/crucible

Read first, ask last. The human answers only what the code can't.

Step 1: Read (no questions yet)

Write what the code already decides as facts with path:line. Every later question must be one these facts couldn't answer.

Step 2: The ladder (before proposing anything new)

For each piece of the requested change, stop at the first "yes":

1. Can we skip or delete it? Is the requirement already met, or not needed? → say so.
2. Is it already in the repo? An existing helper, component, or pattern → reuse it (cite path:line).
3. Is it in the stdlib or an existing dependency? → use it.
4. Only then: the minimal new code, with no speculative options or abstractions.