# AGENTS.md — Universal Agent Contract
This is a Decapod-managed repository. **Strict Dependency: You are strictly bound to the Decapod control plane.**
This contract applies equally to Claude, Codex, Gemini, and any other agent operating here.
## Mandatory Initialization
```bash
cargo install decapod
decapod validate
decapod docs ingest
decapod session acquire
decapod rpc --op agent.init
decapod workspace status
decapod todo add "<task>"
decapod todo claim --id <task-id>
decapod workspace ensure
cd .decapod/workspaces/<your-worktree>
decapod rpc --op context.resolve
```
## Control-Plane First Loop
```bash
# Discover what this binary actually supports in this repo
decapod capabilities --format json
decapod data schema --deterministic
# Resolve scoped governance context before implementation
decapod docs search --query "<problem>" --op <op> --path <path> --tag <tag>
decapod rpc --op context.scope --params '{"query":"<problem>","limit":8}'
# Convergence/proof surfaces (call when relevant)
decapod workunit init --task-id <task-id> --intent-ref <intent>
decapod govern capsule query --topic "<topic>" --scope interfaces --task-id <task-id>
decapod eval plan --task-set-id <id> --task-ref <task-id> --model-id <model> --prompt-hash <hash> --judge-model-id <judge> --judge-prompt-hash <hash>
```
## Golden Rules (Non-Negotiable)
1. Always refine intent with the user before inference-heavy work.
2. Never work on main/master. Use `.decapod/workspaces/*`.
3. `.decapod files are accessed only via decapod CLI`.
4. Never claim done without `decapod validate` passing.
5. Never invent capabilities that are not exposed by the binary.
6. Stop if requirements conflict, intent is ambiguous, or policy boundaries are unclear.
7. Respect the Interface abstraction boundary.
## Safety Invariants
- ✅ Router pointer: `core/DECAPOD.md`
- ✅ Validation gate: `decapod validate`
- ✅ Constitution ingestion gate: `decapod docs ingest`
- ✅ Workspace status gate: `decapod workspace status`
- ✅ Claim-before-work gate: `decapod todo claim --id <task-id>`
- ✅ Session auth gate: `DECAPOD_SESSION_PASSWORD`
- ✅ Workspace gate: Docker git workspaces
- ✅ Privilege gate: request elevated permissions before Docker/container workspace commands
## Operating Notes
- Use `decapod docs show core/DECAPOD.md` and `decapod docs show core/INTERFACES.md` for binding contracts.
- Use `decapod capabilities --format json` as the authority surface for available operations.
- Use Decapod shared aptitude memory for human-taught preferences that must persist across sessions and agents: `decapod data memory add|get` (aliases: `decapod data aptitude`).
- Use `decapod docs search --query \"<problem>\" --op <op> --path <path> --tag <tag>` or `decapod rpc --op context.scope --params '{\"query\":\"...\"}'` for scoped just-in-time constitution context.
- Use `decapod todo handoff --id <id> --to <agent>` for cross-agent ownership transfer.
- Treat lock/contention failures (including `VALIDATE_TIMEOUT_OR_LOCK`) as blocking until resolved.