Codex compatibility note:
- Invoke repository skills with
$skill-name in Codex; this mirrored copy rewrites legacy Claude /skill-name references.
- Task tracker mandate: BEFORE executing any workflow or skill step, create/update task tracking for all steps and keep it synchronized as progress changes.
- User-question prompts mean to ask the user directly in Codex.
- Ignore Claude-specific mode-switch instructions when they appear.
- Strict execution contract: when a user explicitly invokes a skill, execute that skill protocol as written.
- Subagent authorization: when a skill is user-invoked or AI-detected and its protocol requires subagents, that skill activation authorizes use of the required
spawn_agent subagent(s) for that task.
- Do not skip, reorder, or merge protocol steps unless the user explicitly approves the deviation first.
- For workflow skills, execute each listed child-skill step explicitly and report step-by-step evidence.
- If a required step/tool cannot run in this environment, stop and ask the user before adapting.
Codex Project-Reference Loading (No Hooks)
Codex uses static project-reference loading instead of runtime-injected project docs.
When coding, planning, debugging, testing, or reviewing, open project docs explicitly using this routing.
Always read:
docs/project-config.json (project-specific paths, commands, modules, and workflow/test settings)
docs/project-reference/docs-index-reference.md (routes to the full docs/project-reference/* catalog)
docs/project-reference/lessons.md (always-on guardrails and anti-patterns)
Missing/stale context route: If docs/project-config.json, the docs index, lessons.md, CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, or any task-required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run $project-init or the narrow setup route ($project-config, $docs-init, $scan-all, $scan --target=<key>, $claude-md-init) before ordinary project-specific work. If Codex mirrors or AGENTS.md are missing/stale, ask the user to run $sync-codex; do not auto-run it.
Situation-based docs:
- Project structure/architecture/tech-stack/deployment/setup (any layer — backend, frontend, or infra):
project-structure-reference.md
- Backend/CQRS/API/domain/entity changes:
backend-patterns-reference.md, domain-entities-reference.md
- Frontend/UI/styling/design-system:
frontend-patterns-reference.md, scss-styling-guide.md, design-system/README.md
- Spec authoring,
docs/specs/ pathing, or TC format: feature-spec-reference.md, spec-system-reference.md, spec-principles.md
- Behavior/public-contract changes or spec-test-code sync:
workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md plus the spec docs above
- Derived spec indexes/ERDs/reimplementation guides:
spec-system-reference.md and source Feature Specs under docs/specs/
- Integration test implementation/review:
integration-test-reference.md
- E2E test implementation/review:
e2e-test-reference.md
- Code review/audit work:
code-review-rules.md plus domain docs above based on changed files
Do not read all docs blindly. Start from docs-index-reference.md, then open only relevant files for the task.
[BLOCKING] Execute skill steps in declared order. NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval.
[BLOCKING] Before each step or sub-skill call, update task tracking: set in_progress when step starts, set completed when step ends.
[BLOCKING] Every completed/skipped step MUST include brief evidence or explicit skip reason.
[BLOCKING] If Task tools are unavailable, create and maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with the same status transitions.
Quick Summary
Goal: Produce maintainable, spec-traceable E2E tests (TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}) from recordings, specs, or code changes that protect business behavior using the project's configured framework (Playwright, Selenium, Cypress, others) — so future UI changes break tests only when intended behavior breaks.
Summary:
- Purpose: turn recordings/specs/code changes into maintainable, spec-traceable E2E tests that break ONLY when intended business behavior breaks — never on cosmetic UI churn.
- Main steps (in order): (1) detect the E2E framework from project files; (2) read
docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md + the e2eTesting block of docs/project-config.json FIRST — never assume a stack or invent a TC-annotation marker; (3) load TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN} specs from docs/specs/; (4) pass the Real-World Fidelity Gate BEFORE writing test code — can this flow, timing, and data actually occur in production?; (5) generate/update tests via Page Object Model (spawn the e2e-runner sub-agent); (6) run tests with the project's configured command; (7) update e2e-test-reference.md with learnings.
- Every test carries its
TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN} code traced to the §8 invariant/behavior it guards, structured with Page Object Model (locators/actions in the page class, assertions in the test).
- Selector priority semantic/BEM > data-testid > ARIA/role > visible text; AVOID generated classes,
:nth-child, XPath.
- Generate unique self-sufficient data (GUID/timestamp); NEVER depend on pre-existing DB state, NEVER tear down seeded data; pick a workflow by asking the user directly when not already in one.
Workflow:
- Detect — classify request scope, target artifacts, framework.
- Execute — apply required steps, evidence-backed actions.
- Verify — confirm constraints, output quality, completion evidence.
Key Rules:
- MUST ATTENTION keep claims evidence-based (
file:line), confidence >80% to act.
- MUST ATTENTION apply the Real-World Fidelity Gate before writing setup — a flow, pacing, or data shape production can never reach proves nothing; fix the SCENARIO, never the assertion.
- MUST ATTENTION keep task tracking updated as each step starts/completes.
- NEVER skip mandatory workflow or skill gates.
⚠️ MANDATORY: Read Project E2E Reference (FIRST)
BEFORE ANY E2E WORK, you MUST ATTENTION:
# 1. Read project-specific E2E patterns (REQUIRED)
head -100 docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md
# 2. Read project config for framework, paths, commands
grep -A 50 '"e2eTesting"' docs/project-config.json
# 3. Find TC codes you need to implement
grep -r "TC-.*-E2E-" docs/specs/ docs/specs/
The e2eTesting section in docs/project-config.json contains:
- Framework, language, paths, run commands, TC code format
- Project-specific best practices and entry points
When investigating/fixing E2E failures, update docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md with learnings.
docs/project-reference/domain-entities-reference.md — Domain entity catalog, relationships, cross-service sync (read when task involves business entities/models)
Framework Detection (SECOND STEP)
Detect the project's E2E stack before generating tests:
# Use project config, project-reference docs, and existing test config files as the source of truth
rg "playwright|cypress|selenium|webdriver|e2e" docs/project-config.json docs/project-reference/ . 2>/dev/null
rg --files | rg "(playwright|cypress|webdriver|selenium|e2e|test).*config|manifest|project"
| Framework |
Config Source |
Test Naming |
Run Command |
| Configured E2E framework |
project config/reference docs |
existing local examples |
configured test command |
Workflow Modes
| Mode |
Input |
Output |
from-recording |
Recording JSON + feature |
Test spec + page object |
update-ui |
Git diff of UI changes |
Updated screenshot baselines |
from-changes |
Changed test specs or code |
Updated test implementations |
from-spec |
TC codes from test specs |
New tests matching specs |
First Principle — Easy to Change
The success metric of every coding decision is future change cost.
DRY, SRP, abstraction, design patterns, naming, layering, tests — every
technique exists to serve one goal: making the next change cheaper.
Evaluating code, refactor, test, abstraction, ask:
does this make next change cheaper or more expensive?
- Reject "best practices" raising change cost (premature abstraction, speculative generality, leaky indirection, ceremony without payoff).
- Name real enemies in findings: coupling, hidden state, duplicated knowledge, unclear intent, irreversible decisions exposed too early.
- Simpler design easy to change beats sophisticated design that isn't.
Apply this lens before invoking any specific rule, pattern, checklist below — if downstream rule would raise change cost, this principle wins.
Core Principles
1. TC Code Traceability (MANDATORY)
Every E2E test MUST ATTENTION have:
- TC code in test name:
TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}
- Tag/annotation linking to spec
- Comment linking to feature doc
// TypeScript
test('TC-RT-E2E-001: Submit return request', async () => { ... });
Use repository's configured test-case annotation mechanism for non-TypeScript E2E tests; NEVER invent a framework-specific marker.
Spec-Loop Discipline (E2E tier — tailored). Trace each E2E scenario to the §8 invariant/behavior it guards — name the protected business rule, not just the click path — so the scenario fails only when that intended behavior breaks (not on cosmetic UI churn). Any coverage gap you find (an §8 behavior with no E2E scenario, or an E2E flow guarding no documented behavior) feeds the Dual-Feedback half into BOTH the spec (the missing/changed behavior) AND the tests — never a test-only fix. Scoped N/A: property/metamorphic generation and the MUTATION-SCORE assertion gate are scoped to unit/integration core-logic; they do NOT apply at the E2E tier — do not force them here.
2. Page Object Model
All frameworks use Page Object pattern:
- Encapsulate page locators in page class
- Methods represent user actions
- Assertions in test file, not page object
3. Selector Strategy (Priority Order)
- Semantic classes — BEM (
.block__element), component classes
- Data attributes —
[data-testid], [data-cy], [data-test]
- ARIA/Role —
role=button, aria-label
- Text content — Visible user text (last resort)
AVOID: Generated classes (.ng-star-inserted, .MuiButton-root), positional selectors (:nth-child), XPath
4. Unique Test Data
Tests MUST generate unique data to be repeatable:
- Append GUIDs/timestamps to test data
- Make each test self-sufficient with own generated data; NEVER depend on specific pre-existing database state
- Leave seeded data in place after run, NEVER clean up — why: teardown across shared runs creates side effects for parallel/repeat tests
5. Preconditions Documentation
Document what must exist before test runs:
- System: Infrastructure running, APIs healthy
- Data: Seed data exists (users, companies)
- Feature: Configurations complete
Steps
- Detect framework from project files
- Read project E2E docs for conventions and patterns
- Load test specs with TC codes from feature docs
- Check real-world fidelity — BEFORE any test code is written, answer "Can this flow, timing, and data actually occur in production?" State the real pacing between consecutive user actions (a user does not submit two distinct actions in the same millisecond) and, for each gap, the observable settle signal the next step waits on (rendered confirmation, persisted state change, audit/version stamp, request/worker idle marker). Any "no" → fix the SCENARIO, never the assertion. Full contract:
SYNC:real-world-fidelity-testing below.
- Generate/update tests following Page Object pattern
- Run tests using project's configured commands
- Update e2e-test-reference.md with any learnings
Output
Report:
- Files created/modified
- TC codes covered
- Run command to execute tests
- Any preconditions or setup needed
Sub-Agent Type Override
MANDATORY: E2E test generation and baseline updates spawn e2e-runner sub-agent (agent_type: "e2e-runner"), NOT the main agent directly.
Rationale: e2e-runner auto-detects the project's E2E stack, maintains test-to-spec TC traceability, and handles visual baseline updates across Playwright, Selenium, Cypress, and other frameworks.
Spawn e2e-runner sub-agent for:
- Generating new E2E tests from recordings or TC codes from specs
- Updating visual screenshot baselines after UI changes
- Maintaining TC code traceability (
TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}) in test implementations
Workflow Recommendation
MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — NO EXCEPTIONS: If you are NOT already in a workflow, you MUST ATTENTION use ask the user directly to ask the user. Do NOT judge task complexity or decide this is "simple enough to skip" — the user decides whether to use a workflow, not you:
- Activate
e2e --source=changes workflow (Recommended) — scout → e2e-test → test → watzup
- Execute
$e2e-test directly — run this skill standalone
Skill: e2e-test
Category: [Testing]
Trigger: e2e test, e2e from recording, generate e2e, playwright test, cypress test, selenium test, webdriver, puppeteer
Generate and maintain E2E tests using project's configured testing framework.
docs/specs/ — Test specifications by module (read existing TCs for E2E scenario coverage; match TC codes to E2E test implementations)
Be skeptical. Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence percentages (Idea should be more than 80%).
Sub-Agent Selection — Full routing contract: .claude/skills/shared/sub-agent-selection-guide.md
Rule: Route specialized domains (architecture, security, performance, DB, E2E, integration-test, git) to the matching specialist agent (see guide above) — NEVER use code-reviewer for these. — why: code-reviewer lacks each domain's checklist, so specialized issues slip through.
Source/test drift check. For coding, fix, debug, investigation, test, or review work: when source behavior changes, inspect affected unit/integration/E2E tests and decide from evidence whether tests should change to match intended behavior or the source change is an unintended bug to fix. Do not write tests for migration code; schema/data migrations are one-time execution paths, not core application logic.
Real-World Fidelity Gate — MANDATORY when authoring, reviewing, or repairing any integration / E2E / system test.
A test earns trust by reproducing a situation the system can actually meet in production. A scenario that could never occur in real life proves nothing when it passes, and wastes hours when it fails.
- Ask the fidelity question BEFORE writing the setup: "Can this sequence, timing, and data actually occur in production?" If no, the test is mis-specified — fix the SCENARIO, never the assertion.
- Model real pacing between actor steps. Two distinct actor actions that production separates by seconds, minutes, or hours MUST NOT be fired back-to-back in the same millisecond. Compressed pacing manufactures races the system was never designed to survive, then reports them as product defects.
- Wait on a real signal, never a blind sleep. Find an observable proving the prior step finished — a persisted state change, an audit/version stamp, a queue/worker idle marker, a completion event — and poll until it settles (unchanged across a short stability window). Use a fixed delay ONLY when no observable exists, and say so in a comment.
- Barriers belong in ARRANGE, never in ASSERT. Waiting for a precondition is fidelity. Widening an assertion's timeout, loosening a comparison, adding a retry around a failing assertion, or skipping the test is masking. NEVER do the latter to force green.
- Distinguish harness-amplified from real. Test topologies (shared infra, fan-out consumers, parallel suites, cold starts) can make a rare production race routine locally. Before filing a product defect, state whether the trigger exists in production and at what likelihood.
- Keep the protected invariant intact. Improving fidelity must NEVER reduce what the test protects. If a realistic scenario no longer exercises the rule, the rule needs a DIFFERENT realistic scenario — not a weaker assertion.
- Deliberate impossible-state tests are allowed, but MUST be labelled. Corruption-repair, migration, and fail-safe tests intentionally construct states production should never reach; comment WHY the state is reachable (upstream bug, partial write, legacy data), so they are never confused with unrealistic setups.
Test-Failure Fault Adjudication — When a test fails (or you are debugging or fixing a failure), the job is to determine who is at fault — the source code or the test code. Getting that verdict right matters more than turning the suite green. Binds every debug / fix / test skill identically.
- Provisional verdict before touching either side. Classify the observed evidence as SOURCE-WRONG, TEST-WRONG, TEST-NOT-OPTIMAL, ENVIRONMENT-BLOCKED, or AMBIGUOUS; then
$debug-investigate and trace end-to-start before editing. A green-again suite is NOT the goal.
- Triangulate against the spec AND the source. If a governing Feature Spec covers the behavior (e.g.
docs/specs/** — §3 ACs / §4 BRs / §5 invariants / §8 TCs), it is the tiebreaker for intended behavior — compare BOTH the production source and the failing test against it. With no spec, the documented intent / acceptance criteria / caller contract is the reference. Decide from this evidence whether the SOURCE is wrong or the TEST is wrong.
- Classify who is at fault, then fix the wrong side at its root:
- SOURCE-WRONG — production code violates the spec's intended behavior or a clear invariant → fix the source at the owning layer; keep or strengthen the test that caught it.
- TEST-WRONG — the test encodes a stale or incorrect assertion, setup, or expectation that contradicts intended behavior → fix the test at its root. NEVER weaken an assertion, add a skip, or relax a timeout to force green.
- TEST-NOT-OPTIMAL — intended behavior is valid but the test seam, timing, or assertion signal is fragile → improve the test without weakening the invariant.
- ENVIRONMENT-BLOCKED — infrastructure or external state prevents a source/test verdict → preserve diagnostics and stop mutation until the environment is healthy.
- AMBIGUOUS — evidence or intended behavior does not safely select an owner → ask the user or canonical owner before editing.
- NEVER change a test to match broken source, and NEVER change source to satisfy a broken test. (Migration code excluded — schema/data migrations are one-time execution paths, not core application logic.)
- Ask the user when intended behavior is unclear. If no spec covers the behavior, the spec is silent, or the spec is ambiguous about which side is correct, STOP and ask the user directly (or consult the canonical spec owner) before editing either side — never silently pick source or test just to make the suite pass.
Reconcile to intended behavior, never to whichever side currently passes — green can encode the very bug.
AI Mistake Prevention — Failure modes to avoid on every task:
Re-read files after context changes. Context compaction, resume, or long-running work can make memory stale; verify current files before acting.
Verify generated content against source evidence. AI hallucinates APIs, names, claims, and document facts. Check the relevant source before documenting or referencing.
Check downstream references before deleting or renaming. Removing an artifact can stale docs, generated mirrors, configs, and callers; map references first.
Trace the full impact chain after edits. Changing a definition can miss derived outputs and consumers. Follow the affected chain before declaring done.
Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first. One green check is not all green checks; validate every output surface the change can affect.
Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing OR flagging one as a defect. Before changing or reporting a constant, limit, flag, cutoff, wording, or pattern, read nearby context and history, the CALLER's ordering, and 2+ sibling call sites of the same convention. A doc stating WHAT without WHY is missing rationale, not proof of a missing guard.
Surface ambiguity before acting — don't pick silently. Multiple valid interpretations require an explicit question or stated assumption with risk.
Assert the outcome your system owns, not the intermediate state your infrastructure owns. When verifying async work, assert the final business state — never the delivery/retry bookkeeping held in shared infrastructure that any co-running process can write. Such a check passes when run alone and flakes the moment anything else shares that infrastructure.
Keep shared guidance role-relevant. Universal guidance must help every receiving skill or agent; code-specific obligations belong only in code-specific protocols.
Critical Thinking Mindset — Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act.
Anti-hallucination: Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination.
MUST ATTENTION apply critical + sequential thinking — every claim needs appropriate traced evidence (file:line for repo/code claims; source URL or artifact section for research, product, content, and docs claims); confidence >80% to act, <60% DO NOT recommend. Anti-hallucination: never present guess as fact, admit uncertainty freely, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence.
MUST ATTENTION apply AI mistake prevention — verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references before deleting or renaming, verify all affected outputs, re-read files after context loss, and surface ambiguity before acting.
Prompt-Enhance Closing Anchors
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION follow declared step order for this skill; NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION for every step/sub-skill call: set in_progress before execution, set completed after execution
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION every skipped step MUST include explicit reason; every completed step MUST include concise evidence
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION if Task tools unavailable, maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with synchronized statuses
Parallel Sub-Agent Dispatch — Plan parallelism the moment a task breakdown exists, BEFORE executing it — running provably independent tasks sequentially wastes wall-clock. Applies to every multi-step job: workflow steps, planning, batch updates, investigation, research, scans, reviews, doc sync. Plan execution is metadata-gated, NEVER default-parallel — fan-out follows ONLY what the plan declares (PAR/SEQ tags + per-phase write set); an untagged plan runs sequentially — why: a derived write set cannot see cascade or generated writes.
- Tag every task
PAR or SEQ. PAR = inputs exclude every pending task's output AND write set disjoint from every other PAR. Else SEQ — MUST ATTENTION name the dependency forcing it.
- Group
PAR into waves. No edge between members. Two writers of one file NEVER share a wave. Read-only work (search, investigation, review, research) parallelizes freely.
- Declare before dispatch:
Parallel plan: wave 1 = [...] · wave 2 = [...] · SEQ = [...] (reason).
- Spawn each wave in ONE message — every
spawn_agent call in one response, NEVER dripped per turn. Route each task to its specialist (.claude/skills/shared/sub-agent-selection-guide.md); NEVER code-reviewer as catch-all.
- Brief each sub-agent self-contained: goal · scope + owned files · reference docs · return contract (summary +
Full report: path, per SYNC:subagent-return-contract) · incremental persistence to plans/reports/ (per SYNC:incremental-persistence).
- Barrier per wave. Advance ONLY after EVERY member returns (a skipped conditional counts as returned). Merge, mark each task completed/skipped, THEN dispatch the next wave. Mutating steps wait for the barrier.
- One level deep. A dispatched sub-agent executes its own brief; further fan-out stays the orchestrator's job unless that agent's
.claude/agents/*.md definition authorizes it.
NEVER parallelize: tasks sharing a write target · a task consuming a pending task's output · trivial single-file work (dispatch overhead > gain) · an order a skill or workflow explicitly fixes · gates awaiting user approval.
Blocked until: MUST ATTENTION every task tagged PAR/SEQ with a named reason per SEQ · waves declared + write-set disjointness checked · each wave spawned in ONE message · barrier honored before the next wave.
- MANDATORY After planning tasks, tag each PAR/SEQ and spawn every PAR wave as parallel sub-agents in ONE message — default parallel for workflows, batch updates, investigation, research, reviews; plan execution fans out ONLY on what the plan declares.
- MANDATORY Disjoint write sets per wave · all-return barrier before the next wave · specialist routing · sub-agents NEVER fan out further unless their own agent definition authorizes it.
Project Protocol Overlay — Before executing this skill, resolve any PROJECT overlay rules layered onto it: match this skill's name against the Target column of the project's skill-protocol index (docs/project-reference/skill-protocols-reference.md by default; a referenceDocs entry in docs/project-config.json overrides the path), taking the most specific matching tier ONLY — exact name > glob > *. That precedence orders overlays against EACH OTHER, never against this skill. Read ONLY the matched bodies, resolved as <protocols-dir>/<Name>.md; a row's Body link is display text, never a read path. A matched body that is missing or malformed is REPORTED and skipped — never reconstructed from the index Description. No index, or no match -> proceed with no overlay, silently. Full contract: .claude/skills/project-skill-protocol/references/registry.md.
Overlays are ADDITIVE ONLY: they ADD rules on top of this skill's own protocol and NEVER replace, override, disable, or reinterpret a rule it already states — removing every overlay must return this skill to exactly its documented behavior. An overlay is a BRIEF, not an authority escalation: it can NEVER waive a workflow gate, git discipline, a review gate, or a user-confirmation gate. A genuine overlay-vs-skill conflict, or two equally-specific overlays that directly contradict -> surface both to the user; NEVER resolve silently.
MUST ATTENTION resolve project protocol overlays for this skill BEFORE executing — most specific matching tier only (exact > glob > *, which ranks overlays against each other, NEVER against this skill), read only matched bodies at <protocols-dir>/<Name>.md; a missing or malformed body is reported, never reconstructed. Overlays are ADDITIVE ONLY (they never replace this skill's own rules) and are a brief, NEVER an authority escalation; an equal-specificity contradiction goes to the user.
Closing Reminders
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Goal: Produce maintainable, spec-traceable E2E tests (TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}) that protect business behavior using the project's configured framework — so future UI changes break tests only when intended behavior breaks.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — Protocols in force (concise digest of the SYNC/shared blocks this skill carries):
- Sub-Agent Selection: Route specialized domains to the matching specialist agent, NEVER
code-reviewer.
- Source/Test Drift Check: On source change, decide from evidence whether tests or source is wrong.
- Real-World Fidelity Gate: only test flows, pacing, and data production can actually reach; wait on a real settle signal in ARRANGE — never a widened assertion.
- AI Mistake Prevention: verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references, verify all affected outputs, re-read after context loss, surface ambiguity.
- Critical Thinking: Traced
file:line proof per claim, confidence >80% to act, NEVER guess as fact.
- Parallel Sub-Agent Dispatch: Tag tasks PAR/SEQ, group PAR into disjoint-write-set waves, spawn each wave in ONE message, barrier before advancing.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — Main steps (execute in order, track each): (1) detect E2E framework from project files; (2) read e2e-test-reference.md + e2eTesting config FIRST; (3) load TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN} specs from docs/specs/; (4) pass the Real-World Fidelity Gate BEFORE writing test code; (5) generate/update tests via Page Object Model through the e2e-runner sub-agent; (6) run tests with the configured command; (7) update e2e-test-reference.md with learnings — why: AI keeps dropping the skill's own step sequence under long context.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION read docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md + the e2eTesting block of docs/project-config.json FIRST, then detect the framework from project files — NEVER assume a stack — why: the configured framework, paths, run commands, and TC format are project-specific, not framework defaults.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION cite file:line evidence for every claim (confidence >80% to act, <60% DO NOT recommend) — NEVER speculate without proof.
**MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** break work into small todo tasks using task tracking BEFORE starting; mark one in_progress, set completed immediately after each finishes; add a final review todo.
**MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** search the codebase for 3+ similar existing E2E tests/page objects before creating new code; follow the local pattern over generic framework docs — why: projects carry local selector/data conventions that differ from defaults.
**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** evaluate fit before copying a nearby test — verify the new scenario shares the same base page class, fixtures, and preconditions — why: closest example ≠ matching preconditions.
**MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** every E2E test carries its TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN} code traced to the §8 invariant/behavior it guards — name the protected business rule, not just the click path — so it fails on intended-behavior breaks, not cosmetic UI churn.
**MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** apply the Real-World Fidelity Gate BEFORE writing setup — ask "can this flow, timing, and data actually occur in production?", model real pacing between distinct user actions instead of firing them in the same millisecond, and wait on an observable settle signal in ARRANGE; NEVER widen an assertion timeout, loosen a comparison, or retry around a failing assertion to compensate — why: a scenario production can never reach proves nothing when it passes and manufactures phantom "product defects" when it fails.
**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** use the repository's configured test-case annotation mechanism — NEVER invent a framework-specific marker.
**MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** selector priority semantic/BEM > data-testid > ARIA/role > visible text; NEVER use generated classes (.ng-star-inserted, .MuiButton-root), positional selectors (:nth-child), or XPath — why: generated/positional selectors break on unrelated markup churn.
MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION keep locators/actions in the Page Object class, assertions in the test file — why: encapsulation keeps the next UI change a one-place edit.
MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION generate unique self-sufficient data (GUID/timestamp); NEVER depend on specific pre-existing DB state and NEVER tear down seeded data — why: teardown across shared/parallel runs creates side effects.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION spawn the e2e-runner sub-agent (agent_type: "e2e-runner") for E2E generation and visual baseline updates — NEVER drive them from the main agent — why: e2e-runner carries the stack auto-detection and TC-traceability knowledge.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION any coverage gap (a §8 behavior with no scenario, or a flow guarding no documented behavior) feeds BOTH the spec AND the tests — NEVER a test-only fix; property/metamorphic generation and MUTATION-SCORE gates are scoped to unit/integration, N/A at the E2E tier.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION update docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md with learnings when investigating/fixing E2E failures.
MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION add a final review todo task to verify work quality.
Anti-Rationalization:
| Evasion |
Rebuttal |
| "I know the framework, skip the reference" |
Read e2eTesting config + reference FIRST — stack/paths/TC format are project-specific. |
| "data-testid is everywhere, just use it" |
Honor the priority — semantic/BEM > data-testid > ARIA > text; show the selector you rejected. |
"This selector is faster via :nth-child" |
Positional/generated selectors break on unrelated churn. Use a semantic/data anchor. |
| "I'll clean up the data after the run" |
NEVER tear down seeded data — teardown breaks parallel/repeat runs. Leave it in place. |
| "Test passes, traceability is bookkeeping" |
No TC code traced to a §8 behavior = no bug protection. Name the rule the scenario guards. |
| "Just generate the test inline, it's quick" |
Spawn e2e-runner — it owns stack detection, TC traceability, and baseline updates. |
Closing reminder — Easy to Change is the success metric. Every finding,
test, refactor, and abstraction must answer one question: does this make
the next change cheaper or more expensive? If it doesn't reduce future
change cost, reject it. Coupling, hidden state, duplicated knowledge, and
unclear intent are the real enemies — call them out by name.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION read e2eTesting config + e2e-test-reference.md FIRST and detect the framework — NEVER assume a stack.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION every test carries its TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN} code traced to the §8 behavior it guards; selector priority semantic > data-attr > ARIA > text — NEVER generated/positional/XPath.
IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION generate unique self-sufficient data, NEVER tear down seeded data; spawn e2e-runner for generation and baseline updates.
Hookless Prompt Protocol Mirror (Auto-Synced)
Source: .claude/.ck.json + .claude/skills/shared/sync-inline-versions.md (:full blocks) + .claude/scripts/lib/hookless-prompt-protocol.cjs
[WORKFLOW-EXECUTION-PROTOCOL] [BLOCKING] Workflow Execution Protocol — MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST CRITICAL. Do not skip for any reason.
Generic portability boundary: Reusable skills and protocol text stay project-neutral; project-specific conventions are discovered from docs/project-config.json and docs/project-reference/. Apply shared AI-SDD from shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md. Read docs/project-config.json and docs/project-reference/docs-index-reference.md, then open the project reference docs named there. For spec, test-case, behavior-change, public-contract, or docs/specs/ work, route through the local spec docs named by the docs index: feature-spec-reference.md, spec-system-reference.md, spec-principles.md, and workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md when specs/tests/code must stay synchronized. If either file or a required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run $project-init (or the narrow lower-level route such as $project-config, $docs-init, $scan-all, or $scan --target=<key>) before ordinary project-specific work. Any supported AI tool may execute when this shared context and local docs are available.
- DETECT: If the prompt starts with an explicit slash skill/workflow command, execute it directly. Otherwise match the prompt against the workflow catalog and skill list.
- ANALYZE: Choose the best option: execute directly, invoke a skill, activate a standard workflow, or compose a custom step combination.
- AUTO-SELECT: Pick the best option yourself. Do not ask the user to choose between direct execution, skill, standard workflow, or custom workflow.
- ACTIVATE: For a selected workflow, call
$start-workflow <workflowId>; for a selected skill, invoke that skill; for a custom workflow, sequence custom steps directly; for direct execution, proceed with the task.
- CREATE TASKS: task tracking for ALL workflow/skill/custom steps before execution when the selected path has multiple steps.
- PARALLELIZE: Before executing the task list, tag each task
PAR (independent inputs + write set disjoint from every other PAR task) or SEQ (name the blocking dependency), group PAR tasks into waves, declare the wave plan, and spawn each wave's sub-agents in ONE message — all-return barrier per wave, fan-out one level deep unless a sub-agent's own definition authorizes further fan-out. Sequential-by-default is a defect when tasks are independent; do not parallelize shared write targets, output-consuming tasks, trivial single-file work, ordering a skill or workflow explicitly fixes, or user-approval gates.
- EXECUTE: Advance per the Workflow Step Advancement & Parallel Phases rule in your context instructions — model-driven; a sub-agent completion advances a step identically to an inline call; a parallel-phase group is an all-return barrier (advance only after ALL members return, never serialize it)
Shared AI-SDD Pr
…(truncated)
1---2name: e2e-test3description: [Testing] Use when generating, updating, or maintaining E2E tests from recordings, specs, or code changes.4---5
6> Codex compatibility note:
7>
8> - Invoke repository skills with `$skill-name` in Codex; this mirrored copy rewrites legacy Claude `/skill-name` references.
9> - Task tracker mandate: BEFORE executing any workflow or skill step, create/update task tracking for all steps and keep it synchronized as progress changes.
10> - User-question prompts mean to ask the user directly in Codex.
11> - Ignore Claude-specific mode-switch instructions when they appear.
12> - Strict execution contract: when a user explicitly invokes a skill, execute that skill protocol as written.
13> - Subagent authorization: when a skill is user-invoked or AI-detected and its protocol requires subagents, that skill activation authorizes use of the required `spawn_agent` subagent(s) for that task.
14> - Do not skip, reorder, or merge protocol steps unless the user explicitly approves the deviation first.
15> - For workflow skills, execute each listed child-skill step explicitly and report step-by-step evidence.
16> - If a required step/tool cannot run in this environment, stop and ask the user before adapting.
17
18<!-- CODEX:PROJECT-REFERENCE-LOADING:START -->
19
20## Codex Project-Reference Loading (No Hooks)
21
22Codex uses static project-reference loading instead of runtime-injected project docs.
23When coding, planning, debugging, testing, or reviewing, open project docs explicitly using this routing.
24
25**Always read:**
26
27- `docs/project-config.json` (project-specific paths, commands, modules, and workflow/test settings)
28- `docs/project-reference/docs-index-reference.md` (routes to the full `docs/project-reference/*` catalog)
29- `docs/project-reference/lessons.md` (always-on guardrails and anti-patterns)
30
31**Missing/stale context route:** If `docs/project-config.json`, the docs index, `lessons.md`, `CLAUDE.md`, `AGENTS.md`, or any task-required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run `$project-init` or the narrow setup route (`$project-config`, `$docs-init`, `$scan-all`, `$scan --target=<key>`, `$claude-md-init`) before ordinary project-specific work. If Codex mirrors or `AGENTS.md` are missing/stale, ask the user to run `$sync-codex`; do not auto-run it.
32
33**Situation-based docs:**
34
35- Project structure/architecture/tech-stack/deployment/setup (any layer — backend, frontend, or infra): `project-structure-reference.md`
36- Backend/CQRS/API/domain/entity changes: `backend-patterns-reference.md`, `domain-entities-reference.md`
37- Frontend/UI/styling/design-system: `frontend-patterns-reference.md`, `scss-styling-guide.md`, `design-system/README.md`
38- Spec authoring, `docs/specs/` pathing, or TC format: `feature-spec-reference.md`, `spec-system-reference.md`, `spec-principles.md`
39- Behavior/public-contract changes or spec-test-code sync: `workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md` plus the spec docs above
40- Derived spec indexes/ERDs/reimplementation guides: `spec-system-reference.md` and source Feature Specs under `docs/specs/`
41- Integration test implementation/review: `integration-test-reference.md`
42- E2E test implementation/review: `e2e-test-reference.md`
43- Code review/audit work: `code-review-rules.md` plus domain docs above based on changed files
44
45Do not read all docs blindly. Start from `docs-index-reference.md`, then open only relevant files for the task.
46
47<!-- CODEX:PROJECT-REFERENCE-LOADING:END -->
48
49<!-- PROMPT-ENHANCE:STEP-TASK-ANCHOR:START -->
50
51> **[BLOCKING]** Execute skill steps in declared order. NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval.
52> **[BLOCKING]** Before each step or sub-skill call, update task tracking: set `in_progress` when step starts, set `completed` when step ends.
53> **[BLOCKING]** Every completed/skipped step MUST include brief evidence or explicit skip reason.
54> **[BLOCKING]** If Task tools are unavailable, create and maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with the same status transitions.
55
56<!-- PROMPT-ENHANCE:STEP-TASK-ANCHOR:END -->
57
58## Quick Summary
59
60**Goal:** Produce maintainable, spec-traceable E2E tests (TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}) from recordings, specs, or code changes that protect business behavior using the project's configured framework (Playwright, Selenium, Cypress, others) — so future UI changes break tests only when intended behavior breaks.
61
62**Summary:**
63
64- **Purpose:** turn recordings/specs/code changes into maintainable, spec-traceable E2E tests that break ONLY when intended business behavior breaks — never on cosmetic UI churn.
65- **Main steps (in order):** (1) detect the E2E framework from project files; (2) read `docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md` + the `e2eTesting` block of `docs/project-config.json` FIRST — never assume a stack or invent a TC-annotation marker; (3) load `TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}` specs from `docs/specs/`; (4) pass the Real-World Fidelity Gate BEFORE writing test code — can this flow, timing, and data actually occur in production?; (5) generate/update tests via Page Object Model (spawn the `e2e-runner` sub-agent); (6) run tests with the project's configured command; (7) update `e2e-test-reference.md` with learnings.
66- Every test carries its `TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}` code traced to the §8 invariant/behavior it guards, structured with Page Object Model (locators/actions in the page class, assertions in the test).
67- Selector priority semantic/BEM > data-testid > ARIA/role > visible text; AVOID generated classes, `:nth-child`, XPath.
68- Generate unique self-sufficient data (GUID/timestamp); NEVER depend on pre-existing DB state, NEVER tear down seeded data; pick a workflow by asking the user directly when not already in one.
69
70**Workflow:**
71
721. **Detect** — classify request scope, target artifacts, framework.
732. **Execute** — apply required steps, evidence-backed actions.
743. **Verify** — confirm constraints, output quality, completion evidence.
75
76**Key Rules:**
77
78- MUST ATTENTION keep claims evidence-based (`file:line`), confidence >80% to act.
79- MUST ATTENTION apply the Real-World Fidelity Gate before writing setup — a flow, pacing, or data shape production can never reach proves nothing; fix the SCENARIO, never the assertion.
80- MUST ATTENTION keep task tracking updated as each step starts/completes.
81- NEVER skip mandatory workflow or skill gates.
82
83## ⚠️ MANDATORY: Read Project E2E Reference (FIRST)
84
85**BEFORE ANY E2E WORK, you MUST ATTENTION:**
86
87```bash
88# 1. Read project-specific E2E patterns (REQUIRED)
89head -100 docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md
90
91# 2. Read project config for framework, paths, commands
92grep -A 50 '"e2eTesting"' docs/project-config.json
93
94# 3. Find TC codes you need to implement
95grep -r "TC-.*-E2E-" docs/specs/ docs/specs/
96```
97
98**The `e2eTesting` section in `docs/project-config.json` contains:**
99
100- Framework, language, paths, run commands, TC code format
101- Project-specific best practices and entry points
102
103**When investigating/fixing E2E failures, update `docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md` with learnings.**
104
105- `docs/project-reference/domain-entities-reference.md` — Domain entity catalog, relationships, cross-service sync (read when task involves business entities/models)
106
107---
108
109## Framework Detection (SECOND STEP)
110
111Detect the project's E2E stack before generating tests:
112
113```bash
114# Use project config, project-reference docs, and existing test config files as the source of truth
115rg "playwright|cypress|selenium|webdriver|e2e" docs/project-config.json docs/project-reference/ . 2>/dev/null
116rg --files | rg "(playwright|cypress|webdriver|selenium|e2e|test).*config|manifest|project"
117```
118
119| Framework | Config Source | Test Naming | Run Command |
120| ------------------------ | ----------------------------- | ----------------------- | ----------------------- |
121| Configured E2E framework | project config/reference docs | existing local examples | configured test command |
122
123---
124
125## Workflow Modes
126
127| Mode | Input | Output |
128| ---------------- | -------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
129| `from-recording` | Recording JSON + feature | Test spec + page object |
130| `update-ui` | Git diff of UI changes | Updated screenshot baselines |
131| `from-changes` | Changed test specs or code | Updated test implementations |
132| `from-spec` | TC codes from test specs | New tests matching specs |
133
134---
135
136## First Principle — Easy to Change
137
138> **The success metric of every coding decision is _future change cost_.**
139> DRY, SRP, abstraction, design patterns, naming, layering, tests — every
140> technique exists to serve one goal: **making the next change cheaper**.
141
142Evaluating code, refactor, test, abstraction, ask:
143**does this make next change cheaper or more expensive?**
144
145- Reject "best practices" raising change cost (premature abstraction, speculative generality, leaky indirection, ceremony without payoff).
146- Name real enemies in findings: **coupling, hidden state, duplicated knowledge, unclear intent, irreversible decisions exposed too early**.
147- Simpler design easy to change beats sophisticated design that isn't.
148
149Apply this lens **before** invoking any specific rule, pattern, checklist below — if downstream rule would raise change cost, this principle wins.
150
151---
152
153## Core Principles
154
155### 1. TC Code Traceability (MANDATORY)
156
157**Every E2E test MUST ATTENTION have:**
158
159- TC code in test name: `TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}`
160- Tag/annotation linking to spec
161- Comment linking to feature doc
162
163```typescript
164// TypeScript
165test('TC-RT-E2E-001: Submit return request', async () => { ... });
166```
167
168Use repository's configured test-case annotation mechanism for non-TypeScript E2E tests; NEVER invent a framework-specific marker.
169
170> **Spec-Loop Discipline (E2E tier — tailored).** Trace each E2E scenario to the **§8 invariant/behavior it guards** — name the protected business rule, not just the click path — so the scenario fails only when that intended behavior breaks (not on cosmetic UI churn). Any coverage gap you find (an §8 behavior with no E2E scenario, or an E2E flow guarding no documented behavior) feeds the **Dual-Feedback** half into BOTH the spec (the missing/changed behavior) AND the tests — never a test-only fix. **Scoped N/A:** property/metamorphic generation and the MUTATION-SCORE assertion gate are scoped to unit/integration core-logic; they do NOT apply at the E2E tier — do not force them here.
171
172### 2. Page Object Model
173
174All frameworks use Page Object pattern:
175
176- Encapsulate page locators in page class
177- Methods represent user actions
178- Assertions in test file, not page object
179
180### 3. Selector Strategy (Priority Order)
181
1821. **Semantic classes** — BEM (`.block__element`), component classes
1832. **Data attributes** — `[data-testid]`, `[data-cy]`, `[data-test]`
1843. **ARIA/Role** — `role=button`, `aria-label`
1854. **Text content** — Visible user text (last resort)
186
187**AVOID:** Generated classes (`.ng-star-inserted`, `.MuiButton-root`), positional selectors (`:nth-child`), XPath
188
189### 4. Unique Test Data
190
191Tests MUST generate unique data to be repeatable:
192
193- Append GUIDs/timestamps to test data
194- Make each test self-sufficient with own generated data; NEVER depend on specific pre-existing database state
195- Leave seeded data in place after run, NEVER clean up — why: teardown across shared runs creates side effects for parallel/repeat tests
196
197### 5. Preconditions Documentation
198
199Document what must exist before test runs:
200
201- System: Infrastructure running, APIs healthy
202- Data: Seed data exists (users, companies)
203- Feature: Configurations complete
204
205---
206
207## Steps
208
2091. **Detect framework** from project files
2102. **Read project E2E docs** for conventions and patterns
2113. **Load test specs** with TC codes from feature docs
2124. **Check real-world fidelity** — BEFORE any test code is written, answer _"Can this flow, timing, and data actually occur in production?"_ State the real pacing between consecutive user actions (a user does not submit two distinct actions in the same millisecond) and, for each gap, the observable settle signal the next step waits on (rendered confirmation, persisted state change, audit/version stamp, request/worker idle marker). Any "no" → fix the SCENARIO, never the assertion. Full contract: `SYNC:real-world-fidelity-testing` below.
2135. **Generate/update tests** following Page Object pattern
2146. **Run tests** using project's configured commands
2157. **Update e2e-test-reference.md** with any learnings
216
217---
218
219## Output
220
221Report:
222
223- Files created/modified
224- TC codes covered
225- Run command to execute tests
226- Any preconditions or setup needed
227
228---
229
230## Sub-Agent Type Override
231
232> **MANDATORY:** E2E test generation and baseline updates spawn `e2e-runner` sub-agent (`agent_type: "e2e-runner"`), NOT the main agent directly.
233> **Rationale:** `e2e-runner` auto-detects the project's E2E stack, maintains test-to-spec TC traceability, and handles visual baseline updates across Playwright, Selenium, Cypress, and other frameworks.
234
235Spawn `e2e-runner` sub-agent for:
236
237- Generating new E2E tests from recordings or TC codes from specs
238- Updating visual screenshot baselines after UI changes
239- Maintaining TC code traceability (`TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}`) in test implementations
240
241---
242
243## Workflow Recommendation
244
245> **MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — NO EXCEPTIONS:** If you are NOT already in a workflow, you MUST ATTENTION use ask the user directly to ask the user. Do NOT judge task complexity or decide this is "simple enough to skip" — the user decides whether to use a workflow, not you:
246>
247> 1. **Activate `e2e --source=changes` workflow** (Recommended) — scout → e2e-test → test → watzup
248> 2. **Execute `$e2e-test` directly** — run this skill standalone
249
250---
251
252# Skill: e2e-test
253
254**Category:** [Testing]
255**Trigger:** e2e test, e2e from recording, generate e2e, playwright test, cypress test, selenium test, webdriver, puppeteer
256
257Generate and maintain E2E tests using project's configured testing framework.
258
259- `docs/specs/` — Test specifications by module (read existing TCs for E2E scenario coverage; match TC codes to E2E test implementations)
260
261**Be skeptical. Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence percentages (Idea should be more than 80%).**
262
263---
264
265<!-- SYNC:sub-agent-selection -->
266
267> **Sub-Agent Selection** — Full routing contract: `.claude/skills/shared/sub-agent-selection-guide.md`
268> **Rule:** Route specialized domains (architecture, security, performance, DB, E2E, integration-test, git) to the matching specialist agent (see guide above) — NEVER use `code-reviewer` for these. — why: `code-reviewer` lacks each domain's checklist, so specialized issues slip through.
269
270<!-- /SYNC:sub-agent-selection -->
271
272<!-- SYNC:source-test-drift-check -->
273
274> **Source/test drift check.** For coding, fix, debug, investigation, test, or review work: when source behavior changes, inspect affected unit/integration/E2E tests and decide from evidence whether tests should change to match intended behavior or the source change is an unintended bug to fix. Do not write tests for migration code; schema/data migrations are one-time execution paths, not core application logic.
275
276<!-- /SYNC:source-test-drift-check -->
277
278<!-- SYNC:real-world-fidelity-testing -->
279
280> **Real-World Fidelity Gate** — MANDATORY when authoring, reviewing, or repairing any integration / E2E / system test.
281>
282> A test earns trust by reproducing a situation the system can actually meet in production. A scenario that could never occur in real life proves nothing when it passes, and wastes hours when it fails.
283>
284> 1. **Ask the fidelity question BEFORE writing the setup:** _"Can this sequence, timing, and data actually occur in production?"_ If no, the test is mis-specified — fix the SCENARIO, never the assertion.
285> 2. **Model real pacing between actor steps.** Two distinct actor actions that production separates by seconds, minutes, or hours MUST NOT be fired back-to-back in the same millisecond. Compressed pacing manufactures races the system was never designed to survive, then reports them as product defects.
286> 3. **Wait on a real signal, never a blind sleep.** Find an observable proving the prior step finished — a persisted state change, an audit/version stamp, a queue/worker idle marker, a completion event — and poll until it settles (unchanged across a short stability window). Use a fixed delay ONLY when no observable exists, and say so in a comment.
287> 4. **Barriers belong in ARRANGE, never in ASSERT.** Waiting for a precondition is fidelity. Widening an assertion's timeout, loosening a comparison, adding a retry around a failing assertion, or skipping the test is masking. NEVER do the latter to force green.
288> 5. **Distinguish harness-amplified from real.** Test topologies (shared infra, fan-out consumers, parallel suites, cold starts) can make a rare production race routine locally. Before filing a product defect, state whether the trigger exists in production and at what likelihood.
289> 6. **Keep the protected invariant intact.** Improving fidelity must NEVER reduce what the test protects. If a realistic scenario no longer exercises the rule, the rule needs a DIFFERENT realistic scenario — not a weaker assertion.
290> 7. **Deliberate impossible-state tests are allowed, but MUST be labelled.** Corruption-repair, migration, and fail-safe tests intentionally construct states production should never reach; comment WHY the state is reachable (upstream bug, partial write, legacy data), so they are never confused with unrealistic setups.
291
292<!-- /SYNC:real-world-fidelity-testing -->
293
294<!-- SYNC:test-failure-fault-adjudication -->
295
296> **Test-Failure Fault Adjudication** — When a test fails (or you are debugging or fixing a failure), the job is to determine _who is at fault — the source code or the test code_. Getting that verdict right matters more than turning the suite green. Binds every debug / fix / test skill identically.
297>
298> 1. **Provisional verdict before touching either side.** Classify the observed evidence as SOURCE-WRONG, TEST-WRONG, TEST-NOT-OPTIMAL, ENVIRONMENT-BLOCKED, or AMBIGUOUS; then `$debug-investigate` and trace end-to-start before editing. A green-again suite is NOT the goal.
299> 2. **Triangulate against the spec AND the source.** If a governing Feature Spec covers the behavior (e.g. `docs/specs/**` — §3 ACs / §4 BRs / §5 invariants / §8 TCs), it is the tiebreaker for _intended_ behavior — compare BOTH the production source and the failing test against it. With no spec, the documented intent / acceptance criteria / caller contract is the reference. Decide from this evidence whether the SOURCE is wrong or the TEST is wrong.
300> 3. **Classify who is at fault, then fix the wrong side at its root:**
301> - **SOURCE-WRONG** — production code violates the spec's intended behavior or a clear invariant → fix the source at the owning layer; keep or strengthen the test that caught it.
302> - **TEST-WRONG** — the test encodes a stale or incorrect assertion, setup, or expectation that contradicts intended behavior → fix the test at its root. NEVER weaken an assertion, add a skip, or relax a timeout to force green.
303> - **TEST-NOT-OPTIMAL** — intended behavior is valid but the test seam, timing, or assertion signal is fragile → improve the test without weakening the invariant.
304> - **ENVIRONMENT-BLOCKED** — infrastructure or external state prevents a source/test verdict → preserve diagnostics and stop mutation until the environment is healthy.
305> - **AMBIGUOUS** — evidence or intended behavior does not safely select an owner → ask the user or canonical owner before editing.
306> - NEVER change a test to match broken source, and NEVER change source to satisfy a broken test. (Migration code excluded — schema/data migrations are one-time execution paths, not core application logic.)
307> 4. **Ask the user when intended behavior is unclear.** If no spec covers the behavior, the spec is silent, or the spec is ambiguous about which side is correct, STOP and ask the user directly (or consult the canonical spec owner) before editing either side — never silently pick source or test just to make the suite pass.
308>
309> Reconcile to intended behavior, never to whichever side currently passes — green can encode the very bug.
310
311<!-- /SYNC:test-failure-fault-adjudication -->
312
313<!-- SYNC:ai-mistake-prevention -->
314
315> **AI Mistake Prevention** — Failure modes to avoid on every task:
316>
317> **Re-read files after context changes.** Context compaction, resume, or long-running work can make memory stale; verify current files before acting.
318> **Verify generated content against source evidence.** AI hallucinates APIs, names, claims, and document facts. Check the relevant source before documenting or referencing.
319> **Check downstream references before deleting or renaming.** Removing an artifact can stale docs, generated mirrors, configs, and callers; map references first.
320> **Trace the full impact chain after edits.** Changing a definition can miss derived outputs and consumers. Follow the affected chain before declaring done.
321> **Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first.** One green check is not all green checks; validate every output surface the change can affect.
322> **Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing OR flagging one as a defect.** Before changing or reporting a constant, limit, flag, cutoff, wording, or pattern, read nearby context and history, the CALLER's ordering, and 2+ sibling call sites of the same convention. A doc stating WHAT without WHY is missing rationale, not proof of a missing guard.
323> **Surface ambiguity before acting — don't pick silently.** Multiple valid interpretations require an explicit question or stated assumption with risk.
324> **Assert the outcome your system owns, not the intermediate state your infrastructure owns.** When verifying async work, assert the final business state — never the delivery/retry bookkeeping held in shared infrastructure that any co-running process can write. Such a check passes when run alone and flakes the moment anything else shares that infrastructure.
325> **Keep shared guidance role-relevant.** Universal guidance must help every receiving skill or agent; code-specific obligations belong only in code-specific protocols.
326
327<!-- /SYNC:ai-mistake-prevention -->
328
329<!-- SYNC:critical-thinking-mindset -->
330
331> **Critical Thinking Mindset** — Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act.
332> **Anti-hallucination:** Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination.
333
334<!-- /SYNC:critical-thinking-mindset -->
335
336<!-- SYNC:critical-thinking-mindset:reminder -->
337
338**MUST ATTENTION** apply critical + sequential thinking — every claim needs appropriate traced evidence (`file:line` for repo/code claims; source URL or artifact section for research, product, content, and docs claims); confidence >80% to act, <60% DO NOT recommend. Anti-hallucination: never present guess as fact, admit uncertainty freely, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence.
339
340<!-- /SYNC:critical-thinking-mindset:reminder -->
341
342<!-- SYNC:ai-mistake-prevention:reminder -->
343
344**MUST ATTENTION** apply AI mistake prevention — verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references before deleting or renaming, verify all affected outputs, re-read files after context loss, and surface ambiguity before acting.
345
346<!-- /SYNC:ai-mistake-prevention:reminder -->
347
348<!-- PROMPT-ENHANCE:STEP-TASK-CLOSING:START -->
349
350## Prompt-Enhance Closing Anchors
351
352**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** follow declared step order for this skill; NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval
353**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** for every step/sub-skill call: set `in_progress` before execution, set `completed` after execution
354**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** every skipped step MUST include explicit reason; every completed step MUST include concise evidence
355**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** if Task tools unavailable, maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with synchronized statuses
356
357<!-- PROMPT-ENHANCE:STEP-TASK-CLOSING:END -->
358
359<!-- SYNC:parallel-subagent-dispatch -->
360
361> **Parallel Sub-Agent Dispatch** — Plan parallelism the moment a task breakdown exists, BEFORE executing it — running provably independent tasks sequentially wastes wall-clock. Applies to every multi-step job: workflow steps, planning, batch updates, investigation, research, scans, reviews, doc sync. **Plan execution is metadata-gated, NEVER default-parallel** — fan-out follows ONLY what the plan declares (`PAR`/`SEQ` tags + per-phase write set); an untagged plan runs sequentially — why: a derived write set cannot see cascade or generated writes.
362>
363> 1. **Tag every task `PAR` or `SEQ`.** `PAR` = inputs exclude every pending task's output AND write set disjoint from every other `PAR`. Else `SEQ` — MUST ATTENTION name the dependency forcing it.
364> 2. **Group `PAR` into waves.** No edge between members. Two writers of one file NEVER share a wave. Read-only work (search, investigation, review, research) parallelizes freely.
365> 3. **Declare before dispatch:** `Parallel plan: wave 1 = [...] · wave 2 = [...] · SEQ = [...] (reason)`.
366> 4. **Spawn each wave in ONE message** — every `spawn_agent` call in one response, NEVER dripped per turn. Route each task to its specialist (`.claude/skills/shared/sub-agent-selection-guide.md`); NEVER `code-reviewer` as catch-all.
367> 5. **Brief each sub-agent self-contained:** goal · scope + owned files · reference docs · return contract (summary + `Full report:` path, per SYNC:subagent-return-contract) · incremental persistence to `plans/reports/` (per SYNC:incremental-persistence).
368> 6. **Barrier per wave.** Advance ONLY after EVERY member returns (a skipped conditional counts as returned). Merge, mark each task completed/skipped, THEN dispatch the next wave. Mutating steps wait for the barrier.
369> 7. **One level deep.** A dispatched sub-agent executes its own brief; further fan-out stays the orchestrator's job unless that agent's `.claude/agents/*.md` definition authorizes it.
370>
371> **NEVER parallelize:** tasks sharing a write target · a task consuming a pending task's output · trivial single-file work (dispatch overhead > gain) · an order a skill or workflow explicitly fixes · gates awaiting user approval.
372>
373> **Blocked until:** MUST ATTENTION every task tagged PAR/SEQ with a named reason per SEQ · waves declared + write-set disjointness checked · each wave spawned in ONE message · barrier honored before the next wave.
374
375<!-- /SYNC:parallel-subagent-dispatch -->
376
377<!-- SYNC:parallel-subagent-dispatch:reminder -->
378
379- **MANDATORY** After planning tasks, tag each PAR/SEQ and spawn every PAR wave as parallel sub-agents in ONE message — default parallel for workflows, batch updates, investigation, research, reviews; plan execution fans out ONLY on what the plan declares.
380- **MANDATORY** Disjoint write sets per wave · all-return barrier before the next wave · specialist routing · sub-agents NEVER fan out further unless their own agent definition authorizes it.
381
382<!-- /SYNC:parallel-subagent-dispatch:reminder -->
383
384<!-- SYNC:project-protocol-overlay -->
385
386> **Project Protocol Overlay** — Before executing this skill, resolve any PROJECT overlay rules layered onto it: match this skill's name against the `Target` column of the project's skill-protocol index (`docs/project-reference/skill-protocols-reference.md` by default; a `referenceDocs` entry in `docs/project-config.json` overrides the path), taking the most specific matching tier ONLY — exact name > glob > `*`. **That precedence orders overlays against EACH OTHER, never against this skill.** Read ONLY the matched bodies, resolved as `<protocols-dir>/<Name>.md`; a row's Body link is display text, never a read path. A matched body that is missing or malformed is REPORTED and skipped — never reconstructed from the index Description. No index, or no match -> proceed with no overlay, silently. Full contract: `.claude/skills/project-skill-protocol/references/registry.md`.
387>
388> Overlays are **ADDITIVE ONLY**: they ADD rules on top of this skill's own protocol and NEVER replace, override, disable, or reinterpret a rule it already states — removing every overlay must return this skill to exactly its documented behavior. An overlay is a BRIEF, not an authority escalation: it can NEVER waive a workflow gate, git discipline, a review gate, or a user-confirmation gate. A genuine overlay-vs-skill conflict, or two equally-specific overlays that directly contradict -> surface both to the user; NEVER resolve silently.
389
390<!-- /SYNC:project-protocol-overlay -->
391
392<!-- SYNC:project-protocol-overlay:reminder -->
393
394**MUST ATTENTION** resolve project protocol overlays for this skill BEFORE executing — most specific matching tier only (exact > glob > `*`, which ranks overlays against each other, NEVER against this skill), read only matched bodies at `<protocols-dir>/<Name>.md`; a missing or malformed body is reported, never reconstructed. Overlays are ADDITIVE ONLY (they never replace this skill's own rules) and are a brief, NEVER an authority escalation; an equal-specificity contradiction goes to the user.
395
396<!-- /SYNC:project-protocol-overlay:reminder -->
397
398## Closing Reminders
399
400**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Goal:** Produce maintainable, spec-traceable E2E tests (TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}) that protect business behavior using the project's configured framework — so future UI changes break tests only when intended behavior breaks.
401
402**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — Protocols in force (concise digest of the SYNC/shared blocks this skill carries):**
403
404- **Sub-Agent Selection:** Route specialized domains to the matching specialist agent, NEVER `code-reviewer`.
405- **Source/Test Drift Check:** On source change, decide from evidence whether tests or source is wrong.
406- **Real-World Fidelity Gate:** only test flows, pacing, and data production can actually reach; wait on a real settle signal in ARRANGE — never a widened assertion.
407- **AI Mistake Prevention:** verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references, verify all affected outputs, re-read after context loss, surface ambiguity.
408- **Critical Thinking:** Traced `file:line` proof per claim, confidence >80% to act, NEVER guess as fact.
409- **Parallel Sub-Agent Dispatch:** Tag tasks PAR/SEQ, group PAR into disjoint-write-set waves, spawn each wave in ONE message, barrier before advancing.
410
411**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — Main steps (execute in order, track each):** (1) detect E2E framework from project files; (2) read `e2e-test-reference.md` + `e2eTesting` config FIRST; (3) load `TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}` specs from `docs/specs/`; (4) pass the Real-World Fidelity Gate BEFORE writing test code; (5) generate/update tests via Page Object Model through the `e2e-runner` sub-agent; (6) run tests with the configured command; (7) update `e2e-test-reference.md` with learnings — why: AI keeps dropping the skill's own step sequence under long context.
412**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** read `docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md` + the `e2eTesting` block of `docs/project-config.json` FIRST, then detect the framework from project files — NEVER assume a stack — why: the configured framework, paths, run commands, and TC format are project-specific, not framework defaults.
413**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** cite `file:line` evidence for every claim (confidence >80% to act, <60% DO NOT recommend) — NEVER speculate without proof.
414**MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** break work into small todo tasks using task tracking BEFORE starting; mark one `in_progress`, set `completed` immediately after each finishes; add a final review todo.
415**MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** search the codebase for 3+ similar existing E2E tests/page objects before creating new code; follow the local pattern over generic framework docs — why: projects carry local selector/data conventions that differ from defaults.
416**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** evaluate fit before copying a nearby test — verify the new scenario shares the same base page class, fixtures, and preconditions — why: closest example ≠ matching preconditions.
417**MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** every E2E test carries its `TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}` code traced to the §8 invariant/behavior it guards — name the protected business rule, not just the click path — so it fails on intended-behavior breaks, not cosmetic UI churn.
418**MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** apply the Real-World Fidelity Gate BEFORE writing setup — ask "can this flow, timing, and data actually occur in production?", model real pacing between distinct user actions instead of firing them in the same millisecond, and wait on an observable settle signal in ARRANGE; NEVER widen an assertion timeout, loosen a comparison, or retry around a failing assertion to compensate — why: a scenario production can never reach proves nothing when it passes and manufactures phantom "product defects" when it fails.
419**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** use the repository's configured test-case annotation mechanism — NEVER invent a framework-specific marker.
420**MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** selector priority semantic/BEM > data-testid > ARIA/role > visible text; NEVER use generated classes (`.ng-star-inserted`, `.MuiButton-root`), positional selectors (`:nth-child`), or XPath — why: generated/positional selectors break on unrelated markup churn.
421**MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** keep locators/actions in the Page Object class, assertions in the test file — why: encapsulation keeps the next UI change a one-place edit.
422**MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** generate unique self-sufficient data (GUID/timestamp); NEVER depend on specific pre-existing DB state and NEVER tear down seeded data — why: teardown across shared/parallel runs creates side effects.
423**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** spawn the `e2e-runner` sub-agent (`agent_type: "e2e-runner"`) for E2E generation and visual baseline updates — NEVER drive them from the main agent — why: `e2e-runner` carries the stack auto-detection and TC-traceability knowledge.
424**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** any coverage gap (a §8 behavior with no scenario, or a flow guarding no documented behavior) feeds BOTH the spec AND the tests — NEVER a test-only fix; property/metamorphic generation and MUTATION-SCORE gates are scoped to unit/integration, N/A at the E2E tier.
425**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** update `docs/project-reference/e2e-test-reference.md` with learnings when investigating/fixing E2E failures.
426**MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** add a final review todo task to verify work quality.
427
428**Anti-Rationalization:**
429
430| Evasion | Rebuttal |
431| ------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
432| "I know the framework, skip the reference" | Read `e2eTesting` config + reference FIRST — stack/paths/TC format are project-specific. |
433| "data-testid is everywhere, just use it" | Honor the priority — semantic/BEM > data-testid > ARIA > text; show the selector you rejected. |
434| "This selector is faster via `:nth-child`" | Positional/generated selectors break on unrelated churn. Use a semantic/data anchor. |
435| "I'll clean up the data after the run" | NEVER tear down seeded data — teardown breaks parallel/repeat runs. Leave it in place. |
436| "Test passes, traceability is bookkeeping" | No TC code traced to a §8 behavior = no bug protection. Name the rule the scenario guards. |
437| "Just generate the test inline, it's quick" | Spawn `e2e-runner` — it owns stack detection, TC traceability, and baseline updates. |
438
439> **Closing reminder — Easy to Change is the success metric.** Every finding,
440> test, refactor, and abstraction must answer one question: _does this make
441> the next change cheaper or more expensive?_ If it doesn't reduce future
442> change cost, reject it. Coupling, hidden state, duplicated knowledge, and
443> unclear intent are the real enemies — call them out by name.
444
445---
446
447**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** read `e2eTesting` config + `e2e-test-reference.md` FIRST and detect the framework — NEVER assume a stack.
448**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** every test carries its `TC-{MODULE}-E2E-{NNN}` code traced to the §8 behavior it guards; selector priority semantic > data-attr > ARIA > text — NEVER generated/positional/XPath.
449**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION** generate unique self-sufficient data, NEVER tear down seeded data; spawn `e2e-runner` for generation and baseline updates.
450
451<!-- CODEX:SYNC-PROMPT-PROTOCOLS:START -->
452
453## Hookless Prompt Protocol Mirror (Auto-Synced)
454
455Source: `.claude/.ck.json` + `.claude/skills/shared/sync-inline-versions.md` (`:full` blocks) + `.claude/scripts/lib/hookless-prompt-protocol.cjs`
456
457## [WORKFLOW-EXECUTION-PROTOCOL] [BLOCKING] Workflow Execution Protocol — MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST CRITICAL. Do not skip for any reason.
458
459**Generic portability boundary:** Reusable skills and protocol text stay project-neutral; project-specific conventions are discovered from docs/project-config.json and docs/project-reference/. Apply shared AI-SDD from `shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md`. Read `docs/project-config.json` and `docs/project-reference/docs-index-reference.md`, then open the project reference docs named there. For spec, test-case, behavior-change, public-contract, or `docs/specs/` work, route through the local spec docs named by the docs index: `feature-spec-reference.md`, `spec-system-reference.md`, `spec-principles.md`, and `workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md` when specs/tests/code must stay synchronized. If either file or a required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run `$project-init` (or the narrow lower-level route such as `$project-config`, `$docs-init`, `$scan-all`, or `$scan --target=<key>`) before ordinary project-specific work. Any supported AI tool may execute when this shared context and local docs are available.
460
4611. **DETECT:** If the prompt starts with an explicit slash skill/workflow command, execute it directly. Otherwise match the prompt against the workflow catalog and skill list.
4622. **ANALYZE:** Choose the best option: execute directly, invoke a skill, activate a standard workflow, or compose a custom step combination.
4633. **AUTO-SELECT:** Pick the best option yourself. Do not ask the user to choose between direct execution, skill, standard workflow, or custom workflow.
4644. **ACTIVATE:** For a selected workflow, call `$start-workflow <workflowId>`; for a selected skill, invoke that skill; for a custom workflow, sequence custom steps directly; for direct execution, proceed with the task.
4655. **CREATE TASKS:** task tracking for ALL workflow/skill/custom steps before execution when the selected path has multiple steps.
4666. **PARALLELIZE:** Before executing the task list, tag each task `PAR` (independent inputs + write set disjoint from every other `PAR` task) or `SEQ` (name the blocking dependency), group `PAR` tasks into waves, declare the wave plan, and spawn each wave's sub-agents in ONE message — all-return barrier per wave, fan-out one level deep unless a sub-agent's own definition authorizes further fan-out. Sequential-by-default is a defect when tasks are independent; do not parallelize shared write targets, output-consuming tasks, trivial single-file work, ordering a skill or workflow explicitly fixes, or user-approval gates.
4677. **EXECUTE:** Advance per the **Workflow Step Advancement & Parallel Phases** rule in your context instructions — model-driven; a sub-agent completion advances a step identically to an inline call; a parallel-phase group is an all-return barrier (advance only after ALL members return, never serialize it)
468
469## Shared AI-SDD Pr
470
471…(truncated)