principle-optimization-never-dependencylisted

# Optimization, Never a Dependency An enhancement path — a nested sub-agent, a second-vendor pass, a screenshot upload, a courier — improves the work when it runs and must cost nothing when it cannot. Skip loudly on any failure, fall back inline, and never let the miss change the outcome. **Why:** Wiring an optional capability as a dependency converts its absence into an outage. The inline fallback is the contract that keeps the enhancement optional. **Pattern:** - On absence, error, or silence: do the work yourself inline with the tools you hold, and proceed. Never stall, and never report failure solely because the enhancement was unavailable. - Never soften a verdict because an optional pass did not run. Record the skip and its reason where the report format puts it (`skills/principle-skip-loudly/SKILL.md`). - The enhancement never blocks, retry-loops, or prompts the user; its failure is a line in the report, not a stop. - A malformed enhancement result is discarded and the fallback used — never patched up and trusted. - Classify first: this rule is for enhancements. A step that carries a guarantee fails closed instead — see `skills/principle-fail-closed/SKILL.md`.