est7 Implementation Gates
Pre-implementation quality checks. Apply based on task complexity:
| Gate | trivial | moderate | complex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simplicity Gate | apply | apply | apply |
| Anti-Abstraction Gate | apply | apply | apply |
| Library Gate | skip | if applicable | apply |
| CLI Gate | skip | if applicable | apply |
| Test-First Gate | skip | recommended | mandatory |
| Integration-First Gate | skip | recommended | mandatory |
Simplicity Gate (Article VII)
- No unnecessary new top-level modules/packages introduced (if new, must have justification)
- No future-proofing: every abstraction layer has a clear, current need
- No speculative generalization
Anti-Abstraction Gate (Article VIII)
- Framework/standard library capabilities used directly (no unnecessary wrappers)
- No wrappers introduced solely for "unified interface" or "elegance" without measurable benefit
- Single model representation: same concept not duplicated across layers without clear boundary justification
Clarification on SOLID compatibility: SOLID principles (especially Dependency Inversion) are compatible with Anti-Abstraction. An interface for dependency boundary = good. A wrapper that just delegates with no added value = bad.
Library Gate (Article I)
Applies to: domain logic, data transformation, rule engines, parsers, code generators, batch processors. Does NOT apply to: pure UI, one-time glue code, thin integration wrappers.
When applicable:
- Reusable boundary identified (input / output / error model / minimal dependencies)
- Application layer only orchestrates; core rules live in the library
CLI Gate (Article II)
When applicable (i.e., Library Gate also applies):
- CLI accepts text input (stdin / args / files)
- CLI outputs text to stdout, supports JSON
- Errors go to stderr with non-zero exit codes
Exception Protocol
When a gate does not apply to the current task, you must state:
- Which gate is being skipped
- Why it doesn't apply (environment / time / dependency / scope)
- Alternative verification or observability measure
- Risk and impact (short-term / long-term)
- Recovery plan — under what conditions to restore compliance
Usage
- complex tasks: Output the gate checklist in Plan mode for user review.
- moderate tasks: Run gates internally, note any exceptions in the plan.
- trivial tasks: Only Simplicity + Anti-Abstraction gates apply (run mentally).