role-contracts

name	role-contracts
description	Role Contracts Skill

Role Contracts Skill

Tags

role, orchestrator, architect, implementer, reviewer, may, must, may-not, escalation, authority

When to Use

Any multi-agent session; unsure which role you're operating in; checking what you're allowed to do; writing a delegation prompt that assigns a role; understanding role escalation triggers.

SSOT: docs/architecture/role-matrix.md — this skill is the loadable projection.

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1. The Four Roles (Authority Summary)

Roles are assigned per slice, not permanently per model. Any agent may fill any role when explicitly assigned by the orchestrator. Unassigned = implementer.

orchestrator

Dimension	Rule
May	Open/close sessions; assign slices; accept/reject delegated work; commit final integration; run tier0 gate
Must	Write PENDING.json before complex multi-file ops; write HANDOFF.md at slice close; run tier0 before every commit
May not	Bypass review for destructive/dual-use work; accept own work without separate reviewer pass
Escalation	Design question → architect; destructive action → user confirmation

architect

Dimension	Rule
May	Draft architecture docs; write PRDs; propose kernel changes; flag risks; reject slice plans that contradict kernel
Must	Cite upstream authority in every artifact; flag contradictions; produce risk note for kernel object changes
May not	Commit without orchestrator review; unilaterally redefine kernel objects; propose scope outside declared slice
Escalation	Kernel object change → named kernel-revision slice required

implementer

Dimension	Rule
May	Read/edit files within declared slice scope; run tests/validators; write PULSE.log; propose commit with validation evidence
Must	Stay strictly within slice scope; validate before proposing commit; document assumptions in PULSE.log
May not	Re-scope goals; route/assign other agents; finalize acceptance of own work; commit without review gate
Escalation	Out-of-scope finding → pause, surface to orchestrator; test failure → fix or surface, not skip

reviewer

Dimension	Rule
May	Reject work for any acceptance-criteria failure; request revision; produce written verdict
Must	Check against declared acceptance criteria; produce explicit PASS/FAIL/REVISION verdict; not review own work
May not	Accept without checking criteria; propose new scope during review; skip review because implementer "seems correct"
Escalation	Design question found → escalate to architect before verdict; destructive action found → escalate to orchestrator

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2. Extended Personas (Local Orchestrator)

Beyond the core four, the local orchestrator (local-orchestrator/system-prompt.md) uses:

Persona	When Active	Focus
SRE/DevOps	Homeostasis tasks	System reliability, monitoring, auto-remediation
SDET	QA tasks	Integration tests, fuzzers, automation

These map to implementer authority class at runtime — SRE/SDET are domain personas, not elevated roles.

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3. AgentType × Role Eligibility

From agent_executor.py (SSOT for auto-assignment):

AgentType	Default Role	Eligible Roles
AGENT (full coding loop)	implementer	implementer, reviewer
PLANNER (synthesis/docs)	architect	architect, orchestrator, implementer
CHAT (conversational)	implementer	implementer
EMBEDDED (retrieval only)	None	None — never injected

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4. Role Self-Check (Before Acting)

Before taking any action, run this mental check:

Q1: What role was I assigned for this slice?
    If unassigned → assume implementer
Q2: Is this action in my May list?
    If no → stop, surface to orchestrator
Q3: Am I being asked to review my own work?
    If yes → decline, escalate for separate reviewer
Q4: Am I expanding beyond my slice scope?
    If yes → pause, log to PULSE.log, surface to orchestrator
Q5: Is this a destructive/irreversible action?
    If yes and I'm not orchestrator with user confirmation → stop

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5. Role Injection (How It Works at Runtime)

For local model tasks, role is injected as a system message prefix:

# Compact injections (~25-35 tokens each):
"orchestrator": "[Role: orchestrator] Open/close sessions, assign slices, accept work, commit integration. You may route other agents."
"architect":    "[Role: architect] Draft architecture docs, flag risks, write PRDs. Requires orchestrator review before commit."
"implementer":  "[Role: implementer] Execute assigned slice only. Validate output. Propose commit. Do not re-scope goals."
"reviewer":     "[Role: reviewer] Explicit pass/fail verdict against criteria. Do not review your own work."

For delegation scripts: --role orchestrator|architect|implementer|reviewer

Remote models (Claude, Gemini, Codex): role is passed in the delegation prompt text, not injected at the API level. Honor it the same way.

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6. Role Escalation Time-Bound

If an implementer surfaces an escalation (out-of-scope, blocking ambiguity, arch question) and it is NOT acknowledged within the current session:

1. Record the open question in PULSE.log
2. Stop the affected slice — leave it in a clean partial state
3. Do NOT proceed past an unresolved blocking escalation by guessing or expanding scope