This map connects harness engineering concepts to files in a target repository.
| Harness Concept | Target Repo Artifact | Starter Template |
|---|---|---|
| Harness theory | practical model for repository-level agent support | docs/theory/harness-engineering.md |
| Agent instructions | AGENTS.md |
templates/generic/AGENTS.md |
| Architecture decisions | docs/decisions/*.md |
templates/generic/docs/decisions/000-template.md |
| Failure memory | docs/failures/*.md |
templates/generic/docs/failures/000-template.md |
| Coding conventions | docs/conventions/*.md |
templates/generic/docs/conventions/coding.md |
| Domain knowledge | docs/domain/*.md |
templates/generic/docs/domain/glossary.md |
| Document drift check | scripts/check_docs_drift.py |
templates/generic/scripts/check_docs_drift.py |
| Structure drift check | scripts/check_structure.py |
templates/generic/scripts/check_structure.py |
| Encoding hygiene check | scripts/check_encoding_hygiene.py |
templates/generic/scripts/check_encoding_hygiene.py |
| Effectiveness plan check | scripts/check_effectiveness_plan.py |
templates/generic/scripts/check_effectiveness_plan.py |
| Failure-memory check | scripts/check_failure_memory.py |
templates/generic/scripts/check_failure_memory.py |
| Decision-memory diff warning | scripts/check_decision_memory.py, .harness/decision-memory-rules.json |
templates/generic/scripts/check_decision_memory.py, templates/generic/.harness/decision-memory-rules.json |
| Harness readiness diagnostic | /harness doctor report |
commands/harness-doctor.md, docs/scoring/harness-score-rubric.md |
| Harness source tracking | .harness/source.json |
documented in commands/harness-update.md |
| Harness update workflow | /harness update report |
commands/harness-update.md |
| Harness refresh workflow | /harness refresh report |
commands/harness-refresh.md |
| Harness change-set review | /harness review or /harness review sub-agent report |
commands/harness-review.md, docs/templates/harness-review-report.md |
| Baseline harness score scan | preliminary file and directory scan | scripts/harness_doctor.py |
| Optional scheduled harness check | .github/workflows/harness-check.yml |
templates/generic/.github/workflows/harness-check.yml |
| External API work recipe | server-only API boundary, redaction, live/mock fallback, and smoke checks | docs/checklists/external-api-work.md |
| Decision and failure memory guidance | examples for when to record ADRs, failure notes, domain docs, or final-report notes | docs/checklists/decision-failure-memory.md |
| Verification script patterns | custom smoke checks and transparent check:harness composition |
docs/checklists/verification-scripts.md |
| Dogfood evidence adoption | source tracking, task outcome, failure memory, gate placement, and claim-boundary review | docs/checklists/dogfood-evidence-adoption.md |
| Stack-specific rules | lint/type/pre-commit/framework snippets | templates/profiles/* |
| Stack profile guide | available profiles and how to treat snippets as reference material | docs/profiles.md |
| Profile absorption | checklist for turning profile snippets into project rules | docs/checklists/profile-absorption.md |
| Adoption report example | final adoption summary | docs/templates/adoption-report.md, examples/*-adoption-report.md |
| Effectiveness evaluation | agent mistake reduction measurement | docs/evaluation.md, docs/templates/effectiveness-report.md |
| Task outcome record | docs/effectiveness/task-outcomes/*.yaml |
docs/templates/task-outcome.yaml |
| Validation coverage | tests, smoke checks, and E2E coverage notes | docs/validation.md |
| Lifecycle pilot results | prompt-first adoption behavior evidence | docs/examples/lifecycle-pilot-results.md |
For a very small project, the agent should add or adapt only:
AGENTS.mddocs/decisions/000-template.mddocs/failures/000-template.mdscripts/check_docs_drift.pyscripts/check_structure.pyscripts/check_encoding_hygiene.pyscripts/check_effectiveness_plan.pyscripts/check_failure_memory.py
Then grow the harness as the project and agent usage mature.
Use the optional GitHub Actions workflow skeleton with --with-ci only after
confirming the target repository uses GitHub Actions.
Use /harness doctor when the maintainer wants a diagnostic score before or
after adoption. The command reports readiness; it does not install harness
files.
Use /harness update after adoption when the maintainer wants to refresh the
local kit reference and selectively apply new harness guidance. The command
records the current kit source in .harness/source.json and reports applied,
skipped, and manual-review items.
Use /harness refresh after adoption when the maintainer wants to clean up the
target harness itself. The command reviews stale docs, duplicated guidance,
obsolete records, and unused checks, then reports keep, update, merge,
archive/delete candidate, and manual-review items without deleting files unless
the user explicitly approves the specific files.
Use /harness review before finishing a change when the maintainer wants an
opposing harness-engineering review of the current diff. The command reports
source-of-truth risks, unnecessary automation, missing checks, durable memory
gaps, overreach, and follow-up recommendations without modifying files unless
the user explicitly asks to apply fixes afterward.
Use /harness review sub-agent when the maintainer explicitly wants the
read-only reviewer subagent path. It uses the same report, still modifies no
files, and records a fallback reason if the active runtime cannot call a
subagent.