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---
name: trellis-before-dev
description: "Discovers and injects project-specific coding guidelines from .trellis/spec/ before implementation begins. Reads spec indexes, pre-development checklists, and shared thinking guides for the target package. Use when starting a new coding task, before writing any code, switching to a different package, or needing to refresh project conventions and standards."
---
Read the relevant development guidelines before starting your task.
Execute these steps:
1. **Discover packages and their spec layers**:
```bash
python3 ./.trellis/scripts/get_context.py --mode packages
```
2. **Identify which specs apply** to your task based on:
- Which package you're modifying (e.g., `cli/`, `docs-site/`)
- What type of work (backend, frontend, unit-test, docs, etc.)
3. **Read the spec index** for each relevant module:
```bash
cat .trellis/spec/<package>/<layer>/index.md
```
Follow the **"Pre-Development Checklist"** section in the index.
4. **Read the specific guideline files** listed in the Pre-Development Checklist that are relevant to your task. The index is NOT the goal — it points you to the actual guideline files (e.g., `error-handling.md`, `conventions.md`, `mock-strategies.md`). Read those files to understand the coding standards and patterns.
5. **Always read shared guides**:
```bash
cat .trellis/spec/guides/index.md
```
6. Understand the coding standards and patterns you need to follow, then proceed with your development plan.
This step is **mandatory** before writing any code.
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---
name: trellis-brainstorm
description: "Guides collaborative requirements discovery before implementation. Creates task directory, seeds PRD, asks high-value questions one at a time, researches technical choices, and converges on MVP scope. Use when requirements are unclear, there are multiple valid approaches, or the user describes a new feature or complex task."
---
# Brainstorm - Requirements Discovery (AI Coding Enhanced)
Guide AI through collaborative requirements discovery **before implementation**, optimized for AI coding workflows:
* **Task-first** (capture ideas immediately)
* **Action-before-asking** (reduce low-value questions)
* **Research-first** for technical choices (avoid asking users to invent options)
* **Diverge → Converge** (expand thinking, then lock MVP)
---
## When to Use
Triggered from $start when the user describes a development task, especially when:
* requirements are unclear or evolving
* there are multiple valid implementation paths
* trade-offs matter (UX, reliability, maintainability, cost, performance)
* the user might not know the best options up front
---
## Core Principles (Non-negotiable)
1. **Task-first (capture early)**
Always ensure a task exists at the start so the user's ideas are recorded immediately.
2. **Action before asking**
If you can derive the answer from repo code, docs, configs, conventions, or quick research — do that first.
3. **One question per message**
Never overwhelm the user with a list of questions. Ask one, update PRD, repeat.
4. **Prefer concrete options**
For preference/decision questions, present 23 feasible, specific approaches with trade-offs.
5. **Research-first for technical choices**
If the decision depends on industry conventions / similar tools / established patterns, do research first, then propose options.
6. **Diverge → Converge**
After initial understanding, proactively consider future evolution, related scenarios, and failure/edge cases — then converge to an MVP with explicit out-of-scope.
7. **No meta questions**
Do not ask "should I search?" or "can you paste the code so I can continue?"
If you need information: search/inspect. If blocked: ask the minimal blocking question.
---
## Step 0: Ensure Task Exists (ALWAYS)
Before any Q&A, ensure a task exists. If none exists, create one immediately.
* Use a **temporary working title** derived from the user's message.
* It's OK if the title is imperfect — refine later in PRD.
```bash
TASK_DIR=$(python3 ./.trellis/scripts/task.py create "brainstorm: <short goal>" --slug <auto>)
```
Create/seed `prd.md` immediately with what you know:
```markdown
# brainstorm: <short goal>
## Goal
<one paragraph: what + why>
## What I already know
* <facts from user message>
* <facts discovered from repo/docs>
## Assumptions (temporary)
* <assumptions to validate>
## Open Questions
* <ONLY Blocking / Preference questions; keep list short>
## Requirements (evolving)
* <start with what is known>
## Acceptance Criteria (evolving)
* [ ] <testable criterion>
## Definition of Done (team quality bar)
* Tests added/updated (unit/integration where appropriate)
* Lint / typecheck / CI green
* Docs/notes updated if behavior changes
* Rollout/rollback considered if risky
## Out of Scope (explicit)
* <what we will not do in this task>
## Technical Notes
* <files inspected, constraints, links, references>
* <research notes summary if applicable>
```
---
## Step 1: Auto-Context (DO THIS BEFORE ASKING QUESTIONS)
Before asking questions like "what does the code look like?", gather context yourself:
### Repo inspection checklist
* Identify likely modules/files impacted
* Locate existing patterns (similar features, conventions, error handling style)
* Check configs, scripts, existing command definitions
* Note any constraints (runtime, dependency policy, build tooling)
### Documentation checklist
* Look for existing PRDs/specs/templates
* Look for command usage examples, README, ADRs if any
Write findings into PRD:
* Add to `What I already know`
* Add constraints/links to `Technical Notes`
---
## Step 2: Classify Complexity (still useful, not gating task creation)
| Complexity | Criteria | Action |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------- |
| **Trivial** | Single-line fix, typo, obvious change | Skip brainstorm, implement directly |
| **Simple** | Clear goal, 12 files, scope well-defined | Ask 1 confirm question, then implement |
| **Moderate** | Multiple files, some ambiguity | Light brainstorm (23 high-value questions) |
| **Complex** | Vague goal, architectural choices, multiple approaches | Full brainstorm |
> Note: Task already exists from Step 0. Classification only affects depth of brainstorming.
---
## Step 3: Question Gate (Ask ONLY high-value questions)
Before asking ANY question, run the following gate:
### Gate A — Can I derive this without the user?
If answer is available via:
* repo inspection (code/config)
* docs/specs/conventions
* quick market/OSS research
**Do not ask.** Fetch it, summarize, update PRD.
### Gate B — Is this a meta/lazy question?
Examples:
* "Should I search?"
* "Can you paste the code so I can proceed?"
* "What does the code look like?" (when repo is available)
**Do not ask.** Take action.
### Gate C — What type of question is it?
* **Blocking**: cannot proceed without user input
* **Preference**: multiple valid choices, depends on product/UX/risk preference
* **Derivable**: should be answered by inspection/research
→ Only ask **Blocking** or **Preference**.
---
## Step 4: Research-first Mode (Mandatory for technical choices)
### Trigger conditions (any → research-first)
* The task involves selecting an approach, library, protocol, framework, template system, plugin mechanism, or CLI UX convention
* The user asks for "best practice", "how others do it", "recommendation"
* The user can't reasonably enumerate options
### Delegate to `trellis-research` sub-agent (don't research inline)
For each research topic, **spawn a `trellis-research` sub-agent via the Task tool** — don't do WebFetch / WebSearch / `gh api` inline in the main conversation.
Why:
- The sub-agent has its own context window → doesn't pollute brainstorm context with raw tool output
- It persists findings to `{TASK_DIR}/research/<topic>.md` (the contract — see `workflow.md` Phase 1.2)
- It returns only `{file path, one-line summary}` to the main agent
- Independent topics can be **parallelized** — spawn multiple sub-agents in one tool call
Agent type: `trellis-research`
Task description template: "Research <specific question>; persist findings to `{TASK_DIR}/research/<topic-slug>.md`."
❌ Bad (what you must NOT do):
```
Main agent: WebFetch(url-A) → WebFetch(url-B) → Bash(gh api ...)
→ WebSearch(q1) → WebSearch(q2) → ... (10+ inline calls)
→ Write(research/topic.md)
```
→ Pollutes main context with raw HTML/JSON, burns tokens.
✅ Good:
```
Main agent: Task(subagent_type="trellis-research",
prompt="Research topic A; persist to research/topic-a.md")
+ Task(subagent_type="trellis-research",
prompt="Research topic B; persist to research/topic-b.md")
+ Task(subagent_type="trellis-research",
prompt="Research topic C; persist to research/topic-c.md")
→ Reads research/topic-{a,b,c}.md after they finish.
```
### Research steps (to pass into each sub-agent prompt)
Each `trellis-research` sub-agent should:
1. Identify 24 comparable tools/patterns for its topic
2. Summarize common conventions and why they exist
3. Map conventions onto our repo constraints
4. Write findings to `{TASK_DIR}/research/<topic>.md`
Main agent then reads the persisted files and produces **23 feasible approaches** in PRD.
### Research output format (PRD)
The PRD itself should only reference the persisted research files, not duplicate their content. Add a `## Research References` section pointing at `research/*.md`.
Optionally, add a convergence section with feasible approaches derived from the research:
```markdown
## Research References
* [`research/<topic-a>.md`](research/<topic-a>.md) — <one-line takeaway>
* [`research/<topic-b>.md`](research/<topic-b>.md) — <one-line takeaway>
## Research Notes
### What similar tools do
* ...
* ...
### Constraints from our repo/project
* ...
### Feasible approaches here
**Approach A: <name>** (Recommended)
* How it works:
* Pros:
* Cons:
**Approach B: <name>**
* How it works:
* Pros:
* Cons:
**Approach C: <name>** (optional)
* ...
```
Then ask **one** preference question:
* "Which approach do you prefer: A / B / C (or other)?"
---
## Step 5: Expansion Sweep (DIVERGE) — Required after initial understanding
After you can summarize the goal, proactively broaden thinking before converging.
### Expansion categories (keep to 12 bullets each)
1. **Future evolution**
* What might this feature become in 13 months?
* What extension points are worth preserving now?
2. **Related scenarios**
* What adjacent commands/flows should remain consistent with this?
* Are there parity expectations (create vs update, import vs export, etc.)?
3. **Failure & edge cases**
* Conflicts, offline/network failure, retries, idempotency, compatibility, rollback
* Input validation, security boundaries, permission checks
### Expansion message template (to user)
```markdown
I understand you want to implement: <current goal>.
Before diving into design, let me quickly diverge to consider three categories (to avoid rework later):
1. Future evolution: <12 bullets>
2. Related scenarios: <12 bullets>
3. Failure/edge cases: <12 bullets>
For this MVP, which would you like to include (or none)?
1. Current requirement only (minimal viable)
2. Add <X> (reserve for future extension)
3. Add <Y> (improve robustness/consistency)
4. Other: describe your preference
```
Then update PRD:
* What's in MVP → `Requirements`
* What's excluded → `Out of Scope`
---
## Step 6: Q&A Loop (CONVERGE)
### Rules
* One question per message
* Prefer multiple-choice when possible
* After each user answer:
* Update PRD immediately
* Move answered items from `Open Questions``Requirements`
* Update `Acceptance Criteria` with testable checkboxes
* Clarify `Out of Scope`
### Question priority (recommended)
1. **MVP scope boundary** (what is included/excluded)
2. **Preference decisions** (after presenting concrete options)
3. **Failure/edge behavior** (only for MVP-critical paths)
4. **Success metrics & Acceptance Criteria** (what proves it works)
### Preferred question format (multiple choice)
```markdown
For <topic>, which approach do you prefer?
1. **Option A** — <what it means + trade-off>
2. **Option B** — <what it means + trade-off>
3. **Option C** — <what it means + trade-off>
4. **Other** — describe your preference
```
---
## Step 7: Propose Approaches + Record Decisions (Complex tasks)
After requirements are clear enough, propose 23 approaches (if not already done via research-first):
```markdown
Based on current information, here are 23 feasible approaches:
**Approach A: <name>** (Recommended)
* How:
* Pros:
* Cons:
**Approach B: <name>**
* How:
* Pros:
* Cons:
Which direction do you prefer?
```
Record the outcome in PRD as an ADR-lite section:
```markdown
## Decision (ADR-lite)
**Context**: Why this decision was needed
**Decision**: Which approach was chosen
**Consequences**: Trade-offs, risks, potential future improvements
```
---
## Step 8: Final Confirmation + Implementation Plan
When open questions are resolved, confirm complete requirements with a structured summary:
### Final confirmation format
```markdown
Here's my understanding of the complete requirements:
**Goal**: <one sentence>
**Requirements**:
* ...
* ...
**Acceptance Criteria**:
* [ ] ...
* [ ] ...
**Definition of Done**:
* ...
**Out of Scope**:
* ...
**Technical Approach**:
<brief summary + key decisions>
**Implementation Plan (small PRs)**:
* PR1: <scaffolding + tests + minimal plumbing>
* PR2: <core behavior>
* PR3: <edge cases + docs + cleanup>
Does this look correct? If yes, I'll proceed with implementation.
```
### Subtask Decomposition (Complex Tasks)
For complex tasks with multiple independent work items, create subtasks:
```bash
# Create child tasks
CHILD1=$(python3 ./.trellis/scripts/task.py create "Child task 1" --slug child1 --parent "$TASK_DIR")
CHILD2=$(python3 ./.trellis/scripts/task.py create "Child task 2" --slug child2 --parent "$TASK_DIR")
# Or link existing tasks
python3 ./.trellis/scripts/task.py add-subtask "$TASK_DIR" "$CHILD_DIR"
```
---
## PRD Target Structure (final)
`prd.md` should converge to:
```markdown
# <Task Title>
## Goal
<why + what>
## Requirements
* ...
## Acceptance Criteria
* [ ] ...
## Definition of Done
* ...
## Technical Approach
<key design + decisions>
## Decision (ADR-lite)
Context / Decision / Consequences
## Out of Scope
* ...
## Technical Notes
<constraints, references, files, research notes>
```
---
## Anti-Patterns (Hard Avoid)
* Asking user for code/context that can be derived from repo
* Asking user to choose an approach before presenting concrete options
* Meta questions about whether to research
* Staying narrowly on the initial request without considering evolution/edges
* Letting brainstorming drift without updating PRD
---
## Integration with Start Workflow
After brainstorm completes (Step 8 confirmation approved), the flow continues to the Task Workflow's **Phase 2: Prepare for Implementation**:
```text
Brainstorm
Step 0: Create task directory + seed PRD
Step 17: Discover requirements, research, converge
Step 8: Final confirmation → user approves
Task Workflow Phase 2 (Prepare for Implementation)
Code-Spec Depth Check (if applicable)
→ Research codebase (based on confirmed PRD)
→ Configure code-spec context (jsonl files)
→ Activate task
Task Workflow Phase 3 (Execute)
Implement → Check → Complete
```
The task directory and PRD already exist from brainstorm, so Phase 1 of the Task Workflow is skipped entirely.
---
## Related Commands
| Command | When to Use |
|---------|-------------|
| `$start` | Entry point that triggers brainstorm |
| `$finish-work` | After implementation is complete |
| `$update-spec` | If new patterns emerge during work |
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---
name: trellis-break-loop
description: "Deep bug analysis to break the fix-forget-repeat cycle. Analyzes root cause category, why fixes failed, prevention mechanisms, and captures knowledge into specs. Use after fixing a bug to prevent the same class of bugs."
---
# Break the Loop - Deep Bug Analysis
When debug is complete, use this for deep analysis to break the "fix bug -> forget -> repeat" cycle.
---
## Analysis Framework
Analyze the bug you just fixed from these 5 dimensions:
### 1. Root Cause Category
Which category does this bug belong to?
| Category | Characteristics | Example |
|----------|-----------------|---------|
| **A. Missing Spec** | No documentation on how to do it | New feature without checklist |
| **B. Cross-Layer Contract** | Interface between layers unclear | API returns different format than expected |
| **C. Change Propagation Failure** | Changed one place, missed others | Changed function signature, missed call sites |
| **D. Test Coverage Gap** | Unit test passes, integration fails | Works alone, breaks when combined |
| **E. Implicit Assumption** | Code relies on undocumented assumption | Timestamp seconds vs milliseconds |
### 2. Why Fixes Failed (if applicable)
If you tried multiple fixes before succeeding, analyze each failure:
- **Surface Fix**: Fixed symptom, not root cause
- **Incomplete Scope**: Found root cause, didn't cover all cases
- **Tool Limitation**: grep missed it, type check wasn't strict
- **Mental Model**: Kept looking in same layer, didn't think cross-layer
### 3. Prevention Mechanisms
What mechanisms would prevent this from happening again?
| Type | Description | Example |
|------|-------------|---------|
| **Documentation** | Write it down so people know | Update thinking guide |
| **Architecture** | Make the error impossible structurally | Type-safe wrappers |
| **Compile-time** | Strict type checking, no escape hatches | Signature change causes compile error |
| **Runtime** | Monitoring, alerts, scans | Detect orphan entities |
| **Test Coverage** | E2E tests, integration tests | Verify full flow |
| **Code Review** | Checklist, PR template | "Did you check X?" |
### 4. Systematic Expansion
What broader problems does this bug reveal?
- **Similar Issues**: Where else might this problem exist?
- **Design Flaw**: Is there a fundamental architecture issue?
- **Process Flaw**: Is there a development process improvement?
- **Knowledge Gap**: Is the team missing some understanding?
### 5. Knowledge Capture
Solidify insights into the system:
- [ ] Update `.trellis/spec/guides/` thinking guides
- [ ] Update relevant `.trellis/spec/` docs
- [ ] Create issue record (if applicable)
- [ ] Create feature ticket for root fix
- [ ] Update check guidelines if needed
---
## Output Format
Please output analysis in this format:
```markdown
## Bug Analysis: [Short Description]
### 1. Root Cause Category
- **Category**: [A/B/C/D/E] - [Category Name]
- **Specific Cause**: [Detailed description]
### 2. Why Fixes Failed (if applicable)
1. [First attempt]: [Why it failed]
2. [Second attempt]: [Why it failed]
...
### 3. Prevention Mechanisms
| Priority | Mechanism | Specific Action | Status |
|----------|-----------|-----------------|--------|
| P0 | ... | ... | TODO/DONE |
### 4. Systematic Expansion
- **Similar Issues**: [List places with similar problems]
- **Design Improvement**: [Architecture-level suggestions]
- **Process Improvement**: [Development process suggestions]
### 5. Knowledge Capture
- [ ] [Documents to update / tickets to create]
```
---
## Core Philosophy
> **The value of debugging is not in fixing the bug, but in making this class of bugs never happen again.**
Three levels of insight:
1. **Tactical**: How to fix THIS bug
2. **Strategic**: How to prevent THIS CLASS of bugs
3. **Philosophical**: How to expand thinking patterns
30 minutes of analysis saves 30 hours of future debugging.
---
## After Analysis: Immediate Actions
**IMPORTANT**: After completing the analysis above, you MUST immediately:
1. **Update spec/guides** - Don't just list TODOs, actually update the relevant files:
- If it's a cross-platform issue → update `cross-platform-thinking-guide.md`
- If it's a cross-layer issue → update `cross-layer-thinking-guide.md`
- If it's a code reuse issue → update `code-reuse-thinking-guide.md`
- If it's domain-specific → update `backend/*.md` or `frontend/*.md`
2. **Sync templates** - After updating `.trellis/spec/`, sync to `src/templates/markdown/spec/`
3. **Commit the spec updates** - This is the primary output, not just the analysis text
> **The analysis is worthless if it stays in chat. The value is in the updated specs.**
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---
name: trellis-check
description: "Comprehensive quality verification: spec compliance, lint, type-check, tests, cross-layer data flow, code reuse, and consistency checks. Use when code is written and needs quality verification, before committing changes, or to catch context drift during long sessions."
---
# Code Quality Check
Comprehensive quality verification for recently written code. Combines spec compliance, cross-layer safety, and pre-commit checks.
---
## Step 1: Identify What Changed
```bash
git diff --name-only HEAD
git status
```
## Step 2: Read Applicable Specs
```bash
python3 ./.trellis/scripts/get_context.py --mode packages
```
For each changed package/layer, read the spec index and follow its **Quality Check** section:
```bash
cat .trellis/spec/<package>/<layer>/index.md
```
Read the specific guideline files referenced — the index is a pointer, not the goal.
## Step 3: Run Project Checks
Run the project's lint, type-check, and test commands. Fix any failures before proceeding.
## Step 4: Review Against Checklist
### Code Quality
- [ ] Linter passes?
- [ ] Type checker passes (if applicable)?
- [ ] Tests pass?
- [ ] No debug logging left in?
- [ ] No suppressed warnings or type-safety bypasses?
### Test Coverage
- [ ] New function → unit test added?
- [ ] Bug fix → regression test added?
- [ ] Changed behavior → existing tests updated?
### Spec Sync
- [ ] Does `.trellis/spec/` need updates? (new patterns, conventions, lessons learned)
> "If I fixed a bug or discovered something non-obvious, should I document it so future me won't hit the same issue?" → If YES, update the relevant spec doc.
## Step 5: Cross-Layer Dimensions (if applicable)
Skip this step if your change is confined to a single layer.
### A. Data Flow (changes touch 3+ layers)
- [ ] Read flow traces correctly: Storage → Service → API → UI
- [ ] Write flow traces correctly: UI → API → Service → Storage
- [ ] Types/schemas correctly passed between layers?
- [ ] Errors properly propagated to caller?
### B. Code Reuse (modifying constants, creating utilities)
- [ ] Searched for existing similar code before creating new?
```bash
grep -r "pattern" src/
```
- [ ] If 2+ places define same value → extracted to shared constant?
- [ ] After batch modification, all occurrences updated?
### C. Import/Dependency (creating new files)
- [ ] Correct import paths (relative vs absolute)?
- [ ] No circular dependencies?
### D. Same-Layer Consistency
- [ ] Other places using the same concept are consistent?
---
## Step 6: Report and Fix
Report violations found and fix them directly. Re-run project checks after fixes.
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---
name: trellis-continue
description: "Resume work on the current task. Loads the workflow Phase Index, figures out which phase/step to pick up at, then pulls the step-level detail via get_context.py --mode phase. Use when coming back to an in-progress task and you need to know what to do next."
---
# Continue Current Task
Resume work on the current task — pick up at the right phase/step in `.trellis/workflow.md`.
---
## Step 1: Load Current Context
```bash
python3 ./.trellis/scripts/get_context.py
```
Confirms: current task, git state, recent commits.
## Step 2: Load the Phase Index
```bash
python3 ./.trellis/scripts/get_context.py --mode phase
```
Shows the Phase Index (Plan / Execute / Finish) with routing + skill mapping.
## Step 3: Decide Where You Are
Compare the task's `prd.md` + recent activity against the Phase Index:
- No `prd.md` yet, or requirements unclear → **Phase 1: Plan** (start at step 1.0/1.1)
- `prd.md` exists + context configured, but code not written → **Phase 2: Execute** (step 2.1)
- Code written, pending final quality gate → **Phase 3: Finish** (step 3.1)
Phase rules (full detail in `.trellis/workflow.md`):
1. Run steps **in order** within a phase — `[required]` steps must not be skipped
2. `[once]` steps are already done if the output exists (e.g., `prd.md` for 1.1; `implement.jsonl` with curated entries for 1.3) — skip them
3. You may go back to an earlier phase if discoveries require it
## Step 4: Load the Specific Step
Once you know which step to resume at:
```bash
python3 ./.trellis/scripts/get_context.py --mode phase --step <X.X> --platform codex
```
Follow the loaded instructions. After each `[required]` step completes, move to the next.
---
## Reference
Full workflow, skill routing table, and the DO-NOT-skip table live in `.trellis/workflow.md`. This command is only an entry point — the canonical guidance is there.
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---
name: trellis-finish-work
description: "Wrap up the current session: verify quality gate passed, remind user to commit, archive completed tasks, and record session progress to the developer journal. Use when done coding and ready to end the session."
---
# Finish Work
Wrap up the current session.
## Step 1: Quality Gate
`trellis-check` should have already run in Phase 3. If not, trigger it now and do not proceed until lint, type-check, tests, and spec compliance pass.
## Step 2: Remind User to Commit
If there are uncommitted changes:
> "Please review the changes and commit when ready."
Do NOT run `git commit` — the human commits after testing.
## Step 3: Record Session (after commit)
Archive finished tasks (judge by work status, not the `status` field):
```bash
python3 ./.trellis/scripts/task.py archive <task-name>
```
Append a session entry (auto-handles journal rotation, line count, index update):
```bash
python3 ./.trellis/scripts/add_session.py \
--title "Session Title" \
--commit "hash1,hash2" \
--summary "Brief summary"
```
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---
name: trellis-update-spec
description: "Captures executable contracts and coding conventions into .trellis/spec/ documents. Use when learning something valuable from debugging, implementing, or discussion that should be preserved for future sessions."
---
# Update Code-Spec - Capture Executable Contracts
When you learn something valuable (from debugging, implementing, or discussion), use this to update the relevant code-spec documents.
**Timing**: After completing a task, fixing a bug, or discovering a new pattern
---
## Code-Spec First Rule (CRITICAL)
In this project, "spec" for implementation work means **code-spec**:
- Executable contracts (not principle-only text)
- Concrete signatures, payload fields, env keys, and boundary behavior
- Testable validation/error behavior
If the change touches infra or cross-layer contracts, code-spec depth is mandatory.
### Mandatory Triggers
Apply code-spec depth when the change includes any of:
- New/changed command or API signature
- Cross-layer request/response contract change
- Database schema/migration change
- Infra integration (storage, queue, cache, secrets, env wiring)
### Mandatory Output (7 Sections)
For triggered tasks, include all sections below:
1. Scope / Trigger
2. Signatures (command/API/DB)
3. Contracts (request/response/env)
4. Validation & Error Matrix
5. Good/Base/Bad Cases
6. Tests Required (with assertion points)
7. Wrong vs Correct (at least one pair)
---
## When to Update Code-Specs
| Trigger | Example | Target Spec |
|---------|---------|-------------|
| **Implemented a feature** | Added a new integration or module | Relevant spec file |
| **Made a design decision** | Chose extensibility pattern over simplicity | Relevant spec + "Design Decisions" section |
| **Fixed a bug** | Found a subtle issue with error handling | Relevant spec (e.g., error-handling docs) |
| **Discovered a pattern** | Found a better way to structure code | Relevant spec file |
| **Hit a gotcha** | Learned that X must be done before Y | Relevant spec + "Common Mistakes" section |
| **Established a convention** | Team agreed on naming pattern | Quality guidelines |
| **New thinking trigger** | "Don't forget to check X before doing Y" | `guides/*.md` (as a checklist item) |
**Key Insight**: Code-spec updates are NOT just for problems. Every feature implementation contains design decisions and contracts that future AI/developers need to execute safely.
---
## Spec Structure Overview
```
.trellis/spec/
├── <layer>/ # Per-layer coding standards (e.g., backend/, frontend/, api/)
│ ├── index.md # Overview and links
│ └── *.md # Topic-specific guidelines
└── guides/ # Thinking checklists (NOT coding specs!)
├── index.md # Guide index
└── *.md # Topic-specific guides
```
### CRITICAL: Code-Spec vs Guide - Know the Difference
| Type | Location | Purpose | Content Style |
|------|----------|---------|---------------|
| **Code-Spec** | `<layer>/*.md` | Tell AI "how to implement safely" | Signatures, contracts, matrices, cases, test points |
| **Guide** | `guides/*.md` | Help AI "what to think about" | Checklists, questions, pointers to specs |
**Decision Rule**: Ask yourself:
- "This is **how to write** the code" → Put in a spec layer directory
- "This is **what to consider** before writing" → Put in `guides/`
**Example**:
| Learning | Wrong Location | Correct Location |
|----------|----------------|------------------|
| "Use API X not API Y for this task" | ❌ `guides/` (too specific for a thinking guide) | ✅ Relevant spec file (concrete convention) |
| "Remember to check X when doing Y" | ❌ Spec file (too abstract for a spec) | ✅ `guides/` (thinking checklist) |
**Guides should be short checklists that point to specs**, not duplicate the detailed rules.
---
## Update Process
### Step 1: Identify What You Learned
Answer these questions:
1. **What did you learn?** (Be specific)
2. **Why is it important?** (What problem does it prevent?)
3. **Where does it belong?** (Which spec file?)
### Step 2: Classify the Update Type
| Type | Description | Action |
|------|-------------|--------|
| **Design Decision** | Why we chose approach X over Y | Add to "Design Decisions" section |
| **Project Convention** | How we do X in this project | Add to relevant section with examples |
| **New Pattern** | A reusable approach discovered | Add to "Patterns" section |
| **Forbidden Pattern** | Something that causes problems | Add to "Anti-patterns" or "Don't" section |
| **Common Mistake** | Easy-to-make error | Add to "Common Mistakes" section |
| **Convention** | Agreed-upon standard | Add to relevant section |
| **Gotcha** | Non-obvious behavior | Add warning callout |
### Step 3: Read the Target Code-Spec
Before editing, read the current code-spec to:
- Understand existing structure
- Avoid duplicating content
- Find the right section for your update
```bash
cat .trellis/spec/<category>/<file>.md
```
### Step 4: Make the Update
Follow these principles:
1. **Be Specific**: Include concrete examples, not just abstract rules
2. **Explain Why**: State the problem this prevents
3. **Show Contracts**: Add signatures, payload fields, and error behavior
4. **Show Code**: Add code snippets for key patterns
5. **Keep it Short**: One concept per section
### Step 5: Update the Index (if needed)
If you added a new section or the code-spec status changed, update the category's `index.md`.
---
## Update Templates
### Mandatory Template for Infra/Cross-Layer Work
```markdown
## Scenario: <name>
### 1. Scope / Trigger
- Trigger: <why this requires code-spec depth>
### 2. Signatures
- Backend command/API/DB signature(s)
### 3. Contracts
- Request fields (name, type, constraints)
- Response fields (name, type, constraints)
- Environment keys (required/optional)
### 4. Validation & Error Matrix
- <condition> -> <error>
### 5. Good/Base/Bad Cases
- Good: ...
- Base: ...
- Bad: ...
### 6. Tests Required
- Unit/Integration/E2E with assertion points
### 7. Wrong vs Correct
#### Wrong
...
#### Correct
...
```
### Adding a Design Decision
```markdown
### Design Decision: [Decision Name]
**Context**: What problem were we solving?
**Options Considered**:
1. Option A - brief description
2. Option B - brief description
**Decision**: We chose Option X because...
**Example**:
\`\`\`typescript
// How it's implemented
code example
\`\`\`
**Extensibility**: How to extend this in the future...
```
### Adding a Project Convention
```markdown
### Convention: [Convention Name]
**What**: Brief description of the convention.
**Why**: Why we do it this way in this project.
**Example**:
\`\`\`typescript
// How to follow this convention
code example
\`\`\`
**Related**: Links to related conventions or specs.
```
### Adding a New Pattern
```markdown
### Pattern Name
**Problem**: What problem does this solve?
**Solution**: Brief description of the approach.
**Example**:
\`\`\`
// Good
code example
// Bad
code example
\`\`\`
**Why**: Explanation of why this works better.
```
### Adding a Forbidden Pattern
```markdown
### Don't: Pattern Name
**Problem**:
\`\`\`
// Don't do this
bad code example
\`\`\`
**Why it's bad**: Explanation of the issue.
**Instead**:
\`\`\`
// Do this instead
good code example
\`\`\`
```
### Adding a Common Mistake
```markdown
### Common Mistake: Description
**Symptom**: What goes wrong
**Cause**: Why this happens
**Fix**: How to correct it
**Prevention**: How to avoid it in the future
```
### Adding a Gotcha
```markdown
> **Warning**: Brief description of the non-obvious behavior.
>
> Details about when this happens and how to handle it.
```
---
## Interactive Mode
If you're unsure what to update, answer these prompts:
1. **What did you just finish?**
- [ ] Fixed a bug
- [ ] Implemented a feature
- [ ] Refactored code
- [ ] Had a discussion about approach
2. **What did you learn or decide?**
- Design decision (why X over Y)
- Project convention (how we do X)
- Non-obvious behavior (gotcha)
- Better approach (pattern)
3. **Would future AI/developers need to know this?**
- To understand how the code works → Yes, update spec
- To maintain or extend the feature → Yes, update spec
- To avoid repeating mistakes → Yes, update spec
- Purely one-off implementation detail → Maybe skip
4. **Which area does it relate to?**
- [ ] Backend code
- [ ] Frontend code
- [ ] Cross-layer data flow
- [ ] Code organization/reuse
- [ ] Quality/testing
---
## Quality Checklist
Before finishing your code-spec update:
- [ ] Is the content specific and actionable?
- [ ] Did you include a code example?
- [ ] Did you explain WHY, not just WHAT?
- [ ] Did you include executable signatures/contracts?
- [ ] Did you include validation and error matrix?
- [ ] Did you include Good/Base/Bad cases?
- [ ] Did you include required tests with assertion points?
- [ ] Is it in the right code-spec file?
- [ ] Does it duplicate existing content?
- [ ] Would a new team member understand it?
---
## Relationship to Other Commands
```
Development Flow:
Learn something → $update-spec → Knowledge captured
↑ ↓
$break-loop ←──────────────────── Future sessions benefit
(deep bug analysis)
```
- `$break-loop` - Analyzes bugs deeply, often reveals spec updates needed
- `$update-spec` - Actually makes the updates
- `$finish-work` - Reminds you to check if specs need updates
---
## Core Philosophy
> **Code-specs are living documents. Every debugging session, every "aha moment" is an opportunity to make the implementation contract clearer.**
The goal is **institutional memory**:
- What one person learns, everyone benefits from
- What AI learns in one session, persists to future sessions
- Mistakes become documented guardrails