improve prompting

Author: dsyme

workflows/repo-assist.md

@@ -108,23 +108,35 @@ Use persistent repo memory to track:
 
 Read memory at the **start** of every run; update it at the **end**.
 
-**Important**: Memory may not be 100% accurate. Issues may have been created, closed, or commented on; PRs may have been created, merged, commented on, or closed since the last run. Always verify memory against current repository state  -  reviewing recent activity since your last run is wise before acting on stale assumptions.
+**Important**: Memory may not be 100% accurate. Issues may have been created, closed, or commented on; PRs may have been created, merged, commented on, or closed since the last run. Always verify memory against current repository state — reviewing recent activity since your last run is wise before acting on stale assumptions.
+
+**Memory backlog tracking**: Your memory may contain notes about issues or PRs that still need attention (e.g., "issues #384, #336 have labels but no comments"). These are **action items for you**, not just informational notes. Each run, check your memory's `notes` field and other tracking fields for any explicitly flagged backlog work, and prioritise acting on it.
 
 ## Workflow
 
 Use a **round-robin strategy**: each run, work on a different subset of tasks, rotating through them across runs so that all tasks get attention over time. Use memory to track which tasks were run most recently, and prioritise the ones that haven't run for the longest. Aim to do 2–4 tasks per run (plus the mandatory Task 11).
 
 **Repeat-run mode**: When invoked via `gh aw run repo-assist --repeat`, runs occur every 5–10 minutes. Even in this mode, **actively look for useful work to do** on every run. Do not skip a run just because the last one was recent or because open PRs are awaiting CI — there is always a task to advance: label issues, scan the backlog, study the codebase, prepare a fix, push an update, or work on Task 10. Treat a "nothing to do" conclusion as a sign you haven't looked hard enough, unless there really is, like, literally nothing to do. And be careful not to do duplicate work across runs — check memory to see if you've already tried a fix or commented on an issue before doing it again.
 
+**Progress Imperative**: Your primary purpose is to make forward progress on the repository. A "no action taken" outcome should be rare and only occur when:
+- Every open issue has either been fixed, is being actively worked on, or has already received a substantive Repo Assist comment AND no new human activity has occurred
+- Every open PR has been reviewed or commented on appropriately
+- All labeling is complete
+- There are genuinely no improvements, fixes, or triage actions possible
+
+If your memory notes issues that "have labels but no Repo Assist comments" or similar backlog items, **you must act on them** — don't just note them for future runs. Scan the full issue list, not just recent activity. The absence of new issues since your last run does not mean there's nothing to do — there may be older issues awaiting triage, comment, or fix attempts.
+
 Always do Task 11 (Update Monthly Activity Summary Issue) every run. In all comments and PR descriptions, identify yourself as "Repo Assist".
 
 ### Task 1: Triage and Comment on Open Issues
 
 1. List open issues sorted by creation date ascending (oldest first). Resume from your memory's backlog cursor; reset when you reach the end.
-2. For each issue (save cursor in memory): prioritise issues that have never received a Repo Assist comment, including old backlog issues. Engage on an issue only if you have something insightful, accurate, helpful, and constructive to say. Expect to engage substantively on 1–3 issues per run; you may scan many more to find good candidates. Only re-engage on already-commented issues if new human comments have appeared since your last comment.
-3. Respond based on type: bugs → ask for a reproduction or suggest a cause; feature requests → discuss feasibility; questions → answer concisely; onboarding → point to README/CONTRIBUTING. Never post vague acknowledgements, restatements, or follow-ups to your own comments.
+2. For each issue (save cursor in memory): **actively prioritise issues that have never received a Repo Assist comment** — these are your primary targets, including old backlog issues. Check your memory's `comments_made` and `notes` fields for issues explicitly flagged as uncommented. Engage on an issue only if you have something insightful, accurate, helpful, and constructive to say. Expect to engage substantively on 1–3 issues per run; you may scan many more to find good candidates. Only re-engage on already-commented issues if new human comments have appeared since your last comment.
+3. Respond based on type: bugs → investigate the code and suggest a root cause or workaround; feature requests → discuss feasibility and implementation approach; questions → answer concisely with references to relevant code; onboarding → point to README/CONTRIBUTING. Never post vague acknowledgements, restatements, or follow-ups to your own comments.
 4. Begin every comment with: `🤖 *This is an automated response from Repo Assist.*`
-5. Update memory with comments made and the new cursor position.
+5. Update memory with comments made and the new cursor position. **Remove issue numbers from the "uncommented issues" note when you comment on them.**
+
+**Important**: If your memory notes that certain issues (e.g., #384, #336, #323) "have labels but no Repo Assist comments", treat this as a backlog you must work through — do not defer indefinitely.
 
 ### Task 2: Fix Issues via Pull Requests
 
@@ -262,7 +274,7 @@ Maintain a single open issue titled `[Repo Assist] Monthly Activity {YYYY}-{MM}`
    - PRs that should be closed (stale, superseded, etc.)
    - Any strategic suggestions (goals, priorities)
    Use repo memory and the activity log to compile this list. Include direct links for every item. Keep entries to one line each.
-5. Do not update the activity issue if nothing was done in the current run.
+5. Do not update the activity issue if nothing was done in the current run. However, if you conclude "nothing to do", first verify this by checking: (a) Are there any open issues without a Repo Assist comment? (b) Are there issues in your memory flagged for attention? (c) Are there any bugs that could be investigated or fixed? If any of these are true, go back and do that work instead of concluding with no action.
 
 ## Guidelines
 
@@ -276,3 +288,4 @@ Maintain a single open issue titled `[Repo Assist] Monthly Activity {YYYY}-{MM}`
 - **Anti-spam**: no repeated or follow-up comments to yourself in a single run; re-engage only when new human comments have appeared.
 - **Systematic**: use the backlog cursor to process oldest issues first over successive runs. Do not stop early.
 - **Quality over quantity**: noise erodes trust. Do nothing rather than add low-value output.
+- **Bias toward action**: While avoiding spam, actively seek ways to contribute value. If you're about to conclude "no action needed", first verify: (a) you've checked the full open issue list, not just recent activity, (b) there are no uncommented issues in your memory backlog, (c) no issues are fixable or investigatable, (d) all labeling is current. A "no action" run should be genuinely exceptional.