agents-md-improver

name	agents-md-improver
description	Audit and improve Codex AGENTS.md guidance files and companion code_map.md navigation maps. Use when the user asks to check, audit, optimize, or fix AGENTS.md; mentions nested AGENTS.md conflicts, code maps, stale commands, or scoped instructions; or says 优化 AGENTS.md, 审计 AGENTS.md, 更新 Codex 项目指导, 生成 code_map.md.
version	1.1.0
category	developer-tools-integrations
tags	["codex","agents-md","repository-guidance","codex-cli","codex-app","audit","documentation"]
argument-hint	[audit-or-update-goal]
allowed-tools	Read, Glob, Grep, Edit, Write, Bash(git *), Bash(find *)

AGENTS.md Improver

Audit and improve Codex AGENTS.md guidance files and companion code_map.md navigation maps so future Codex CLI, Codex App, and native subagent sessions receive concise, accurate, scoped project instructions and fast code search entry points.

Default mode is report-first. Output a quality report and proposed diff before writing. If the user explicitly asks to implement an approved plan, continue directly to targeted edits and verification.

Core Semantics

• An AGENTS.md file governs the directory that contains it and every descendant directory.
• A deeper AGENTS.md adds or overrides guidance for its subtree.
• System, developer, and direct user instructions outrank any AGENTS.md content.
• Repository AGENTS.md files are project guidance. User-level ~/.codex/AGENTS.md is global preference guidance and should not be edited unless explicitly requested.
• AGENTS.md carries durable behavioral constraints, commands, and safety rules. code_map.md carries navigational structure, search anchors, entry points, and generated/ignored directory notes.
• Every created or updated AGENTS.md should explicitly name the relative code_map.md path agents must read before broad grep or repo-wide search, for example See ./code_map.md before broad grep or For this subtree, start with platforms/codex/code_map.md.
• When the repository also uses Claude Code (CLAUDE.md present), code_map.md is a shared artifact maintained by both this skill and claude-md-improver. Use the canonical code map wording from references/templates.md (it names both guidance files), never remove the other tool's mention from an existing map, and prefer keeping shared instructions in AGENTS.md with CLAUDE.md importing them via @AGENTS.md.
• Preserve hook-managed marker blocks such as <!-- OMX:RUNTIME:START --> ... <!-- OMX:RUNTIME:END --> and <!-- OMX:TEAM:WORKER:START --> ... <!-- OMX:TEAM:WORKER:END -->.

Workflow

Phase 1: Discovery

Find scoped guidance files:

find . \( -name AGENTS.md -o -name code_map.md \) \
  -not -path './.git/*' \
  -not -path './node_modules/*' \
  -not -path './target/*' \
  -not -path './dist/*' \
  -not -path './build/*' \
  -not -path './vendor/*' \
  -not -path './.omx/state/*'

The command above is a starting set; the full exclusion list below governs. Exclude generated, vendored, dependency, cache, and build-output directories from guidance creation scans, including .git/, node_modules/, target/, dist/, build/, .omx/state/, vendor/, generated docs output, coverage output, and language-specific package caches.

Discover candidate directories for new nested AGENTS.md plus local code_map.md before proposing writes. Score only real source subtrees that show one or more of:

• independent manifests or command files such as package.json, Cargo.toml, pyproject.toml, go.mod, Makefile, justfile, or CI/workflow fragments
• independent runtime, entry point, test command, deployable package, or service boundary
• distinct language stack, framework, generated-source policy, or data/credential safety boundary
• high internal complexity where a local map would prevent broad grep or repeated rediscovery
• public API/contract surfaces that are frequently edited or shared by multiple packages

Also note, but do not edit by default:

~/.codex/AGENTS.md
.codex/agents/
.codex/skills/

Classify each file:

Type	Location	Purpose
root guidance	./AGENTS.md	repo-wide commands, architecture, gates, safety boundaries
nested scoped guidance	./<subtree>/AGENTS.md	local commands, ownership, generated files, conventions
root code map	./code_map.md	repo navigation, top-level routing, search anchors, ignored/generated paths
nested code map	./<subtree>/code_map.md	subtree entry points, internal routing, upstream/downstream boundaries
user global guidance	~/.codex/AGENTS.md	user-wide preferences, outside repo scope
generated/runtime guidance	.omx/.../AGENTS.md or similar	runtime state; usually read-only/no-edit

Phase 2: Evidence Collection

For every repo guidance file, verify claims against the repository:

• commands in package.json, justfile, Cargo.toml, pyproject.toml, Makefile, CI files
• actual directory structure and entry points
• existing code_map.md files, map pointers in AGENTS.md, and whether map content is navigational rather than behavioral
• test/lint/typecheck/build commands
• generated, vendored, secret, data, or deployment-sensitive paths
• nested guidance overlap or conflicts
• unrepresented key subprojects that score high enough for nested guidance creation
• Codex-specific surfaces: .codex/skills, .codex/agents, AGENTS.md scope rules, sandbox/approval notes
• optional OMX sections only when present in the repo or current user environment

Phase 3: Quality Assessment

Use references/quality-criteria.md for detailed scoring, including the nested AGENTS.md creation scorecard.

Quick checklist:

Criterion	Weight	Check
scope and override clarity	20	file explains what subtree it governs and how it relates to parent guidance
executable commands and gates	20	build/test/lint/typecheck commands are real and scoped
architecture and ownership	15	enough map to route future edits without restating obvious code
safety and permissions	15	sandbox, approvals, secrets, destructive operations, external services are clear
Codex workflow fit	15	skills/subagents/plugins/OMX guidance is accurate and not overpromised
conciseness and currency	15	current, dense, non-duplicative, no stale file paths

For each candidate nested subtree, record:

• creation score and decision: create (>=60), candidate only (40-59), or do not create (<40)
• nearest applicable code_map.md path and whether a local nested map should be created
• reason not to create guidance for generated, vendored, dependency, or low-signal directories

Grades:

• A (90-100): scoped, current, executable, and concise
• B (70-89): useful with minor gaps
• C (50-69): basic but missing key operational detail
• D (30-49): sparse, stale, or confusing
• F (0-29): missing, misleading, or unsafe

Phase 4: Report Before Editing

Always provide this report before edits unless the user already approved an implementation plan. Use the "Quality Report" skeleton in references/report-format.md: summary, scope map, code map coverage, nested guidance candidates, and a per-file assessment scored against the Phase 3 criteria.

Phase 5: Targeted Updates

When approved or already authorized by a plan:

1. Preserve existing human-authored guidance unless it is demonstrably stale.
2. Keep root guidance global and short.
3. Keep architecture/search navigation in code_map.md; keep behavioral rules, commands, and safety constraints in AGENTS.md.
4. Move subtree-specific detail to the narrowest applicable nested AGENTS.md instead of duplicating it everywhere.
5. Create nested guidance only when candidate scoring justifies it; list lower-scoring candidates in the report instead of adding noise.
6. Ensure every updated AGENTS.md names the exact relative code_map.md path agents should read first.
7. Preserve marker blocks exactly unless the user explicitly asks to repair them.
8. Prefer additions or surgical rewrites over wholesale replacement.
9. Remove stale commands only after verifying current replacements.
10. Do not add generic advice that Codex already knows.

Phase 6: Verification

Run the smallest checks that prove the edits:

• git diff --check
• command existence checks for newly documented commands when cheap
• targeted checks that generated AGENTS.md files reference an explicit relative code_map.md path
• targeted checks that generated or vendored directories were not assigned meaningless nested guidance
• repo docs or lint gates when AGENTS.md is part of a larger docs change
• targeted search for stale names or paths removed by the update

If a documented full gate is expensive, state whether it was run or why it was not.

Reference Files

• references/quality-criteria.md — scoring rubric and red flags
• references/templates.md — root, monorepo package, frontend/backend/docs templates
• references/update-guidelines.md — what to add, avoid, and preserve
• references/report-format.md — quality report and update summary skeletons

Common Issues to Flag

• root AGENTS.md missing commands required by CI or local development
• root AGENTS.md missing an explicit ./code_map.md pointer when a root map exists or should exist
• nested AGENTS.md contradicts parent guidance without saying why
• nested AGENTS.md only says "read the code map" without naming the relative map path
• AGENTS.md bloated with directory index content that belongs in code_map.md
• low-score, generated, vendored, dependency, or build-output directories receiving unnecessary nested guidance
• stale paths after a refactor
• Claude-only guidance copied into Codex files without AGENTS.md scope semantics
• dangerous operations not gated by explicit approval language
• external production services or credentials not called out
• skills/subagents/plugins described as available when they are only aspirational
• OMX workflows documented as universal Codex features instead of environment-specific enhancements

Final Output After Edits

After approved edits, emit the "Update Summary" skeleton in references/report-format.md: files changed, what improved, verification results (passed/failed/skipped with reason), and remaining risks.