---
name: reconcile-dev-docs
description: Reconcile development docs by auditing roadmap, todo, history, phase archives, specs, git history, and code reality
type: analysis
version: v0.0
argument-hint: "[audit|fix] [tasks|specs|all]"
---

# Reconcile Dev Docs

Invoke as `$reconcile-dev-docs`.

Audit or repair development documentation so the roadmap, current work, history, specs, and evidence from git/code all tell the same story.

## Workflow

### 1. Determine Mode and Scope

Parse `$ARGUMENTS`:

- **Mode**: `audit` (default, read-only) or `fix` (update development docs only)
- **Scope**: `all` (default), `tasks`, or `specs`

Resolve the canonical development docs:

- `tasks/roadmap.md`
- `tasks/todo.md`
- `tasks/manual-todo.md` (if it exists)
- `tasks/record-todo.md` (if it exists)
- `tasks/recurring-todo.md` (if it exists)
- `tasks/history.md`
- `tasks/phases/*.md`
- `tasks/ideas.md` (if it exists)
- `specs/*.md` and `specs/*/*.md`
- `docs/specifications/*.md` (fallback specs location)

If no task docs exist, report that there is nothing to reconcile and recommend `$roadmap` or `$plan-phase` based on available specs.

### 2. Gather Evidence

Read the development docs and collect:

- Roadmap phases, milestone checkboxes, acceptance criteria, manual tasks, record tasks, recurring tasks, and deferred items
- Current todo phase, checked/unchecked steps, blockers, and review/results sections
- Manual task blockers and `_(blocks: ...)_` / `_(after: ...)_` annotations
- Record task conditions, non-blocking reasons, evidence paths, and promotion rules
- Recurring task cadence, last run, next due, evidence paths, and escalation conditions
- History entries with dates, completed phases/steps, commit SHAs, and claimed outcomes
- Phase archives and their completion summaries
- Spec titles, statuses, acceptance criteria, and major implementation claims

Read git/code evidence:

- `git status --short`
- `git log --oneline -50`
- `git log --name-only --since=<latest relevant doc date>` when timestamps suggest docs may be stale
- Targeted file existence and `rg` checks for claims marked complete

### 3. Reconcile Rules

Classify findings:

| Severity | Examples |
|----------|----------|
| **Error** | Docs contradict each other: roadmap marks a phase done while todo has unchecked required steps; history claims completion but no matching roadmap/todo/archive/git evidence exists |
| **Warning** | Likely drift: recent commits changed areas covered by specs but history/todo were not updated; completed phase has no archive; manual blockers remain for completed steps |
| **Info** | Cleanup opportunities: stale handoff notes, missing links between history entries and commits, specs that should be checked by `$spec-drift` |

Use these specific checks:

- `tasks/todo.md` checked steps should be reflected in `tasks/history.md` after shipping.
- Completed roadmap phases should have corresponding `tasks/phases/phase-N.md` archives.
- The active `tasks/todo.md` phase should match the first incomplete roadmap phase.
- `tasks/manual-todo.md` should not contain unchecked blockers for completed todo steps unless the user explicitly overrode them.
- `tasks/todo.md` should not contain condition-gated baseline measurements or future records unless they are current execution work; move clear cases to `tasks/record-todo.md`.
- `tasks/manual-todo.md` should not contain non-blocking records unless they require human-only external action tied to a `blocks` or `after` step; move clear cases to `tasks/record-todo.md`.
- `tasks/manual-todo.md` should not contain agent-executable work such as repo edits, SDK wiring, generated assets, local commands, tests, audits, or authenticated CLI/API operations; move clear cases to `tasks/todo.md`.
- `tasks/recurring-todo.md` due items should remain advisory unless explicitly promoted into `tasks/todo.md`.
- Recent commits that complete user-facing work should have a matching history entry.
- Specs whose described areas changed after their last modification date should be flagged for `$spec-drift`.
- Claimed completed work should have either git evidence, file evidence, test evidence, or an explicit note explaining why evidence is unavailable.

### 4. Fix Mode

In `fix` mode, apply only unambiguous development-doc changes:

- Append missing factual entries to `tasks/history.md`.
- Check roadmap milestones only when todo/archive/git evidence all support completion.
- Create missing `tasks/phases/phase-N.md` archives from completed `tasks/todo.md` content.
- Move the next roadmap phase into `tasks/todo.md` only when the current phase is clearly complete.
- Move clearly misclassified non-blocking condition-gated records from `tasks/todo.md` or `tasks/manual-todo.md` into `tasks/record-todo.md`.
- Move clearly misclassified cadence-based obligations from `tasks/todo.md` or `tasks/manual-todo.md` into `tasks/recurring-todo.md`.
- Move clearly misclassified agent-executable work from `tasks/manual-todo.md` into `tasks/todo.md` with enough file/command detail for `$run`.
- Add unresolved contradictions to `tasks/todo.md` under `## Development Docs Reconciliation`.
- Archive existing `specs/` or `docs/specifications/` files before replacing or substantively rewriting them.
- Write `tasks/reconciliation-report.md` with resolved, deferred, and remaining findings.

Ask before applying any ambiguous change. If already in Plan mode and there are 2-3 concrete choices, prefer `request_user_input`; otherwise ask plainly in chat.

## Output

### Audit Mode

```
## Dev Docs Reconciliation

### Errors (N)
- **tasks/todo.md** - [problem]. Evidence: [roadmap/history/git reference].

### Warnings (N)
- **specs/foo.md** - [problem]. Recommended action: $spec-drift.

### Info (N)
- **tasks/history.md** - [cleanup opportunity].

### Summary
- Roadmap/todo alignment: [ok|issues]
- History coverage: [ok|issues]
- Phase archives: [ok|issues]
- Spec freshness: [ok|issues]
- Recommended next action: [specific skill or fix plan]
```

### Fix Mode

Report the same sections plus:

```
### Fixed
- [x] [file] - [change made]

### Deferred
- [ ] [finding requiring user judgment]
```

## Constraints

- Read-only by default.
- In `fix` mode, modify only development docs under `tasks/`, `specs/`, or `docs/specifications/`; archive existing spec documents before replacement per the Archive-First Replacement Policy.
- Do not modify code, research docs, kanban cards, git history, or deployment state.
- Do not rewrite or delete old `tasks/history.md` entries; append corrections or superseding notes.
- Do not uncheck completed work automatically. Report unsupported completion claims unless the user approves the correction.
- Treat `tasks/roadmap.md` as the strategic source of truth, `tasks/todo.md` as the active execution contract, `tasks/manual-todo.md` as human-only external step-linked work, `tasks/record-todo.md` and `tasks/recurring-todo.md` as advisory surfaces, and `tasks/history.md` as append-only evidence.

## Alignment Page

When this skill produces durable deliverables (research, specs, plans, reports, prototypes, or any document output), build a full-depth HTML alignment page at `alignment/reconcile-dev-docs-{topic}.html`. Use a normalized topic slug derived from the app, feature, research subject, report subject, or output filename.

**Full content requirement.** The alignment page must contain the complete content of every proposed markdown deliverable -- every section, every finding, every detail, every list item. It is a thorough interactive review document, not a summary. Render the full deliverable content in clean, readable HTML with appropriate hierarchy, styling, and navigation. If the skill writes multiple scoped deliverables in one run, build one alignment page that contains all deliverables with anchor-linked navigation. Durable tracker artifacts, such as `research/assumption-tracker.md`, remain canonical markdown outputs but must also be fully rendered into the alignment page before approval.

**Dark-mode styling.** Use a dark color scheme by default. Base CSS variables: `--bg: #0d1117; --surface: #161b22; --border: #30363d; --text: #c9d1d9; --text-muted: #8b949e; --accent: #58a6ff; --green: #3fb950; --red: #f85149; --orange: #d29922; --purple: #bc8cff;`. Apply `background: var(--bg); color: var(--text);` on body. Use `--surface` for cards, nav, and table headers. Use `--border` for all borders. Use `--purple` for question blocks and gate headings. Use `--accent` for links and section headings. Keep headings `color: #fff` or `var(--accent)` for hierarchy. Question block backgrounds should use `#1c2333`.

**Alignment gates.** Treat gates as explicit review sections inside the HTML page. A gate blocks finalization until its required inline questions are answered and compiled into YAML. Include every gate that applies to the skill output, and include these gate types whenever relevant: evidence coverage, assumptions/confidence, scope/non-goals, candidate/verdict decisions, artifact destination, proposed file changes, coverage checkpoint, and post-approval route.

**Report-only research gates.** For report-only or pre-approval research skills, the alignment page must explicitly contain evidence coverage, assumptions/confidence, recommended path, proposed file changes, and approval gates before any canonical research, spec, or task file is created or updated.


**Required inline questions.** Each gate must contain at least one required inline question placed directly under the content it governs, inside a visually distinct question block. Each question must use radio-button inputs and include two standing options after the skill-generated choices: "Other / None of the above" backed by a multi-line text box for free-form input, and "Need clarification" backed by an optional notes box where the user can explain what is unclear. When any radio option other than "Other" or "Need clarification" is selected, show an optional "Additional notes" text box beneath it so the user can qualify their choice. Generate questions based on what genuinely needs user input -- do not add filler questions. Do not create a separate bottom "Decisions & Clarifications" section.

**Gate YAML contract.** At the bottom of the page, include a "Compile Answers" button that aggregates answers from all inline gate questions throughout the page, including free-text notes. The button remains disabled until every required question has a selection, shows a count of remaining unanswered questions, and scrolls to the first unanswered question if clicked early. When every question is answered, generate a structured YAML block with one item per gate answer using this stable shape: `section`, `gate_type`, `status` (`answered`, `other`, or `needs-clarification`), `answer`, optional `notes`, and optional `target_artifact` or `target_path` when the gate controls file output. After successful compilation, automatically attempt to copy the YAML to the clipboard with the Clipboard API, display copy status, and display the YAML in a read-only textarea with an explicit "Copy YAML" button. The copy button must retry clipboard copy when supported and fall back to selecting the textarea contents when clipboard access is unavailable or blocked.

**Pre-approval stop.** Before user approval, the next action is review of the HTML alignment page, not downstream routing. Ask the user to review the page and provide the compiled YAML answers. Do not include `Recommended next skill`, `Recommended next command`, or downstream routing language until after compiled YAML has been provided and the approved artifacts have been written or updated.

**Diff highlighting on updates.** When the agent updates an existing alignment page after receiving compiled answers, highlight what changed since the previous version. The agent chooses inline annotation or side-by-side layout per situation.

**Archiving.** Before replacing an existing alignment page, archive it to `docs/history/archive/YYYY-MM-DD/HHMMSS/alignment/reconcile-dev-docs-{topic}.html`.

**Browser open.** Attempt to open the resulting HTML page in the browser and report whether the open succeeded or was blocked. A blocked browser-open attempt does not make the skill fail when the files were written correctly.

## Archive-First Replacement Policy

- Before replacing or substantively rewriting an existing canonical research/spec document (`research/**/*.md`, `specs/**/*.md`, or `docs/specifications/**/*.md`), copy the current file to `docs/history/archive/YYYY-MM-DD/HHMMSS/<original-relative-path>`.
- Preserve the archived snapshot exactly as it existed before the change; do not edit the archived copy after creating it.
- After the archive snapshot exists, write the updated document to the original canonical path.
- Report both the archive path and the updated canonical path in the final output.
- New files do not need archive snapshots. Append-only updates do not need archive snapshots unless an existing section is regenerated or rewritten.
- Keep any existing user approval requirement before overwriting or replacing a document; archiving does not replace asking when the skill already requires approval.

## Default Shipping Contract

- **Default next-step routing:** when reporting completion, include either `Recommended next skill: <command>` or the two-line pair `**Next work:** <specific task or "none">` and `**Recommended next command:** <one command or route>` so the next operator has a concrete handoff.
- If this skill creates or modifies tracked repository files, finish by committing and pushing all intended changes to the repository primary branch (`main` when present, otherwise `master`) before stopping, even if the user did not explicitly ask for commit/push.
- Do not leave tracked changes or unpushed commits behind. If unrelated tracked work is already present, either include it in sensible commits too or stop and explain the blocker.
- This contract does not override stricter safety rules about secrets, destructive history changes, release publication/tag confirmation, or production deploy confirmation.
