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+# Dobby Copilot Instructions
+
+Use the custom instructions in `.github/instructions/*.instructions.md` as the primary coding guidance for this repository.
+
+## Review Comment Linking
+
+When leaving review comments based on a rule from `.github/instructions/General.instructions.md`, include a direct link to the section in the same format:
+
+Refer: https://github.com/rdkcentral/Dobby/blob/develop/.github/instructions/General.instructions.md#critical-logging
+
+## Scope
+
+These rules are intended to keep generated code and review comments aligned with Dobby's existing codebase conventions, plugin lifecycle model, build setup, and openspec documents.
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+---
+applyTo: "**/*.{cpp,h,cc,cxx,hpp},**/CMakeLists.txt,**/*.cmake,**/*.sh"
+---
+
+# Instruction Summary
+1. Critical Logging
+2. Recoverable Error Reporting
+3. Null Safety and Pointer Style
+4. Plugin Lifecycle Discipline
+5. RDK Plugin Hook Contract
+6. CMake and Plugin Onboarding Compliance
+7. Spec and Schema Synchronization
+
+### Critical Logging
+
+### Requirement
+
+Use Dobby logging macros from `AppInfrastructure/Logging/include/Logging.h` for failures:
+
+```cpp
+AI_LOG_ERROR("failed to parse config for plugin '%s'", pluginName.c_str());
+```
+
+If the function returns failure, log once with enough context and return the appropriate failure value.
+
+### Incorrect Example
+
+```cpp
+printf("failed to parse config\n");
+return false;
+```
+
+### Recoverable Error Reporting
+
+### Requirement
+
+Use `AI_LOG_WARN` for recoverable or fallback behavior.
+
+```cpp
+if (missingOptionalField)
+{
+    AI_LOG_WARN("optional field missing, using default");
+}
+```
+
+Do not log expected fallback behavior as hard errors.
+
+### Null Safety and Pointer Style
+
+### Requirement
+
+- Use `nullptr` instead of `NULL` in all new code.
+- Preserve nearby comparison style (`nullptr == ptr` or `ptr == nullptr`) to avoid style churn inside existing files.
+- Validate pointers before dereference and fail with contextual log messages.
+
+### Plugin Lifecycle Discipline
+
+### Requirement
+
+For Dobby RDK plugins and daemon lifecycle-managed components:
+
+- Keep constructors lightweight.
+- Do heavy setup in lifecycle hook methods.
+- Release resources in reverse order of allocation.
+- Reset internal state after cleanup.
+
+Where hook/teardown fails, log with enough context to diagnose container and plugin state.
+
+### RDK Plugin Hook Contract
+
+### Requirement
+
+- Implement `IDobbyRdkPlugin` contract correctly.
+- Keep `name()` stable.
+- Set `hookHints()` to match only implemented hooks.
+- Prefer inheriting from `RdkPluginBase` and override only needed hooks.
+- Declare inter-plugin ordering requirements through `getDependencies()` when required.
+
+### CMake and Plugin Onboarding Compliance
+
+### Requirement
+
+When introducing a new plugin in top-level `CMakeLists.txt`:
+
+1. Add matching `PLUGIN_<NAME>` option and `add_subdirectory(...)`.
+2. Update `.github/workflows/L1-tests.yml` plugin build flags.
+3. Update `.github/workflows/L2-tests.yml` where integration coverage is needed.
+4. Update `cov_build.sh` to include the plugin build flag.
+
+This keeps CI and static analysis coverage aligned with source registration.
+
+### Spec and Schema Synchronization
+
+### Requirement
+
+- Keep openspec docs in `openspec/specs/` in sync with behavior changes.
+- For runtime schema changes under `bundle/runtime-schemas/`, re-run CMake so generated headers are refreshed.
+- Do not merge behavior changes that leave specs stale.
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