Context-Driven Development

Guide for implementing and maintaining context as a managed artifact alongside code, enabling consistent AI interactions and team alignment through structured project documentation.

Do not use this skill when

• The task is unrelated to context-driven development
• You need a different domain or tool outside this scope

Instructions

• Clarify goals, constraints, and required inputs.
• Apply relevant best practices and validate outcomes.
• Provide actionable steps and verification.
• If detailed examples are required, open resources/implementation-playbook.md.

Use this skill when

• Setting up new projects with Conductor
• Understanding the relationship between context artifacts
• Maintaining consistency across AI-assisted development sessions
• Onboarding team members to an existing Conductor project
• Deciding when to update context documents
• Managing greenfield vs brownfield project contexts

Core Philosophy

Context-Driven Development treats project context as a first-class artifact managed alongside code. Instead of relying on ad-hoc prompts or scattered documentation, establish a persistent, structured foundation that informs all AI interactions.

Key principles:

1. Context precedes code: Define what you're building and how before implementation
2. Living documentation: Context artifacts evolve with the project
3. Single source of truth: One canonical location for each type of information
4. AI alignment: Consistent context produces consistent AI behavior

The Workflow

Follow the Context → Spec & Plan → Implement workflow:

1. Context Phase: Establish or verify project context artifacts exist and are current
2. Specification Phase: Define requirements and acceptance criteria for work units
3. Planning Phase: Break specifications into phased, actionable tasks
4. Implementation Phase: Execute tasks following established workflow patterns

Artifact Relationships

🧠 Knowledge Modules (Fractal Skills)

1. product.md - Defines WHAT and WHY

2. product-guidelines.md - Defines HOW to Communicate

3. tech-stack.md - Defines WITH WHAT

4. workflow.md - Defines HOW to Work

5. tracks.md - Tracks WHAT'S HAPPENING

6. Keep Artifacts Synchronized

7. Update tech-stack.md When Adding Dependencies

8. Update product.md When Features Complete

9. Verify Context Before Implementation

10. Greenfield Projects (New)

11. Brownfield Projects (Existing)

12. Team Alignment

13. AI Consistency

14. Institutional Memory

15. Quality Assurance

16. Product Context

17. Technical Context

18. Workflow Context

19. Track Context

20. Stale Context

21. Context Sprawl

22. Implicit Context

23. Context Hoarding

24. Over-Specification

25. IDE Integration

26. Git Hooks

27. CI/CD Integration

28. Starting a New Session

29. Ending a Session

30. Handling Interruptions