# .rules.md

## Task-Driven Development
- All changes must go through a task in tasks/{name}/ with SPEC.md → phases → VERDICT.md
- Never edit files directly without a corresponding task
- Never create task directories manually (mkdir tasks/) — use the Orchestrator instead

## VRAM-Aware Task Sizing
- Before creating or scoping a task, check ~/.automaton/config.md for VRAM limits
- Verify the task fits within max peak context (default: 12k tokens)
- If no config exists, default to 8k with 25% headroom

## Changelog
- When a task reaches Resolution (VERDICT.md written), append an entry to CHANGELOG.md
- Use the format: `- description (#task-name)` under the appropriate [unreleased] section

## Self-Improvement
- Add one rule per observed failure mode with a concrete example
- Consolidate contradictions monthly. Remove stale rules.
- No rule without a real example of the problem it prevents