Coding agent guide

This guide is an operational overlay for coding agents. It does not teach the architecture twice. Use the developer guide to understand the system and this path to decide how to operate on it.

AGENTS.md remains the complete repository instruction and outranks this projection. Current user instructions outrank both.

Begin every task

1. Read the applicable AGENTS.md before acting.
2. Inspect the current branch, worktree status, remotes needed by the task, and nearby repository instructions.
3. Classify the request as read-only analysis, diagnosis, planning, or authorized implementation. Do not turn the first three into edits.
4. Use the codebase orientation to identify the owning subsystem and source authority.
5. Choose the platform route before touching classic Mac code.

Continue by task shape

• Operating protocol covers shared worktrees, branches, checkpoints, scope, and authority.
• Platform routing selects the correct application model, skill, and verification surface.
• Change routing maps a requested change to its contract, implementation, documentation, and gates.
• Evidence and handoff defines what must be proven and reported before the task is complete.

When this guide links to a developer architecture or workflow page, that page owns the technical explanation. Do not copy its enumeration into an agent note or prompt; link to it and add only task-specific evidence.