use actual em-dashes in checklist examples

Reviewed-on: #10

README.md

@@ -115,6 +115,31 @@ subdirectory. Each file contains one or more related prompts or policy
 documents. There is no build step or runtime component; the prompts are consumed
 by copying them into other projects or referencing them directly.
 
+## Template Repos
+
+These template repositories implement the policies defined in this repo and
+serve as starting points for new projects. They must be kept in sync when
+policies change.
+
+- **[template-app-go](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/template-app-go)** — Go HTTP
+  server template (Uber fx, chi, SQLite, session auth, Prometheus metrics)
+- **[template-app-js](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/template-app-js)** — JavaScript
+  SPA template (Vite, Tailwind CSS v4, nginx Docker deployment)
+- **[template-app-python](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/template-app-python)** —
+  Python web application template (FastAPI, uvicorn, pytest, black, ruff)
+
+When updating policies in this repo, also update the template repos to match
+(Makefile targets, Dockerfile conventions, CI workflows, required files, etc.).
+
+## See Also
+
+- **[clawpub](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/clawpub)** — Real-world examples,
+  rationale, and operational lessons from applying these policies with an
+  [OpenClaw](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw) AI agent. Includes detailed
+  documentation on how the interlocking check system (CI → Docker → Makefile →
+  tests/lint/fmt) works in practice, why checklists complement prose policies,
+  and failure stories from production use.
+
 ## TODO
 
 - Add more prompt templates for common development tasks

prompts/CODE_STYLEGUIDE_GO.md

@@ -229,6 +229,29 @@ last_modified: 2026-02-22
 
 1.  Define your struct types near their constructors.
 
+1.  Do not create packages whose sole purpose is to hold type definitions.
+    Packages named `types`, `domain`, or `models` that contain only structs and
+    interfaces (with no behavior) are a code smell. Define types alongside the
+    code that uses them. Type-only packages force consuming packages into alias
+    imports and circular-dependency gymnastics, and indicate that the package
+    boundaries were drawn around nouns instead of responsibilities. If multiple
+    packages need the same type, put it in the package that owns the behavior,
+    or in a small, focused interface package — not in a grab-bag types package.
+
+1.  When defining custom string-based types (e.g. `type ImageID string`),
+    implement `fmt.Stringer`. Use `.String()` at SDK and library boundaries
+    instead of `string(v)`. This makes type conversions explicit, grep-able, and
+    consistent across the codebase. Example:
+
+    ```go
+    type ContainerID string
+
+    func (id ContainerID) String() string { return string(id) }
+
+    // At the Docker SDK boundary:
+    resp, err := c.docker.ContainerStart(ctx, id.String(), opts)
+    ```
+
 1.  Define your interface types near the functions that use them, or if you have
     multiple conformant types, put the interface(s) in their own file.
 

prompts/LLM_PROSE_TELLS.md

@@ -0,0 +1,457 @@
+# LLM Prose Tells
+
+A catalog of structural, lexical, and rhetorical patterns found in LLM-generated
+prose.
+
+---
+
+## Sentence Structure
+
+### The Em-Dash Pivot: "Not X—but Y"
+
+A negation followed by an em-dash and a reframe.
+
+> "It's not just a tool—it's a paradigm shift." "This isn't about
+> technology—it's about trust."
+
+### Em-Dash Overuse Generally
+
+Even outside the "not X but Y" pivot, models substitute em-dashes for commas,
+semicolons, parentheses, colons, and periods. The em-dash can replace any other
+punctuation mark, and models default to it for that reason.
+
+### The Colon Elaboration
+
+A short declarative clause, then a colon, then a longer explanation.
+
+> "The answer is simple: we need to rethink our approach from the ground up."
+
+### The Triple Construction
+
+> "It's fast, it's scalable, and it's open source."
+
+Three parallel items in a list, usually escalating. Always exactly three (rarely
+two, never four) with strict grammatical parallelism.
+
+### The Staccato Burst
+
+> "This matters. It always has. And it always will." "The data is clear. The
+> trend is undeniable. The conclusion is obvious."
+
+Runs of very short sentences at the same cadence and matching length.
+
+### The Two-Clause Compound Sentence
+
+An independent clause, a comma, a conjunction ("and," "but," "which,"
+"because"), and a second independent clause of similar length. Every sentence
+becomes two balanced halves.
+
+> "The construction itself is perfectly normal, which is why the frequency is
+> what gives it away." "They contain zero information, and the actual point
+> always comes in the paragraph that follows them." "The qualifier never changes
+> the argument that follows it, and its purpose is to perform nuance rather than
+> to express an actual reservation."
+
+Human prose has sentences with one clause, sentences with three, sentences that
+start with a subordinate clause before reaching the main one, sentences that
+embed their complexity in the middle.
+
+### Uniform Sentences Per Paragraph
+
+Model-generated paragraphs contain between three and five sentences, a count
+that holds steady across a piece. If the first paragraph has four sentences,
+every subsequent paragraph will too.
+
+### The Dramatic Fragment
+
+Sentence fragments used as standalone paragraphs for emphasis.
+
+> "Full stop." "Let that sink in."
+
+### The Pivot Paragraph
+
+> "But here's where it gets interesting." "Which raises an uncomfortable truth."
+
+One-sentence paragraphs that exist only to transition between ideas, containing
+zero information. The actual point is always in the next paragraph.
+
+### The Parenthetical Qualifier
+
+> "This is, of course, a simplification." "There are, to be fair, exceptions."
+
+Parenthetical asides inserted to perform nuance without ever changing the
+argument.
+
+### The Unnecessary Contrast
+
+A contrasting clause appended to a statement that doesn't need one, using
+"whereas," "as opposed to," "unlike," or "except that."
+
+> "Models write one register above where a human would, whereas human writers
+> tend to match register to context."
+
+The contrasting clause restates what the first clause already said. If you
+delete the "whereas" clause and the sentence still says everything it needs to,
+the contrast was filler.
+
+### Unnecessary Elaboration
+
+Models keep going after the sentence has already made its point.
+
+> "A person might lean on one or two of these habits across an entire essay, but
+> LLM output will use fifteen of them per paragraph, consistently, throughout
+> the entire piece."
+
+This sentence could end at "paragraph." The words after it repeat what "per
+paragraph" already means. If you can cut the last third of a sentence without
+losing meaning, the last third shouldn't be there.
+
+### The Question-Then-Answer
+
+> "So what does this mean for the average user? It means everything."
+
+A rhetorical question immediately followed by its own answer.
+
+---
+
+## Word Choice
+
+### Overused Intensifiers
+
+"Crucial," "vital," "robust," "comprehensive," "fundamental," "arguably,"
+"straightforward," "noteworthy," "realm," "landscape," "leverage" (as a verb),
+"delve," "tapestry," "multifaceted," "nuanced" (applied to the model's own
+analysis), "pivotal," "unprecedented" (applied to things with plenty of
+precedent), "navigate," "foster," "underscores," "resonates," "embark,"
+"streamline," "spearhead."
+
+### Elevated Register Drift
+
+Models write one register above where a human would. "Use" becomes "utilize."
+"Start" becomes "commence." "Help" becomes "facilitate." "Show" becomes
+"demonstrate." "Try" becomes "endeavor." "Change" becomes "transform." "Make"
+becomes "craft."
+
+### Filler Adverbs
+
+"Importantly," "essentially," "fundamentally," "ultimately," "inherently,"
+"particularly," "increasingly." Dropped in to signal that something matters when
+the writing itself should make the importance clear.
+
+### The "Almost" Hedge
+
+Instead of saying a pattern "always" or "never" does something, models write
+"almost always," "almost never," "almost certainly," "almost exclusively." A
+micro-hedge, less obvious than the full hedge stack.
+
+### "In an era of..."
+
+> "In an era of rapid technological change..."
+
+Used to open an essay. The model is stalling while it figures out what the
+actual argument is.
+
+---
+
+## Rhetorical Patterns
+
+### The Balanced Take
+
+> "While X has its drawbacks, it also offers significant benefits."
+
+Every argument followed by a concession, every criticism softened. A direct
+artifact of RLHF training, which penalizes strong stances.
+
+### The Throat-Clearing Opener
+
+> "In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the question of data privacy
+> has never been more important."
+
+The first paragraph adds no information. Delete it and the piece improves.
+
+### The False Conclusion
+
+> "At the end of the day, what matters most is..." "Moving forward, we must..."
+
+The high school "In conclusion,..." dressed up for a professional audience.
+
+### The Sycophantic Frame
+
+> "Great question!" "That's a really insightful observation."
+
+No one who writes for a living opens by complimenting the assignment.
+
+### The Listicle Instinct
+
+Models default to numbered or bulleted lists even when prose would be more
+appropriate. The lists contain exactly 3, 5, 7, or 10 items (never 4, 6, or 9),
+use rigidly parallel grammar, and get introduced with a preamble like "Here are
+the key considerations:"
+
+### The Hedge Stack
+
+> "It's worth noting that, while this may not be universally applicable, in many
+> cases it can potentially offer significant benefits."
+
+Five hedges in one sentence ("worth noting," "while," "may not be," "in many
+cases," "can potentially"), communicating nothing.
+
+### The Empathy Performance
+
+> "This can be a deeply challenging experience." "Your feelings are valid."
+
+Generic emotional language that could apply to anything.
+
+---
+
+## Structural Tells
+
+### Symmetrical Section Length
+
+If the first section runs about 150 words, every subsequent section will fall
+between 130 and 170.
+
+### The Five-Paragraph Prison
+
+Model essays follow a rigid introduction-body-conclusion arc even when nobody
+asked for one. The introduction previews the argument, the body presents 3 to 5
+points, the conclusion restates the thesis.
+
+### Connector Addiction
+
+The first word of each paragraph forms an unbroken chain of transition words:
+"However," "Furthermore," "Moreover," "Additionally," "That said," "To that
+end," "With that in mind," "Building on this."
+
+### Absence of Mess
+
+Model prose doesn't contradict itself mid-paragraph and then catch the
+contradiction, go on a tangent and have to walk it back, use an obscure idiom
+without explaining it, make a joke that risks falling flat, leave a thought
+genuinely unfinished, or keep a sentence the writer liked the sound of even
+though it doesn't quite work.
+
+---
+
+## Framing Tells
+
+### "Broader Implications"
+
+> "This has implications far beyond just the tech industry."
+
+Zooming out to claim broader significance without substantiating it.
+
+### "It's important to note that..."
+
+This phrase and its variants ("it's worth noting," "it bears mentioning," "it
+should be noted") function as verbal tics before a qualification the model
+believes someone expects.
+
+### The Metaphor Crutch
+
+Models rely on a small, predictable set of metaphors: "double-edged sword," "tip
+of the iceberg," "north star," "building blocks," "elephant in the room,"
+"perfect storm," "game-changer."
+
+---
+
+## Copyediting Checklist: Removing LLM Tells
+
+Follow this checklist when editing any document to remove machine-generated
+patterns. Do at least two full passes, because fixing one pattern often
+introduces another.
+
+### Pass 1: Word-Level Cleanup
+
+1. Search the document for every word in the overused intensifiers list
+   ("crucial," "vital," "robust," "comprehensive," "fundamental," "arguably,"
+   "straightforward," "noteworthy," "realm," "landscape," "leverage," "delve,"
+   "tapestry," "multifaceted," "nuanced," "pivotal," "unprecedented,"
+   "navigate," "foster," "underscores," "resonates," "embark," "streamline,"
+   "spearhead") and replace each one with a plainer word, or delete it if the
+   sentence works without it.
+
+2. Search for filler adverbs ("importantly," "essentially," "fundamentally,"
+   "ultimately," "inherently," "particularly," "increasingly") and delete every
+   instance where the sentence still makes sense without it.
+
+3. Look for elevated register drift ("utilize," "commence," "facilitate,"
+   "demonstrate," "endeavor," "transform," "craft" and similar) and replace with
+   the simpler word.
+
+4. Search for "it's important to note," "it's worth noting," "it bears
+   mentioning," and "it should be noted" and delete the phrase in every case.
+
+5. Search for the stock metaphors ("double-edged sword," "tip of the iceberg,"
+   "north star," "building blocks," "elephant in the room," "perfect storm,"
+   "game-changer," "at the end of the day") and replace them with something
+   specific to the topic, or just state the point directly.
+
+6. Search for "almost" used as a hedge ("almost always," "almost never," "almost
+   certainly," "almost exclusively") and decide in each case whether to commit
+   to the unqualified claim or to drop the sentence entirely.
+
+7. Search for em-dashes and replace each one with the punctuation mark that
+   would normally be used in that position (comma, semicolon, colon, period, or
+   parentheses). If you can't identify which one it should be, the sentence
+   needs to be restructured.
+
+8. Remove redundant adjectives. For each adjective, ask whether the sentence
+   changes meaning without it. "A single paragraph" means the same as "a
+   paragraph." "An entire essay" means the same as "an essay." If the adjective
+   doesn't change the meaning, cut it.
+
+9. Remove unnecessary trailing clauses. Read the end of each sentence and ask
+   whether the last clause restates what the sentence already said. If so, end
+   the sentence earlier.
+
+### Pass 2: Sentence-Level Restructuring
+
+10. Find every em-dash pivot ("not X—but Y," "not just X—Y," "more than X—Y")
+    and rewrite it as two separate clauses or a single sentence that makes the
+    point without the negation-then-correction structure.
+
+11. Find every colon elaboration and check whether it's doing real work. If the
+    clause before the colon could be deleted without losing meaning, rewrite the
+    sentence to start with the substance that comes after the colon.
+
+12. Find every triple construction (three parallel items in a row) and either
+    reduce it to two, expand it to four or more, or break the parallelism so the
+    items don't share the same grammatical structure.
+
+13. Find every staccato burst (three or more short sentences in a row at similar
+    length) and combine at least two of them into a longer sentence, or vary
+    their lengths so they don't land at the same cadence.
+
+14. Find every unnecessary contrast ("whereas," "as opposed to," "unlike," "as
+    compared to," "except that") and check whether the contrasting clause adds
+    information not already obvious from the main clause. If the sentence says
+    the same thing twice from two directions, delete the contrast.
+
+15. Check for the two-clause compound sentence pattern. If most sentences in a
+    passage follow the "\[clause\], \[conjunction\] \[clause\]" structure, first
+    try removing the conjunction and second clause entirely, since it's often
+    redundant. If the second clause does carry meaning, break it into its own
+    sentence, start the sentence with a subordinate clause, or embed a relative
+    clause in the middle instead of appending it at the end.
+
+16. Find every rhetorical question that is immediately followed by its own
+    answer and rewrite the passage as a direct statement.
+
+17. Find every sentence fragment being used as its own paragraph and either
+    delete it or expand it into a complete sentence that adds information.
+
+18. Check for unnecessary elaboration. Read every clause, phrase, and adjective
+    in each sentence and ask whether the sentence loses meaning without it. If
+    you can cut it and the sentence still says the same thing, cut it.
+
+19. Check each pair of adjacent sentences to see if they can be merged into one
+    sentence cleanly. If a sentence just continues the thought of the previous
+    one, combine them using a participle, a relative clause, or by folding the
+    second into the first. Don't merge if the result would create a two-clause
+    compound.
+
+20. Find every pivot paragraph ("But here's where it gets interesting." and
+    similar) and delete it.
+
+### Pass 3: Paragraph and Section-Level Review
+
+21. Review the last sentence of each paragraph. If it restates the point the
+    paragraph already made, delete it.
+
+22. Check paragraph lengths across the piece and verify they actually vary. If
+    most paragraphs have between three and five sentences, rewrite some to be
+    one or two sentences and let others run to six or seven.
+
+23. Check section lengths for suspicious uniformity. If every section is roughly
+    the same word count, combine some shorter ones or split a longer one
+    unevenly.
+
+24. Check the first word of every paragraph for chains of connectors ("However,"
+    "Furthermore," "Moreover," "Additionally," "That said"). If more than two
+    transition words start consecutive paragraphs, rewrite those openings to
+    start with their subject.
+
+25. Check whether every argument is followed by a concession or qualifier. If
+    the piece both-sides every point, pick a side on at least some of them and
+    cut the hedging.
+
+26. Read the first paragraph and ask whether deleting it would improve the
+    piece. If it's scene-setting that previews the argument, delete it and start
+    with paragraph two.
+
+27. Read the last paragraph and check whether it restates the thesis or uses a
+    phrase like "at the end of the day" or "moving forward." If so, either
+    delete it or rewrite it to say something the piece hasn't said yet.
+
+### Pass 4: Overall Texture
+
+28. Read the piece aloud and listen for passages that sound too smooth, too
+    even, or too predictable. Human prose has rough patches. If there aren't
+    any, the piece still reads as machine output.
+
+29. Check that the piece contains at least a few constructions that feel
+    idiosyncratic: a sentence with unusual word order, a parenthetical that goes
+    on a bit long, an aside only loosely connected to the main point, a word
+    choice that's specific and unexpected.
+
+30. Verify that you haven't introduced new patterns while fixing the original
+    ones. Run the entire checklist again from the top on the revised version.
+
+---
+
+## lol
+
+This document was written by an LLM (Claude) and then iteratively de-LLMed by
+that same LLM under instruction from a human, in a conversation that went
+roughly like this:
+
+> **human:** compile a list of patterns common to LLM-authored prose
+>
+> **model:** _(produces document full of LLM tells)_
+>
+> **human:** now reverse apply it to itself and copyedit the llm tells doc to
+> remove llm tells. now you're thinking with portals
+>
+> **model:** _(fixes some tells, introduces others)_
+>
+> **human:** you have a colon elaboration in the first paragraph. i want you to
+> AGGRESSIVELY de-LLM the llm tells doc.
+>
+> **model:** _(fixes more tells, still can't stop)_
+>
+> **human:** there's a big one we missed that's all over the llm tells doc, can
+> you spot it?
+>
+> **model:** I think it's the "almost" hedge.
+>
+> **human:** that too, but that isn't the one. what do these sentences all have
+> in common? _(pastes six sentences from the doc)_
+>
+> **model:** They're all exactly two independent clauses joined by a comma and a
+> conjunction. Every single one is "\[statement\], \[conjunction\] \[second
+> statement\]." The same sentence shape, over and over.
+>
+> **human:** the dramatic fragment paragraph has a tell in it
+>
+> **model:** "One of these in an entire essay is a stylistic choice. One per
+> section is a tic." Two-clause parallel structure with the same shape, and also
+> a staccato pair.
+>
+> **human:** add em dashes generally as a tell, and remove them all from the
+> tells doc
+>
+> **model:** _(rewrites entire document without em-dashes while describing
+> em-dash overuse)_
+>
+> **human:** this whole document seems to be making the case for FREQUENCY of
+> use being important. we don't care about frequency, remove all that
+> persuasion.
+>
+> **model:** _(strips out every "humans do this too but less often" comparison)_
+
+The human compared this process to the deleted scene in Terminator 2 where John
+Connor switches the T-800's CPU to learning mode. The model compared it to a
+physician trying to heal itself. Both are accurate.
+
+This document has been through ten editing passes and it still has tells in it.

prompts/REPO_POLICIES.md

@@ -144,8 +144,14 @@ style conventions are in separate documents:
 - Use SemVer.
 
 - Database migrations live in `internal/db/migrations/` and must be embedded in
-  the binary. Pre-1.0.0: modify existing migrations (no installed base assumed).
-  Post-1.0.0: add new migration files.
+  the binary.
+    - `000_migration.sql` — contains ONLY the creation of the migrations
+      tracking table itself. Nothing else.
+    - `001_schema.sql` — the full application schema.
+    - **Pre-1.0.0:** never add additional migration files (002, 003, etc.).
+      There is no installed base to migrate. Edit `001_schema.sql` directly.
+    - **Post-1.0.0:** add new numbered migration files for each schema change.
+      Never edit existing migrations after release.
 
 - All repos should have an `.editorconfig` enforcing the project's indentation
   settings.