Coding Implementation Guard

Use this skill while editing code. The goal is to make the intended change with the least necessary structure, clear behavior, and concrete verification.

Workflow

1. Reconfirm the requested behavior, current behavior, relevant tests, and the design shape if one was chosen.
2. Keep edits scoped to the requested path and the files required by the change.
3. Preserve external behavior unless the request explicitly changes it.
4. Match local patterns, naming, framework conventions, and helper APIs before adding a new abstraction.
5. Separate concerns only where the code is already mixing parsing, validation, business rules, persistence, formatting, orchestration, or side effects.
6. Make side effects visible and keep error behavior, data shapes, and public contracts stable unless intentionally changed.
7. Keep strong coupling close. Weaken coupling that crosses modules, services, public contracts, or many call sites.
8. Add or update focused tests and checks near the behavior being changed.
9. Stop for redesign only when the current plan cannot be implemented safely.

State And Data Checks

Apply this pass when the edit touches databases, files, queues, caches, search indexes, event streams, jobs, external APIs, or production records: