# Prompt Discipline for Codex Runs

Codex performs best when each run has one active objective, a clear source of truth, explicit stop conditions, and a small set of expected outputs.

## Required prompt shape

Every implementation prompt should contain:

1. Active milestone.
2. Active pass.
3. Required documents to read.
4. Forbidden documents to treat as historical only.
5. Expected files or directories to touch.
6. Expected tests/checks.
7. Definition of Done.
8. Reporting format.

## Good prompt pattern

```text
You are working on GeoIntel Kempen.
Active pass: PASS_02_DATABASE_DOMAIN.
Read first: CODEX_START.md, docs/30-codex-optimization/CODEX_RUN_CHECKLIST.md, skills/postgis-migration/SKILL.md, docs/DATABASE_IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md.
Do not modify frontend files in this pass.
Implement only the database/domain foundation described in the active pass.
Run make readiness and relevant backend checks.
End with changed files, commands run, tests, risks, next pass.
```

## Bad prompt pattern

```text
Build the whole platform. Improve whatever you see. Make it production ready.
```

This is forbidden because it causes scope creep, undocumented architecture choices, and conflicting implementations.

## Improvement boundary

Codex may improve:

- naming consistency;
- validation details;
- typing;
- docstrings;
- tests;
- small helper functions;
- error messages;
- UI empty/loading/error states;
- non-breaking internal structure.

Codex may not independently change:

- primary stack;
- database choice;
- job queue choice;
- CRS policy;
- API contract shape;
- V1 scope;
- security model;
- storage architecture;
- model governance rules.

## Context loading rule

Do not read the entire repository for every pass. Load context in this order:

1. root start files;
2. governance docs;
3. active pass prompt;
4. relevant skill;
5. directly relevant module docs;
6. code files affected by the pass;
7. tests/fixtures for the affected area.

## End-of-pass response format

Codex must end each pass with:

```md
## Completed

## Changed files

## Commands run

## Test results

## Known limitations

## Deviations from docs

## Next recommended pass
```