---
name: "coordinator-source-of-truth"
description: "The complete file-by-file source-of-truth hierarchy for Squad: which files are authoritative, which are derived/append-only, who may write each one, who may read each one, and the precedence rules when they conflict. Squad coordinator loads this on demand when it needs to resolve a write conflict, decide where a piece of state belongs, or answer a 'who owns this file' question."
allowedTools: []
confidence: high
domain: squad-internals
source: "Extracted from squad.agent.md (bradygaster/squad#1308), with Waza project overrides for paired casting, delegated decision merges and charter-limited output ownership."
---

> **Load this skill when:** the coordinator (or any agent) needs to resolve a "where does this state belong?" or "who is allowed to write this file?" question — e.g., when about to write `.squad/decisions.md`, when reviewing whether an agent broke the append-only rule, when answering a user question about Squad's file layout, or when adjudicating a conflict between two files. The short summary in `squad.agent.md` is for routing; this skill is the full reference.

## State backend note

Files below marked as **"Derived / append-only"** are **mutable state** — agents access them with runtime state tools (`squad_state_read`, `squad_state_write`, `squad_state_append`, `squad_state_delete`, `squad_state_list`). The runtime decides whether the configured backend stores them on disk, git-native state, or an external provider. Files marked as **"Authoritative"** are **static config** and always live on disk regardless of backend.

## File hierarchy

**Waza support-review override (Squad only):** Charter output/persistence restrictions take
precedence over generic history, audit-trail or decision-inbox write permissions below.
Rai and Fact Checker return findings in the current review response.
Only an authorized coordinator or Scribe handles required persistence under the current state
contract; no routine review logging is required. Preserve existing historical records.
Scribe remains bound by its charter: a decision-only Scribe cannot write logs,
histories or audit trails. The Coordinator arranges any required non-decision persistence
through an authorized writer; a missing writer is a blocker, not permission for Scribe.
These coordination rules do not apply to ordinary Copilot work.

| File | Status | Who May Write | Who May Read |
|------|--------|---------------|--------------|
| `.github/agents/squad.agent.md` | **Authoritative governance.** All roles, handoffs, gates, and enforcement rules. | Repo maintainer (human) | Squad (Coordinator) |
| `.squad/decisions.md` | **Authoritative decision ledger.** Single canonical location for scope, architecture, and process decisions. | Coordinator or coordinator-delegated Scribe; already-accepted decisions only, append only | All agents |
| `.squad/team.md` | **Authoritative roster.** Current team composition. | Squad (Coordinator) | All agents |
| `.squad/routing.md` | **Authoritative routing.** Work assignment rules. | Squad (Coordinator) | Squad (Coordinator) |
| `.squad/ceremonies.md` | **Authoritative ceremony config.** Definitions, triggers, and participants for team ceremonies. | Squad (Coordinator) | Squad (Coordinator), Facilitator agent (read-only at ceremony time) |
| `.squad/casting/policy.json` | **Authoritative casting config.** Universe allowlist and capacity. | Squad (Coordinator) | Squad (Coordinator) |
| `.squad/casting/registry.json` | **Authoritative name registry; paired transaction.** Persistent agent-to-name mappings. | Squad (Coordinator), only via `.squad/casting-transactions.md`'s locked SDK writer | Squad (Coordinator), paired read |
| `.squad/casting/history.json` | **Derived / append-only contents; paired transaction.** Universe usage history and assignment snapshots. | Squad (Coordinator), only via the same paired writer | Squad (Coordinator), paired read |
| `.squad/casting/registry-history.commit.json` | **SDK-owned transaction/hash manifest.** Never hand-edit or discard to bypass validation. | Locked SDK paired writer only | SDK paired reader |
| `.squad/agents/{name}/charter.md` | **Authoritative agent identity.** Per-agent role and boundaries. | Squad (Coordinator) at creation; agent may not self-modify | Squad (Coordinator) reads to inline at spawn; owning agent receives via prompt |
| `.squad/agents/{name}/history.md` | **Derived / append-only.** Personal learnings. Never authoritative for enforcement. | Owning agent only where charter permits; authorized Scribe for required context | Owning agent only |
| `.squad/agents/{name}/history-archive.md` | **Derived / append-only.** Archived history entries. Preserved for reference. | Scribe | Owning agent (read-only) |
| `.squad/orchestration-log/` | **Derived / append-only.** Agent routing evidence. Never edited after write. | Scribe | All agents (read-only) |
| `.squad/log/` | **Derived / append-only.** Session logs. Diagnostic archive. Never edited after write. | Scribe | All agents (read-only) |
| `.squad/templates/` | **Reference.** Format guides for runtime files. Not authoritative for enforcement. | Squad (Coordinator) at init | Squad (Coordinator) |
| `.squad/rai/policy.md` | **Authoritative RAI policy.** Check categories, terminology standards, and opt-out rules. | Squad (Coordinator) at init or authorized policy changes; Rai read-only | Rai, All agents (read-only) |
| `.squad/rai/audit-trail.md` | **Derived / append-only.** Preserve existing redacted records; never raw secrets or harmful content; no routine reviewer logging. | Authorized Coordinator/Scribe only when the current state contract requires persistence | Rai, Squad (Coordinator) |
| `.squad/fact-checker/policy.md` | **Authoritative verification + Devil's Advocate policy.** Confidence rating taxonomy, hard anti-fabrication rules, mode triggers, opt-out model. | Squad (Coordinator) at init or authorized policy changes; Fact Checker read-only | Fact Checker, All agents (read-only) |
| `.squad/fact-checker/audit-trail.md` | **Derived / append-only.** Preserve existing succinct verdict/citation records, never raw source material; no routine reviewer logging. | Authorized Coordinator/Scribe only when the current state contract requires persistence | Fact Checker, Squad (Coordinator) |
| `.squad/plugins/marketplaces.json` | **Authoritative plugin config.** Registered marketplace sources. | Squad CLI (`squad plugin marketplace`) | Squad (Coordinator) |

## Rules

1. **If `squad.agent.md` and any other file conflict, `squad.agent.md` wins.** It is the only file with hard governance authority.
2. **Append-only files must never be retroactively edited** to change meaning. They are diagnostic and audit-trail material. Corrections go in a new entry that references the prior one.
3. **Agents may only write to files listed in their "Who May Write" column above.** Violations are a contract bug; runtime state-backends will refuse the write on non-local backends.
4. **Non-coordinator agents may propose decisions** in their responses. **Coordinator alone accepts decisions**; only the Coordinator or a coordinator-delegated Scribe may record already-accepted decisions in `.squad/decisions.md`.
5. **Waza casting repair:** write authority does not permit raw registry/history edits. All casting mutations, including initialization and retirement, must commit the pair and manifest through `.squad/casting-transactions.md`; use an equivalent atomic backend operation or stop on non-local storage.
6. **Legacy is not a recovery fallback.** SDK preparation validates existing state before callbacks. The known frozen v0.10 files require the guide's explicit approved archive-and-initialize maintenance procedure into an empty target; managed-pair corruption or a missing manifest must never trigger that path.