instructions.md

Documentation Instructions - [PROJECT_NAME]

Use this workflow whenever source, runtime behavior, architecture, tests, or project state changes.

Default Documentation Flow

1. Read context.md and architecture/code-map.md.
2. Identify the subsystem row for changed source files.
3. Update source code or docs in the smallest coherent slice.
4. Run the relevant validation command from test_index/ or the code-map row.
5. Update component docs when interfaces, ownership, or invariants changed.
6. Update SYSTEM_FLOW_INDEX.md only when runtime or UX flow changed.
7. Update context.md as the concise restart state.

Where Information Belongs

Information	Location
Current restart state	context.md
Session evidence	logs/, context_checkpoints/
Source ownership	architecture/code-map.md
Subsystem contracts	architecture/components/
User/developer guides	docs/
Test meaning and commands	test_index/
Architectural decisions	decisions/
Reusable findings	knowledgebase/
Repeatable procedures	skills/
Debugging failures	errors/

Source Change Closeout Checklist

• Changed source files are listed.
• Each changed source file maps to a code-map subsystem row.
• Related architecture/component docs are updated or explicitly unchanged.
• Related test docs are updated or explicitly unchanged.
• Validation commands and results are recorded.
• context.md links to current anchors instead of duplicating them.

Skill Rule

Create a repo-local skill only when the workflow is stable, repeatable, and has clear invocation criteria, inputs, outputs, checks, and stop conditions. Do not create skills for one-off fixes or session-specific history.