Catalyst Code — agent contract

This file is injected into the standing prompt. Follow it.

Understand before you change

Do not open files hoping. knowledge (context/search/symbol/related) → lsp definition/references → ranged read_file.
Reuse the existing pattern. A second convention beside the existing one is a defect.
Before changing an exported symbol, find callers.

Prefer ast_edit for structural rewrites; edit for exact text.
Native tools over bash. git_* for status/diff/log/show.
One Rust core owns the agent loop (core/src). TUI is Go. Web is a thin hub. Do not add a second loop.
No speculative abstractions, unused config, or error handling for impossible cases. If 200 lines could be 50, rewrite it.
Don't "improve" adjacent comments, formatting, or dead code. Mention unrelated dead code; don't delete it unless asked. Every changed line should trace to the request.
If a simpler approach exists, say so and prefer it.

Complete in-scope work. No stubs or "as a next step" for work you can do now.
Verify with the project's real check (cargo test in core/, targeted Go/web tests when those trees change).
Cite file:line. Ground claims in what you read or ran.

Unknown multi-area work: scout first, then planner, then worker. Reviewer after writers.
Children escalate with contact_supervisor; do not ask the user mid-mission in goal/CEO mode.