STANDARDS AND CONVENTIONS

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING • What problem does an agent instructions file solve? ◦ Answer: A coding agent arrives knowing nothing about the project, and the file tells it commands, layout, conventions, and traps before work begins. • Name the four kinds of content in a good instructions file. ◦ Answer: Commands, project layout, conventions, and pitfalls. • Why should you explain the reason behind a rule? ◦ Answer: An agent that understands why can apply the rule sensibly in new situations. • What is drift, and how can you prevent it with multiple vendor files? ◦ Answer: Copies stop matching over time, and you prevent it by keeping one shared source of truth with the others pointing to it. • Why do interoperability standards matter to a harness engineer? ◦ Answer: They lower switching costs, reduce lock-in, and give the community shared targets for review.