement for code references — file names, function names,
class names, module names, variable names, error messages, CLI flags.
If the knowledge is a project-wide preference or convention with no code
references (e.g., "always use snake_case", "no backward compatibility",
"prefer small PRs") → write to _prefs.md.
If explicit references found → look up those file::symbol paths in
_index.md and the corresponding shadow files.
If no explicit references → use context:
What file is the user currently viewing or editing?
What files were recently modified in this session?
If multiple candidate locations → pick the most specific symbol that the
knowledge applies to. Prefer a single file::symbol over file-level.
If the knowledge spans 3+ files → create a _cross/<slug>.md
entry and add back-pointers to each involved file's ## Cross-References.
For 2-file discoveries, use per-file entries with Also involves: instead.
If no matching location exists (e.g., the user mentions a concept not yet in
the shadow) → place at the file-level ## File-Level section of the most
relevant file, or create a new _cross/ entry for repo-wide knowledge.
Never ask the user "where should I put this?" — always resolve placement yourself.
Phase 4: Extract Session Insights
At session end or manual trigger, review the session for:
Files modified and why
Patterns revealed by the changes
Unrecorded conversational knowledge (user statements not yet shadowed)
Cross-cutting discoveries (create in _cross/<slug>.md if 3+ files involved)
Phase 5: Handle Structural Changes
Added files:
Check .shadow/.shadowignore — skip if the file matches an ignore pattern
Create .shadow/<path>/<file>.md with symbol-organized template
Add ## Cross-References section
Add to _index.md
Deleted files:
Add ORPHANED marker to shadow header
Keep shadow (discoveries explain history)
Mark [REMOVED] on any _cross/ refs pointing to this file
Update _index.md
Renamed files:
Move .shadow/<old>.md to .shadow/<new>.md
Update all _cross/**Refs**: entries (old path → new path)
Update all Also involves: in other per-file shadows
Update _index.md
Preserve all discoveries
Phase 6: Verify and Dedup
Follow the dedup and writing rules in /shadow-frog — read before
write, merge or update existing entries, fix bad format in place.
Verify exploration discoveries using the observe-based or do-based
methods in /shadow-frog § Verification. source: user and
source: interaction → always verified; only re-verify if the
underlying code changes.
Phase 7: Verify Reference Integrity
Check the five core invariants (full 7-invariant set in /shadow-frog):
Every _cross/<slug>.md ref has a back-pointer in per-file ## Cross-References
Every ## Cross-References entry has a corresponding _cross/<slug>.md
No duplicate cross-cutting filenames
All Also involves: use file::symbol notation
No duplicate discoveries (same behavioral claim at same symbol)
Repair any violations before proceeding.
Phase 8: Update Metadata
Preserve dream_cycles_completed from the existing state — only dream-reconcile.py increments it.
{"version":1,"initialized_at":"<preserved>","last_update_at":"<now ISO>","last_commit":"<full 40-char HEAD SHA>","last_update_type":"init|auto|manual|dream|meditate","total_files": N,"total_symbols": N,"total_discoveries": N,"dream_cycles_completed": <preserved>
}
Refresh _index.md with current counts.
Discovery Writing Rules
See /shadow-frog § Discovery Format for the verbatim per-file,
cross-cutting, and preference formats. Rules to keep in mind during
update sessions:
Be behavioral: "silently returns None on expired tokens" not "handles token expiration"
source: user and source: interaction → always verified, use user's own words
source: exploration → mark uncertain unless verified by code reading or tests
If 3+ files involved → create in _cross/<slug>.md instead, add back-pointers
If project-wide preference with no file reference → write to _prefs.md
Slug naming: kebab-case derived from title (e.g., "Token expiry config split" → token-expiry-config-split.md)
Staleness Rules
Symbol modified → check if discovery still holds
Symbol renamed → move discoveries to new heading
Symbol removed → mark section REMOVED, keep discoveries
source: user discoveries → only mark stale if symbol completely removed
