AGENTS.md git:20260928.3d05439A

Immutable. This exact content never changes and is served at /api/v1/blob/85f171823b8c7bb1.

# Copilot Instructions: prompt-skill

## What This Repo Is

A **prompt-based skill** — no code, no build system. All content is Markdown. The "product" is `STEERING.md`, a master prompt that teaches AI systems to generate production-ready steering documents (CLAUDE.md, AGENT.md, rules.md, etc.).

## File Map

| File | Role |
|------|------|
| `STEERING.md` | The core prompt — the deliverable of this skill |
| `PHILOSOPHY.md` | Design principles behind steering docs |
| `USAGE.md` | How users invoke this skill |
| `REFERENCE.md` | Canonical reference for all steering doc formats (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, rules.md, Copilot, Kiro) |
| `VALIDATION.md` | Test templates and deployment checklist |
| `CLAUDE-GUIDELINES.md` | Compliance check against Anthropic's Claude Skill guidelines |
| `SUMMARY.md` | Full overview and word counts |
| `examples/` | 5 real steering documents to use as references |

## Key Conventions

**Token economy is a first-class constraint.** Every file is deliberately concise (~4K total words before examples). When editing, prefer cutting over adding. The skill's value comes from density, not length.

**Show, don't tell.** Examples always beat rules. When improving or adding guidance, reach for a concrete example first (`examples/` folder demonstrates this).

**Structure: specific > generic.** Every constraint, rule, or guideline should be context-specific. "Use TypeScript for examples" beats "use good languages". Flag any vague guidance during edits.

**The three document types have different structures** — see `STEERING.md` for their templates (CLAUDE.md uses Identity/Purpose/Capabilities/Constraints, AGENT.md uses Role/Tools/Decision Rules/Error Handling, rules.md uses Core Rules/Allowed/Forbidden/Escalation).

**Degrees of freedom are intentionally high.** `STEERING.md` uses text-based instructions, not rigid scripts. This is by design — it must work across Claude Haiku, Sonnet, and Opus without per-model tuning.

## When Editing Content

- `SUMMARY.md` tracks word counts per file — update it if file sizes change significantly
- `CLAUDE-GUIDELINES.md` is a compliance record — update the status table if the skill's structure changes
- New examples go in `examples/` and should be referenced in `README.md`, `USAGE.md`, and `SUMMARY.md`
- `REFERENCE.md` covers the Decision Matrix for which steering format to use — keep it current if new AI platforms emerge