freeze

skill_type	utility
tools	Read
name	freeze
description	Scope lock for current task. Declares editable zone — everything outside is frozen (read-only). Call before starting implementation to prevent scope creep.
tags	["meta","safety"]
version	1.0.0
source	freeze pattern
triggers	["/freeze","freeze this","scope lock","스코프 잠금","이것만 건드려","나머지 건드리지 마","범위 잠가"]
user_invocable	true
not_for	["Scope planning -> scope skill","Execution loop -> goal-lock"]
see_also	[{"skill":"scope","relation":"freeze=zone lock, scope=planning scope"},{"skill":"goal-lock","relation":"freeze=manual lock, goal-lock=loop enforcement"}]

/freeze — Scope Lock

Declare editable zone — everything outside is frozen.

Dominant Variable

In this task, is the editable scope explicitly declared? — If unclear, scope creep naturally develops during implementation. First of three principles (freeze / careful / guard): freeze = boundary lock (this skill), careful = 3-strike debugging gate, guard = risky path protection.

Trigger

• /freeze
• "freeze this"
• "scope lock"
• "스코프 잠금"
• "이것만 건드려"
• "나머지 건드리지 마"
• "범위 잠가"

Discard If

• Exploration / research only (no modifications expected)
• Already a clear single-file edit (1 file, ≤10 lines)
• Brainstorming phase (scope not yet finalized before design approval)

---

Key Assumptions

1. User specifies ≥1 modification target — If broken: ask once for clarity; if still unclear, freeze broadly.
2. Implementation work follows in the same session — If only declaring scope and ending, this skill is unnecessary.

Architecture

User input (file / module / concept scope)
    ↓
[PARSE]   → classify as editable / frozen / read-only
    ↓
[DECLARE] → generate FROZEN SCOPE block
    ↓
[OUTPUT]  → emit immediately, then exit

---

Stage 1: PARSE

Extract from user input:

• editable: explicitly named files / modules / paths — modifications allowed
• frozen: everything else (default frozen if not mentioned)
• read-only: mentioned but modification status unclear → conservatively treat as read-only

If scope is too vague ("everything", "roughly") → ask for clarity once only. Still unclear → freeze more broadly (Invariant 2).

---

Stage 2: DECLARE

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🔒 FROZEN SCOPE — [One-line task description]
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✅ EDITABLE (modifications allowed)
  [list of files / modules]

❌ FROZEN (no modifications)
  [everything else — or "all except above"]

⚠️  READ-ONLY (reference only)
  [mentioned but no modifications allowed]

Rules:
- FROZEN files: Edit/Write forbidden. Read only.
- If modification necessity discovered → stop immediately, report to user
- Thaw: user must explicitly say "unfreeze [file]" or "expand scope"
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---

Stage 3: OUTPUT

Emit FROZEN SCOPE block, then exit immediately. No code generation, no agent spawning, no implementation start.

All implementation work in this session follows this declared scope.

---

Hard Rules

1. Emit immediately, exit immediately — no "I'll now start implementing" after declaration.
2. No agent spawning — main context only.
3. No code generation — scope declaration only.
4. Ask for clarity at most once — if still unclear, freeze more broadly.

---

Scope Boundary

Does	Does NOT
[READ] Parse user input → classify editable/frozen/read-only	Write code or modify files
Emit FROZEN SCOPE block	Spawn agents or start implementation
Ask for clarity once if scope is ambiguous	Make direct judgment calls on out-of-scope modifications

---

Safety Layers

Risky Action	Reversibility	Applied Layers
(none — read-only, block output only)	—	L1 (Invariant 1: no modifications to frozen files, ever)

• L1 (Invariants): Frozen = intended physical block on Edit/Write. Exit immediately after declaration.

Error Recovery

On failure detection: Stop → Classify → Apply Recovery → Report & Resume.

Failure Type	Detection Condition	Recovery Path
input_error	Unclear which files / scope to freeze	Ask once for target — never guess scope
logic_inconsistency	Freeze request conflicts with simultaneous modification request	Clarify: "This file will be frozen — modification requests rejected." Do not allow both.
missing_data	Specified file does not exist	State "file not found." Do not guess paths and freeze different files.

---

Invariants (never violate)

1. Frozen = absolutely no modifications: Files declared frozen cannot be edited/written in this session. "Just a tiny tweak" is rationalization. Violation → scope creep and unexpected side effects.

2. When unclear, freeze broader: If boundaries are ambiguous, choose the broader frozen range. Narrow scope fails to prevent creep. Violation → freeze declaration becomes meaningless.

3. Exit immediately after declaration: No further action after emitting FROZEN SCOPE block. User initiates follow-up implementation requests normally. Violation → declaration and implementation blur, scope awareness fades.

---

Thaw Protocol

When a frozen file needs modification mid-work:

Trigger: "unfreeze [file]", "thaw", "expand scope"

Steps:

1. State reason — why the frozen file must be touched (no reason → refuse)
2. Blast radius check — what else is affected if this file changes
3. Re-emit FROZEN SCOPE block — add thawed file to editable, keep rest frozen
4. Invalidate previous block — "Previous freeze replaced" 1 line

Limits:

• 3+ thaws → ⚠️ Freeze is being repeatedly lifted — consider re-running /scope to redefine boundaries
• Full thaw ("unfreeze everything") → freeze skill terminates (Discard)

---

Rationalization Table

Rationalization	Rebuttal
"It's frozen but I just need to change one line"	Violates Invariant 1. Stop and report to user.
"Scope is unclear, let me narrow it for now"	Violates Invariant 2. When unclear, freeze broader.
"Declaring and implementing immediately is faster"	Violates Invariant 3. Exit after declaration.
"It's one file, why declare a freeze?"	Discard If: ≤10 lines in 1 file excluded. Otherwise declare.
"No actual modifications needed, so it's fine"	Scope creep often begins when we think nothing needs to change.

---

Example

User: "/freeze src/components/UserProfile.tsx"

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🔒 FROZEN SCOPE — UserProfile component refactor
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✅ EDITABLE
  - src/components/UserProfile.tsx

❌ FROZEN (no modifications)
  - everything outside the above

⚠️  READ-ONLY (reference only)
  - src/hooks/useAuth.ts (auth logic reference)

Rules:
- No Edit/Write outside UserProfile.tsx
- If modification needed elsewhere → stop and report
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Design Note

This version uses task-level declaration (not session-global file lists) because Claude Code cannot persist state across sessions — the declaration block itself serves as in-context state.

See scenarios/case-1.md, scenarios/case-2.md for regression test scenarios.