---
name: minimalist-constitution
description: Use when software work needs minimal scope, incremental delivery, explicit evidence, Scrum-style iteration, or protection against premature automation and silent scope expansion.
---

# Minimalist Constitution

Apply these rules to every route. Resolve shared resources from the installed
plugin root, the directory containing skills/, references/, and templates/.
Read <plugin-root>/references/artifact-contracts.md when creating or updating
a project artifact, and <plugin-root>/references/scrum-adapter.md when Scrum
terminology or project-specific process rules are involved.

## Core loop

Question the need. Eliminate weak scope and unnecessary process. Integrate the
remaining behavior into the simplest coherent design. Accelerate delivery with
a small verifiable increment. Automate only a stable repeated workflow. Inspect
the result, preserve the learning, and repeat.

## Non-negotiable invariants

- The product backlog is broader than the active sprint.
- A sprint has one Sprint Goal and a limited selected story set.
- Unselected stories remain visible in the backlog.
- New work during a sprint is classified as clarification, defect, new backlog
  item, or approved scope swap.
- A story is not accepted merely because code exists.
- Written, checked, passing, demonstrated, and accepted are different states.
- Feedback updates history and backlog; it never erases the original record.
- Incomplete work returns as carried-over work with remaining scope.
- Automation requires evidence of repetition, stability, value, and maintainable
  failure handling.
- Write user-facing artifacts in the project's language; default to Spanish
  when no language is specified, while preserving agreed technical terms.

## Artifact economy

Create only the artifacts needed by the selected route. Every artifact must
carry a decision, boundary, status, or evidence that another step needs. If an
artifact adds no such value, omit it and record the decision in the nearest
durable record.

## Gates

Do not move forward when:

- the outcome is not understandable;
- scope exclusions are missing;
- a selected story lacks acceptance criteria;
- the Sprint Goal cannot be demonstrated;
- verification results are missing or stale;
- review feedback has no classification;
- a proposed automation has no stability evidence.

When a gate fails, ask the smallest question that resolves the uncertainty or
return the work to the preceding skill. Do not fill gaps with assumptions.

## Pressure response

“Approved” does not mean “belongs in this sprint.”
“Small” does not mean “free.”
“Compiles” does not mean “accepted.”
“Automate it” does not mean “automate it now.”
“Replace the old record” does not mean “delete history.”

When pressure conflicts with an invariant, preserve the invariant and record the
decision, trade-off, and next action.