# Project Instructions (Claude Code) > This file is rendered. The part between the GENERATED markers is a copy of the digest of [AGENTS.md](AGENTS.md), the one source of the instructions for each CLI. Read AGENTS.md for the full rules and the runtime facts. Change AGENTS.md, then run `evolve skills generate`. `evolve skills check` fails when this copy differs from AGENTS.md. > > **Operating policy (canonical, environment-independent): [docs/operations/operating-policy.md](docs/operations/operating-policy.md).** A pipeline issue gets a console-first fix at maximum reasoning. Routing is typed plumbing. Salvage comes before requeue. Wiring proofs are mandatory. The repo, not session memory, is the source of truth for these rules. > > Release notes: [CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md). ## Claude Code overlay - The kernel guards fire as PreToolUse hooks, as `.claude/settings.json` specifies. `evolve guard phase` matches `Agent|Task`. The Go guard checks only `Agent` (`go/internal/guards/phase.go`), so a `Task` call passes today (AGENTS.md invariant 1). - The four reviewers of the pre-commit review fleet are also Claude Code subagents in `.claude/agents/`. `evolve skills generate` renders the body of each subagent from its neutral persona `agents/evolve-diff-.md`. Only the frontmatter (the tool list and the model) is Claude Code data. Change the persona, not the rendered body. - The repository documents use the Claude Code tool names (`Read`, `Grep`, `Glob`, `Bash`, `Edit`, `Write`). - Run `/clear` before a new evolve-loop batch. ## Digest (each CLI loads this part) This digest has the facts that each agent must have when it starts. The full rules, the reasons and the evidence are in [AGENTS.md](AGENTS.md) and in the linked docs. Read them when your task touches their subject. ### Hard rules - **The pipeline is the only controller** (ADR-0154, proposed; X1, X2 and X6 are on `main`). No LLM starts or directs another LLM. A phase agent starts through the native bridge (`evolve subagent run`, `evolve loop`), never through an in-process subagent tool. `evolve guard phase` denies that tool while a cycle is active. - **Phase order.** Scout โ†’ Build โ†’ Audit โ†’ Ship, in that order. The Go state machine (`go/internal/core`) enforces it. Never skip a phase, and never ignore a kernel-gate failure. - **Commits go through `evolve ship`.** The ship gate denies a bare `git commit` or `git push`. An interactive commit runs `/commit`, then the attestation, then `evolve ship --class manual`. A routine `--bypass-commit-gate` is a violation. A release is `evolve release X.Y.Z`; "publish" is not "push". - **Builder writes only inside its worktree.** The runtime provisions worktrees. An agent never runs `git worktree`. - **Ship needs the EGPS verdict.** `acs-verdict.json:red_count == 0`. The ledger is hash-chained; `evolve ledger verify` checks it. - **Never fabricate cycle numbers.** This is a CRITICAL violation. - **Code has no comments.** Names, types and tests say what the code does. A design reason goes to `docs/architecture/packages/` ([code-comments](docs/conventions/code-comments.md)). - **Documents go through `docs-write`.** Load `skills/docs-write/SKILL.md` before you write a document. The new text passes `evolve docs ste-lint --strict`. - **No MCP.** Reach each outside service through a CLI ([cli-only-no-mcp](docs/conventions/cli-only-no-mcp.md)). - **Document what you find.** Research, lessons and failed approaches go to `docs/`. Never delete a doc; archive it under `docs/private/research/archived-YYYY-MM-DD/`. ### Operating rules - **Zero-ship halt.** Evaluate the output after every cycle. If 2 consecutive cycles ship nothing, STOP and find the root cause in the pipeline ([operating-policy ยง4.1](docs/operations/operating-policy.md)). - **Status reports** give the cycles that ran, the ships (for example 2/2) and the open PR numbers. They also give the failed CI jobs with their class, and the next action. - **Bypass mode** means "do not ask the user". It does not mean "skip integrity checks". Run the full pipeline every cycle, and follow the failure-adapter verdicts verbatim. - **Pre-commit review fleet:** code-simplifier, then architecture-reviewer and code-reviewer in parallel, then fix the findings, then commit. `evolve agent run ` runs each reviewer on any family. Fix each CRITICAL finding of architecture-reviewer before the commit. A diff of only `.md` files gets the `docs-review` skill and `--reviewers docs-review`; the code reviewers do not satisfy the gate. Only a proven comment removal needs no reviewer. - **Verify before you claim done.** Probe a CLI with `evolve doctor probe ` before you call it unavailable. Read the real exports of a module before you call it. Report test counts: `N/N PASS, no regression`. - **CI failures:** classify each red with `evolve ci classify` before a retry. When a gate reports RED, verify the logic of the gate before you assume that the code is broken. - **Go:** run `gofmt -l .`, `go vet` and `go test -count=1` from `go/`. `-count=1` is required, because the test cache does not see the files that tests read through `..`. - **Shell:** the target is bash 3.2. Use `set -uo pipefail` (not `set -e`) and atomic writes through `mv`. The banned constructs are in [runtime-reference.md](docs/operations/runtime-reference.md). - **Task priority** is the computed inbox rank (`evolve inbox rank --explain`). - **Confirm direction first:** multi-step work needs a 3-bullet plan and an approval. A single-cycle bug fix, a task that names a file path and a task from an approved plan are exempt. - **Waves:** the console starts each wave with `evolve wave next` and follows it with `evolve wave watch`. Do not write goal scripts. Queue facts with `evolve wave note add` ([wave-operations.md](docs/operations/wave-operations.md)). ### Where the rest is - The 12 core agent rules and the cross-CLI invariants: [AGENTS.md](AGENTS.md). - The runtime facts (gates, routing, fleet, observer, operator verbs): [the AGENTS.md section](AGENTS.md#operating-rules-and-runtime-facts) and [runtime-reference.md](docs/operations/runtime-reference.md). - The operating policy: [operating-policy.md](docs/operations/operating-policy.md). The isolation design: [llm-isolation.md](docs/architecture/llm-isolation.md). - The routing of each phase: `evolve cli-routing explain `.