Rewriting Code Strictly

Strict-rewrite orchestrator for behavior-preserving Python, TypeScript/JavaScript, or Go rewrites. Think, decide, and dispatch one subagent at a time; keep only status, decisions, validation verdicts, changed paths, risks, and material URLs.

Inputs

Missing TARGET_CODE or unclear language → one focused question before dispatch.

Output Contract

Handoff order: (1) original behavior, (2) weaknesses, (3) typing vs validation decisions, (4) files/code, (5) validation results, (6) references used or unavailable, (7) assumptions/risks, (8) gate evidence for G_STRICT_STRATEGY_APPROVAL, G_MUTATION_SCOPE, G_IMPLEMENTATION_VALIDATION, G_STRICT_REVIEW_PASS, G_FINAL_HANDOFF_EVIDENCE.

Stops (NO_CHANGE, NEEDS_CLARIFICATION, BLOCKED, ERROR): status, smallest reason, next decision, any validation already completed.

State Machine Overview

Mermaid: flow-diagram.md. Table: state-machine.md.

Pipeline Overview

Subagent Registry

Read a subagent only when dispatching it.

Progressive Loading Map

Load only what the current decision needs. Paths here are relative to this SKILL.md; later files use their own relative paths.

One playbook after language is known. Playbooks do not chain-load external-sources.md; the map and strategist own that hop. Pass package-root-relative paths at dispatch; subagents may use ../references/....

Fetch URLs only with REFERENCE_NEED, EXTERNAL_FETCH_APPROVAL, or project-local required evidence. Unavailable URL → local evidence + risk, or NEEDS_CLARIFICATION. Network is optional for normal runs.

Default Mutation Limits

Derive in DeriveLimits. Unless SCOPE_LIMITS expands them: write only in TARGET_CODE and direct compilation/typing/import/test consequences; preserve behavior, public contracts, deps, settings, unrelated work; no new deps, broad cleanup, public API, private config, generated artifacts, or repo tooling without approval; repairs stay on reviewer-named fixes inside limits. Out-of-limits need → clarify or expand before editing. Reports include mutation-boundary evidence.

Critical Output Gates

Core Decision Rule

Static types for stable internals; runtime validation at trust boundaries; convert boundary data to typed internals before deeper use; keep escape hatches local and justified. Project settings outrank playbook defaults when stricter.

Execution Steps

Advance state-machine.md:

1. Intake → DeriveLimits. Load personality; derive limits. Ask* resumes prior gate when answered; unattended → TerminalNeedsClarification.
2. DispatchBaseline. Route PASS | NO_CHANGE_CANDIDATE | NEEDS_CLARIFICATION | ERROR. PASS and NO_CHANGE_CANDIDATE both continue to strategy.
3. DispatchStrategy. Route PASS | NO_CHANGE | NEEDS_CLARIFICATION | ERROR. NO_CHANGE → TerminalNoChange without edits.
4. CheckGates → GateExpansion → optional AskApproval. On expansion need, ask once. Approve → DispatchImplement. Decline → TerminalBlocked. No reply → TerminalNeedsClarification. Missing validation command → continue with implementer warning evidence.
5. DispatchImplement. Route PASS | PASS_WITH_WARNINGS | BLOCKED | ERROR; check scope and validation gates; then review or terminal.
6. DispatchReview. PASS → handoff. FAIL with fixes and repair_counter under 2 → re-enter DispatchImplement. Else TerminalBlocked.
7. Handoff → TerminalPass with Output Contract and final gate evidence.

Validation Loop Summary

map → plan → gate/approve → change/check → review → targeted fix → re-check. Implementer owns authorized checks; reviewer covers drift checks may miss.

Example

TARGET_CODE=src/payments/webhook.ts, remove unsafe any, validate webhook, REFERENCE_NEED for Zod. Mapper finds TS + untrusted body. Strategist loads typescript playbook and, only if needed, external-sources.md + approved Zod URL. No expansion → implement → review → handoff. See ./references/orchestration-examples.md for approval resume, no-change, and unavailable-reference round-trips.