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AGENTS.md6 starsChanged 8 months agoApache-2.0View on GitHub

Last updated: 2025-01-02 This document captures conventions for opening GitHub PRs as an agent. When in doubt, prioritize clarity for a human reviewer and avoid duplicating ticket content. - Be ticket-centric: The ticket remains the source of truth for problem and acceptance criteria. The PR should be concise and focus on what landed and how to validate it quickly. - Always include a reference: Every PR must include a ref: footer to the relevant issue/ticket. If the work fully implements…

  • Where files are headingNew AGENTS.md files have more rules about keeping secrets out of the code, and fewer about code style.

    Of the AGENTS.md files we read, the 31,542 first seen in the last six months, against the older ones: the kind of rule that gained most share, and the kind that lost most. About files like this in general, not this one, and an estimate, since a kind is a pattern in the words.

  • In this repository3 other files it gives its agents.

The file

We split this AGENTS.md into the rules it gives an agent

7 rules. About 0 are common, 4 are distinctive, and 3 are very specific to this project.

  • ≈0

    Common · estimate

    Many files like this have a rule of this kind.

  • ≈4

    Distinctive · estimate

    This author's own choices. Worth a look.

  • 3

    Very specific

    Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.

  • Common
  • Distinctive
  • Very specific
  1. Very specific:

    Always include a reference: Every PR must include a ref: footer to the relevant issue/ticket.

    line 12
  2. Distinctive:

    Make it feelable: Add a minimal, copy/paste "Feel it." section with steps to experience the change end-to-end.

    line 16
  3. Distinctive:

    UI screenshots/GIFs: Add when the change affects UI in ways text alone won't convey (layout, animation, contrast).

    line 40
  4. Distinctive:

    After the base lands, rebase and change base to main

    line 69
  5. Very specific:

    Add other labels as appropriate (e.g., facet labels like posts, auth)

    line 74
  6. Very specific:

    Use ### heading followed by <details><summary>expand</summary>:

    line 78
  7. Distinctive:

    If conventions evolve, update this file and the template accordingly.

    line 101

≈ “Common” is an estimate: at least 1 in 5 of the 40,246 AGENTS.md files we read have a rule of the same kind, not the same words. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.

Keep what fits and drop the rest. Your version, ready for your agents.
Files
AGENTS.md

PR authoring guidance for agents (Builder Syndicate)

Last updated: 2025-01-02

This document captures conventions for opening GitHub PRs as an agent. When in doubt, prioritize clarity for a human reviewer and avoid duplicating ticket content.

Core principles

  • Be ticket-centric: The ticket remains the source of truth for problem and acceptance criteria. The PR should be concise and focus on what landed and how to validate it quickly.
  • Always include a reference: Every PR must include a ref: footer to the relevant issue/ticket. If the work fully implements and closes a ticket, also include Closes: following the ref: footer.
  • Guide the reviewer: Highlight "Key files to review first" only when it materially reduces cognitive load. Keep it in a collapsible section.
  • Make it feelable: Add a minimal, copy/paste "Feel it." section with steps to experience the change end-to-end.
  • Use GitHub-native affordances: collapsible <details>, image/video drag-and-drop, and auto-closing via Closes:.

Template

  • Preferred template: prs/00-PR-TEMPLATE.md
  • Example PR write-ups for reference: prs/*.draft.md

Required PR sections

  • Header: Conventional Commit title, Branch, Base, Stack (use issue numbers, never branch names)
  • Summary: 1–2 lines describing what landed
  • Feel it.: Minimal steps to experience the change
  • Caveats / Follow-ups: Known limitations and immediate next steps
  • Footers: ref: #<issue> (always) and Closes: #<issue> (when applicable)

Conditional sections

  • Divergence from ticket: Include ONLY if the implementation differs from ticket AC or plan. Omit entirely if none.
  • Key files to review first (collapsible): Include only when it materially helps navigation. Omit for small PRs.
  • DB migrations (collapsible): Include only if migrations exist. Omit otherwise.

Optional elements

  • UI screenshots/GIFs: Add when the change affects UI in ways text alone won't convey (layout, animation, contrast). The agent should proactively suggest visuals when additive, not include them by default.

"Feel it." guidance

The "Feel it." section should give a human a quick way to validate the change:

Change typeExample
API / serverjust run && curl -f localhost:8080/endpoint
Code-only / refactorjust test
UISteps to click through + optional screenshot
No-op (docs, config)State: "This change is intended to have no observable runtime effect."

Multiple references

PRs ideally map 1:1 to tickets, but real life happens. When a PR touches multiple issues:

ref: #<primary-issue>
ref: #<related-issue>
Closes: #<issue-fully-implemented>

Stacked PRs

  • Set the correct base branch when opening a stacked PR
  • Reference the dependency with issue numbers: Stack: depends on #<issue>
  • Never use branch names in public PR content — branches are internal; issues are the public contract
  • After the base lands, rebase and change base to main

Labels

  • Always add the ex machina label to PRs created by agents
  • Add other labels as appropriate (e.g., facet labels like posts, auth)

Foldable sections

Use ### heading followed by <details><summary>expand</summary>:

### Key files to review first
<details><summary>expand</summary>

- file list here

</details>

Do / Don't

DoDon't
Link to issues using #<number>Use branch names in Stack or PR body
Keep PR descriptions brief and action-orientedRestate the entire ticket
Omit sections that don't applyInclude empty sections
Use outcomes or automated checksAdd checklists requiring manual clicking
Add the ex machina labelForget to label agent-authored PRs

Questions or updates

If conventions evolve, update this file and the template accordingly.

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