| name | context-collection |
| description | Collects the minimum project context needed for later distillation while preserving source provenance and governed originals. Use when new documents, interviews, meetings, external-tool records, research, or contradictory source material must enter the repository without becoming agreement truth. |
Context Collection
Land durable references and only the minimum extracted notes needed for
distillation. Collection preserves evidence; it does not decide what is true.
Detect the distribution boundary
Before any filesystem or GitHub write, check for root AGENTS.md,
.github/docs/context/README.md, the applicable Task/PR controls, and the
repository guidance they name. If any are absent, this is a plugin-only or
partial installation. Name the missing controls, inspect supplied sources
read-only, and return draft provenance headers, filenames, and INDEX.md
entries for review. Do not create .github/docs/context/, copy source
material, commit, open a PR, or claim that collection is durable. Never
fabricate a governed source, context index, Task gate, or review control. Offer
the full-kit installation when repository collection is required. Any live
write requires every missing control to be restored and verified first, then
separate explicit authority.
Collect one topic
- After the boundary check passes and the Task authorizes the write, create or
select
.github/docs/context/<topic>/ and read its INDEX.md first.
- Keep the source original in its governed system. Store an access-controlled
URL or stable identifier plus the smallest excerpt or notes required to
evaluate candidate requirements, decisions, terms, and conflicts.
- Start every collected Markdown file with:
---
source: <governed URL or stable source identifier>
retrieved: <YYYY-MM-DD>
method: <verbatim | export | interview | ai-summary | web-research>
collector: <human or agent/session identifier>
sensitivity: <public | internal | confidential>
status: raw
---
- Update
INDEX.md with one line per collected file: source, purpose, and why
it matters. List contradictions and open questions before the file list.
- Record which GitHub, MCP, or external tool produced an export. Re-verify
ai-summary and web-research material before proposing agreement text.
Preserve provenance
- Quote or paraphrase only what the reference supports. Mark interpretation.
- Collect conflicting sources side by side; do not silently reconcile them.
- Capture a durable reference when a requirement or decision appears in chat.
- Prefer reference-not-paste for PII, credentials, secrets, licensed archives,
and controlled business data. If a safe reference cannot be stored, stop and
ask the source owner for an approved alternative.
- Do not copy a full source archive merely for completeness.
Keep the agreement boundary
Do not write or edit REQ-###, ADRs, non-goals, glossary definitions, agent
guidance, or implementation during collection. Open a collection PR or commit
that states what was added and its provenance. Route interpretation through
$context-distillation and a dedicated, human-reviewed agreement PR.
Completion check
Confirm that each new note has provenance, every original remains at its
governed source, INDEX.md exposes conflicts and questions, extracted content
is minimal, and no fact exists only in the current session.
