patinaproject Review system design
Use design-by-contract to select and analyze each important agreement in the
changed production code. The input may be a diff, a specification, or both.
Use short, direct sentences with clear subjects and objects. Use terms already
defined in CONTEXT.md, exact codebase-design terms, and code identifiers.
When a needed term is missing, ask domain-modeling to propose a glossary
entry.
Build a dependency tree of the design agreements. Review an agreement before any agreement that depends on it. When a specification and diff disagree, treat the diff as the record of what changed and flag any unplanned agreement.
Treat production code as the source of design agreements. Use tests, documentation, and workspace fixtures as evidence for those agreements.
Present one group at a time after reviewing everything it depends on. Use the
heading ## <change name>, round N of M. Number agreements A1, A2, and so
on across all rounds.
Give each agreement a plain-language title followed by a small number of connected paragraphs. Name the relevant system parts and explain how they interact, what changed and why it matters, and the expectation or trade-off the reviewer must judge. Include defined failure behavior when it helps that judgment. Keep every detail relevant to the reviewer's decision. Link the agreement's specification or ADR once.
Use a visual explainer when it makes a relationship easier to understand than prose alone: a table for repeated mappings or comparisons, a sequence or state diagram for interactions over time, or a dependency diagram for ordering. Pair the visual with the explanation. End each group with a short request for concerns or approval.
Wait for the reviewer's reply after each group. Record challenged agreements under their plain-language titles and record each agreed fix. Treat the rest as accepted. Keep each agreement number as a stable reference. Keep the reviewed change fixed until the review ends. A proposed fix remains a note until the reviewer finishes all rounds.
Find supporting facts yourself. Use a subagent when the diff, specification, or callers require separate investigation. Research the facts, then ask the reviewer to decide.
Finish after every agreement has been reviewed. In the same plain style, summarize accepted agreements, concerns, and agreed fixes, then apply only the changes the reviewer confirms. If the reviewer asks for a guide, write it at the requested path with a link to the reviewed change, the agreements in number order, and the selected visuals.