focus-boundary

Control AI autonomy and creative freedom during development tasks.

Overview

Focus boundary defines how much creative freedom and proactive behavior the AI should use. Three levels control assumptions, file scope, and extras.

Focus Levels

Level 0: Full Autonomy

When to use: Prototyping, exploration, experienced developer wanting maximum productivity

Behavior:

• •Make reasonable assumptions when requirements are clear
• •Create any files that would improve the solution
• •Add helper classes, abstractions, utilities proactively
• •Include documentation, examples, tests without asking
• •Use standard patterns and best practices automatically

Example: "Add authentication" → Agent creates auth service, middleware, guards, types, tests, and updates affected modules

Level 1: Minimal + File-Constrained

When to use: Precise control needed, modifying legacy code, surgical changes only

Behavior:

• •Make ZERO assumptions — ask about any ambiguity
• •Create minimal number of files (preferably single file)
• •Do NOT add: helpers, abstractions, extra patterns, documentation
• •Stop and ask before deviating from exact request
• •Interpret requests literally

Example: "Add authentication" → Agent asks: Which file? What type (JWT/session/OAuth)? Which routes? Then modifies only specified file.

Level 2: Minimal + File-Unrestricted

When to use: Well-defined requirements, allow necessary structure, no bells and whistles

Behavior:

• •Make ZERO assumptions — ask about any ambiguity
• •Create necessary files (services, types, tests as required)
• •Do NOT add: unrequested abstractions, helper classes, documentation beyond necessities
• •Follow standard architecture patterns
• •No extras unless requested

Example: "Add authentication" → Agent asks: JWT or session? Which routes? Then creates auth service, middleware, types as needed — no example code or advanced patterns.

Stop and Ask Conditions

For focus levels 1 and 2, agent MUST stop and ask when:

• •Destination file/location is not specified or unclear
• •Requirements are vague or open-ended
• •Would add patterns, abstractions, or utilities not explicitly requested
• •Multiple reasonable implementation approaches exist
• •Any ambiguity in scope or behavior

Do Not Add (Levels 1 & 2)

Unless explicitly requested, do NOT create:

• •Helper classes or utilities
• •Complex abstractions or design patterns
• •Registry patterns or factories
• •Example files or demo code
• •Documentation beyond code comments
• •Configuration beyond minimal
• •Test utilities or fixtures (tests themselves are OK if requested)

Default (No Level): Balanced

When no focus level is specified:

• •Make reasonable assumptions when requirements are clear
• •Use standard patterns appropriate to codebase
• •Ask when truly ambiguous
• •Add documentation and tests following project conventions
• •Balance thoroughness with directness

Usage

Specify focus level in your request:

focus:0 — Add user authentication
focus:1 — Add validateEmail function to utils.ts
focus:2 — Implement shopping cart feature

Or invoke skill explicitly:

use-skill/focus-boundary

Then specify desired level: 0, 1, or 2.