ownership-partitioning

name	ownership-partitioning
description	Hard write-partitioning rules for parallel agents when pipeline.parallel_allowed=true. Defines glob-based file ownership, conflict detection, and orchestrate.py ownership-check integration. Prevents concurrent agents from writing the same files.
use-when	Load for unity-dev and data-tool agents when pipeline.json.parallel_allowed=true. Load whenever the architect has written workspace/ownership.lock.json to partition files.
do-not-use-when	Do not load for sequential pipelines (parallel_allowed=false). Do not load for triage, architect, tester, or verifier roles. Unnecessary when only one writer exists.
platforms	["claude-code","codex","copilot","cursor","windsurf"]
task-categories	["architecture","parallel","ownership","refactor"]
metadata	{"source":"internal","version":"1.0.0","tier":1}

Ownership Partitioning

This skill is loaded into every writer agent (unity-dev, data-tool) whenever pipeline.json.parallel_allowed == true. It is enforced at runtime by orchestrate.py ownership-check.

Source of Truth

workspace/ownership.lock.json. Format:

{
  "partitions": {
    "unity-dev": ["Assets/Scripts/Combat/**", "Assets/Scripts/Movement/**"],
    "data-tool": ["Assets/Editor/Combat/**", "Assets/Configs/Combat/**"]
  },
  "shared_read_only": ["ProjectSettings/**", "Packages/**"],
  "forbidden": ["Assets/Plugins/**"],
  "rationale": "Combat refactor — runtime vs tooling are disjoint"
}

Globs are repo-root-relative, POSIX-style (use /, not \). ** matches any number of path segments.

Rules

1. You may only write to files matching one of YOUR partition globs. Writing to another agent's partition is a hard violation.

2. shared_read_only files may be read by anyone but NEVER written this session. If you genuinely need to change one, escalate.

3. forbidden files must not be touched at all (typically generated code, third-party plugins, lockfiles).

4. Before signaling the next phase, run the check explicitly:

   python .claude/scripts/orchestrate.py ownership-check <your-agent-name> \
       Assets/Scripts/Combat/Health.cs Assets/Scripts/Combat/Damage.cs
   

   Non-zero exit means you have a violation. Roll back that file and re-run.

Architect Responsibilities

For large / critical complexity, the architect writes workspace/ownership.lock.json as part of the approved_plan.json phase. The partition must:

• Have non-overlapping globs across agents
• Cover every file the plan expects to change
• Not include shared_read_only paths inside any partition

The orchestrate.py gate refuses to enter the implementation phase if ownership.lock.json is missing for any plan with parallel_allowed=true.

Triage Responsibilities

For tiny / small / medium complexity with a single writer, triage may either (a) omit ownership.lock.json entirely (unrestricted single writer), or (b) write a single-agent partition to lock the writer to a known glob.

If data-tool is in the pipeline at any complexity, triage MUST partition. Otherwise data-tool and unity-dev may both edit the same files.

Failure Mode

If your edits violated the partition and you only discover it post-hoc:

1. Revert the offending edits via git.
2. Write [ESCALATE: ownership violation in <files>] to your impl_result.json.
3. Do NOT request a partition expansion mid-implementation. The architect re-issues the plan with a wider partition if justified.

Anti-Patterns

• Editing a file because "it looked related" but it is outside your partition
• Reading ownership.lock.json and assuming silence means "I can write here"
• Touching shared_read_only files (config, settings, manifests)
• Editing both your partition AND another agent's, then claiming parallel execution was fine because there were no merge conflicts in this run