LEAF Help
Display this reference card when invoked. One-shot, do NOT change phase,
write gate files, run leaf next, or persist anything.
Loop
| Phase |
What it validates |
Gates |
| Learn |
What the work needs, learned rather than guessed. |
① Intent · ② Unknowns & Context |
| Example |
One cheap instance is right before scaling. |
③ Criteria · ④ Wireframe |
| Architect |
The instance can become a shippable generator. |
⑤ Design · ⑥ Critic · ⑦ Tasks · ⑧ Artifact |
| Feedback |
The result holds, and the lesson is settled. |
⑨ Review · ⑩ Retrospect |
Core rule: leaf before tree. Validate one inspectable instance before growing
the full artifact.
using-leaf owns the exact routing predicates. Clear ordinary research,
comparison, explanation, writing, bounded maintenance, and new implementation
stay direct. Direct implementation makes evidence, implements, verifies, reviews,
and hands off; it creates no LEAF document flow. Use LEAF for an explicit LEAF,
durable record, learning-session, or collaborative-design request, or for core
unresolved decisions needing structured discovery and design. See
../using-leaf/references/lifecycle.md for lifecycle and close-out details;
request-scoped fast-track rules live in its sibling fast-track.md.
Skills
| Skill |
Trigger |
What it does |
| using-leaf |
automatic session context |
Routes direct → request-scoped fast-track → discovery-heavy. |
| soul |
LEAF reporting or handoff |
Plain explanation, fact/guess boundaries, user-language prose. |
| learn |
$leaf:learn, ideas, unclear work |
Captures intent and unknowns before execution. |
| work |
approved Learn work |
Carries Example → Architect → Feedback. |
| split |
$leaf:split, split this work |
Decides whether one item should become multiple leaves. |
| autopilot |
$leaf:autopilot |
Continues after triple review; consumes only an approved active fast-track budget. |
| polish |
phase boundaries |
Makes cumulative LEAF files read as one connected report. |
| press |
$leaf:press |
Turns reference-worthy work into a citable digest. |
| profile |
LEAF preferences |
Reads or updates global and repo-local LEAF profile entries. |
| tend |
$leaf:tend, pressed docs drift |
Checks pressed digests against current code. |
| sidecar |
$leaf:sidecar <artifact> |
Authors or refreshes an SRP single-responsibility *.leaf.toml contract for an artifact. |
| install |
$leaf:install |
Installs or updates the leaf CLI, then verifies leaf --version. |
| help |
$leaf:help, /leaf:help |
This card. |
Codex exposes skills as $leaf:<skill>. Claude-style hosts may expose the same
entries as /leaf:<skill> when the host supports slash commands.
CLI
| Command |
Use |
leaf init |
Create the repo-local .leaf/ workspace. |
leaf new <slug> |
Start a sprout. |
leaf fall <slug> --reason "<reason>" |
Stop carrying a leaf or sprout. |
leaf list [--json] |
Show workspace inventory. |
leaf tree [--plain] [--demo] |
Render the workspace tree. |
leaf graph [--json] |
Export the pressed-leaf knowledge graph. |
leaf review <slug> [--json] |
Open or print a source-faithful review reader. |
leaf profile |
Show effective global + repo-local profile. |
leaf next <slug> |
Cross a polished phase boundary. |
leaf checkpoint <slug> --<gate> |
Snapshot gate files before polishing. |
leaf doctor |
Check workspace and boundary health. |
leaf serve [--port <port>] [--strict-port] |
Serve the read-only local web UI. |
leaf update |
Update the installed CLI. |
Install Or Update
Use $leaf:install first when leaf is missing or older than 0.12.0. It
chooses the OS-appropriate installer and verifies with:
leaf --version
More
Full docs + releases: https://github.com/hoetaek/leaf
1---2name: help3description: Quick-reference card for LEAF phases, skills, CLI commands, and update flow. One-shot display, not a persistent mode. Trigger: /leaf:help, $leaf:help, "leaf help", "LEAF commands", "how do I use leaf".4---56# LEAF Help78Display this reference card when invoked. One-shot, do NOT change phase,9write gate files, run `leaf next`, or persist anything.1011## Loop1213| Phase | What it validates | Gates |14| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |15| **Learn** | What the work needs, learned rather than guessed. | ① Intent · ② Unknowns & Context |16| **Example** | One cheap instance is right before scaling. | ③ Criteria · ④ Wireframe |17| **Architect** | The instance can become a shippable generator. | ⑤ Design · ⑥ Critic · ⑦ Tasks · ⑧ Artifact |18| **Feedback** | The result holds, and the lesson is settled. | ⑨ Review · ⑩ Retrospect |1920Core rule: leaf before tree. Validate one inspectable instance before growing21the full artifact.2223`using-leaf` owns the exact routing predicates. Clear ordinary research,24comparison, explanation, writing, bounded maintenance, and new implementation25stay direct. Direct implementation makes evidence, implements, verifies, reviews,26and hands off; it creates no LEAF document flow. Use LEAF for an explicit LEAF,27durable record, learning-session, or collaborative-design request, or for core28unresolved decisions needing structured discovery and design. See29`../using-leaf/references/lifecycle.md` for lifecycle and close-out details;30request-scoped fast-track rules live in its sibling `fast-track.md`.3132## Skills3334| Skill | Trigger | What it does |35| -------------- | ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |36| **using-leaf** | automatic session context | Routes direct → request-scoped fast-track → discovery-heavy. |37| **soul** | LEAF reporting or handoff | Plain explanation, fact/guess boundaries, user-language prose. |38| **learn** | `$leaf:learn`, ideas, unclear work | Captures intent and unknowns before execution. |39| **work** | approved Learn work | Carries Example → Architect → Feedback. |40| **split** | `$leaf:split`, split this work | Decides whether one item should become multiple leaves. |41| **autopilot** | `$leaf:autopilot` | Continues after triple review; consumes only an approved active fast-track budget. |42| **polish** | phase boundaries | Makes cumulative LEAF files read as one connected report. |43| **press** | `$leaf:press` | Turns reference-worthy work into a citable digest. |44| **profile** | LEAF preferences | Reads or updates global and repo-local LEAF profile entries. |45| **tend** | `$leaf:tend`, pressed docs drift | Checks pressed digests against current code. |46| **sidecar** | `$leaf:sidecar <artifact>` | Authors or refreshes an SRP single-responsibility `*.leaf.toml` contract for an artifact. |47| **install** | `$leaf:install` | Installs or updates the `leaf` CLI, then verifies `leaf --version`. |48| **help** | `$leaf:help`, `/leaf:help` | This card. |4950Codex exposes skills as `$leaf:<skill>`. Claude-style hosts may expose the same51entries as `/leaf:<skill>` when the host supports slash commands.5253## CLI5455| Command | Use |56| -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |57| `leaf init` | Create the repo-local `.leaf/` workspace. |58| `leaf new <slug>` | Start a sprout. |59| `leaf fall <slug> --reason "<reason>"` | Stop carrying a leaf or sprout. |60| `leaf list [--json]` | Show workspace inventory. |61| `leaf tree [--plain] [--demo]` | Render the workspace tree. |62| `leaf graph [--json]` | Export the pressed-leaf knowledge graph. |63| `leaf review <slug> [--json]` | Open or print a source-faithful review reader. |64| `leaf profile` | Show effective global + repo-local profile. |65| `leaf next <slug>` | Cross a polished phase boundary. |66| `leaf checkpoint <slug> --<gate>` | Snapshot gate files before polishing. |67| `leaf doctor` | Check workspace and boundary health. |68| `leaf serve [--port <port>] [--strict-port]` | Serve the read-only local web UI. |69| `leaf update` | Update the installed CLI. |7071## Install Or Update7273Use `$leaf:install` first when `leaf` is missing or older than 0.12.0. It74chooses the OS-appropriate installer and verifies with:7576```bash77leaf --version78```7980## More8182Full docs + releases: https://github.com/hoetaek/leaf
hoetaek