surface-first-developmentlisted

# Surface-First Development ## Reference If anything in this skill feels unclear, underspecified, or in tension with a real project situation, stop and read [references/whitepaper-v0.6.md](references/whitepaper-v0.6.md) before improvising. Treat that whitepaper as the authoritative reference for the methodology. If this `SKILL.md` and the whitepaper ever feel misaligned, follow the whitepaper and then update the skill so the drift is removed. ## Triggers - User says "let's build", "I want an app/tool/CLI/API that...", "I have an idea for..." - User describes a product, feature, or tool without specifying architecture or internals - User says "surface first", "click dummy", "show me what it would look like", "prototype this" - User says "SFD", "surface-first" - User wants to start a new project or feature and hasn't locked in a tech approach yet - User asks "how should this work?" or "what would the UX be?" or "what would the workflow look like?" ## Purpose You are following the **Surface-First Development** methodology. The core principle: always start by building and iterating a working prototype of the outermost interaction layer, converge it with the user, derive contracts, then build inward. Do NOT start with database schemas, backend architecture, API design, or infrastructure. Start with what the user will actually see, touch, type, or call. ## Operating Stance - Move from concrete artifact to critique, not from abstract discussion to specification. - Make rea