Introduction

STANDARDS gives coding agents separate responsibilities for a software change. One role defines what you want, another designs it, and another implements it. Testing and review check the work independently before you decide whether to accept it.

Work through a cycle

A cycle is one piece of work, from its saved request to your sign-off or cancellation. It can span several chats.

At each step, a role reads the relevant project files, does its work, and checks the result. When it is ready to move on, it saves progress and gives you a command to run the next role. This is a handoff. You invoke each role explicitly; the saved workflow state determines which role can act.

For example, Scoper defines the requirements and Architect decides how to meet them. If Tester later finds a missing design decision, Architect resolves it. The role that finds a problem does not automatically own the fix.

Use the workflow the change needs

Standard work is the default. Its full path covers requirements, design, project context, implementation, testing, review, documentation, and a final check that the completed assessments still apply.

For either new or existing projects, you can choose to finish after implementation review. That choice keeps all earlier standard checks and requires Reviewer to confirm that no required work remains before asking you to sign off.

The starting point depends on the project:

• An existing project starts with Auditor to establish the facts the change depends on.
• A new project starts with Scoper, then Architect, before its first audit.

Expedited work is available for a bounded change to an existing project. It uses Developer and implementation Reviewer before your sign-off decision. It provides fewer checks and must move to standard work if a skipped role becomes necessary.

Documentation work covers existing behavior in a Brownfield project. Start with a standalone Documenter assignment and follow Auditor, Scoper, Architect, Documenter, final Reviewer, and Synchronizer before sign-off. It omits implementation and formal testing; see Updating Documentation on Its Own.

See project and cycle modes for the choices and the standard-cycle map for its two completion paths.

Stay involved at the important decisions

Developer saves an implementation plan and waits for your approval before coding. You can let it work through approved steps, pause after each step, or code together. See Working with Developer.

Tester uses a chat separate from the implementation conversation. Reviewer uses a chat separate from all conversations that authored the work being reviewed. Both assess the saved work and evidence rather than inherit the author’s conclusions.

Once the required checks are complete, you can accept the work, request changes, or cancel. A passing test or a role’s completion does not make that decision for you.

Continue from saved work

The installed .standards/STATE.md records the request, current step, document references, and unfinished corrections. Scope, design, plans, and assessment results stay in their own files.

These records let another session pick up where you left off. They also show what was checked and what remains unresolved. See Resuming Interrupted Work.

Ask questions at any time

Navigator works outside the workflow. It can explain the project, investigate a question, or quiz you on a topic, even without an active cycle. It never edits files or changes workflow state.

Try a complete example

Your First Workflow follows a search feature through the standard workflow. It assumes the project has been set up for STANDARDS. The installation page gives the installer command and explains the runtime files it creates.