Brownfield Constitution Authoring

Overview

Write project constitutions for existing codebases using the Essential Floor + Emergent Ceiling approach. This skill extends humaninloop:authoring-constitution with brownfield-specific guidance that respects existing patterns while establishing governance.

The core insight: existing codebases have implicit conventions worth preserving (Emergent Ceiling) but may lack foundational governance in critical areas (Essential Floor). This skill helps codify both.

When to Use

Applicable when:

• Creating a constitution for an existing codebase (brownfield project)
• The codebase has existing patterns, conventions, or architecture worth preserving
• You need to establish governance without disrupting working code
• The user mentions "brownfield", "existing codebase", or "legacy project"
• Codifying implicit conventions into explicit, enforceable principles

When NOT to Use