e2e-test

name	e2e-test
description	[Testing] Use when generating, updating, or maintaining E2E tests from recordings, specs, or code changes.

Codex compatibility note:

• Invoke repository skills with $skill-name in Codex; this mirrored copy rewrites legacy Claude /skill-name references.
• Task tracker mandate: BEFORE executing any workflow or skill step, create/update task tracking for all steps and keep it synchronized as progress changes.
• User-question prompts mean to ask the user directly in Codex.
• Ignore Claude-specific mode-switch instructions when they appear.
• Strict execution contract: when a user explicitly invokes a skill, execute that skill protocol as written.
• Subagent authorization: when a skill is user-invoked or AI-detected and its protocol requires subagents, that skill activation authorizes use of the required spawn_agent subagent(s) for that task.
• Do not skip, reorder, or merge protocol steps unless the user explicitly approves the deviation first.
• For workflow skills, execute each listed child-skill step explicitly and report step-by-step evidence.
• If a required step/tool cannot run in this environment, stop and ask the user before adapting.

Codex Project-Reference Loading (No Hooks)

Codex uses static project-reference loading instead of runtime-injected project docs. When coding, planning, debugging, testing, or reviewing, open project docs explicitly using this routing.

Always read:

• docs/project-config.json (project-specific paths, commands, modules, and workflow/test settings)
• docs/project-reference/docs-index-reference.md (routes to the full docs/project-reference/* catalog)
• docs/project-reference/lessons.md (always-on guardrails and anti-patterns)

Missing/stale context route: If docs/project-config.json, the docs index, lessons.md, CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, or any task-required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run $project-init or the narrow setup route ($project-config, $docs-init, $scan-all, $scan --target=<key>, $claude-md-init) before ordinary project-specific work. If Codex mirrors or AGENTS.md are missing/stale, ask the user to run $sync-codex; do not auto-run it.

Situation-based docs:

• Backend/CQRS/API/domain/entity changes: backend-patterns-reference.md, domain-entities-reference.md, project-structure-reference.md
• Frontend/UI/styling/design-system: frontend-patterns-reference.md, scss-styling-guide.md, design-system/README.md
• Spec authoring, docs/specs/ pathing, or TC format: feature-spec-reference.md, spec-system-reference.md, spec-principles.md
• Behavior/public-contract changes or spec-test-code sync: workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md plus the spec docs above
• Derived spec indexes/ERDs/reimplementation guides: spec-system-reference.md and source Feature Specs under docs/specs/
• Integration test implementation/review: integration-test-reference.md
• E2E test implementation/review: e2e-test-reference.md
• Code review/audit work: code-review-rules.md plus domain docs above based on changed files

Do not read all docs blindly. Start from docs-index-reference.md, then open only relevant files for the task.

[BLOCKING] Execute skill steps in declared order. NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval. [BLOCKING] Before each step or sub-skill call, update task tracking: set in_progress when step starts, set completed when step ends. [BLOCKING] Every completed/skipped step MUST include brief evidence or explicit skip reason. [BLOCKING] If Task tools are unavailable, create and maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with the same status transitions.

Quick Summary

Goal: Produce maintainable, spec-traceable E2E tests (TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}) from recordings, specs, or code changes that protect business behavior using the project's configured framework (Playwright, Selenium, Cypress, others) — so future UI changes break tests only when intended behavior breaks.

Summary:

• Read docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md + the e2eTesting block of docs/project-config.json FIRST, then detect the framework from project files — never assume a stack or invent a TC-annotation marker.
• Every test carries its TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN} code traced to a spec, structured with the Page Object Model (locators/actions in the page class, assertions in the test).
• Selector priority is semantic/BEM > data-testid > ARIA/role > visible text; AVOID generated classes, :nth-child, and XPath.
• Generate unique self-sufficient data (GUID/timestamp), never depend on pre-existing DB state, never tear down seeded data; spawn the e2e-runner sub-agent for generation and baseline updates.

Workflow:

1. Detect — classify request scope, target artifacts, framework.
2. Execute — apply required steps, evidence-backed actions.
3. Verify — confirm constraints, output quality, completion evidence.

Key Rules:

• MUST ATTENTION keep claims evidence-based (file:line), confidence >80% to act.
• MUST ATTENTION keep task tracking updated as each step starts/completes.
• NEVER skip mandatory workflow or skill gates.

⚠️ MANDATORY: Read Project E2E Reference (FIRST)

BEFORE ANY E2E WORK, you MUST ATTENTION:

# 1. Read project-specific E2E patterns (REQUIRED)
head -100 docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md

# 2. Read project config for framework, paths, commands
grep -A 50 '"e2eTesting"' docs/project-config.json

# 3. Find TC codes you need to implement
grep -r "TC-.*-E2E-" docs/specs/ docs/specs/

The e2eTesting section in docs/project-config.json contains:

• Framework, language, paths, run commands, TC code format
• Project-specific best practices and entry points

When investigating/fixing E2E failures, update docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md with learnings.

• docs/project-reference/domain-entities-reference.md — Domain entity catalog, relationships, cross-service sync (read when task involves business entities/models)

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Framework Detection (SECOND STEP)

Detect the project's E2E stack before generating tests:

# Use project config, project-reference docs, and existing test config files as the source of truth
rg "playwright|cypress|selenium|webdriver|e2e" docs/project-config.json docs/project-reference/ . 2>/dev/null
rg --files | rg "(playwright|cypress|webdriver|selenium|e2e|test).*config|manifest|project"

Framework	Config Source	Test Naming	Run Command
Configured E2E framework	project config/reference docs	existing local examples	configured test command

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Workflow Modes

Mode	Input	Output
from-recording	Recording JSON + feature	Test spec + page object
update-ui	Git diff of UI changes	Updated screenshot baselines
from-changes	Changed test specs or code	Updated test implementations
from-spec	TC codes from test specs	New tests matching specs

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First Principle — Easy to Change

The success metric of every coding decision is future change cost. DRY, SRP, abstraction, design patterns, naming, layering, tests — every technique exists to serve one goal: making the next change cheaper.

Evaluating code, refactor, test, abstraction, ask: does this make next change cheaper or more expensive?

• Reject "best practices" raising change cost (premature abstraction, speculative generality, leaky indirection, ceremony without payoff).
• Name real enemies in findings: coupling, hidden state, duplicated knowledge, unclear intent, irreversible decisions exposed too early.
• Simpler design easy to change beats sophisticated design that isn't.

Apply this lens before invoking any specific rule, pattern, checklist below — if downstream rule would raise change cost, this principle wins.

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Core Principles

1. TC Code Traceability (MANDATORY)

Every E2E test MUST ATTENTION have:

• TC code in test name: TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}
• Tag/annotation linking to spec
• Comment linking to feature doc

// TypeScript
test('TC-RT-E2E-001: Submit return request', async () => { ... });

Use repository's configured test-case annotation mechanism for non-TypeScript E2E tests; NEVER invent a framework-specific marker.

Spec-Loop Discipline (E2E tier — tailored). Trace each E2E scenario to the §8 invariant/behavior it guards — name the protected business rule, not just the click path — so the scenario fails only when that intended behavior breaks (not on cosmetic UI churn). Any coverage gap you find (an §8 behavior with no E2E scenario, or an E2E flow guarding no documented behavior) feeds the Dual-Feedback half into BOTH the spec (the missing/changed behavior) AND the tests — never a test-only fix. Scoped N/A: property/metamorphic generation and the MUTATION-SCORE assertion gate are scoped to unit/integration core-logic; they do NOT apply at the E2E tier — do not force them here.

2. Page Object Model

All frameworks use Page Object pattern:

• Encapsulate page locators in page class
• Methods represent user actions
• Assertions in test file, not page object

3. Selector Strategy (Priority Order)

1. Semantic classes — BEM (.block__element), component classes
2. Data attributes — [data-testid], [data-cy], [data-test]
3. ARIA/Role — role=button, aria-label
4. Text content — Visible user text (last resort)

AVOID: Generated classes (.ng-star-inserted, .MuiButton-root), positional selectors (:nth-child), XPath

4. Unique Test Data

Tests MUST generate unique data to be repeatable:

• Append GUIDs/timestamps to test data
• Make each test self-sufficient with own generated data; NEVER depend on specific pre-existing database state
• Leave seeded data in place after run, NEVER clean up — why: teardown across shared runs creates side effects for parallel/repeat tests

5. Preconditions Documentation

Document what must exist before test runs:

• System: Infrastructure running, APIs healthy
• Data: Seed data exists (users, companies)
• Feature: Configurations complete

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Steps

1. Detect framework from project files
2. Read project E2E docs for conventions and patterns
3. Load test specs with TC codes from feature docs
4. Generate/update tests following Page Object pattern
5. Run tests using project's configured commands
6. Update e2e-test-reference.md with any learnings

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Output

Report:

• Files created/modified
• TC codes covered
• Run command to execute tests
• Any preconditions or setup needed

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Sub-Agent Type Override

MANDATORY: E2E test generation and baseline updates spawn e2e-runner sub-agent (agent_type: "e2e-runner"), NOT the main agent directly. Rationale: e2e-runner auto-detects the project's E2E stack, maintains test-to-spec TC traceability, and handles visual baseline updates across Playwright, Selenium, Cypress, and other frameworks.

Spawn e2e-runner sub-agent for:

• Generating new E2E tests from recordings or TC codes from specs
• Updating visual screenshot baselines after UI changes
• Maintaining TC code traceability (TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}) in test implementations

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Workflow Recommendation

MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — NO EXCEPTIONS: If you are NOT already in a workflow, you MUST ATTENTION use a direct user question to ask the user. Do NOT judge task complexity or decide this is "simple enough to skip" — the user decides whether to use a workflow, not you:

1. Activate e2e --source=changes workflow (Recommended) — scout → e2e-test → test → watzup
2. Execute $e2e-test directly — run this skill standalone

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Skill: e2e-test

Category: [Testing] Trigger: e2e test, e2e from recording, generate e2e, playwright test, cypress test, selenium test, webdriver, puppeteer

Generate and maintain E2E tests using project's configured testing framework.

• docs/specs/ — Test specifications by module (read existing TCs for E2E scenario coverage; match TC codes to E2E test implementations)

Be skeptical. Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence percentages (Idea should be more than 80%).

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Sub-Agent Selection — Full routing contract: .claude/skills/shared/sub-agent-selection-guide.md Rule: Route specialized domains (architecture, security, performance, DB, E2E, integration-test, git) to the matching specialist agent (see guide above) — NEVER use code-reviewer for these. — why: code-reviewer lacks each domain's checklist, so specialized issues slip through.

Source/test drift check. For coding, fix, debug, investigation, test, or review work: when source behavior changes, inspect affected unit/integration/E2E tests and decide from evidence whether tests should change to match intended behavior or the source change is an unintended bug to fix. Do not write tests for migration code; schema/data migrations are one-time execution paths, not core application logic.

AI Mistake Prevention — Failure modes to avoid on every task:

Re-read files after context changes. Context compaction, resume, or long-running work can make memory stale; verify current files before acting. Verify generated content against source evidence. AI hallucinates APIs, names, claims, and document facts. Check the relevant source before documenting or referencing. Check downstream references before deleting or renaming. Removing an artifact can stale docs, generated mirrors, configs, and callers; map references first. Trace the full impact chain after edits. Changing a definition can miss derived outputs and consumers. Follow the affected chain before declaring done. Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first. One green check is not all green checks; validate every output surface the change can affect. Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing. Before changing a constant, limit, flag, wording, or pattern, read nearby context and history. Surface ambiguity before acting — don't pick silently. Multiple valid interpretations require an explicit question or stated assumption with risk. Keep shared guidance role-relevant. Universal guidance must help every receiving skill or agent; code-specific obligations belong only in code-specific protocols.

Critical Thinking Mindset — Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act. Anti-hallucination: Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination.

MUST ATTENTION apply critical + sequential thinking — every claim needs appropriate traced evidence (file:line for repo/code claims; source URL or artifact section for research, product, content, and docs claims); confidence >80% to act, <60% DO NOT recommend. Anti-hallucination: never present guess as fact, admit uncertainty freely, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence.

MUST ATTENTION apply AI mistake prevention — verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references before deleting or renaming, verify all affected outputs, re-read files after context loss, and surface ambiguity before acting.

Prompt-Enhance Closing Anchors

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION follow declared step order for this skill; NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION for every step/sub-skill call: set in_progress before execution, set completed after execution IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION every skipped step MUST include explicit reason; every completed step MUST include concise evidence IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION if Task tools unavailable, maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with synchronized statuses

Closing Reminders

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Goal: Produce maintainable, spec-traceable E2E tests (TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}) that protect business behavior using the project's configured framework — so future UI changes break tests only when intended behavior breaks.

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — Protocols in force (concise digest of the SYNC/shared blocks this skill carries):

• Sub-Agent Selection: Route specialized domains to the matching specialist agent, NEVER code-reviewer.
• Source/Test Drift Check: On source change, decide from evidence whether tests or source is wrong.
• AI Mistake Prevention: verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references, verify all affected outputs, re-read after context loss, surface ambiguity.
• Critical Thinking: Traced file:line proof per claim, confidence >80% to act, NEVER guess as fact.

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION read docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md + the e2eTesting block of docs/project-config.json FIRST, then detect the framework from project files — NEVER assume a stack — why: the configured framework, paths, run commands, and TC format are project-specific, not framework defaults. IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION cite file:line evidence for every claim (confidence >80% to act, <60% DO NOT recommend) — NEVER speculate without proof. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION break work into small todo tasks using task tracking BEFORE starting; mark one in_progress, set completed immediately after each finishes; add a final review todo. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION search the codebase for 3+ similar existing E2E tests/page objects before creating new code; follow the local pattern over generic framework docs — why: projects carry local selector/data conventions that differ from defaults. IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION evaluate fit before copying a nearby test — verify the new scenario shares the same base page class, fixtures, and preconditions — why: closest example ≠ matching preconditions. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION every E2E test carries its TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN} code traced to the §8 invariant/behavior it guards — name the protected business rule, not just the click path — so it fails on intended-behavior breaks, not cosmetic UI churn. IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION use the repository's configured test-case annotation mechanism — NEVER invent a framework-specific marker. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION selector priority semantic/BEM > data-testid > ARIA/role > visible text; NEVER use generated classes (.ng-star-inserted, .MuiButton-root), positional selectors (:nth-child), or XPath — why: generated/positional selectors break on unrelated markup churn. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION keep locators/actions in the Page Object class, assertions in the test file — why: encapsulation keeps the next UI change a one-place edit. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION generate unique self-sufficient data (GUID/timestamp); NEVER depend on specific pre-existing DB state and NEVER tear down seeded data — why: teardown across shared/parallel runs creates side effects. IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION spawn the e2e-runner sub-agent (agent_type: "e2e-runner") for E2E generation and visual baseline updates — NEVER drive them from the main agent — why: e2e-runner carries the stack auto-detection and TC-traceability knowledge. IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION any coverage gap (a §8 behavior with no scenario, or a flow guarding no documented behavior) feeds BOTH the spec AND the tests — NEVER a test-only fix; property/metamorphic generation and MUTATION-SCORE gates are scoped to unit/integration, N/A at the E2E tier. IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION update docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md with learnings when investigating/fixing E2E failures. MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION add a final review todo task to verify work quality.

Anti-Rationalization:

Evasion	Rebuttal
"I know the framework, skip the reference"	Read e2eTesting config + reference FIRST — stack/paths/TC format are project-specific.
"data-testid is everywhere, just use it"	Honor the priority — semantic/BEM > data-testid > ARIA > text; show the selector you rejected.
"This selector is faster via :nth-child"	Positional/generated selectors break on unrelated churn. Use a semantic/data anchor.
"I'll clean up the data after the run"	NEVER tear down seeded data — teardown breaks parallel/repeat runs. Leave it in place.
"Test passes, traceability is bookkeeping"	No TC code traced to a §8 behavior = no bug protection. Name the rule the scenario guards.
"Just generate the test inline, it's quick"	Spawn e2e-runner — it owns stack detection, TC traceability, and baseline updates.

Closing reminder — Easy to Change is the success metric. Every finding, test, refactor, and abstraction must answer one question: does this make the next change cheaper or more expensive? If it doesn't reduce future change cost, reject it. Coupling, hidden state, duplicated knowledge, and unclear intent are the real enemies — call them out by name.

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IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION read e2eTesting config + e2e-test-reference.md FIRST and detect the framework — NEVER assume a stack. IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION every test carries its TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN} code traced to the §8 behavior it guards; selector priority semantic > data-attr > ARIA > text — NEVER generated/positional/XPath. IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION generate unique self-sufficient data, NEVER tear down seeded data; spawn e2e-runner for generation and baseline updates.

Hookless Prompt Protocol Mirror (Auto-Synced)

Source: .claude/.ck.json + .claude/skills/shared/sync-inline-versions.md (:full blocks) + .claude/scripts/lib/hookless-prompt-protocol.cjs

[WORKFLOW-EXECUTION-PROTOCOL] [BLOCKING] Workflow Execution Protocol — MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST CRITICAL. Do not skip for any reason.

Generic portability boundary: Reusable skills and protocol text stay project-neutral; project-specific conventions are discovered from docs/project-config.json and docs/project-reference/. Apply shared AI-SDD from shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md. Read docs/project-config.json and docs/project-reference/docs-index-reference.md, then open the project reference docs named there. For spec, test-case, behavior-change, public-contract, or docs/specs/ work, route through the local spec docs named by the docs index: feature-spec-reference.md, spec-system-reference.md, spec-principles.md, and workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md when specs/tests/code must stay synchronized. If either file or a required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run $project-init (or the narrow lower-level route such as $project-config, $docs-init, $scan-all, or $scan --target=<key>) before ordinary project-specific work. Any supported AI tool may execute when this shared context and local docs are available.

1. DETECT: If the prompt starts with an explicit slash skill/workflow command, execute it directly. Otherwise match the prompt against the workflow catalog and skill list.
2. ANALYZE: Choose the best option: execute directly, invoke a skill, activate a standard workflow, or compose a custom step combination.
3. AUTO-SELECT: Pick the best option yourself. Do not ask the user to choose between direct execution, skill, standard workflow, or custom workflow.
4. ACTIVATE: For a selected workflow, call $start-workflow <workflowId>; for a selected skill, invoke that skill; for a custom workflow, sequence custom steps directly; for direct execution, proceed with the task.
5. CREATE TASKS: task tracking for ALL workflow/skill/custom steps before execution when the selected path has multiple steps.
6. EXECUTE: Advance per the Workflow Step Advancement & Parallel Phases rule in your context instructions — model-driven; a sub-agent completion advances a step identically to an inline call; a parallel-phase group is an all-return barrier (advance only after ALL members return, never serialize it)

Shared AI-SDD Protocol Markers

Source: .claude/skills/shared/sync-inline-versions.md

SYNC:ai-sdd-artifact-contract

AI-SDD Artifact Contract — Shared spec-driven development rules stay portable and source-owned.

1. Keep reusable AI-SDD principles in .claude; put repository-specific paths, commands, owners, products, and formats in project config/reference docs.
2. Preserve cycle: spec -> plan -> tasks -> implement -> verify -> update spec/docs.
3. Trace every requirement or invariant through decision, task, TC/test, source evidence, and docs/spec update.
4. Treat code-to-spec extraction as reference-only until accepted by the canonical spec owner.
5. Any supported AI tool may plan, implement, review, or verify with synced context; using multiple tools is optional.
6. Update .claude source first, then sync generated mirrors; do not manually edit .agents, .codex, or AGENTS.md. — why: mirrors are generated artifacts; hand-edits are overwritten on the next sync
7. If docs/project-config.json, root instruction files, or a required project-reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run $project-init or the narrow lower-level route before ordinary project-specific work.

Active reference: shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md in the active skills root.

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SYNC:ai-sdd-artifact-contract:reminder

• MANDATORY Apply shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md; keep reusable AI-SDD in .claude and local rules in project docs.
• MANDATORY Code-to-spec extraction is reference-only until canonical acceptance; any supported AI tool may execute with synced context.
• MANDATORY Update .claude source before syncing generated mirrors; do not manually edit .agents, .codex, or AGENTS.md.
• MANDATORY Missing or stale project config, root instruction files, or required reference docs route project-specific work through $project-init or the narrow setup route automatically. [TASK-PLANNING] [MANDATORY] BEFORE executing any workflow or skill step, create/update task tracking for all planned steps, then keep it synchronized as each step starts/completes.

[LESSON-LEARNED-REMINDER] [BLOCKING] Task Planning & Continuous Improvement — MANDATORY. Do not skip.

Break work into small tasks (task tracking) before starting. Add final task: "Analyze AI mistakes & lessons learned".

Extract lessons — ROOT CAUSE ONLY, not symptom fixes:

1. Name the FAILURE MODE (reasoning/assumption failure), not symptom — "assumed API existed without reading source" not "used wrong enum value".
2. Generality test: does this failure mode apply to ≥3 contexts/codebases? If not, abstract one level up.
3. Write as a universal rule — strip project-specific names/paths/classes. Useful on any codebase.
4. Consolidate: multiple mistakes sharing one failure mode → ONE lesson.
5. Recurrence gate: "Would this recur in future session WITHOUT this reminder?" — No → skip $learn.
6. Auto-fix gate: "Could $code-review/$code-simplifier/$security-review/$lint catch this?" — Yes → improve review skill instead.
7. BOTH gates pass → ask user to run $learn. [CRITICAL-THINKING-MINDSET] Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act. Anti-hallucination principle: Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination. AI Attention principle (Primacy-Recency): Put the 3 most critical rules at both top and bottom of long prompts/protocols so instruction adherence survives long context windows. Goal-driven execution: Define success criteria first, loop until verified, and stop only when observable checks pass. Tests verify intent: Tests must protect business rules/invariants and fail when the protected intent breaks, not only mirror current behavior.

Common AI Mistake Prevention (System Lessons)

• Re-read files after context compaction. Edit requires prior Read in same context; compaction wipes read state. Re-read before editing.
• Grep for old terms after bulk replacements. AI over-trusts find/replace completeness. Grep full repo after bulk edits for missed refs in docs/configs/catalogs.
• Check downstream references before deleting. Deletions cascade doc/code staleness. Map referencing files before removal.
• After memory loss, check existing state before creating new. Compaction wipes prior-work memory. Query current state to resume — never blindly duplicate.
• Verify AI-generated content against actual code. AI hallucinates APIs, class names, method signatures. Grep to confirm existence before documenting/referencing.
• Trace full dependency chain after edits. Changing a definition misses downstream consumers. Trace the full chain.
• When renaming, grep ALL consumer file types. Some file types silently ignore missing refs (no compile error). Search code, templates, configs, generated files.
• Trace ALL code paths when verifying correctness. Code existing ≠ code executing. Trace early exits, error branches, conditional skips — not just happy path.
• Update docs that embed canonical data when source changes. Docs inlining derived data (workflows, schemas, configs) go stale silently. Update all embedding docs alongside source.
• Verify sub-agent results after context recovery. Background agents may finish while parent compacted — grep-verify output, don't trust assumed completion.
• Cross-check full target list against sub-agent assignments. Parallel sub-agents by category miss boundary items. Reconcile union of assignments against target list before proceeding.
• Sub-agents inherit knowledge only from their agent .md definition — use custom agent types, not built-in Explore. Tool adoption = permission + knowledge + enforcement (numbered workflow step).
• Persist sub-agent findings incrementally, not as a final batch. Long sub-agents hit cutoffs before final write — findings lost. Instruct append-per-section to report file.
• When debugging, ask "whose responsibility?" before fixing. Trace caller (wrong data) vs callee (wrong handling). Fix at responsible layer — never patch symptom site.
• Grep ALL removed names after extraction/refactoring. Primary file "done" ≠ secondary files clean. Grep entire scope for every removed symbol before declaring complete.
• Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing. Pattern-matching as "wrong" skips context. Before changing any constant/limit/flag: read comments, git blame, surrounding code.
• Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first. One build green ≠ all green. Multi-stack changes (backend/frontend/tests/docs) require verifying EVERY output.
• Evaluate fit before copying a nearby pattern. Closest example ≠ matching preconditions — verify the new context shares the same constraints, base classes, scope, lifetime.
• Holistic-first debugging — resist nearest-attention trap. Don't dive into first plausible cause. List EVERY precondition (config, env vars, paths, DB, endpoints, creds, versions, DI, data). Verify each against evidence (grep/query — not reasoning). Ask "what would falsify this?" — if nothing, it's not a hypothesis. Most expensive failure: going deeper in "obvious" layer while bug sits in layer never questioned.
• Surgical changes — apply the diff test (context-aware). Two modes: (1) Bug fix → every line traces to the bug; no restyling; orphan cleanup only for imports YOUR changes made unused. (2) Review/enhancement → implement improvements AND announce as "Enhancement beyond main request: [what]". Never silently scope-creep. Diff test: "Would this line exist if I wasn't asked to do X?" — if no, delete or announce.
• Surface ambiguity before coding — don't pick silently. Multiple valid interpretations → present each with effort: "[Request] could mean (1) [N h], (2) [N h]. Which matters?" List scope/format/volume/constraints assumptions first. If simpler path exists, say so. Never silently pick.
• [MANDATORY FIRST ACTION] ALWAYS activate a suitable skill or workflow BEFORE responding. Match task against workflow catalog + skill list; invoke via skill invocation or $start-workflow <workflowId>. NEVER answer or write code before checking. Skip = protocol violation.
• Why-Review adversarial mindset — apply when reviewing any plan, decision, or design. Default SKEPTIC not VALIDATOR: steel-man a rejected alternative, invert each stated reason ("what does it sacrifice?"), stress-test top 2-3 assumptions, run pre-mortem ("ships, fails in 3 months — what breaks?"), surface 1-2 alternatives author missed. Section presence ≠ quality; quality = causal reasoning + concrete mitigations + evidence, not "it's better" or "monitor closely".
• Front-load report-write in sub-agent prompts for large reviews. Many-file sub-agents hit budget before final write — findings lost. Design prompts so: (1) report-write is first explicit deliverable, (2) append per-file/section (not batched), (3) scope bounded so reads don't exhaust budget. Truncated mid-sentence with no report file → spawn narrower scope, don't retry same prompt.
• After context compaction, re-verify all prior phase outcomes before continuing. Summaries describe intent, not environment state (git index, filesystem, processes). On resume, FIRST audit: git status, re-read modified files, verify filesystem. Every "completed" claim is an untested hypothesis until evidence confirms.
• OOM/memory: check row count before row size. Triage: (1) Unbounded query — no DB filter for trigger? Push filter to DB; eliminates OOM. (2) Large rows? Projection reduces proportionally. Row reduction > projection in ROI.
• Keep domain concepts out of generic/shared/infrastructure layers. Reusable layer (shared library, framework, infra module) must reference NO consumer-specific domain concept — tenant/customer/product IDs, business entities, feature rules. Leak compiles + runs → passes review silently while coupling the "reusable" layer to one consumer. Keep shared type domain-free; push domain fields/logic down into the consumer via subclass/composition. — why: a layer coupled to one consumer's domain is no longer reusable.