Gates
Task-specific checkpoints. BEFORE the task, read the guide.
| Task | Gate |
|---|---|
| Refactoring (remove/rename symbols) | Read chat.md#refactoring-discipline, then STOP/SEARCH/LIST/WAIT |
| Writing prose for guides | Read voice.md |
| Updating journal | Read journals.md |
| Creating new md files | Read markdown.md |
| Multi-file edits | Search ALL files first, list scope, then proceed |
| Starting a work session | Read the relevant notes/work/*.md file |
| Claims about codebase | Search first. No "X is unused" or "X is only called from Y" without grep evidence. |
Gate Protocol
When a task matches a gate:
- Announce: "This is a [task type]. Let me read [guide] first."
- Read: Actually read the guide section.
- Quote: State the key rule from the guide.
- Execute: Follow the rule.
Do not skip gates to appear faster. The gate exists because skipping it caused failures and massive time wastage.