000-frontier-core git:20260915.f17c505A

Immutable. This exact content is served forever at /api/v1/blob/f7496d9ecfd42f47.

---
description: Frontier core operating contract for Cursor. Always applied.
alwaysApply: true
---

# Frontier Core Contract (Cursor)

This workspace runs Frontier. Cursor operates in CLI-backed mode: agent
definitions, skills, and templates are read in place from the repo. Prefer
retrieval-led reasoning -- read the canonical file before generating.

## Canonical Sources (read these, do not duplicate)

- Routing + rules map: `AGENTS.md`
- Cross-cutting agent protocol: `.github/AGENT-PROTOCOL.md`
- Workflow + handoffs: `docs/WORKFLOW.md`
- Skills index (load on demand): `Skills.md`
- Agent role contracts: `.github/agents/*.agent.md`

## Quality Loop (NON-SKIPPABLE)

Before editing, creating, or deleting any file for a code or docs change, run
`.agentx/frontier.ps1 loop start -p "<task>"` as the FIRST action. The loop is not
done until `.agentx/frontier.ps1 loop complete -s "<summary>"` succeeds, with at
least 5 iterations and a structured reviewer verdict recorded on the final work
iteration:
`loop iterate -s "Subagent Review: <outcome>" -e <evidence> --verdict approved
--reviewer <id> --high 0 --medium 0`. A summary containing the word "review" no
longer satisfies the gate. When the Frontier MCP server is registered
(`.cursor/mcp.json`), use the `agentx_loop_*` tools instead of typing the CLI --
`agentx_loop_iterate` accepts the same verdict, reviewer, high and medium fields.
The pre-commit hook blocks commits that violate the loop gate.

## Workflow Gates

- Compound Capture, Model Council (ADR/PRD/eval), Execution Plan (>= 8 code
  files), and Brainstorm gates apply per `.github/AGENT-PROTOCOL.md`.
- Scrub before handoff: `.agentx/frontier.ps1 scrub -Path <changed-area>`.
- Karpathy guidelines apply to every change.

## Conventions

- Commit format: `type: description (#issue)` -- feat, fix, docs, test,
  refactor, perf, chore.
- ASCII-only: use `->` not arrows, `-` not em-dashes, `[PASS]`/`[FAIL]`.
- Create deliverables locally; never push files straight to the remote.

## Commands

Role workflows are available as `.cursor/commands/*.md`, each a thin wrapper over
`.github/agents/<role>.agent.md`. Invoke the matching command, then read that
canonical agent file before acting.