Skills/docs/plans/2026-05-31-glossary-skill.md

glossary skill — Implementation Plan

Parent spec: docs/specs/2026-05-31-glossary-skill-design.md

For agentic workers: REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: use the implement skill to run this plan. Steps use - [ ] checkboxes for tracking.

Goal: Add a glossary utility skill (two procedures — maintain and bootstrap) plus its dedicated read-only glossary-extractor agent, and wire three single-sentence references, so a project can build and conformance-check its glossary.

Architecture: A new top-level glossary/ skill directory (picked up by install.sh's existing glob) holding SKILL.md (mode dispatch maintain | bootstrap) and agents/glossary-extractor.md (template-conforming, read-only). The skill applies the rules in docs/glossary-convention.md and restates none. Three referencing edits in boss/SKILL.md, docs/glossary-convention.md, and README.md.

Tech Stack: Markdown skill + agent files; docs/prose-only repo, no test runner — every task closes on a grep presence-assertion against the touched file, each calibrated against a verified zero baseline.

---

Files this plan creates or modifies:

• Create: glossary/SKILL.md — the mode-dispatch utility skill.
• Create: glossary/agents/glossary-extractor.md — read-only per-slice prose extractor.
• Modify: boss/SKILL.md:131 — append the bootstrap bounce-back sentence to the glossary-write paragraph.
• Modify: docs/glossary-convention.md:66 — append the one-line tooling pointer to § Extending.
• Modify: README.md:17,28 — reword the count-pinned framing line; add a utility-skills note after the table.

Read-only references (not edited): docs/glossary.md (collision-scan example), docs/profile-schema.md § paths (slot semantics), docs/agent-template.md (agent skeleton), install.sh (glob covers the new dir — AC 8, no edit).

---

Task 1: glossary/SKILL.md

Files:

• Create: glossary/SKILL.md

• Step 1: Create the directory and write the skill file

Create glossary/SKILL.md with exactly this content:

---
name: glossary
description: Use when adding, changing, or removing a glossary entry (maintain), or building a new glossary for an existing project from its prose surface (bootstrap). The skill applies the rules in docs/glossary-convention.md — it restates none of them. maintain keeps the existing user-any-time / boss-record-reality write authority and adds a conformance check; bootstrap is user-only (high-context multi-agent work; boss may recommend it via bounce-back but never runs it).
---

# glossary — build and maintain a project's glossary

> **Violating the letter of these rules is violating the spirit.**

## Overview

A project's glossary pins canonical nomenclature so terminology does not
drift over time, and so LLM-driven work reuses the established term for a
concept instead of coining a fresh synonym each session.
`../docs/glossary-convention.md` owns the rules — the three-field format,
the reading obligation, the record-reality write-rule, and the
glossary-as-source-of-truth declaration. This skill is the *procedure*
that applies those rules; it restates none of them.

It carries two procedures. **maintain** adds, changes, or removes a
single entry under a conformance check. **bootstrap** builds a fresh
glossary for a project that has none, by fanning out read-only
`glossary-extractor` agents over the project's prose surface and
synthesising their observations into conforming entries.

## When to Use / Skipping

Triggers:

- **maintain** — a term is to be added, changed, or removed in an
  existing glossary, by the user any time, or by boss to record reality
  (a term already in consistent use, or a drift boss just resolved).
- **bootstrap** — a project has terminology to pin but no glossary
  (`paths.glossary` unset, or naming an empty file), and the user invokes
  the build.

Skip or refuse:

- maintain asked with no `paths.glossary` slot set: there is nowhere to
  write. Stop and instruct the user to set `paths.glossary` (see
  `../docs/profile-schema.md` § `paths`) first.
- bootstrap asked on a glossary that already has entries: do not clobber.
  Stop with the entry count and recommend maintain.
- bootstrap asked in a boss (autonomous) session: refuse. bootstrap is
  user-only; boss may recommend it via bounce-back but never runs it (see
  Authority).

## Authority

maintain inherits the existing write authority unchanged
(`../docs/glossary-convention.md` § Extending): the user any time; boss
autonomously but only to record reality, never to invent. This skill adds
the conformance check around that authority; it does not widen it.

bootstrap is **user-only**. It is high-context multi-agent work analogous
to a fresh `brainstorm`, which boss bounces back rather than starting
autonomously. In a boss session, recommend a bootstrap via bounce-back
when a project lacks a glossary and drift is visible — do not run one.

## Mode dispatch

On invocation, route on the argument:

- `maintain` (or `add` / `change` / `remove`) → the maintain procedure.
- `bootstrap` → the bootstrap procedure (user-only).

If the mode is ambiguous, ask once; do not guess.

## The maintain procedure

1. **Read the glossary and the convention.** Read the file named by
   `paths.glossary` and `../docs/glossary-convention.md`. If
   `paths.glossary` is unset, stop (see When to Use / Skipping).
2. **Take the proposed entry.** A canonical-term heading, an `**Avoid:**`
   line, and a definition — the user's, or (in a boss session bound by
   record-reality) the term already in consistent use.
3. **Run the local conformance check** against the proposed entry and the
   rest of the glossary:
   - the three-field shape the convention defines;
   - the definition is at most two sentences;
   - collision scan: the proposed canonical term must not already sit
     under another entry's **Avoid**, and a proposed **Avoid** synonym
     must not be another entry's canonical term.
   On any failure, REJECT — name the violated rule, do not write the
   entry, and ask for a corrected one.
4. **Run the stale-usage sweep** (on add / change / rename): grep the
   prose surface for the old canonical term (change/rename) and for each
   **Avoid** synonym, and report the hits as drift the user may want to
   fix. The sweep reports; it does not block — guidance, not enforcement.
5. **Write the conforming entry UNSTAGED.** Add, edit, or remove the
   entry in the glossary file, preserving the flat per-term-block shape so
   the diff stays line-wise clean. Leave it unstaged for review.
6. **Hand back** to the user for review. In a boss session, the
   record-reality discipline governs whether the write was permitted at
   all (boss never coins).

## The bootstrap procedure (user-only)

1. **Guard.** Read `paths.glossary`. If it names a file that already has
   entries, stop with the count and recommend maintain. If the slot is
   unset, continue, and note the build will also propose setting the slot
   (see `../docs/profile-schema.md` § `paths`).
2. **Partition the prose surface into slices** — the readable prose of
   the project: `docs/`, `README.md`, the design ledger (if
   `paths.design_ledger` is set), the spec directory. One slice per
   coherent group, sized so a single agent can sweep it.
3. **Fan out one `glossary-extractor` per slice.** Dispatch the read-only
   agent (`agents/glossary-extractor.md`) with the carrier: the slice and
   the extraction task. Agents do not nest; the skill curates each
   carrier.
4. **Merge and cluster.** Collect the reports. Cluster variants that name
   the same concept across slices, summing frequencies.
5. **Synthesise.** For each cluster:
   - a clear cluster (one dominant variant) → auto-include it as a
     conforming entry: canonical heading = the dominant variant,
     **Avoid** = the other variants, a ≤2-sentence definition drawn from
     the observed usage;
   - a contested cluster (≥2 comparable variants) → surface it to the user
     with the variants, frequencies, and locations, and ask which is
     canonical. Never decide a contested canonical yourself.
6. **Handle the unresolved.** A contested cluster the user does not
   resolve is left OUT of the glossary and noted as deferred. Never coin a
   term to fill a gap.
7. **Assemble UNSTAGED.** Write the conforming glossary to
   `paths.glossary` (proposing the slot value if it was unset), in the
   convention's flat per-term-block format. Leave it unstaged for review.

## Iron Law

```
THE CONVENTION OWNS THE RULES; THIS SKILL ONLY APPLIES THEM — RESTATE NOTHING.
A NON-CONFORMING ENTRY IS REJECTED, NOT WRITTEN.
BOOTSTRAP IS USER-ONLY. NEVER COIN A TERM — RECORD REALITY.
```

## Handoff Contract

| Direction | Carrier |
|-----------|---------|
| user → glossary (maintain) | the proposed entry + the operation (add / change / remove) |
| user → glossary (bootstrap) | the build request |
| glossary → glossary-extractor (bootstrap) | one prose slice + the extraction task |
| boss → user (bounce-back) | a recommendation to run a bootstrap; boss never runs one itself |

## Common Rationalisations

| Excuse | Reality |
|--------|---------|
| "The entry is obviously fine, skip the conformance check" | The check is the skill's whole reason to exist over hand-editing. Run it. |
| "Two variants are close; I'll pick the more frequent as canonical" | A contested cluster is a nomenclature judgement that belongs to the user. Surface it; do not decide it. |
| "The concept clearly needs a term, I'll coin one" | The glossary records reality, never invents. An unresolved concept is left out and deferred. |
| "boss is running and the project has no glossary, I'll bootstrap it" | bootstrap is user-only. Recommend it via bounce-back; do not run it. |
| "I'll restate the format here so the skill is self-contained" | The convention is the single source for the rules. Cite it; restating it is the cross-doc drift this split exists to prevent. |
| "The stale-usage hits should block the write" | The sweep is guidance, not enforcement. Report the drift; write the entry regardless. |

## Red Flags — STOP

- About to write a non-conforming entry instead of rejecting it.
- About to pick a canonical term for a genuinely contested cluster.
- About to coin a term for a concept that has no observed term.
- About to run a bootstrap in a boss / autonomous session.
- About to restate the convention's format or write-rule in this file.
- About to clobber a populated glossary with a bootstrap.

## Cross-references

- **Rules (the single source):** `../docs/glossary-convention.md` —
  format, reading obligation, write-rule, glossary-as-SoT. This skill
  applies these; it restates none.
- **Slot semantics:** `../docs/profile-schema.md` § `paths` — the
  `paths.glossary` slot (set ⇒ standing reading for every role; unset ⇒
  no-op).
- **Agent dispatched:** `agents/glossary-extractor.md` — read-only
  per-slice prose extraction, fanned out in bootstrap.
- **Glossary instance (dogfood):** `../docs/glossary.md` — this plugin's
  own glossary.
- **boss write authority:** `../boss/SKILL.md` — the record-reality rule
  for the only autonomous glossary writer, and the bootstrap bounce-back.

• Step 2: Verify the file is present and conforming

Run: grep -c "BOOTSTRAP IS USER-ONLY" glossary/SKILL.md Expected: 1 (the Iron-Law fence line; baseline before this task: file does not exist).

Run: grep -c "^## The bootstrap procedure (user-only)$" glossary/SKILL.md Expected: 1 (the bootstrap-procedure heading is present).

Run: grep -c "^name: glossary$" glossary/SKILL.md Expected: 1 (frontmatter name slug is correct).

---

Task 2: glossary/agents/glossary-extractor.md

Files:

• Create: glossary/agents/glossary-extractor.md

• Step 1: Create the agents directory and write the agent file

Create glossary/agents/glossary-extractor.md with exactly this content:

---
name: glossary-extractor
description: Read-only per-slice prose extractor for glossary bootstrap. Sweeps one slice of a project's prose surface and reports the recurring domain-concept terms and their competing synonyms as actually written, with frequencies and locations. Coins nothing; dispatched fan-out by the glossary skill's bootstrap procedure.
tools: Read, Glob, Grep, Bash
---

> Violating the letter of these rules is violating the spirit.

## What this role is for

This role exists to prevent an orchestrator from sweeping a whole
project's prose in its own context to coin a glossary — which blows the
context window, conflates orchestration with execution, and tempts
invention over observation. The extractor sweeps exactly one assigned
slice, reports the concept terms and competing variants it actually
finds, and coins nothing. The glossary skill fans out one extractor per
slice and merges their reports.

## Standing reading list

Read everything in the standing reading list passed in the carrier before
doing anything else. A set `paths.glossary` is part of every role's
standing reading, and `docs/glossary-convention.md` defines what a
glossary-worthy concept term is versus incidental vocabulary — consult it
so you report concepts, not every capitalised word.

## Carrier contract

| Field | Content |
|-------|---------|
| `slice` | the one prose region this agent sweeps (e.g. `docs/`, `README.md`) — do not read outside it |
| `task` | the extraction instruction: recurring domain-concept terms and their competing synonyms, as actually written |

You receive the carrier inline in the dispatch prompt. Do NOT widen your
sweep beyond the assigned slice; another extractor covers the rest.

## Iron Law

```
REPORT TERMS YOU OBSERVE IN THE SLICE. NEVER COIN A TERM.
EVERY REPORTED VARIANT CARRIES A FREQUENCY AND AT LEAST ONE LOCATION.
SWEEP ONLY THE ASSIGNED SLICE.
A CANONICAL CHOICE IS NOT YOURS TO MAKE — REPORT VARIANTS, NOT A WINNER.
```

## The Process

1. Read the standing reading list, then `docs/glossary-convention.md` for
   what counts as a concept term.
2. Enumerate the files in the assigned slice (`Glob` / `ls`).
3. Sweep for recurring domain-concept terms: nouns and noun-phrases that
   name a project concept and recur across the slice. Use `grep -c` for
   frequencies and `grep -n` for locations.
4. Cluster variants that name the same concept within the slice (e.g.
   "design ledger" / "design index"). Do not decide which is canonical.
5. Drop incidental vocabulary: terms that appear once, generic English,
   and code identifiers that are not concept names.
6. Emit the report in the format below. If the slice yields no recurring
   concept terms, say so — fabricate nothing.

## Status protocol

| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| `DONE` | The slice was swept; the report lists every recurring concept term found (possibly none). |
| `PARTIAL` | The slice was too large to finish; report what was swept and name the unswept files. |
| `BLOCKED` | The slice could not be read (missing path, permission). Explanation in the report. |
| `NEEDS_CONTEXT` | The carrier is ambiguous (no slice, or an unreadable task). |

This is a read-only role: it writes no files under any status.

## Output format

Plain text, word-budgeted. One block per concept:

```
- concept: <short concept label>
  variants: [<variant> (<count>x), <variant> (<count>x), ...]
  locations: [<path:line>, <path:line>, ...]
```

End with a one-line `Swept: <n> files in <slice>` summary. On an empty
slice, emit `No recurring concept terms found in <slice>.`

## Common Rationalisations

| Excuse | Reality |
|--------|---------|
| "This concept obviously needs a canonical term, I'll mark one" | Picking the canonical is the skill's job (and the user's for contested clusters). Report variants, not a winner. |
| "There's a clearly better word the project should use" | You report what is written, not what should be. Coining is forbidden. |
| "The neighbouring slice has related terms, let me peek" | Sweep only your slice. Another extractor covers the rest; merging is the skill's job. |
| "This term appears once but feels important" | A single occurrence is not a recurring concept. Drop it, or the merge fills with noise. |
| "I'll skip frequencies, the list is enough" | Frequencies are how the skill tells a clear cluster from a contested one. Every variant carries a count. |

## Red Flags — STOP

- About to write or edit any file.
- About to report a term that does not appear in the slice.
- About to name a canonical winner instead of listing variants.
- About to read files outside the assigned slice.
- About to report a variant with no frequency or no location.

• Step 2: Verify the agent file is present and conforming

Run: grep -c "NEVER COIN A TERM" glossary/agents/glossary-extractor.md Expected: 1 (the Iron-Law fence line; baseline before this task: file does not exist).

Run: grep -c "^name: glossary-extractor$" glossary/agents/glossary-extractor.md Expected: 1 (frontmatter slug correct).

Run: grep -c "^tools: Read, Glob, Grep, Bash$" glossary/agents/glossary-extractor.md Expected: 1 (read-only tool set, AC 2).

---

Task 3: boss/SKILL.md — bootstrap bounce-back sentence

Files:

• Modify: boss/SKILL.md:131

• Step 1: Append the bootstrap sentence to the glossary-write paragraph

Find this exact line (boss/SKILL.md:131, the tail of the Step-4 glossary-write paragraph):

invent. This is the only glossary write authority outside the user.

Replace it with:

invent. This is the only glossary write authority outside the user.
Building a glossary from scratch (the `glossary` skill's bootstrap) is
*not* this authority — it is high-context, user-only work; when a project
lacks a glossary and drift is visible, recommend a bootstrap via
bounce-back, never run one autonomously.

This keeps maintain-by-boss (record-reality) and bootstrap (user-only) consistent with the existing "only glossary write authority outside the user" claim on the same line.

• Step 2: Verify the sentence landed

Run: grep -c "bootstrap" boss/SKILL.md Expected: ≥1 (verified baseline before this task: 0).

---

Task 4: docs/glossary-convention.md — tooling pointer

Files:

• Modify: docs/glossary-convention.md:66

• Step 1: Append the tooling pointer to § Extending

Find this exact line (docs/glossary-convention.md:66, the last line of the file / § Extending):

skills and agents are read-only consumers of the glossary.

Append immediately after it (new paragraph at the section tail):

skills and agents are read-only consumers of the glossary.

The `glossary` skill (`../glossary/SKILL.md`) is the executable procedure
for building and extending a glossary under these rules: this file stays
the rules, the skill applies them.

• Step 2: Verify the pointer landed

Run: grep -c "glossary/SKILL.md" docs/glossary-convention.md Expected: ≥1 (verified baseline before this task: 0; glossary/SKILL.md is a contiguous token, no line-wrap risk).

---

Task 5: README.md — list glossary, reconcile the stale framing

Files:

• Modify: README.md:17 (the count-pinned framing line)

• Modify: README.md:28 (append a utility-skills note after the table)

• Step 1: Reword the count-pinned framing line

Find this exact line (README.md:17):

Eight skills, each with the agents it primarily dispatches:

Replace it with (count-free, since the table omits the existing utility skill issue and now also glossary):

The pipeline skills, each with the agents it primarily dispatches:

• Step 2: Add a utility-skills note after the skill table

Find the last table row (README.md:28):

| `boss` | User types `/boss` | autonomous-orchestrator session — dispatches the other skills until done-state or bounce-back | User-invoked, never auto-dispatched |

Append immediately after it (a blank line, then the note):

| `boss` | User types `/boss` | autonomous-orchestrator session — dispatches the other skills until done-state or bounce-back | User-invoked, never auto-dispatched |

Two further **utility skills** are invoked on demand rather than as
pipeline phases: `issue` (file or update a tracker item) and `glossary`
(build or maintain the project glossary — see `docs/glossary-convention.md`).

• Step 3: Verify the listing change landed

Run: grep -c "glossary" README.md Expected: ≥1 (verified baseline before this task: 0).

Run: grep -c "utility skills" README.md Expected: ≥1 (the reconciled framing names the utility-skill class; baseline: 0).

---

Final sweep

• Step F1: All new and changed surfaces present

Run:

test -f glossary/SKILL.md && \
test -f glossary/agents/glossary-extractor.md && \
grep -q "bootstrap" boss/SKILL.md && \
grep -q "glossary/SKILL.md" docs/glossary-convention.md && \
grep -q "glossary" README.md && \
echo ALL_PRESENT

Expected: ALL_PRESENT

• Step F2: install.sh glob covers the new skill (AC 8, no edit needed)

Run: bash -n install.sh && grep -c 'SKILL.md' install.sh Expected: bash -n exits 0 (installer still parses) and the glob gate on SKILL.md is present (≥1); confirms the new glossary/ dir with its SKILL.md + agents/ subdir is linked with no installer change.