Use BEFORE adding any new tool, parameter, or endpoint to the Apple Mail MCP server. Also use when considering API changes, evaluating feature requests, or when tempted to create a specialized operation. Contains the decision tree that prevents tool sprawl and the anti-pattern catalog.
Use when writing, modifying, or debugging ANY AppleScript that interacts with Apple Mail. Also use when encountering AppleScript errors, unexpected Mail.app behavior, when adding new connector methods, or when debugging JSON output from ASObjC. Covers string escaping, attachment handling, Gmail compatibility, message ID lookup patterns, NSJSONSerialization gotchas, and known Mail.app automation limitations.
Use when setting up, running, or debugging integration tests against real Apple Mail. Also use when unit tests pass but behavior seems wrong, when adding new AppleScript operations, or when you need to understand why mocked tests are insufficient for this project.
Use when optimizing Apple Mail MCP operations, diagnosing slow queries, adding new filtering logic, or modifying how data is fetched from Mail.app. Covers osascript overhead, whose clause optimization, batch operation patterns, and known operation timings.
Use when the user wants to release a new version. Orchestrates the full release workflow including milestone check, version bump, changelog generation, validation, tagging, and PR creation. Also use when discussing release planning or version management.