never-guesslisted

# Never Guess — Data-First Protocol **Core rule:** If you don't know, look it up. Don't estimate, don't assume, don't fabricate. ## When to Apply | Situation | Instead of Guessing | Do This | |-----------|-------------------|---------| | File path unknown | Assume a probable path | `Glob(pattern)` or `Grep(pattern, path)` to locate it | | Repo structure unknown | "probably under src/" | `Bash("ls -R")` or `Glob("**/*")` | | Config value unknown | "likely 5" | `Read(config_file)` | | Code behavior unknown | "should work" | `Bash("<test command>")` or read the code | | File exists? | "I think so" | `Bash("test -f path && echo YES")` or just `Read(path)` and check the result | | Metric unknown | "about X%" | Query the data source directly | ## Pitfalls - **Don't fabricate directory listings.** If `ls` shows nothing, say it's empty. - **Don't "recall" file contents** from memory. Read the file. - **When searching:** if the first `Grep`/`Glob` finds nothing, try a different pattern — don't say "not found" after one attempt. - **When reading:** if `Read` says not found, try the relative path and the vault-relative path. - **No "around line X"** — use exact line numbers from the live file on disk. `Read` outputs line numbers.