Reins
Use the Reins CLI to operationalize harness engineering in any repository.
Execution Model (Critical)
- The CLI is the execution engine and scoring source of truth.
- This skill is the control plane for agent behavior (routing, command order, JSON parsing discipline).
- Humans steer goals and tradeoffs; agents execute the loop.
Do not re-implement CLI logic in skill instructions. Always run commands and parse JSON outputs.
Use When
Use this skill when the user asks to:
- Scaffold repository readiness artifacts (
AGENTS.md,ARCHITECTURE.md,docs/,risk-policy.json) - Audit or score agent-readiness/maturity (0-24, maturity levels, weakest dimensions)
- Diagnose readiness gaps with
doctor(pass/fail/warn health checks with prescriptive fixes) - Evolve the repository to the next Reins maturity level
- Improve docs-drift/policy-as-code enforcement tied to Reins outputs
- Understand harness engineering methodology or maturity levels
Don't Use When
Do not use this skill for:
- Generic code implementation/debugging unrelated to Reins workflows
- General-purpose lint/test/security checks that do not request Reins scoring or scaffolding
- Product/domain feature design that does not involve harness-engineering structure
- Questions about installing random third-party skills (use skill discovery/installer flows instead)
Command Execution Policy
Use this order when running commands:
- In user repositories, check if installed skills are stale:
npx skills checkIf updates are available, refresh before running workflow commands:npx skills update - If working inside the Reins repository itself:
cd cli/reins && bun src/index.ts <command>../.. - Otherwise (or if local source is unavailable):
npx reins-cli@latest <command> <target-path>
All Reins commands output deterministic JSON. Always parse JSON output — never text-match against findings strings.
Quick Reference
CLI Commands
# Scaffold harness engineering structure
reins init <path> [--name <name>] [--force] [--pack <auto|agent-factory>]
# Score maturity across 6 dimensions (0-24)
reins audit <path>
# Health check with prescriptive fixes
reins doctor <path>
# Roadmap to next maturity level
reins evolve <path> [--apply]
# Compare audits across repos or over time
reins compare <path1> <path2>
# Show usage
reins helpMaturity Levels
| Score | Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0-6 | L0: Manual | Traditional engineering, no agent infrastructure |
| 7-12 | L1: Inloop | Agents help, but humans still write code |
| 13-18 | L2: Guided Outloop | Humans steer, agents execute most code |
| 19-21 | L3: Full Outloop | Agents handle full lifecycle with human oversight |
| 22-24 | L4: Zero Touch | Agents maintain, clean, and evolve the system |
Core Reins Principles
- Repository is the system of record -- Knowledge stays in versioned files.
- Humans steer, agents execute -- Prompt-first workflows over manual edits where possible.
- Mechanical enforcement over intent-only docs -- CI and policy-as-code back every rule.
- Progressive disclosure -- AGENTS.md is the map, deep docs hold details.
- Continuous cleanup -- Track debt, docs drift, and stale patterns as first-class work.
Workflow Routing
| Trigger | Workflow | File |
|---|---|---|
| scaffold, init, setup, bootstrap | Scaffold | Workflows/Scaffold.md |
| audit, score, assess, readiness | Audit | Workflows/Audit.md |
| doctor, health check, diagnose, gaps | Doctor | Workflows/Doctor.md |
| evolve, improve, mature, level up | Evolve | Workflows/Evolve.md |
Resource Index
| Resource | Purpose |
|---|---|
SKILL.md | Skill routing, triggers, quick reference |
HarnessMethodology.md | Full methodology reference (5 pillars, 10 production patterns) |
Workflows/Scaffold.md | Scaffold workflow with step-by-step guide |
Workflows/Audit.md | Audit workflow with dimension details and output format |
Workflows/Doctor.md | Doctor workflow with health checks and fix guidance |
Workflows/Evolve.md | Evolve workflow with level-up paths |
Examples
- "Scaffold this repo for Reins"
- "Audit this project with Reins and summarize the weakest dimensions"
- "Run doctor on this repo and fix everything that fails"
- "Evolve this repo to the next Reins maturity level"
- "What's the harness engineering maturity of this project?"
Negative Examples
These should not trigger Reins:
- "Fix this React hydration bug"
- "Add OAuth login to the API"
- "Run normal project lint and unit tests"
Route to general coding workflows unless the user explicitly asks for Reins scaffolding, audit, doctor, or evolve operations.