pulse git:20260926.88df937A

Immutable. This exact content never changes and is served at /api/v1/blob/44a080045d7b6c09.

---
name: pulse
description: Map the current model as decisions - no history, just now
compatibility: opencode
---

# Pulse

**Map the current model as decisions. No history, just now.**

## Step 1: Get current state

```bash
deciduous pulse
```

Review the report: active goals, coverage gaps, orphan nodes. This tells you what's already mapped and what needs attention.

## Step 2: Pick a scope

What part of the system are you taking the pulse of?

- A feature ("Suspense fallback behavior")
- A subsystem ("Authentication")
- A boundary ("API request lifecycle")

## Step 3: Ask "What decisions define this?"

Read the code. For the thing you're scoping, ask:

> "What design questions had to be answered for this to work?"

Not implementation questions ("which library?") - model questions ("what's the behavior?")

## Step 4: Build the goal -> options -> decisions

```bash
# Create the root goal
deciduous add goal "<Scope>: <Core question>" -c 90

# Add options (possible approaches from the goal)
deciduous add option "<Possible approach>" -c 85
deciduous link <goal> <option> -r "possible_approach"

# When an option is chosen, create a decision
deciduous add decision "Chose <approach>" -c 90
deciduous link <option> <decision> -r "chosen"
```

If a question is still open, leave it as option nodes without a decision.

## Step 5: Review

```bash
deciduous pulse
deciduous pulse --summary
deciduous serve
```

## Check for Supporting Documents

```bash
deciduous doc list <goal_id>
deciduous doc attach <goal_id> docs/architecture.png -d "Current architecture"
```

## Decision Criteria

- **Worth capturing?** Does it define BEHAVIOR, not implementation?
- **How deep?** Stop when decisions become implementation details
- **Option vs Decision?** Option = possible approach. Decision = choosing which option.

## Connecting to History

Pulse gives you the "Now". For history, run `/narratives` then `/archaeology`.

## Working Alongside Other Agents

If other agents work on this at the same time (one narrative each, say), split the work and hand off on the deciduous message board, never in a scratch file: post with `deciduous board post --as <label> -s "..." -m "@other ..."` (or the `post_message` MCP tool), read `deciduous board read --unanswered <label>` before you start and before you finish, and answer with `--reply-to <id>`.