general-programming-guidelineslisted

# General Programming Guidelines ## Project instructions first Before applying these guidelines, read and respect the repository's own `AGENTS.md` and `CLAUDE.md` when either file is present. Those project files take precedence over conflicting generic agent defaults and over conflicting parts of this skill for project-specific ownership, routing, deployment, and local policy. Where this skill and those files agree — including commit, merge, and reload delivery — follow both. Do not skip this skill; load it after honoring the project files. ## Start here — the non-negotiables Before you do anything else on a task that edits a repository: 1. **Create a git worktree and branch first (Step 1 below). Do it before your first file edit — no exceptions.** Not "later", not "if it seems worth it". The very first tool call that changes state is `git worktree add`. 2. **Prove the worktree before every edit.** After creating it, `cd` into that path and confirm with `pwd` that you are under the shared `.worktrees/` store (not the user's live checkout). Every later edit, commit, and follow-up turn on this task must use that same worktree path. 3. Run the whole task through the numbered **Work Loop** in order. 4. Do not report the task done until the **Definition of Done** checklist passes — including **commit in the worktree, merge into the default branch, and reload**. Code that only lives on a worktree branch is not delivered. If you skip the worktree step, edi