Document Review

HOTL Document Review

Overview

Optional utility for ad hoc document review. Use this to review existing docs, external specs, hand-authored plans, or any non-HOTL document. HOTL documents get structural lint (hard gate) followed by AI review. Non-HOTL documents skip lint and go straight to AI review with a generic rubric.

Note: This skill is not required in the standard HOTL flow. Writing-plans includes a built-in self-check, and execution preflight runs structural lint automatically. Use this skill when you want to review a document outside of the normal plan-then-execute cycle.

Announce: "Running document review. Classifying input..."

Step 0 — Classify the Input

Before doing anything else, classify the input into one of four categories:

Phase 1.6 opt-in rule: Path alone does NOT classify a file as HOTL. A design-shaped Markdown file in docs/designs/ without an HOTL frontmatter marker (design_type: or hotl_managed: true) is treated as generic markdown — document-lint.sh will SKIP it cleanly, and this skill routes it through Phase 2's generic-rubric AI review. To opt a hand-authored design doc into HOTL strict review, add design_type: <recognized-value> or hotl_managed: true to its frontmatter.

Announce the classification: e.g., "Classified as HOTL design doc (marked via design_type) — running lint + HOTL review." or "Classified as generic markdown — skipping lint, running generic review."

Phase 1: Structural Lint (HOTL Documents Only)

Skip this phase entirely for non-HOTL documents. If the input was classified as generic text/markdown or PDF, go directly to Phase 2 (generic AI review).

For HOTL documents only, run the deterministic lint script:

bash scripts/document-lint.sh <file>

Resolve document-lint.sh in this order:

1. If you are working in the hotl-plugin repo itself, use scripts/document-lint.sh
2. Codex native-skills install: ~/.codex/hotl/scripts/document-lint.sh
3. Codex plugin install: ~/.codex/plugins/hotl-source/scripts/document-lint.sh
4. Codex plugin cache fallback: ~/.codex/plugins/cache/codex-plugins/hotl/*/scripts/document-lint.sh
5. Cline install fallback: ~/.cline/hotl/scripts/document-lint.sh
6. Claude Code plugin fallback: ~/.claude/plugins/hotl/scripts/document-lint.sh

Do not assume scripts/document-lint.sh exists in the repo being reviewed. The lint script lives in the HOTL install, not in arbitrary user projects.

Resolving hotl-config.sh

hotl-config.sh (the canonical reader for .hotl/config.yml) follows the same six-location resolution order as document-lint.sh:

1. If you are working in the hotl-plugin repo itself, use scripts/hotl-config.sh
2. Codex native-skills install: ~/.codex/hotl/scripts/hotl-config.sh
3. Codex plugin install: ~/.codex/plugins/hotl-source/scripts/hotl-config.sh
4. Codex plugin cache fallback: ~/.codex/plugins/cache/codex-plugins/hotl/*/scripts/hotl-config.sh
5. Cline install fallback: ~/.cline/hotl/scripts/hotl-config.sh
6. Claude Code plugin fallback: ~/.claude/plugins/hotl/scripts/hotl-config.sh

Do not assume scripts/hotl-config.sh exists in the repo being reviewed. Callers that do not know their install location should invoke scripts/hotl-config-resolve.sh (a thin command proxy that locates hotl-config.sh and forwards argv).

If lint FAILS: STOP. Show all errors. The author MUST fix structural issues before AI review runs. Do not proceed.

If lint PASSES: Continue to Phase 2 (HOTL AI review).

What Lint Checks

Design docs (canonical docs/designs/*.md, plus legacy *-design.md / *-plan.md tactical docs):

• Intent Contract with intent, constraints, success_criteria, risk_level
• Verification Contract with at least one verify step
• Governance Contract with approval_gates and rollback
• risk_level is low, medium, or high

Workflow files (canonical docs/plans/*-workflow.md, plus legacy hotl-workflow-*.md):

• YAML frontmatter with intent, success_criteria, risk_level
• Every step has action and loop fields
• Every looped step (loop: until) has verify and max_iterations
• Preferred workflow step syntax is - [ ] **Step N: ...**, though legacy ### N. headings may still appear
• High-risk steps with security keywords have gate: human

Phase 2: AI-Driven Review (Soft Gate)

Read the full document and evaluate using the rubric that matches the classification:

For Design Docs

1. Internal consistency — Do the three contracts align with each other? Does the verification contract actually test the intent?
2. YAGNI — Is anything speculative, overbuilt, or solving problems that don't exist yet?
3. Risk assessment — Is the risk_level appropriate? Are high-risk areas (auth, encryption, billing) correctly identified?
4. Success criteria — Are they concrete and testable, or vague?
5. Scope — Does this cross too many subsystems? Should it be decomposed?

For Workflow Files

1. Step sizing — Are steps atomic (2-5 minutes each)? Flag steps that are too large or vague.
2. Verify coverage — Do verify commands actually test what the step claims to do?
3. Gate placement — Are human gates placed at the right points? Any risky steps missing gates?
4. Loop safety — Are max_iterations reasonable? Any infinite-loop risks?
5. Ordering — Do steps build on each other logically? Any missing dependencies?

For Generic Documents

1. Clarity — Is the writing clear, specific, and unambiguous?
2. Completeness — Are important details, assumptions, or decisions missing?
3. Internal consistency — Does the document contradict itself anywhere?
4. Actionability — Are decisions, next steps, owners, or open questions clearly stated?
5. Risk / Ambiguity — Are there risky assumptions, vague areas, or likely points of confusion?

Review Outcomes

After completing the review, output exactly one of the following. Use Lint: PASSED for HOTL documents or Lint: SKIPPED (non-HOTL document) for all other inputs.

PASS

All checks satisfied. Document is ready.

REVIEW: PASS
Document: <filename>
Lint: PASSED | SKIPPED (non-HOTL document)
AI Review: No issues found.
Ready for execution.

REVISE

Issues found that should be fixed. List each with a specific suggestion.

REVIEW: REVISE
Document: <filename>
Lint: PASSED | SKIPPED (non-HOTL document)
AI Review: <N> issue(s) found.

Issues:
1. [ISSUE]: <description>
   Suggestion: <how to fix>
2. [ISSUE]: <description>
   Suggestion: <how to fix>

Fix these issues and re-run document review.

HUMAN_OVERRIDE_REQUIRED

Serious concerns that the AI cannot resolve. Human must decide whether to proceed.

REVIEW: HUMAN_OVERRIDE_REQUIRED
Document: <filename>
Lint: PASSED | SKIPPED (non-HOTL document)
AI Review: Serious concern(s) requiring human judgment.

Concerns:
1. [CONCERN]: <description>
   Risk: <what could go wrong>
2. [CONCERN]: <description>
   Risk: <what could go wrong>

Do not continue until a human explicitly says to override these concerns.

Rules

• Always classify the input before choosing a review path.
• For HOTL documents: never skip lint; never continue to execution when lint fails.
• For non-HOTL documents: skip lint entirely (no structural validation).
• For DOCX/PPTX/binary: do not attempt conversion; ask for an export.
• If review outcome is REVISE, the author fixes the document first.
• If review outcome is HUMAN_OVERRIDE_REQUIRED, only an explicit human decision allows execution to proceed.