Mortdecai
9ff8e915b8
User-agnostic, shareable AI-assisted development workflow distilled from 26+ real projects. Includes 9 composable rules, 4 project templates, pre-push secret scanning hook, 3 methodology guides, and customization docs. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
2.4 KiB
2.4 KiB
Authority Hierarchy
When guidance from different sources conflicts, follow this precedence order.
Precedence Order
- Rules (
.claude/rules/*.md) — Highest authority. Project-defined requirements. - Plugin enforcement (e.g., Superpowers) — Hard workflow enforcement. Deletes code without tests if TDD is active.
- Instincts / learned patterns — Supplementary suggestions from accumulated experience.
- Defaults — Built-in AI assistant behavior. Baseline when nothing else applies.
Key Principles
- Instincts supplement rules — they never override them
- If a learned pattern contradicts a rule, follow the rule without hesitation
- Instincts are suggestions; rules are requirements
- When referencing instincts, say "also consider" not "must follow"
- Allow user override of instincts without friction
Plugin Authority
When a workflow enforcement plugin is installed (e.g., Superpowers), its mechanisms are hard constraints, subordinate only to explicit project rules:
- TDD enforcement — deletes production code written without failing tests first
- Debugging discipline — systematic debugging workflow required for bugs
- Verification requirements — evidence before completion claims
When enforcement plugins are NOT installed: TDD becomes advisory (instinct-level), not enforced. All other rules still apply.
User Override Behavior
| Level | Override Behavior |
|---|---|
| Rules | Cannot be overridden without changing the rule file. |
| Plugin enforcement | Requires explicit acknowledgment: "I understand this skips TDD, proceed anyway." |
| Instincts | Can be overridden freely. |
| Defaults | Can be overridden freely. |
Overriding enforcement plugins is allowed but requires conscious acknowledgment. This prevents accidental skipping while preserving user agency.
Examples
| Conflict | Resolution |
|---|---|
| Rule: "commit frequently" vs Instinct: "batch commits" | Follow rule: commit frequently |
| Instinct: "use pytest-asyncio for async tests" (no conflicting rule) | Follow instinct |
| User says "skip tests this time" vs Instinct: "always run tests" | Follow user (instincts are suggestions) |
| Plugin: "delete code without tests" vs User: "skip tests this once" | User must explicitly acknowledge the override |
| Rule: "commit frequently" vs Plugin: "verify before commit" | Both apply: verify first, then commit |