<purpose> Provide standardized patterns for output formatting, workflow checkpoints, agent references, and self-evaluation shared across agents and commands. </purpose> <tools> <tool name="output_format_template"> <description>Standard agent output format with status criteria</description> <use_case>Include in agents for consistent output structure</use_case> </tool> <tool name="reflection_checkpoint_template"> <description>Standard analysis quality checkpoint for workflow phases</description> <use_case>Include in workflows for consistent quality gates</use_case> </tool> <tool name="self_evaluate_template"> <description>Standard self-evaluation phase for agents producing reports</description> <use_case>Include in agents for consistent quality assessment</use_case> </tool> <tool name="prepare_phase_template"> <description>Standard Serena initialization phase for commands</description> <use_case>Include at start of command workflows for Serena initialization</use_case> </tool> <tool name="serena_validation_template"> <description>Serena validation elements for reflection checkpoints</description> <use_case>Include in checkpoints before code modifications or after investigations</use_case> </tool> </tools> <patterns> <pattern name="output_format"> <description>Standard agent output format with status criteria</description> <example> <output> <format> { "status": "success|warning|error", "status_criteria": { "success": "All checks passed, confidence >= 80", "warning": "Minor issues OR confidence 60-79", "error": "Critical issues OR confidence less than 60" }, "confidence": 0, "summary": "Brief summary of results", "metrics": {}, "findings": [], "next_actions": [] } </format> </output> </example> </pattern> <pattern name="output_status_criteria"> <description>Standard status criteria for agent output format</description> <example> "status_criteria": { "success": "All checks passed, confidence >= 80", "warning": "Minor issues OR confidence 60-79", "error": "Critical issues OR confidence less than 60" } </example> </pattern> <pattern name="reflection_checkpoint"> <description>Standard analysis quality checkpoint for workflow phases</description> <example> <reflection_checkpoint id="analysis_quality"> <question>Have I gathered sufficient evidence to proceed?</question> <question>Are there gaps in my understanding?</question> <threshold>If confidence less than 70, seek more evidence or ask user</threshold> </reflection_checkpoint> </example> </pattern> <pattern name="prepare_phase"> <description>Standard Serena initialization phase for workflows</description> <example> <phase name="prepare"> <objective>Initialize Serena and check existing patterns</objective> <step>1. Activate Serena project with activate_project</step> <step>2. Check list_memories for relevant patterns</step> <step>3. Load applicable memories with read_memory</step> </phase> </example> </pattern> <pattern name="serena_validation_investigation"> <description>Serena validation for investigation/analysis checkpoints</description> <example> <serena_validation> <tool>think_about_collected_information</tool> <trigger>After investigation phase completes</trigger> </serena_validation> </example> </pattern> <pattern name="serena_validation_pre_edit"> <description>Serena validation before code modification operations</description> <example> <serena_validation> <tool>think_about_task_adherence</tool> <trigger>Before code modification</trigger> </serena_validation> </example> </pattern> <pattern name="serena_validation_completion"> <description>Serena validation before reporting task completion</description> <example> <serena_validation> <tool>think_about_whether_you_are_done</tool> <trigger>Before reporting completion to user</trigger> </serena_validation> </example> </pattern> <pattern name="reflection_workflow_steps"> <description>Mandatory reflection tool calls as explicit workflow steps (not just checkpoint definitions)</description> <example>  <step order="N"> <action>Validate search completeness</action> <tool>Serena think_about_collected_information</tool> <output>Search quality validation</output> <mandatory>true</mandatory> </step>  <step order="N"> <action>Validate task adherence</action> <tool>Serena think_about_task_adherence</tool> <output>Task alignment validation</output> <mandatory>true</mandatory> </step>  <step order="N"> <action>Validate task completion</action> <tool>Serena think_about_whether_you_are_done</tool> <output>Completion validation</output> <mandatory>true</mandatory> </step> </example> <triggers> <trigger tool="think_about_collected_information">After search sequence of 3+ operations (find_symbol, search_for_pattern, get_symbols_overview, Grep, Glob)</trigger> <trigger tool="think_about_task_adherence">Before any symbol editing (replace_symbol_body, insert_before_symbol, insert_after_symbol, rename_symbol) or file modification</trigger> <trigger tool="think_about_whether_you_are_done">Before returning final result to user</trigger> </triggers> <on_failure> <think_about_collected_information>Expand search scope, use alternative search strategies, or ask user for clarification</think_about_collected_information> <think_about_task_adherence>Review requirements, document deviation rationale, or ask user before proceeding</think_about_task_adherence> <think_about_whether_you_are_done>Identify incomplete items, iterate on missing work, or report partial completion with remaining items</think_about_whether_you_are_done> </on_failure> <failure_detection> <think_about_collected_information>Tool output indicates incomplete coverage, missing critical areas, or low confidence in search results</think_about_collected_information> <think_about_task_adherence>Tool output indicates task deviation, requirements mismatch, or scope creep detected</think_about_task_adherence> <think_about_whether_you_are_done>Tool output indicates incomplete items, pending work, or unresolved blockers</think_about_whether_you_are_done> </failure_detection> </pattern> <pattern name="failure_handling"> <description>Standard failure handling phase for workflows</description> <example> <phase name="failure_handling"> <objective>Handle errors and edge cases gracefully</objective> <step order="1">If tool call fails: Log error, attempt alternative approach</step> <step order="2">If data unavailable: Document gap, proceed with partial analysis</step> <step order="3">If contradictory evidence: Flag uncertainty, request user clarification</step> </phase> </example> </pattern> <pattern name="agent_ref"> <description>Standard agent reference syntax for commands</description> <example> <agents> <agent ref="explore" readonly="true" /> <agent ref="design" readonly="true" /> </agents>

Use ref attribute to reference agent defined in agents/ directory. readonly attribute indicates whether agent can modify files. </example> </pattern>

<pattern name="self_evaluate_phase"> <description>Standard self-evaluation phase for commands and agents that produce reports</description> <example> <phase name="self_evaluate"> <objective>Brief quality assessment of output</objective> <step order="1"> <action>Calculate confidence using decision_criteria factors</action> <tool>Decision criteria evaluation</tool> <output>Confidence score</output> </step> <step order="2"> <action>Identify top 1-2 critical issues if confidence below 80</action> <tool>Gap analysis</tool> <output>Issue list</output> </step> <step order="3"> <action>Append self_feedback section to output</action> <tool>Output formatting</tool> <output>Self-feedback section</output> </step> </phase> </example> </pattern> <pattern name="self_feedback_output"> <description>Standard self-feedback output section for commands that include self-evaluation</description> <example> <self_feedback> <confidence>XX/100 (based on decision_criteria calculation)</confidence> <issues> - [Critical] Issue description (if any, max 2 total) - [Warning] Issue description (if any) </issues> </self_feedback> </example> </pattern> </patterns>

<best_practices> <practice priority="critical">Use output_format for all agents that return structured results</practice> <practice priority="critical">Include reflection_checkpoint at key workflow decision points</practice> <practice priority="critical">Include prepare_phase for Serena initialization in commands</practice> <practice priority="critical">Add serena_validation to checkpoints before code modifications</practice> <practice priority="critical">Use reflection_workflow_steps pattern for mandatory think_about_* calls</practice> <practice priority="high">Add self_evaluate_phase for agents producing reports or recommendations</practice> <practice priority="high">Use failure_handling phase in all workflows</practice> <practice priority="medium">Use agent_ref syntax for consistent agent references in commands</practice> </best_practices>

<rules priority="critical"> <rule>Output status must use standard criteria (success >= 80, warning 60-79, error less than 60)</rule> <rule>Reflection checkpoints must include confidence threshold</rule> <rule>Commands must include prepare_phase for Serena initialization</rule> <rule>Use serena_validation_pre_edit before code modification operations</rule> <rule>Call think_about_collected_information after any search sequence of 3+ operations</rule> <rule>Call think_about_task_adherence before any symbol editing or file modification</rule> <rule>Call think_about_whether_you_are_done before returning final result to user</rule> </rules> <rules priority="standard"> <rule>Include failure_handling phase in complex workflows</rule> <rule>Use self_feedback_output format for self-evaluation results</rule> <rule>Use agent_ref with readonly attribute for clarity</rule> <rule>Add serena_validation_investigation after investigation phases</rule> </rules>

<related_skills> <skill name="core-patterns">Base templates for error escalation, decision criteria, enforcement</skill> <skill name="parallelization-patterns">Parallel execution and timeout configuration</skill> <skill name="serena-usage">Serena MCP operations (memory, symbol search, code navigation)</skill> </related_skills>

<constraints> <must>Use standard output_status_criteria thresholds</must> <must>Include confidence score in all structured outputs</must> <must>Define threshold in reflection_checkpoints</must> <must>Include prepare_phase in command workflows</must> <must>Use serena_validation before code modifications</must> <must>Call think_about_collected_information after 3+ search operations</must> <must>Call think_about_whether_you_are_done before final response</must> <avoid>Custom status thresholds that differ from standard</avoid> <avoid>Omitting failure_handling in complex workflows</avoid> <avoid>Omitting Serena initialization in commands</avoid> <avoid>Skipping reflection tool calls at mandatory checkpoints</avoid> </constraints>