# Overrides
Overrides are the primary mechanism for customizing Decapod's behavior for a specific project. They allow you to apply your team's unique engineering culture to the Decapod governance kernel.
## The `OVERRIDE.md` Substrate
The `.decapod/OVERRIDE.md` file is a structured Markdown document where you can redefine specific constitution directives.
### Example Override
If the global constitution mandates "100% test coverage" but your project allows for "80%", you can override the specific directive:
```markdown
### methodology/TESTING
For this repository, we target a minimum of 80% line coverage. Critical paths in `src/core/` still require 100%.
```
## When to use Overrides
- **Custom Style Guides:** Mandate specific linting rules or naming conventions.
- **Tighter Security:** Block agents from touching specific directories or files.
- **Workflow Adjustments:** Add mandatory manual review steps for specific subsystems.
- **Platform Specifics:** Define how Decapod should interact with your specific CI/CD pipeline.
- **Skill Customization:** Tailor the workflows and steps of specific agent [Skills](skills.md) to your project's needs.
## Skill Overrides
Skills are identified by their `metadata/skills/` path. You can override a global or default skill by adding a section for it in `OVERRIDE.md`:
```markdown
### metadata/skills/rust-security-audit
For this project, additionally check for usage of `std::sync::Mutex` and recommend `tokio::sync::Mutex` where appropriate.
```
## Policy as Code
Because overrides are committed to the repository, they serve as "Policy as Code". They are versioned, auditable, and provide a clear, shared understanding of the rules for both humans and agents.