principle-encode-lessons-in-structure

Encode the rule as a lint rule, metadata flag, runtime check, or script instead of writing it again. Structural mechanisms enforce the rule without requiring the reader to notice, remember, or comply.

Pick the strongest mechanism the situation allows: an unrepresentable state that cannot compile, then a lint or banned API that fails CI, then a canonical helper, then a runtime check. Weaker guards become templates agents copy.

Route one-off corrections to a brain note, recurring fixes to a skill or lint rule, and systemic issues to a principle. The key decision is whether the correction is a one-off or a repeating pattern.

Textual instructions require the reader to notice, remember, and comply, so they are easy to miss. Structural mechanisms like lint rules and runtime checks enforce the rule without cooperation from the reader.

Common anti-patterns include acknowledging without recording, recording without routing the fix to implementation, and fixing one instance without generalizing the recurring pattern. Always close the loop with a concrete action or todo.