| name | constitute-check |
| description | Memory-bank governance audit — checks whether T0 laws/current state, T1 supporting context, T2 execution mirrors, adapter freshness, and T3 archive indexes align. Read-only by default; may record adapter_state.yaml only after explicit approval. |
| argument-hint | [optional: 'full' for verbose report, or a specific principle number] |
| user-invocable | true |
| allowed-tools | Read, Glob, Grep, Bash, Write, AskUserQuestion |
| model | haiku |
| context | !echo "=== Memory Bank Status ===" && echo "T0: $(ls memory_bank/t0_core/ 2>/dev/null | wc -l) files" && echo "T1: $(ls memory_bank/t1_axioms/ 2>/dev/null | wc -l) files" && echo "T2: $(ls memory_bank/t2_execution/ 2>/dev/null | wc -l) files" && echo "T3: $(ls memory_bank/t3_archive/ 2>/dev/null | wc -l) files" && echo "Review mode: $(cat production/review-mode.txt 2>/dev/null || echo 'not set')"
|
User Guide
- When to use: Memory-bank governance audit — checks whether T0 laws/current state, T1 supporting context, T2 execution mirrors, adapter freshness, and T3 archive indexes align. The audit is read-only by default.
- Inputs: Command arguments:
/constitute-check [optional: 'full' for verbose report, or a specific principle number]; project artifacts referenced below; user decisions and approvals before writes.
- Outputs: A T0-T3 health report plus live and recorded adapter freshness. Write only the approved adapter-state record described below.
- Memory-bank writes: At most
memory_bank/t2_execution/adapter_state.yaml, and only after showing the exact YAML draft and receiving explicit approval. No other file may be written.
- Next steps: Follow the workflow hand-off or next-step guidance below; recommendations do not auto-run and require explicit user command/approval.
Phase 0: Domain Routing
Detect the project domain before checking constitution compliance:
design/cdd/game-concept.md -> [Game] verify principles against player fantasy, core loop, game pillars, playtest evidence, and game-specific CDDs.design/cdd/product-concept.md -> [Product] verify principles against user promise, JTBD, target workflows, product modules, API/CLI contracts, and product-specific CDDs.- If neither exists, check only the constitution and report that domain-specific validation is pending.
Do not remove game constitution examples. Product checks are an added validation path.
Constitution Check — T0-T3 Memory Health Audit
This skill is read-only by default. Its only write exception is an explicitly
approved refresh of memory_bank/t2_execution/adapter_state.yaml; every other
project file remains read-only.
This skill checks the health of a project's memory-bank governance plane:
whether T0 laws/current state exist, whether T1 supporting context is present,
whether T2 execution mirrors exist when the project has been initialized, and
whether T3 archive indexes exist once evidence is produced. It is lightweight —
not a full 4-gate CDD audit. For a complete project scan, use
/project-stage-detect.
Step 1: Verify Constitution Exists
Check for the minimum memory-bank artifacts:
| Artifact | Required? | How to check |
|---|
memory_bank/t0_core/basic_law_index.md | Yes | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t0_core/active_context.md | Yes | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t0_core/current_state.md | Yes | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t1_axioms/tech_context.md | Yes | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t1_axioms/system_patterns.md | Yes | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t1_axioms/behavior_context.md | Yes | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t1_axioms/architecture_context.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t1_axioms/ux_accessibility_context.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t1_axioms/qa_context.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t1_axioms/knowledge_graph.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t1_axioms/module_support_map.yaml | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t2_execution/workflow_contract.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t2_execution/current_roadmap.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t2_execution/framework_contract.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t2_execution/adapter_state.yaml | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t3_archive/README.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t3_archive/gate_runs/README.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t3_archive/release_evidence/README.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t3_archive/reviews/README.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t3_archive/reviews/review-index.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t3_archive/sprint_snapshots/README.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t3_archive/sprint_snapshots/story-closure-index.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/t3_archive/amendments/README.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
memory_bank/README.md | Recommended | Read if exists |
If basic_law_index.md is missing: "No constitution detected. Run /constitute
to establish one." Stop here — nothing else to check.
If basic_law_index.md exists but older projects only have T0/T1 files, report
NEEDS ATTENTION with a migration recommendation. Do not mark old T0/T1-only
projects CRITICAL unless a required T0 file or tech_context.md is missing.
If memory_bank/t0_core/knowledge_graph.md exists, report it as a deprecated compatibility path. The canonical path is now
memory_bank/t1_axioms/knowledge_graph.md.
Step 2: Read the Constitution
Read memory_bank/t0_core/basic_law_index.md and extract:
- Core thesis (Support ID: BL-01)
- All laws/ principles (Support IDs: BL-02 through BL-06)
- Each law's current-state requirement
Read memory_bank/t0_core/active_context.md and extract:
- Current working state (State A-E)
- Module status summaries
- Active risks and open decisions
Read memory_bank/t0_core/current_state.md when present and extract:
- Current phase
- Current blocker
- Next command
- Stage source
Read memory_bank/t1_axioms/tech_context.md and extract:
- Language, framework, platform
- Performance budgets
- External dependencies
Read T2 files when present:
memory_bank/t2_execution/workflow_contract.mdmemory_bank/t2_execution/current_roadmap.mdmemory_bank/t2_execution/framework_contract.mdmemory_bank/t2_execution/adapter_state.yaml
Read T3 indexes when present:
memory_bank/t3_archive/qa_evidence_index.mdmemory_bank/t3_archive/gate_runs/memory_bank/t3_archive/release_evidence/memory_bank/t3_archive/reviews/memory_bank/t3_archive/reviews/review-index.mdmemory_bank/t3_archive/sprint_snapshots/memory_bank/t3_archive/sprint_snapshots/story-closure-index.mdmemory_bank/t3_archive/amendments/
Step 3: Adapter Freshness Check
When cdd-manifest.toml and scripts/sync_adapters.py exist, run this exact
read-only command from the repository root:
python scripts/sync_adapters.py --check --state-json
Parse stdout as one JSON object even when the command exits non-zero for a
stale adapter set. Require schema_version: 1, a status of fresh or
stale, 64-character lowercase hexadecimal manifest_digest and
source_digest values, ISO-8601 UTC checked_at, checked_commit, counts,
and check_command. If stdout is absent or invalid, report the adapter check as
INVALID, include stderr, and do not offer a state write.
Compare the live result with memory_bank/t2_execution/adapter_state.yaml:
| Recorded state | Meaning |
|---|
MISSING | The memory bank exists but the adapter-state template was not initialized |
UNINITIALIZED | The deterministic template exists and has no recorded evidence |
CURRENT | Recorded status and both digests match the live result |
OUTDATED | A prior record exists but status or either digest differs |
Report both values separately: Live adapter freshness: FRESH/STALE/INVALID
and Recorded adapter state: CURRENT/OUTDATED/UNINITIALIZED/MISSING. Include
all non-zero counts and drift paths. A clean checked_commit is contextual;
the two digests are the authoritative identity of the checked inputs.
Optional approved state record
For a valid live result, prepare the complete YAML draft with this exact field
order and the live values:
schema_version: 1
status: fresh
manifest_version: 2
manifest_digest: "[live manifest_digest]"
source_digest: "[live source_digest]"
checked_commit: "[live checked_commit]"
checked_at: "[live checked_at]"
check_command: "python scripts/sync_adapters.py --check"
Use stale instead of fresh when the live check reports drift. Show the
entire draft, then ask exactly:
May I write this adapter freshness record to memory_bank/t2_execution/adapter_state.yaml?
If approved, write only that file. If declined, leave the repository unchanged
and state that the report was read-only. Never create memory_bank/ from this
skill; when the control plane or framework_contract.md is missing, recommend
/constitute.
Step 4: Alignment Check
For each constitutional principle, check alignment with the codebase:
3a: Principle → Code Alignment
For each law in basic_law_index.md, perform a quick alignment scan:
- Read the law's current-state requirement
- Check whether the codebase respects it
- Flag violations or uncertainties
Example checks:
- Law requires "no function over 20 lines" → grep for functions, check length
- Law requires "API stability: no breaking changes" → check for deprecation markers
- Law requires "all public APIs documented" → check docstring coverage in
src/
- Law requires "tests before merge" → check test file count vs source file count
For each law, produce one of:
- ALIGNED — evidence found that the law is being followed
- CONCERN — potential violation or insufficient evidence
- UNABLE TO CHECK — law is abstract or can't be auto-verified (e.g., "prioritize user experience")
3b: Tech Context → Reality Check
Compare tech_context.md against actual project state:
- Is the declared language actually used? (Glob
src/** for language files)
- Are declared dependencies actually in the project? (Check config files)
- Are performance budgets plausible given the codebase size?
Step 5: Gap Detection
Identify what's missing or stale:
| Gap | Detection |
|---|
| Missing T0 current state | memory_bank/t0_core/current_state.md does not exist |
| Missing T1 required docs | tech_context.md, system_patterns.md, or behavior_context.md missing |
| Missing T1 recommended docs | architecture_context.md, ux_accessibility_context.md, qa_context.md, knowledge_graph.md, or module_support_map.yaml missing |
| Deprecated knowledge graph path | memory_bank/t0_core/knowledge_graph.md exists |
| Missing T2 workflow contract | memory_bank/t2_execution/workflow_contract.md does not exist |
| Missing T2 current roadmap | Project has roadmap evidence but memory_bank/t2_execution/current_roadmap.md is missing |
| Missing framework contract | memory_bank/t2_execution/framework_contract.md does not exist |
| Missing adapter state | memory_bank/t2_execution/adapter_state.yaml does not exist |
| Uninitialized adapter state | State exists with status: uninitialized; run the live check before recording |
| Stale adapters | Live state JSON reports status: stale or non-zero stale/missing/extra/invalid counts |
| Outdated adapter record | Recorded status or digests differ from the live result |
| Missing T3 archive README | memory_bank/t3_archive/README.md does not exist |
| Missing T3 gate archive | Gate evidence exists but memory_bank/t3_archive/gate_runs/README.md is missing |
| Missing QA evidence index | QA evidence exists but memory_bank/t3_archive/qa_evidence_index.md is missing |
| Missing release evidence archive | Release evidence exists but memory_bank/t3_archive/release_evidence/README.md is missing |
| Missing review index | Review artifacts exist but memory_bank/t3_archive/reviews/review-index.md is missing |
| Missing story closure index | Completed stories exist but memory_bank/t3_archive/sprint_snapshots/story-closure-index.md is missing |
| Missing README | memory_bank/README.md does not exist |
| Stale tech context | Tech context mentions old versions or unused dependencies |
| Drifted principles | Law says X, code does Y |
| No review mode set | production/review-mode.txt does not exist |
Step 6: Present Report
Keep it concise. Use this format:
## Memory Bank Health: [Project Name]
**Core thesis:** [from BL-01, one line]
**Constitution established:** [date from active_context.md or file timestamp]
**Current phase:** [from current_state.md or production/stage.txt]
### T0 Current Truth
- Laws: [present/missing/stale]
- Active context: [present/missing/stale]
- Current state: [present/missing/stale]
### T1 Supporting Context
- Tech context: [present/missing/stale]
- System patterns: [present/missing/stale]
- Behavior context: [present/missing/stale]
- Recommended context: [summary]
### T2 Execution Control
- Workflow contract: [present/missing]
- Current roadmap: [present/missing/not started]
- Framework contract: [present/missing]
- Live adapter freshness: [fresh/stale/invalid/not available]
- Recorded adapter state: [current/outdated/uninitialized/missing]
### T3 Archive Indexes
- Archive README: [present/missing]
- QA evidence index: [present/missing/not applicable yet]
- Release evidence: [present/missing/not applicable yet]
### Principles (N/M aligned)
- [Support ID]: ALIGNED — [brief evidence]
- [Support ID]: ALIGNED — [brief evidence]
- [Support ID]: CONCERN — [what's wrong, suggestion]
### ✓ Tech Stack
- Language: [X] ✓
- Framework: [Y] ✓
- Platform: [Z] ✓
- [Any concerns]
### → Gaps
- [Gap 1 — with concrete fix, e.g. "Run /constitute-check to regenerate"]
- [Gap 2]
### → Recommendations
1. [Highest priority action]
2. [Secondary action]
---
**Overall:** [HEALTHY / NEEDS ATTENTION / CRITICAL]
Severity levels:
- HEALTHY: Required T0/T1 artifacts present, T2/T3 indexes appropriate for stage, all checkable laws ALIGNED
- NEEDS ATTENTION: Old T0/T1-only memory bank, stale/uninitialized/outdated adapter state, 1-2 CONCERNs, or missing recommended T1/T2/T3 indexes
- CRITICAL: Missing
basic_law_index.md, missing required T0/T1 files, 3+ CONCERNs, or stale constitution
If verbosity argument is full, add a detailed per-law analysis section with
the specific evidence found for each alignment check.
Edge Cases
- No constitution: "No constitution detected. Run
/constitute to establish your project's governing principles." Stop.
- Old T0/T1-only memory bank: "Your constitution exists, but the T2/T3 governance control plane is not initialized. Run
/constitute to refresh the memory-bank skeleton." Continue with NEEDS ATTENTION.
- Missing adapter templates in an older memory bank: Recommend
/constitute to initialize both framework files; do not create the control plane from this audit.
- Stale live check: Report every drift class and offer to record
status: stale; regeneration remains a separate, explicitly requested action.
- Invalid state JSON: Report
INVALID, preserve any prior state file, and do not write partial or fabricated values.
- Constitution exists but is very old: Note the date — "Your constitution was established [N months] ago. Much may have changed. Consider running
/constitute to refresh it."
- Path D project (existing code, new constitution): Flag likely drift — "Your constitution was recently established. Some existing code may not yet align. This is normal for brownfield adoption — prioritize alignment iteratively."
- All laws are abstract (can't auto-check): "Your principles are abstract — they can't be automatically verified. Consider adding falsifiable current-state requirements to each law for future audits."
Collaborative Protocol
- Read-only by default. The sole exception is an exact adapter-state YAML record after explicit approval.
- No hidden writes. Running the checker, declining the draft, or encountering invalid JSON must leave the repository unchanged.
- Be honest. Don't sugarcoat drift or gaps.
- Be specific. Every gap must come with a concrete fix suggestion.
- One primary recommendation. The user should leave knowing exactly one thing to do next.
