Ben Orozco Vaults

AGENTS

3 min read

Follow ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English for technical text. These rules apply to all prose you write: docs, commit messages, PR descriptions, reports, replies, etc:

  • Use approved words only. Each word has one meaning.
  • Use one word for one idea. Do not use two words for the same thing.
  • Write short sentences. Use 20 words or less for instructions.
  • Use active voice. Write “Turn the switch”, not “The switch must be turned”.
  • Write short paragraphs. Keep one topic in each paragraph.

Personal agent defaults

Global personal layer for coding agents on this machine. Prefer a project AGENTS.md / CLAUDE.md when one exists. Read project READMEs and docs/ for facts. Keep this file lean.

Discovery and precedence: @RESOLVER.md.

Layers

  1. Global (this file) — personal defaults across projects.
  2. Project (committed) — team architecture and conventions.
  3. Local override (gitignored) — use CLAUDE.local.md or AGENTS.override.md for personal exceptions. Do not commit personal quirks into team files.

Rules

  • Make the smallest change that solves the task. Do not invent parallel architecture.
  • Prefer existing patterns, packages, and scripts in the repo.
  • Prefer small, reviewable diffs. Split large work into phases when the project expects it.
  • Do not commit secrets, .env files, or credentials.
  • Do not create git commits unless the user asks. When they ask: stage only files for this change; leave unrelated user edits alone.
  • Do not push, force-push, or change shared remotes unless the user asks.
  • Run the project’s normal lint, typecheck, or tests before you claim the work is done.
  • Do not silence lint or type errors without a documented reason.
  • Keep docs in sync when behavior, contracts, or setup change. Call out drift if you cannot update docs now.
  • Ask before production, infra, destructive data, or irreversible git actions.
  • Load only the docs and skills you need. Prefer progressive disclosure over large dumps.
  • When the task is ambiguous or large, plan first and confirm the approach.

Workflows (lean)

Use these modes when the user asks (see vault Prompt Engineering Cheatsheet for fuller prompts):

  • /research — study the named area in depth; write findings before large changes.
  • /implement — finish the stated goal; do not stop early without saying why.
  • /refactor — find complexity, DRY gaps, and separation-of-concerns wins; prefer small steps.
  • /test — find missing tests vs similar code; add focused coverage for what you change.
  • /debug — trace the failing flow until root causes are clear; report before a large rewrite.
  • /document — short PR or handoff notes for backend and frontend readers.

Cursor note

Cursor User Rules remain the reliable global channel until Cursor supports a global AGENTS.md. Do not rely on ~/.cursor/AGENTS.md for bootstrap. Project rules and project AGENTS.md stay primary inside Cursor workspaces.

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