create-harness

name	create-harness
description	Use when creating executable /tmp Pi task harnesses for ambiguous or high-risk coding work. Builds contract, prompts, validation, logs, and enforcement rules.
compatibility	Requires my-pi or Pi with the pi-harness extension tools enabled.

Create Harness

Create a real my-pi task harness, not a prose-only plan. The harness must live in /tmp and be created with the harness_create tool after context gathering.

Workflow

1. Recover context with read-only tools first: docs, package READMEs, source, tests, git, LSP, recall, browser, or MCP as relevant.
2. Establish source of truth: list the concrete files, commands, docs, or evidence the harness is grounded in.
3. Challenge assumptions: identify uncertainties and whether the executor may decide or must escalate.
4. Define the execution contract: allowed paths, forbidden paths, validation commands, test-change policy, and forbidden shortcuts.
5. Call harness_create with the task and contract fields.
6. If the team tool is available, create or reuse a team and call task_create with the harness directory in the description.
7. Read back the created harness path and report how to run it with /harness run <dir>.

Contract Guidance

• Keep allowed_paths narrow. Use . only when the task genuinely spans the repo.
• Set allow_test_changes: false unless changing tests is explicitly part of the task.
• Include validation commands whenever the project has a known check path.
• Add forbidden_commands for task-specific hazards.
• Do not implement the task during harness creation unless the user explicitly asks for combined create/run.
• Do not spawn a teammate during creation; save spawning for the run phase.

Output

Report only:

• harness directory
• source-of-truth inputs used
• allowed scope
• validation commands
• team task id if one was created
• open decisions or escalation triggers