# Agent Instructions

Read `REPO_POLICIES.md` before making any changes. It is the authoritative
source for coding standards, formatting, linting, and workflow rules.

## Workflow

- When fixing a bug, write a failing test FIRST. Only after the test fails,
  write the code to fix the bug. Then ensure the test passes. Leave the test in
  place and commit it with the bugfix. Don't run shell commands to test bugfixes
  or reproduce bugs. Write tests!

- After each change, run `make fmt`, then `make test`, then `make lint`. Fix any
  failures before committing.

- After each change, commit only the files you've changed. Push after committing.

## Attribution

- Never mention Claude, Anthropic, or any AI/LLM tooling in commit messages. Do
  not use attribution.

## Repository-Specific Notes

- This is a Go library + CLI tool for generating `.mf` manifest files.
- The proto definition is in `mfer/mf.proto`; generated `.pb.go` files are
  committed (required for `go get` compatibility).
- The format specification is in `FORMAT.md`.
- See `TODO.md` for the 1.0 implementation plan and open design questions.