# Cfn Pseudo

> SPARC Pseudocode phase. Trace logic, enumerate branches, find failure paths, verify branch coverage BEFORE writing real code. Use after cfn-spec to catch logic gaps before implementation.

- Skill: `masharratt/cfn-pseudo` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add masharratt/cfn-pseudo`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/masharratt/cfn-pseudo/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: masharratt (https://skillmd.com/u/masharratt)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/masharratt/cfn-pseudo

---


# CFN Pseudo Skill (SPARC Phase 2)

**Purpose:** Force a logic trace through every acceptance criterion and edge case BEFORE code exists. Surfaces algorithmic gaps, missing branches, and complexity issues at the cheapest possible stage.

**Phase:** Pseudocode. DAG level 3 in the canonical `cfn-megaplan` pipeline (after `cfn-spec`, in parallel with `cfn-decide`). Also SPARC step 2 of 3 in the lighter `cfn-spa-plan` sub-pipeline.

## When to Use

- After `cfn-spec` produces `planning/<slug>/SPEC_<slug>.md`
- Auto-invoked by `/cfn-megaplan` (canonical) and the lighter `/cfn-spa-plan` sub-pipeline
- Standalone when reviewing existing code for logical completeness

Skip only for: pure config changes, declarative schema updates with no procedural logic.

## Input

Required: `planning/<slug>/SPEC_<slug>.md` from `cfn-spec`. If multiple `SPEC_*.md` exist, use the one whose slug matches; never regenerate the slug differently.

Refuse to run if the spec is missing or contains any unresolved `[OPEN]` question. Refuse only on `[OPEN]`. `[PARKED: <accepted default>]` items are acceptable; carry the accepted default into the pseudocode as a stated assumption.

## Protocol

### Step 1: Map FRs to Operations

For each FR in the spec, identify the procedural operation(s) needed. One FR may span multiple operations; one operation may serve multiple FRs.

Output table:
```
| FR    | Operation              | Inputs           | Outputs           |
|-------|------------------------|------------------|-------------------|
| FR-1  | validateUserPayload    | UserInput        | ValidUser | Error |
| FR-2  | persistUser            | ValidUser        | UserRecord        |
```

### Step 2: Pseudocode Per Operation

Use language-neutral pseudocode. Numbered steps. Explicit branches. No syntactic sugar that hides logic.

Format:
```
FUNCTION <name>(<params>):
  1. <step>
  2. IF <condition> THEN
       2a. <branch>
     ELSE
       2b. <branch>
  3. FOR <each> IN <collection>:
       3a. <action>
  4. RETURN <value>
```

Rules:
- Every branch must trace to a postcondition from the spec
- Every loop must declare termination condition
- Every external call (DB, API, file, queue) appears inside an explicit failure construct (TRY/ON or an error-checked IF) with at least one failure branch per call. An external call with no failure branch fails the Step 3 gate.
- Every `[core]` FR's operation chain must be traced end-to-end in ONE connected pseudocode path: from the entry point (route, worker start, cron trigger) through to the persistence or emit that the FR asserts. Disconnected fragments are how the unregistered-worker bug ships.

Worked example (persistUser, serves FR-2; note every external call carries failure branches and every RETURN states its postcondition):

```
FUNCTION persistUser(validUser):
  1. IF validUser.email IS missing THEN
       1a. RETURN Error(400, MISSING_EMAIL)
           -- EC-7 (missing required field); postcondition: no row written
  2. TRY db.insert(users, validUser) TIMEOUT 5s:
       2a. ON TIMEOUT:
             RETURN Error(503, DB_TIMEOUT)
             -- EC-9 (DB timeout); postcondition: no partial row (insert is atomic)
       2b. ON DUPLICATE_KEY:
             RETURN Error(409, DUPLICATE_EMAIL)
             -- EC-4 (duplicate submission); postcondition: existing row unchanged
  3. RETURN UserRecord(inserted row)
     -- AC-2 (happy path); postcondition: users row exists with assigned id
```

### Step 3: Branch Coverage Map

For each pseudocode operation, map every branch to the acceptance criterion or edge case it satisfies. Branches with no mapping = dead code OR missing acceptance criterion.

Format:
```
Operation: validateUserPayload
  Branch 2a (valid input)     -> AC-1 (happy path)
  Branch 2b (invalid email)   -> EC-3 (malformed email returns 400)
  Branch 2b (missing field)   -> EC-7 (missing required field returns 400)
  [UNMAPPED] Branch 2c        -> ??? must add EC or remove branch
```

**Step 3b: Spec Coverage (reverse map, MANDATORY).** Coverage is bidirectional. The forward map above catches branches with no spec item; the reverse map catches spec items with no branch. Emit one row for EVERY AC and EC in the spec:

```
## 3b. Spec Coverage (reverse map)
| Spec item | Claimed by branch | Status |
| AC-1 | validateUserPayload 2a | covered |
| EC-4 | (none) | [UNCOVERED] - add branch or justify N/A with reason |
```

A spec item may be marked `N/A: <reason>` only with an explicit justification (e.g. "EC-8 is a pure infra concern handled by the platform, no procedural branch exists"). Blank status is rejected.

### Step 4: Complexity Annotation

For each operation, declare:
- Time complexity (Big-O, average + worst case)
- Space complexity
- Number of external I/O calls (DB queries, API calls, file ops)
- Whether operation is idempotent
- Whether operation is reentrant

If any operation is O(n^2) or worse, justify or refactor.
If any operation makes >3 external I/O calls, flag for batching.

### Step 5: Failure Path Trace

For each external dependency in pseudocode:
- What happens on timeout?
- What happens on transient error (retry semantics)?
- What happens on permanent error (rollback, compensation)?
- What state does the system end in after failure?

Map every failure path to an edge case in the spec. Unmapped failure paths = spec incomplete; loop back to `cfn-spec`.

### Step 6: Data Structure Declarations

List every non-trivial data structure used. Justify choice (hash for O(1) lookup, sorted list for range queries, etc.). If reusing existing structure from codebase, link to it.

### Step 7: State Transition Diagrams (when applicable)

If any entity has a lifecycle (draft → published → archived), draw a state machine. Use ASCII or mermaid. Every transition must have a trigger and effect.

## Output

**Artifact location.** Every artifact of one plan lives in that plan's own directory, `planning/<slug>/`. Under `/cfn-megaplan`, `/cfn-megaplan-lite`, or `/cfn-spa-plan` the orchestrator hands you the exact path plus a `Plan dir:` line — write there, and read the input paths it gives you verbatim. Invoked standalone, read with `$HOME/.claude/skills/cfn-megaplan/lib/plan-paths.sh resolve <slug> <basename>` (per-plan dir first, legacy flat `planning/` second) and write to `planning/<slug>/`. Never split one plan across two locations.

Use the same slug as the SPEC artifact (never regenerate it). Write to: `planning/<slug>/PSEUDO_<slug>.md`

Template:
```markdown
# Pseudocode: <task>

**Date:** <YYYY-MM-DD>
**Spec:** planning/<slug>/SPEC_<slug>.md
**Status:** draft | reviewed | locked

## 1. Operation Map
| FR | Operation | Inputs | Outputs |

## 2. Pseudocode
### Operation: <name>
FUNCTION ...

## 3. Branch Coverage
Operation: <name>
  Branch X -> AC/EC mapping

## 3b. Spec Coverage (reverse map)
| Spec item | Claimed by branch | Status |
| AC-1 | validateUserPayload 2a | covered |
| EC-4 | (none) | [UNCOVERED] - add branch or justify N/A with reason |

## 4. Complexity
| Operation | Time | Space | I/O | Idempotent | Reentrant |

## 5. Failure Paths
External Dep: <name>
  Timeout -> <behavior>
  Transient -> <behavior>
  Permanent -> <behavior>

## 6. Data Structures
- <name>: <type> -- <justification>

## 7. State Transitions
(if applicable)
```

## Return to orchestrator

```
artifact: planning/<slug>/PSEUDO_<slug>.md
operations: <count>
unmapped_branches: <count>       # forward map [UNMAPPED] entries
uncovered_spec_items: <count>    # reverse map [UNCOVERED] entries
gate: PASS | FAIL                # PASS only when both counts are 0
```

## Handoff

Input to `cfn-arch`. Do not proceed if any `[UNMAPPED]` branch OR any `[UNCOVERED]` spec item remains.

## Anti-Patterns

- Pseudocode that is just JavaScript without semicolons
- Branches with no AC/EC mapping (= dead code or missing spec)
- "Handle errors" as a pseudocode step (specify the handling)
- Skipping complexity annotation because "it's obvious"
- External I/O without failure path

## Related

- Canonical orchestrator: `cfn-megaplan` (runs this at DAG level 3, parallel with `cfn-decide`)
- Previous phase: `cfn-spec`
- Parallel phase: `cfn-decide` (decision register)
- Next phase: `cfn-arch`
- Lighter orchestrator: `cfn-spa-plan`