# Continuous Context Development
[](LICENSE)
CCD is the host-neutral continuity and governance kernel for AI coding.
It keeps the parts that should survive host churn, model churn, and session resets:
- project truth in the repo
- operator policy and durable memory in `~/.ccd`
- clone-local handoff and session state in workspace-local runtime state
## Core Separation
```text
repo/
project truth
AGENTS.md, README.md, specs, tests, source
~/.ccd/
operator state
policy, durable memory, project-local overlays
workspace-local state
clone-local handoff and active session state
```
That separation is the product. CCD is not trying to be the best agent host, the best IDE, or the best memory database.
- **Project overlay**: project-specific policy and durable memory under `~/.ccd/profiles/{profile}/repos/{project_id}/...`
- **Workspace state**: clone-local handoff and active session state for the current checkout
If a workspace loses its binding, use `ccd repo relink` to reconnect it to the right project overlay instead of rebuilding state from scratch.
## Try It In 5 Minutes
Install the CLI and shipped skills:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/dusk-network/ccd.git /tmp/ccd
cargo install --path /tmp/ccd
ccd skills install
```
Bootstrap one workspace:
```bash
ccd attach --path .
ccd start --activate --path .
```
`ccd start --activate` is the supported one-command raw CLI fast path. This is narrower than the old `#386` coalescing idea: startup can collapse into one call, but close-out still stays explicit.
Work normally. Use the two checkpoint surfaces intentionally:
```bash
ccd checkpoint --path . # lightweight mid-session pulse
ccd radar-state --path . # full wrap-up and continuity evaluation
```
If you prefer the shipped skills, the core loop is:
```text
/ccd-attach
/ccd-start
/ccd-checkpoint
/ccd-radar
```
## What CCD Owns
- Continuity across sessions through clone-local handoff and session state
- Governance through layered policy, fail-closed writes, and explicit mutation boundaries
- Durable operator memory with promotion and compaction rules
- Host-neutral skill and CLI surfaces that survive IDE/runtime churn
## What CCD Does Not Own
- Agent orchestration UX: your host or IDE owns that
- Semantic recall quality: providers like MemPalace, Mem0/OpenMemory, and Graphiti own that
- Shared project facts: the repo remains the source of truth
CCD integrates with those systems, but it is not trying to replace them.
## Command Tiers
**Core**
- `ccd attach`
- `ccd start`
- `ccd status`
- `ccd checkpoint`
- `ccd radar-state`
- `ccd doctor`
- `ccd sync`
**Advanced**
- `ccd describe`
- `ccd scaffold`
- `ccd check`
- `ccd hooks *`
- `ccd handoff *`
- `ccd memory *`
- `ccd remember`
- `ccd repo *`
- `ccd session open`
- `ccd skills install`
Git-backed `ccd session open` belongs to `/ccd-git-workflow` when you need worktree or branch isolation. It is intentionally outside the default day-1 kernel loop.
**Platform**
- `ccd backlog *`
- `ccd codemap *`
- `ccd context-check`
- `ccd escalation-state *`
- `ccd pod *`
- `ccd policy-check`
- `ccd runtime-state *`
- `ccd session-state gates *`
## Read Next
- [Why CCD](docs/guide/01-why.md)
- [Quickstart](docs/guide/02-quickstart.md)
- [Cheatsheet](docs/reference/cheatsheet.md)
- [Memory Architecture](docs/guide/05-memory-architecture.md)
- [Memory Recall Providers](docs/reference/memory-recall-providers.md)
- [Skills](skills/README.md)
- [Kernel Contracts](specs/README.md)
- [Implementation Matrix](specs/IMPLEMENTATION.md)
- [Runtime Builders](docs/guide/09-runtime-builders.md)
## Safety
CCD's shipped skills and host integrations follow one contract:
- inspect read-only state first
- obey preview/apply or confirm-write metadata instead of guessing
- keep machine-readable stdout clean
- treat external queue snapshots as external context, not project truth
- keep Git workflow follow-through separate from startup and continuity loading
See [docs/reference/agent-safety-contract.md](docs/reference/agent-safety-contract.md) for the full contract.