deepen-context

name	deepen-context
description	Load task-specific context after the target issue is known. The caller passes focus hints (e.g., "wire layer", "BT integration", "embargo lifecycle") and this skill reads the relevant notes files, ADRs, and codebase reference files. Run after orient-agent, once the issue to be worked has been selected and read. Replaces study-project-docs Phase B.

Skill: Deepen Context

Load task-specific context after the target issue is known. The caller provides focus hints; this skill reads only what is relevant.

Inputs

The calling skill passes one or more focus hints describing what area of the codebase or design the task touches. Examples:

• "wire layer" — AS2 parsing, extraction, activity patterns
• "BT integration" — behavior tree nodes, blackboard, py_trees
• "embargo lifecycle" — EM state machine, PEC transitions
• "case state model" — RM/CS/EM state machines, CaseStatus
• "adapter layer" — FastAPI inbox, SQLite data layer, emitters
• "testing" — pytest fixtures, test data quality, integration tests

Procedure

Step 1 — Read relevant notes

Based on the focus hints, read the relevant notes/*.md files. Check notes/README.md (already loaded by orient-agent) for the index.

Always-relevant notes for implementation work:

• notes/architecture-hexagonal.md — layer rules and import constraints
• notes/codebase-structure.md — common pitfalls and file organization

Read additional notes files based on focus hints. When in doubt, read rather than skip — missing context causes incorrect implementation.

Step 2 — Read relevant ADRs

Using the ADR index loaded by orient-agent (docs/adr/index.md), identify and read any ADRs relevant to the current task. Focus on ADRs whose titles match the task's domain (e.g., behavior trees, hexagonal architecture, ActivityStreams, DataLayer). Read the full ADR file for any decision that is in scope — ADR context prevents re-litigating settled choices.

Step 3 — Read relevant codebase reference files

Read from docs/reference/codebase/ based on task scope:

File	Read when
ARCHITECTURE.md	Always for implementation tasks
STRUCTURE.md	When navigating unfamiliar modules
CONVENTIONS.md	When writing new code
STACK.md	When adding or evaluating dependencies
TESTING.md	When writing or reviewing tests
CONCERNS.md	When assessing risk or technical debt
INTEGRATIONS.md	When working on external integrations

Step 4 — Scan the codebase

Search vultron/ and test/ to verify assumptions about what is currently implemented. Do not assert missing functionality without evidence from code search.

Notes

• Focus hints come from the calling skill after it has selected and read the target issue. For build and bugfix, the issue body describes what is needed; use that as the basis for hints.
• For plan-issue, grill-me Phase 3 surfaces the relevant areas; pass those as hints when invoking deepen-context in Phase 4.