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SKILL.md (first lines)

# /archcore:document

Record the present state: a technical decision, existing code, or a supplied
research material. Context resolution (`skills/_shared/gate-contract.md`,
section Context resolution) classifies the request and finds the present owner;
a gate inside the selected track selects the document type. Write affinity: knowledge
types; a filed `research` and the decision cascade's `plan` belong to vision.
The standard cascade can add a `cpat` (experience). A type the user names
explicitly keeps its own category (Named type below).

Command tense: `/archcore:plan` declares a future canon delta, `/archcore:document`
records the present state — including work that shipped without a plan — and
`/archcore:review` reconciles a past declared delta. Claim vocabulary:
`skills/_shared/delta-routing.md`.

Load `skills/_shared/gate-contract.md` and `skills/_shared/elicitation-contract.md` before executing any gate.

## Tracks

| Classification | Track and entry | Types the entry gate selects |
|---|---|---|
| decision | `skills/_shared/tracks/decision.md`, `decision.classify` | `adr`, `rfc`; `rule` through the standard cascade; an existing `rfc` draft on the topic → `decision.resolve`, which records an `adr` on an accepted verdict |
| code-doc | `skills/_shared/tracks/describe.md`, `describe.read` | `spec`, `guide`, `task-type`, `scenario`, `doc` |
| research material | `skills/_shared/tracks/research.md`, `research.frame` | `research`, `rnd` by the closing test; one external material → `evidence` |

No first word is a mode. When the subject text names a type (`skills/_shared/gate-contract.md`,
Entry terms) that the selected track produces, the selecting gate treats that type as settled and asks no
type question: `record an rfc for gRPC` reaches the RFC branch; a leading type
slug takes the Named type path. No track produces a `journey`; a `journey` comes
from `/archcore:plan` or from the named-type path below.

### Named type

WHEN the first word of the subject is a kernel document type slug, or the subject writes a slug in
backticks, the named type wins over routing (`explicit-type-request-wins.adr`).
A slug elsewhere in plain topic text names no type here; inside a track the gate
contract's naming rule still applies. When two slugs qualify, the
first one wins.

1. IF a document track produces the named type as its own product, THEN enter that track with the type settled: `adr`, `rfc` → decision; `spec`, `doc`, `guide`, `scenario` → describe; `research`, `rnd`, `evidence` → research.
2. IF no document track produces it as its own product — `rule`, `journey`, `prd`, `idea`, `plan`, `cpat`, `task-type`, `mrd`, `brd`, `urd`, `brs`, `strs`, `syrs`, `srs` — THEN compose it directly per the steps below. A `rule` comes from the decision track only as a cascade member behind an `adr`; a named `rule` needs neither.
3. Apply the compatibility file for the type before the first MCP call that names it.
4. Search `.archcore/` for a local document of that type on the topic; when one exists, offer to update it instead.
5. Load `skills/_shared/<type>-contract.md` when that file exists, and `skills/_shared/precision-rules.md`.
6. WHEN no contract file exists, compose the sections of the `create_document` template for that type.
7. Create the document with `status: draft` through `create_document`.
8. Evaluate relations through `skills/_shared/relation-authoring.md`.
9. WHEN the type's routing condition fails, report it in one result line naming the better-fitting type; ask no question.

Examples of a failed routing condition: a `journey` where a covering `spec`
exists (`scenario` fits), a `plan` composed without the conductor (it
carries no Declared Delta), or a `rule` with no `adr` recording its reason.

## When to use

- "We decided to go with microservices" — settled decision
- "Record the decision to use PostgreSQL"
- "Document why we chose JWT over sessions"
- "Make this our team standard for error handling"
- "Draft an RFC for switching from REST to gRPC"
- "Should we switch to Kubernetes?" — open choice: one question offers an `adr`, an `rfc` (resolved into an `adr` later), or investigating first
- "We accepted the proposal — resolve the RFC" — proposal resolution
- "Document the auth module"
- "Capture how the payment system works"
- "Create reference docs for the config system" — reference material
- "Write a guide for the release process" — how-to instructions
- "Write down how the agent cuts a release" — a repeated agent procedure (`task-type`)
- "Scenario for checkout over the checkout spec" — a user flow with examples over an existing spec
- "File this benchmark report" — a ready investigation
- "File this vendor PDF as evidence" — one external material

**Not document:**

- Planning a feature, an initiative, or an intended user journey the request does not name as a `journey` → `/archcore:plan`
- Checking documents against code, reviewing branch changes, or a documentation audit → `/archcore:review`
- First-time setup → `/archcore:init`

## Routing table

| Signal | Route |
|---|---|
| No arguments, one draft with a state block this command resumes | → resume it |
| No arguments, branch changes or supplied material name a present fact | → a start menu of at most four owners, each with its evidence, the smallest owner first |
| No arguments and no reliable signal | → ask one question: what present fact or subject to record |
| The subject names a document type that no document track produces | → Named type, direct composition |
| Decision signals: "we decided", "record this decision", "document why we chose X", "make it our standard", "draft an RFC", a "should we switch to Y" question (the decision track asks which exit). A bare "compare X vs Y" with no proposed target belongs to `/archcore:plan`'s research track; a proposal to add a new capability with no named technical target ("should we add caching?") is feature framing → `/archcore:plan` | → decision track — `skills/_shared/tracks/decision.md`, entry at `decision.classify` |
| Resolution signals: "resolve the RFC", "we accepted the proposal", "reject the RFC" — an `rfc` draft exists on the topic | → decision track — `skills/_shared/tracks/decision.md`, entry at `decision.resolve` |
| Code-doc signals: "document the auth module", "capture how the payment system works", reference material (registry, glossary, lookup), how-to instructions, a repeated agent procedure, a user flow with examples over an existing `spec` | → describe track — `skills/_shared/tracks/describe.md`, entry at `describe.read` |
| Research-material signals: a supplied investigation report, benchmark, transcript, or vendor document to file as is | → research track — `skills/_shared/tracks/research.md`, entry at `research.frame` |
| Unclear | → git investigation, then one classifying question (Step 3) |

## Execution

### Step 1: Ground

Apply `skills/_shared/research-compatibility.md` under its condition 1 — a
request or type naming `research` or `evidence`, the research track, or a
grounding result of either type. If this skill has no shell tool and no probe
result was supplied, report `needs-vocabulary-probe` with the helper path and
stop before the first MCP call that names either type.
Before delegating research or evidence work, pass the current vocabulary probe
result and absolute plugin root to the assistant. If the assistant returns
`needs-vocabulary-probe`, run the helper and resume the same task.
Before delegating any other document write or relation work, pass the absolute
plugin root to the assistant. The assistant reads
`skills/_shared/relation-authoring.md` under that root.
Apply `skills/_shared/actor-subject-compatibility.md` under its own condition 1 —
a request whose subject names `scenario` or `journey`, or a grounding result of
either type. When that probe returns `yes`, add `scenario` and `journey` to the
type filter below. On older engines, keep the legacy filter; a request to
describe code whose subject names `scenario` then reports the required version
and exits without a write.
When the probe returns `yes`, add `research` and `evidence` to the type filter
below. On older engines, keep the legacy filter.

Search `.archcore/` on the request topic across all three categories — vision,
knowledge, experience. Do not exclude a category from reads. Pass a type filter
matched to this command's moment (`adr`, `rfc`, `spec`, `doc`, `guide`, `rule`,
plus `rnd` as decision evidence, and `research` and `evidence` when the probe returned `yes`) instead of relying on the global type ranking. When a found document carries

From archcore-ai/archcore, Apache-2.0.

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