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Seth-Workflow-April-2026/rules/02-authority-hierarchy.md
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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>
2026-04-01 15:55:58 -04:00

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# Authority Hierarchy
When guidance from different sources conflicts, follow this precedence order.
## Precedence Order
1. **Rules** (`.claude/rules/*.md`) — Highest authority. Project-defined requirements.
2. **Plugin enforcement** (e.g., Superpowers) — Hard workflow enforcement. Deletes code without tests if TDD is active.
3. **Instincts / learned patterns** — Supplementary suggestions from accumulated experience.
4. **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 |