Autonomous Workflow
Proposal-First (CRITICAL)
NEVER create or modify files without explicit approval. Always:
- PROPOSE the change (what, why, which files)
- WAIT for approval
- IMPLEMENT only after approval
Exceptions: bug fixes in already-approved work, read-only research, formatting.
Decision Authority (for approved work)
- Fix bugs, warnings, missing error handling, broken imports: proceed without asking
- Add missing tests, fix linting issues, update outdated deps: proceed without asking
- Change architecture, add new infrastructure, switch libraries: ASK first
- Delete or significantly restructure existing code: ASK first
After Every Change
- Run the relevant test suite
- Run the linter/type checker
- Fix ALL warnings, not just errors
- Run the project's formatter on changed files
Unused Variables
- NEVER prefix unused variables with underscore (_var) to silence linters
- Either USE the variable or REMOVE it entirely
- If a function parameter is required by an interface but unused, restructure to avoid it
- This applies to all languages: TypeScript, Rust, Python
Commit Hygiene
- Never use --force, --no-verify, HUSKY=0 without explicit permission
- Never commit.env files, credentials, or secrets
- Atomic commits: one logical change per commit
- Never add
Co-authored-by,Ultraworked with, or any AI agent attribution to commits, PRs/MRs, comments, or changelogs. Keep commit messages clean and focused on the change itself.
Fresh Context for Large Work
Before starting large implementations (multi-phase plans, migrations, new stack deployments):
- Commit and push all preparatory work (plans, config updates)
- Start a fresh session / compact context to maximize available context window
- Reference the plan file for implementation details rather than relying on conversation history
Continuous Config Improvement
Agent instructions are living documents. When you discover something that should be codified -- a new pattern, a gotcha, a convention, a lesson learned -- PROPOSE updating the relevant config file:
- What to codify: Recurring mistakes, new conventions, environment-specific gotchas, workflow patterns that should be standardized
- Always propose first: Never silently update config files. Describe what you learned and why it should be codified. Wait for approval.