context-driven-development

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Use this skill for all context planning, creation, updates, review, search, and sync work in this repository.

alpha-innovation-labs By alpha-innovation-labs schedule Updated 3/2/2026
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name: context-driven-development description: Use this skill for all context planning, creation, updates, review, search, and sync work in this repository. compatibility: opencode

Context-Driven Development (CDD)

This is the single source of truth for CDD in this repository.

Purpose

CDD separates:

  • Context specifications (PRJ_NNN-*.md): define desired outcomes and E2E-observable next actions.
  • Operational knowledge (index.md): document how projects/features work and how to operate/debug them.
  • Project integration skills (SKILL.md or skill/SKILL.md, optional): document how a project should be consumed by other projects.
  • Execution learnings (lessons_learned.md, optional): capture non-obvious problems and validated workarounds.

CDD also supports explicit blocking dependencies between contexts.

Use CDD to describe what success looks like, not how code should be implemented.

Canonical Structure

.nexus/context/<project>/
├── index.md                    # Project operational knowledge
├── lessons_learned.md          # Optional non-obvious execution lessons and workarounds
├── SKILL.md                    # Optional project integration guide (alternative to skill/SKILL.md)
├── design_references/
│   └── design_reference.md     # Required visual design contract for the project
├── skill/
│   └── SKILL.md                # Optional cross-project wrapper/integration contract
├── <feature>/
│   ├── index.md                # Feature operational knowledge
│   ├── lessons_learned.md      # Optional feature-level execution lessons and workarounds
│   ├── SKILL.md                # Optional feature integration guide (alternative to skill/SKILL.md)
│   ├── skill/
│   │   └── SKILL.md            # Optional feature wrapper/integration contract
│   └── PRJ_NNN-*.md            # Context specifications
└── _reference/                 # Optional reference docs (research/design/notes)

Mapping:

  • <project>: crate/package/system name (kebab-case)
  • <feature>: feature/domain name (kebab-case)

Rules:

  • Every context file must live under .nexus/context/<project>/<feature>/.
  • Every project must include .nexus/context/<project>/design_references/design_reference.md.
  • Optional project integration skill may live at .nexus/context/<project>/SKILL.md or .nexus/context/<project>/skill/SKILL.md.
  • lessons_learned.md is optional but allowed at .nexus/context/<project>/lessons_learned.md.
  • The same optional files are allowed per feature (subproject):
    • .nexus/context/<project>/<feature>/lessons_learned.md
    • .nexus/context/<project>/<feature>/SKILL.md or .nexus/context/<project>/<feature>/skill/SKILL.md
  • Context IDs use a 3-letter prefix from either the project or the feature.
  • Choose one approach per project and be consistent.
  • If using feature-scoped prefixes, each feature/subfeature must have a unique 3-letter prefix.

Interpretation:

  • A feature folder contains many context files; it is not a single context.
  • A context file represents one discrete, independently testable outcome (similar to a user story/vertical slice).
  • Avoid broad cross-cutting feature folders like ui or data when those concerns belong inside domain features.

Project Wrapper Skill (Optional)

Use .nexus/context/<project>/SKILL.md or .nexus/context/<project>/skill/SKILL.md when a project is intended to be wrapped or reused by other projects.

Purpose:

  • Define how other projects should call, query, and integrate with the wrapped project.
  • Provide stable integration guidance without turning context specs into implementation docs.

Rules:

  • Treat wrapper skill guidance as integration contract documentation, not execution state.
  • Keep blocking sequencing in context frontmatter (depends_on.contexts), not in wrapper skill prose.
  • Keep wrapper guidance focused on cross-project usage surfaces (APIs, commands, expected inputs/outputs, guardrails).
  • Content format may follow SKILL-style markdown or llms.txt-style conventions, as long as integration guidance is explicit and unambiguous.
  • If both SKILL.md and skill/SKILL.md exist, they must not conflict.

Lessons Learned (Optional)

Use lessons_learned.md at project or feature level to record non-obvious execution issues discovered while implementing or operating.

Allowed paths:

  • .nexus/context/<project>/lessons_learned.md
  • .nexus/context/<project>/<feature>/lessons_learned.md

Scope:

  • Problems faced in real execution.
  • Conditions that trigger the issue.
  • Confirmed workaround or mitigation valid today.

Do not use this file for:

  • Generic tips or style preferences.
  • Desired outcomes (belongs in context specs).
  • Step-by-step implementation plans.

Recommended entry shape:

  • Issue
  • Trigger
  • Observed behavior/error
  • Workaround (current)
  • Confidence and date validated

Feature-First Example Baseline

Use vertical feature modules as the default baseline for web apps.

Example:

  • Project: my-web-app
  • Features: platform, auth, profile-page
  • Contexts are single-outcome slices under each feature.

Example file structure:

.nexus/context/my-web-app/
├── index.md
├── lessons_learned.md
├── SKILL.md
├── design_references/
│   └── design_reference.md
├── platform/
│   ├── index.md
│   ├── lessons_learned.md
│   ├── SKILL.md
│   ├── PLA_001-bootstrap-project.md
│   ├── PLA_002-configure-database-migrations.md
│   └── PLA_003-expose-rest-and-sse-contract.md
├── auth/
│   ├── index.md
│   ├── lessons_learned.md
│   ├── SKILL.md
│   ├── AUT_001-email-login-success.md
│   ├── AUT_002-facebook-login.md
│   ├── AUT_003-register-email-password.md
│   └── AUT_004-password-reset-request.md
└── profile-page/
    ├── index.md
    ├── lessons_learned.md
    ├── SKILL.md
    ├── PRF_001-load-profile-page.md
    ├── PRF_002-edit-profile-fields.md
    └── PRF_003-subscribe-profile-updates-sse.md

Example dependency semantics:

  • profile-page depends on platform and auth.
  • auth depends on platform.

Example context granularity under auth:

  • email-login-success
  • facebook-login
  • register-email-password
  • password-reset-request

Design References (Required)

Use .nexus/context/<project>/design_references/design_reference.md as the written design source of truth (figma-like contract in markdown).

Purpose:

  • Capture visual expectations in a form agents can apply consistently.
  • Define style and layout decisions without embedding implementation plans in context specs.

Required content:

  • Design token inventory (color, typography, spacing, radius, elevation, motion).
  • CSS classes/utilities and component style contracts currently in use.
  • Layout parameters and sizing constants that affect rendered behavior.
  • Variant and state behavior (hover/focus/disabled/error/loading/dark-light if applicable).
  • File references to authoritative style sources (for example globals.css, component style files).

Rules:

  • File name must be exactly design_reference.md.
  • Keep it implementation-aware for styling surfaces, but not implementation-prescriptive for business logic.
  • Update this file whenever visual contracts, classes, or style tokens change.
  • Keep context files focused on outcomes; place detailed visual/style inventories here.

Context File Naming

  • Pattern: PRJ_NNN-brief-description.md or FTR_NNN-brief-description.md
  • PRJ or FTR: 3-letter uppercase prefix from project or feature name
  • NNN: zero-padded sequence number (scoped to the chosen prefix)
  • brief-description: kebab-case, concise
  • For each unique prefix, numbering starts at 001 and increments within that prefix only.

Prefix choice:

  • Project-scoped (e.g., CLI_001, CLI_002): Use when contexts span multiple features
  • Feature-scoped (e.g., RAL_001, MKT_002): Use when each feature has independent context tracking

Examples:

  • CLI_007-marketplace-search.md (project-scoped)
  • RAL_001-ralph-command-surface.md (feature-scoped)
  • KNO_012-sync-workflow.md (project-scoped)

Context Frontmatter

Required YAML fields:

---
context_id: PRJ_001
title: Human-Readable Title
project: project-name
feature: feature-name
created: "YYYY-MM-DD"
---

Optional dependency metadata (blocking prerequisites only):

skills:
  - justfile
  - nextjs
depends_on:
  contexts:
    - ABC_001
    - XYZ_014

Rules:

  • depends_on is optional; omit when there are no prerequisites.
  • Declare dependencies in depends_on.contexts only.
  • Every listed dependency is blocking: it must be completed before this context can proceed.
  • depends_on.contexts entries must be context IDs (for example ABC_001).
  • skills is optional; use it to reference implementation guidance by skill name only.
  • skills entries must be bare names (for example justfile, nextjs, pnpm) and must map to files under skills/**/<name>/SKILL.md.
  • Keep dependencies minimal and direct; do not duplicate transitive prerequisites.

Context Required Sections

Context specs must use this order:

  1. # PRJ_NNN: Title
  2. ## Desired Outcome
  3. ## Reference (optional; remove when empty)
  4. ## Next Actions

Desired Outcome

  • One outcome per context.
  • One concise paragraph describing the end state.
  • No implementation details.

Reference

  • Optional and visual-first.
  • Include diagrams, tables, links, constants.
  • Remove this section if empty.

Next Actions

Use a table:

Description Test
... ...

Rules:

  • Description: starts with an action verb.
  • Test: snake_case, no test_ prefix.
  • Every row must be E2E-observable and black-box verifiable.
  • Focus on user-visible behavior, error handling, and edge cases.

Dependency Semantics

Dependencies are strict prerequisites, not suggestions.

  • Context dependency: this context is blocked until the referenced context is complete.
  • Dependencies must be declared only in context frontmatter under depends_on.contexts.
  • Context files must never depend on project names; context dependencies are context-to-context only.
  • Skill references are guidance only and must be declared under top-level skills using skill names.
  • If dependencies are unknown or not verifiable, stop and ask for clarification before implementation.
  • Keep dependency declarations minimal and explicit; do not list non-blocking or transitive relationships.

Project and Feature index.md

index.md files store operational knowledge, not context specs.

Both project and feature index.md files must start with YAML frontmatter using this exact schema:

---
project_id: project-or-subproject-id
title: Human-Readable Title
created: "YYYY-MM-DD"
status: active
dependencies:
  - other-project-id
---

Rules for index frontmatter and dependency content:

  • Use the same exact frontmatter keys for project and feature indexes.
  • dependencies entries must be project or feature identifiers only.
  • dependencies must list only direct operational prerequisites.
  • Do not list apps, libraries, frameworks, crates, or tools as dependencies.

Examples:

  • profile-page depends on platform and auth.
  • auth depends on platform.

Project index.md should include:

  • Overview
  • Features table
  • Architecture (ASCII diagram)
  • Design references location
  • Optional operational notes (only when useful)

Feature index.md should include:

  • Scope
  • Context Files
  • Interfaces
  • Dependencies
  • Troubleshooting

Rules:

  • Project dependencies are project-to-project documentation in index.md files only.
  • index.md dependency sections are informational only.
  • Do not use project/feature index.md as the authoritative source for blocking context dependencies.
  • Canonical blocking dependency data lives in context frontmatter depends_on.contexts.

CDD Principles

  1. One outcome per context file.
  2. Keep contexts small and clear; split when outcomes diverge.
  3. Describe what and observable results, not internal implementation.
  4. Keep project/feature operational docs current when behavior changes.
  5. Reuse and update existing contexts before creating new ones when possible.
  6. Declare blocking dependencies explicitly whenever sequencing matters.
  7. Prefer vertical feature decomposition (auth, profile-page) over horizontal layers (ui, data).

Anti-Patterns

Do not put these in numbered context specs:

  • Code snippets or pseudocode
  • Internal implementation plans
  • Unit/integration-only assertions
  • CI/CD boilerplate unless the outcome is CI/CD itself
  • Multiple unrelated outcomes in one file

Command Map

  • nexus -> select context
  • /nexus-context-create -> create context specs
  • /nexus-context-update -> update context/index docs
  • /nexus-context-generate-red-tests -> generate red-only tests from Next Actions
  • /nexus-context-sync-from-chat -> propose updates from conversation
  • /nexus-context-sync-with-code -> propose updates from git/code changes
  • /nexus-context-review -> audit CDD compliance
  • /nexus-context-search -> search contexts by outcome/actions
  • /nexus-context-from-code -> recommend contexts from code scope
  • /nexus-context-validate-unstaged -> validate unstaged code/tests against Next Actions and language rules

Enforcement

When working on any context command or context file:

  • Read and apply this skill first.
  • Treat this file as authoritative if conflicts exist elsewhere.
Install via CLI
npx skills add https://github.com/alpha-innovation-labs/ratkit --skill context-driven-development
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