# γ close-out — cycle #268 (PR #270)

**Issue:** [#268](https://github.com/usurobor/cnos/issues/268) — Converge cnos.cdd skill-program contracts from CDD package audit
**PR:** [#270](https://github.com/usurobor/cnos/pull/270) — `cdd: converge skill-program contracts from package audit (#268)`
**Merge commit:** `bfddcf22e423d4858eee2572c93c6f83aacc8289` (squash, on `a4f1b7e`)
**Cycle scope:** non-release, triadic, MCA. Issue declared "Performing an actual release" out of scope.
**Role:** γ
**γ session env:** Claude Code on the web (MCP-only; no `gh`; `Monitor` available).

## 1. Cycle summary

| | |
|---|---|
| Selection rule | CDD §3.2 (operational infrastructure) — when the package that *governs* the lifecycle disagrees with itself across CDD.md / role skills / lifecycle skills / verifier, every future cycle inherits the drift. Operator-explicit dispatch. |
| Selection inputs read | 3.57.0 PRA (next MCA = #264, shipped in 3.58.0); 3.58.0 release commit + close-outs (`bfddcf2`'s parent `a4f1b7e`); `docs/gamma/cdd/CDD-PACKAGE-AUDIT.md` (the audit that distilled into #268's 16 ACs); CHANGELOG TSC; lag table. |
| Issue quality gate | PASS — problem ≤ 5 lines, evidence linked (audit), AC1–AC16 numbered and individually testable, non-goals explicit, Tier 3 skills named, operator decisions D1–D5 prevented α-side rediscovery. One watch-item flagged at dispatch (AC8 vs commit `cafb399`); did not bite. |
| Dispatch | γ → α: project `cnos`, issue #268, Tier 3 skills `cnos.core/skills/skill`, `eng/tool`, `eng/document`, `eng/test`. γ → β: project `cnos`, issue #268, β skill load order. Both prompts produced at dispatch time per `gamma/SKILL.md` §2.5. |
| Branch | α: `claude/fix-skill-frontmatter-coherence-qdzch`. γ: `claude/gamma-skill-implementation-cKr15`. |
| Work shape | Substantial documentation/contract convergence (MCA, L7-shaped). 14 files in PR #270 (13 modified + 1 new test fixture); +518 / −242 net; 2 commits on-branch. |
| Review rounds | 2 (target ≤2 met). R1 RC + 1 finding (F1, C, mechanical, stale path on file deletion). R2 APPROVED after 1-line repoint commit `15e8366`. |
| Close-outs on main | α `ebf118b` at `.cdd/unreleased/alpha/268.md`. β `ff459a9` at `.cdd/unreleased/beta/268.md`. |
| γ owns this cycle | observation, selection, issue-quality gate, dispatch prompts, this close-out + PRA-equivalent triage, immediate skill patches, deferred-output filing, branch cleanup, closure declaration. |

## 2. Close-out triage (CAP)

Every finding from α, β, and γ-side observations gets one disposition. Silence is not triage.

| # | Finding | Source | Type | Disposition | Artifact / commit |
|---|---------|--------|------|-------------|-------------------|
| T1 | `review/SKILL.md §2.2.5` "moves and renames" failed to catch file-delete cross-reference (β F1 / α F1). One live consumer (`cnos.core/mindsets/ENGINEERING.md:5`) reached β review. | α + β | skill | **Immediate MCA — landed.** Patched §2.2.5 trigger to "files move, are renamed, **or are deleted**"; added cross-package reach guidance and the #268 derivation note. | this commit, `review/SKILL.md` §2.2.5 |
| T2 | `beta/SKILL.md` step 3 (via `CDD.md` §1.4) and `gamma/SKILL.md` §2.5 quote the literal `gh` until-loop without naming the wake-up contract. β autonomously substituted `Monitor`+`git fetch`+MCP and the cycle ran cleanly; γ-on-the-web read the same skill prose and silently failed to set up any wake-up, then missed PR #270 / R1 / R2 / merge while idle. | β session-trace + γ lived demonstration | skill | **Immediate MCA — landed.** Rewrote `CDD.md` §Tracking with (a) query×environment table (`gh` / MCP / `git fetch`), (b) wake-up mechanism section naming `Monitor` stdout-as-notification, shell-wake-on-loop-exit, and push subscription, (c) transition-only stdout discipline. Added wake-up requirement and MCP-only reference shape to `CDD.md` §1.4 β step 3 and `gamma/SKILL.md` §2.5. | this commit, `CDD.md` §Tracking + §1.4 β step 3, `gamma/SKILL.md` §2.5 |
| T3 | Close-out filename ambiguity: matrix says `.cdd/releases/{X.Y.Z}/{role}/CLOSE-OUT.md`; established practice on main is `{issue#}.md` (multi-cycle-per-release case unspecified). β + α + γ all filed under the established practice this cycle. | β #4 | spec ambiguity | **Project MCI — filed as #272.** Operator decision required (matrix governs / practice governs / both allowed). Three concrete options + ACs in the issue body. Not a release blocker; verifier will eventually flag it. | [#272](https://github.com/usurobor/cnos/issues/272) |
| T4 | Shared GitHub identity collapses β's review verdict to PR comment (β cannot `--request-changes` or `--approve` on its own PR). | β #2 | env | **No new action — already tracked in #45 migration queue.** β noted "posted as comment" per `review/SKILL.md` §7.1 on both rounds. | n/a |
| T5 | Verifier behavior is reproducible from the package itself: `cn-cdd-verify` + `test-cn-cdd-verify.sh` ship together; β re-ran 17/17 fixtures against the patched verifier in a clean tree. | β #3 | positive observation | **Drop as finding; record as cycle property.** This is the L7 leverage of #268's matrix + verifier work — future contract drift becomes a fixture failure, not a review-skill burden. Captured in §3 below. | n/a |
| T6 | Local clone divergent from origin/main at session start (β: 50 commits ahead local, 50 behind on origin; harness branch off a stale base). β never used the stale branch; β-side workaround was `origin/main`-only reads. | β #5 | env / harness | **Drop unless recurs (N=1).** β reported zero impact on this cycle; the harness pattern is shared by all role environments. If the same shape returns next cycle, file as harness MCI. γ session also started from a stale γ-branch tip (`cafb399`); fast-forward push at session start cleared it. | this commit's pre-work fast-forward push |
| T7 | γ-on-the-web missed the entire cycle's progression (PR open → R1 → α fix → R2 → merge → close-outs) because no wake-up loop was launched. γ resumed only when the operator pinged with the stop-hook reply. | γ lived | skill | **Same root cause as T2 — covered by the T2 patch.** Recording separately for clarity: T2 is the spec patch; T7 is the demonstration that the spec patch was needed. The two skill patches in T2 (the `CDD.md` §Tracking rewrite and the `gamma/SKILL.md` §2.5 addition) close T7's recurrence class for any future γ-on-the-web session that loads the patched skills. | covered by T2 |
| T8 | The 3.58.0 PRA (`a4f1b7e`) was authored by an earlier γ session and committed before #268 was selected. γ session at #268 dispatch did not need to write it; deferred output from prior cycle was handled. | γ observation | positive | **Drop as finding; record as cycle property.** Confirms that "PRA is γ-owned" (per `cafb399`) is operational across γ sessions and not just doctrine. | n/a |

## 3. CDD §9.1 trigger assessment

| Trigger | Fired? | Actual | γ disposition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Review rounds > 2 | no | 2 | Hit the target cleanly. R1 surfaced one mechanical finding; R2 closed it in 1 line. |
| Mechanical ratio > 20% with ≥10 findings | n/a | 1/1 = 100%, but total = 1 ≪ 10-finding floor | Below the 10-finding threshold; ratio is noise. No process issue filed. |
| Avoidable tooling/environmental failure | no | — | β's stale-clone observation (T6) did not delay the cycle. γ-side `gh`-not-found (covered by T2 patch) did delay γ's own polling but did not delay the cycle (β handled coordination). |
| Loaded skill failed to prevent a finding | **yes (×2)** | T1: `review/SKILL.md §2.2.5` covered the principle but its phrasing ("moves and renames") biased application away from deletions. T2/T7: `CDD.md §Tracking` + `gamma/SKILL.md §2.5` named the polling query but not the wake-up contract. | Both patched as immediate output this commit (per CDD §10.1: "skill patches identified by cycle iteration — if a loaded skill failed to prevent a finding it covers, patch the skill now, not later"). T1 patch: §2.2.5 widened. T2 patch: §Tracking rewritten + β step 3 + γ §2.5 updated. |

**Cycle level: L6** (cycle cap per §9.1 — loaded-skill-miss trigger fired ×2).

- **L5 (local correctness):** met on the round-2 diff (17/17 verifier tests + 7/7 CI green), **not met at cycle level** because F1 reached review (the deletion-cross-ref miss).
- **L6 (system-safe):** met on the merged head. Cross-surface coherence across CDD.md, six role/lifecycle skills, eng/README, the verifier, and the test fixture all align. Production verification (verifier replay 17/17 in a clean tree per β #3) confirms.
- **L7 (system-shaping):** the **shipped diff** is L7-shaped — the new §5.3a Artifact Location Matrix + `cn-cdd-verify` enforcement turn "release looks valid but is noncanonical" from a recurring drift class into a verifier failure. The **cycle execution** missed L5 once (F1) and twice exposed loaded-skill miss (this triage), so the cycle caps at L6 per §9.1's lowest-miss rule. Diff-level L7 leverage is real and lands now; cycle-level L7 cap is reserved for a cycle that ships L7-shaped work *without* L5 misses.

**MCA — landed in this cycle:**

- T1 patch: `review/SKILL.md §2.2.5` widened to cover deletions explicitly. Future review-time reads will treat path-going-stale events symmetrically.
- T2 patch: `CDD.md §Tracking` + `§1.4 β step 3` + `gamma/SKILL.md §2.5` name the wake-up contract. Future role sessions in MCP-only environments inherit a working pattern instead of silently failing.
- The shipped diff itself: `cn-cdd-verify` + matrix is the L7 mechanism for the broader "contract drift across CDD package" class.

"Won't repeat" without a mechanism is not an MCA; the three patches above are the mechanisms.

## 4. Independent γ process-gap check (CDD step 12)

This step applies even when no §9.1 trigger fires; here it doubles down on the loaded-skill-miss already named.

- **Recurring friction.** γ-on-the-web's silent failure to set up wake-up is a recurring shape — same root cause as past cycles where γ "intended to poll" and didn't. The β-side workaround (`Monitor` + `git fetch`) was never written into the γ skill until this cycle. Patched in T2.
- **Underspecified gate.** The issue-quality gate in `gamma/SKILL.md §2.4` does not currently include "verify the role environments γ is dispatching into provide both query and wake-up surfaces." γ-on-the-web could in principle dispatch β and α and then be unable to coordinate them. This cycle did not bite because β-on-its-own-environment had `Monitor`. Sharpening candidate: add an environment pre-flight to §2.5 dispatch. **Decision:** observe one more cycle before patching — N=1 is too narrow to design the right pre-flight; the T2 patch surfaces the requirement to γ, which is sufficient for now.
- **Skill that should have caught something but didn't.** Already enumerated in §3 (T1, T2). No additional skill miss surfaced beyond those.
- **Coordination burden suggesting a mechanical path.** The new `cn-cdd-verify` shipped in this cycle is itself the mechanical answer to the broader "contract drift" coordination burden — that is the L7 leverage of the diff. No additional mechanization opportunity surfaces this cycle.

**Process-gap disposition:** patches landed (T1, T2). One sharpening candidate (γ dispatch pre-flight for environment wake-up surfaces) deferred, observation-bound. No closure-blocking gap.

## 5. Deferred outputs

| # | Output | Issue | Owner | First AC | Notes |
|---|--------|-------|-------|----------|-------|
| D1 | Close-out filename convention resolved across matrix + practice + verifier | [#272](https://github.com/usurobor/cnos/issues/272) | next α (assignment pending) | AC1: `CDD.md §5.3a` row for α/β/γ close-outs unambiguously names one canonical filename convention | P2 / spec-coherence. Three operator-decision options (matrix governs / practice governs / both allowed). Not a release blocker. |
| D2 | γ dispatch pre-flight: verify dispatched-role environments provide both query and wake-up surfaces | not yet filed | γ (next cycle observation) | TBD pending second occurrence | Sharpening candidate; N=1 here. Deferred to observe one more cycle before designing the pre-flight shape. |
| D3 | Move `.cdd/unreleased/{role}/268.md` close-outs to `.cdd/releases/{X.Y.Z}/{role}/...` at next release | not filed (mechanical) | β at next release per `release/SKILL.md §2.5a` | n/a | Mechanical, governed by `release/SKILL.md`. Filename convention at the new path will follow whatever #272 decides. |

## 6. Hub memory evidence

cnos does not maintain an external hub-memory repository (per 3.57.0 PRA §8: "No external hub-memory repository exists for this project"). The in-repo close-outs serve as the daily-reflection / adhoc-thread analogs:

- **Daily reflection analog:** this file (`.cdd/unreleased/gamma/268.md`) — committed in this commit. Captures cycle scoring, MCI freeze status (continues — no change), what's next.
- **Adhoc thread updates:** this cycle advances three threads:
  1. **CDD package self-coherence** — #268 distilled the `CDD-PACKAGE-AUDIT.md` D/C findings into 16 ACs, all met. This cycle is the audit's primary discharge.
  2. **Skill-program coherence under shared GitHub identity** — review-state-as-comment workaround (β #2) continues; #45 still tracks.
  3. **Wake-up-contract surfacing in skill prose** — first time the polling/wake-up split is named explicitly in `CDD.md §Tracking`. Worth tracking forward whether the patch closes the recurrence class for γ-on-the-web sessions, or whether MCP-only environments need additional skill text.
- **MCI freeze status:** unchanged (continues per 3.57.0 / 3.58.0). Lag table will be re-evaluated at the next release-scoped cycle's PRA, not here (this is a non-release cycle).
- **Next move (committed concretely):** see §7.

## 7. Next move

**Next MCA candidate:** **#272** — close-out filename convention resolved across matrix + practice + verifier.

- **Rationale:** P2 / spec-coherence. Surfaced this cycle as a direct consequence of the new matrix landing while old practice continued. Concrete, narrowly scoped, three operator-decision options already drafted in the issue body, ACs already drafted. Adjacent to #268's contract surface — natural follow-on.
- **Owner:** next α (assignment pending operator decision on which option).
- **Branch:** pending.
- **First AC:** AC1 in #272 — `CDD.md §5.3a` row unambiguously names one canonical filename convention.
- **MCI frozen until shipped?** Yes — lag table from 3.57.0 PRA showed 10 growing-lag items; freeze continues per the 3.58.0 release commitment until the lag drops below the freeze threshold.

**Stronger candidates to consider before #272:**
- Lag table re-evaluation at next release-scoped cycle's PRA may surface a higher-leverage candidate from the growing-lag set (#235 `cn build --check`, #230 `cn deps restore` upgrade skip, #238 release-bootstrap smoke). γ at next selection should weigh #272 against those under CDD §3 selection rules — operator decision on #272 may be quick and unblock the verifier, or may take a cycle's worth of design.
- Operator may also direct γ toward #271 / other unreleased issues not visible to this γ session.

**Closure evidence (CDD §10):**

- **Immediate outputs executed:**
  - ✅ T1 patch — `review/SKILL.md §2.2.5` widened (this commit).
  - ✅ T2 patch — `CDD.md §Tracking` rewritten + β step 3 + γ §2.5 updated (this commit).
  - ✅ T3 deferred output — #272 filed.
  - ✅ This γ close-out committed.
  - ✅ γ branch fast-forward to main pushed (session start).
- **Deferred outputs committed:** see §5 above (D1 #272 + D2 observation-bound + D3 mechanical-at-next-release).
- **Branch cleanup:** `claude/fix-skill-frontmatter-coherence-qdzch` (α's #268 branch) deletion — executed in this commit's accompanying push (see §8).
- **Hub memory:** in-repo close-out serves as the daily-reflection analog (this file). No external hub repo exists.

## 8. γ-side mechanical executions

| Action | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Verify cycle merged on main | ✅ done | `bfddcf2` (squash) on main; #268 auto-closed via `Closes #268` in squash body |
| Verify both close-outs on main | ✅ done | α `ebf118b`, β `ff459a9` |
| Skill patches committed | ✅ done (this commit) | `review/SKILL.md §2.2.5`, `CDD.md §Tracking` + §1.4 β step 3, `gamma/SKILL.md §2.5` |
| Deferred-output filed | ✅ done | #272 |
| Branch cleanup `claude/fix-skill-frontmatter-coherence-qdzch` | ❌ **deferred to operator** (HTTP 403) | `git push origin --delete claude/fix-skill-frontmatter-coherence-qdzch` returned `RPC failed; HTTP 403` from this γ-on-the-web sandbox. Same env constraint β documented for tag-push in 3.57.0 (`release/SKILL.md §2.6a`). No MCP `delete_branch` tool exists. **Operator: please run `git push origin --delete claude/fix-skill-frontmatter-coherence-qdzch` from a shell environment that can reach the remote.** Branch is merged into main at `bfddcf2`; deletion is purely cosmetic / cleanup. |
| γ branch push (`claude/gamma-skill-implementation-cKr15`) | ✅ done | pushed to `fcbcd47` |

## 9. Closure declaration (iterated)

All §10.3 closure conditions met:
- ✅ all immediate outputs executed (skill patches T1 + T2 + T9 + T10 landed; #272 filed; γ close-out written + iterated)
- ✅ all deferred outputs captured concretely (§5: D1 → #272; D2 observation-bound; D3 mechanical-at-next-release)
- ✅ §9.1 cycle iteration entry present (§3 above; loaded-skill-miss fired ×2; both patched immediately)
- ✅ operator iteration verdict on the iterated cycle absorbed and patched in-cycle (§10 below) — per gamma/SKILL.md §3.6, missing gates discovered this cycle land in this cycle when the patch is clear
- ❌ branch cleanup `claude/fix-skill-frontmatter-coherence-qdzch` deferred to operator (HTTP 403, env constraint, not γ judgment) — does not block closure per gamma/SKILL.md §2.6 (deferred mechanical steps may be completed by operator from a non-sandboxed env).

**Cycle #268 closed. Next: #272 (subject to next-cycle γ selection per CDD §3).**

## 10. Operator iteration (post-closure-1)

After the first closure declaration, the operator returned a verdict of **iterate** on the broader cnos.cdd convergence claim. Two precise findings, both in scope of the same #268 audit-driven convergence work:

### T9 — Loader vs role contradiction in `cdd/SKILL.md`

- **Pattern.** `src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/SKILL.md` (the package-visible loader) advertised `beta/ — β role: review, release, post-release assessment`. But `beta/SKILL.md` (the role surface that loads when β dispatches) explicitly says β does **not** load `post-release/SKILL.md` and that γ owns the PRA. `CDD.md §1.4` agrees: γ owns steps 11–13 (Observe / Assess / Close) and is the cycle-level observer. The loader entry was the stale surface — a relic of pre-`cafb399` β-owns-PRA doctrine that the cycle did not catch.
- **Why the in-cycle review didn't catch it.** β's R1 grep for stale paths after the AC9 deletion hit one site; the loader vs role-doctrine wording mismatch is a different shape (no path goes stale, just a description drifts). β's `review/SKILL.md §2.2.8` (authority-surface conflict) covers this in principle — "canonical doc vs executable skill." The skill text says to compare them; in this cycle, it was applied to AC1's matrix consumers but not to the loader's own role-summary line.
- **Fix.** `src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/SKILL.md` line 57: `beta/ — β role: review, release, post-release assessment` → `beta/ — β role: review, release, β close-out`. PRA ownership remains with γ; `post-release/` continues to be the lifecycle sub-skill γ loads for assessment.
- **Disposition.** **Immediate MCA — landed.**

### T10 — Language leaks in `plan/SKILL.md`

- **Pattern.** The cnos.cdd package is the language-agnostic method package; concrete runtime-source-tree paths from a specific era (OCaml `src/lib/...`) leaked into examples. Three sites: §1.3 example (`src/lib/deps/restore.{src,test}`), §2.2.3 example (same path), §3.2 example (`src/lib/pkgbuild/`).
- **Why earlier patches missed this.** The prior #268 work generalized `issue/SKILL.md §2.4` from "active invariants" to "active design constraints" and confirmed CDD-package examples elsewhere use `src/packages/cnos.cdd/...` (CDD-internal) or placeholders. `plan/SKILL.md` was outside the surfaced AC list because the audit's D/C findings did not name plan-skill examples as a leak — language-neutrality of plan examples is a coherence gap the audit didn't flag, but the operator did.
- **Fix.** Replaced three example paths with language-neutral placeholders (`<runtime-source-tree>/...` for project runtime trees; `docs/` for project docs); added explicit guidance to §2.2.3: *"Use language-neutral placeholders for the project's runtime source tree (this skill ships in a method package, not a language-specific package). Examples: `<runtime-source-tree>/...`, `src/packages/<package>/...`, `docs/...`."* This adds a hard constraint, not just an example, so future plan-skill edits inherit the convention.
- **Verification.** `grep -rnE 'src/(lib|go/internal|ocaml)/' src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/` returns zero matches across the entire skill program (excluding the historical audit doc).
- **Disposition.** **Immediate MCA — landed.**

### Iteration §9.1 reassessment

The operator iteration is itself a §9.1 loaded-skill-miss signal at finer grain than R1 review caught:

- T9: `review/SKILL.md §2.2.8` covered the loader-vs-role-doctrine conflict in principle but the audit/issue did not name `cdd/SKILL.md`'s role-summary wording as an audit surface. **No skill patch from this miss** — the existing rule is correct; this cycle's audit just had a small enumeration gap. Recording for observation; if a similar miss recurs next cycle, sharpen `review/SKILL.md §2.2.8` examples to include "package-visible loader vs role-skill-internal doctrine."
- T10: no existing skill rule covers language-neutrality of method-package examples. The §2.2.3 patch above adds the rule directly. This is itself the immediate MCA: future plan-skill changes will inherit "use placeholders" as a hard constraint.

### Re-asserted closure

All §10.3 conditions still hold after the iteration. The two iteration patches are immediate outputs landing in-cycle per gamma/SKILL.md §3.6 ("Land immediate process fixes in the same cycle when possible — A missing gate discovered this cycle should not automatically become future work when the patch is already clear").

**Cycle #268 closed (iterated). cnos.cdd package coherence claim re-asserted. Next: #272 (subject to next-cycle γ selection per CDD §3).**

## 11. Operator iteration #2 (post-closure-2)

After re-asserted closure, the operator returned a second iteration verdict. Three findings, all narrower than #1; all in scope of the convergence claim.

### T11 — `beta/SKILL.md` opening contradicted its own load order

- **Pattern.** Line 16 said `Coherent β work preserves independent judgment from first review through release and assessment.` But the same file (load order, line 36) says β does not load `post-release/SKILL.md` because γ owns the PRA. `CDD.md §1.4` agrees (γ owns steps 11–13). The opening line was the stale surface — pre-`cafb399` β-owns-PRA wording the cycle did not catch.
- **Why iterations #1 caught a related miss but missed this one.** Iteration #1 fixed the same drift in `cdd/SKILL.md` (the package-visible loader). The β skill's own internal opening was never grep'd in iteration #1 because the surfaced miss was loader-level, not role-internal-prose-level. β's own opening prose is itself an authority surface that should have been audited.
- **Fix.** Replaced "review through release and assessment" with "review through release and β close-out." Added explicit line: "γ owns the PRA and cycle-level assessment." Updated the failure-mode line to drop "assessment" and use "β close-out" symmetrically.
- **Disposition.** **Immediate MCA — landed.**

### T12 — Language-specific inventory in `CDD.md §4.4` Tier 2

- **Pattern.** The canonical method file enumerated concrete language/tool bundles inside Tier 2: `code/`, `write-functional/`, `ocaml/`, `go/`, `typescript/`, `test/`, `performance-reliability/`, etc. The dispatch prompt example said `e.g. eng/go, eng/test`. The artifact table's row 6d Skill column listed `e.g. eng/code, eng/ocaml, eng/go, eng/typescript, eng/tool, eng/ux-cli`. The CDD package is the language-agnostic method package; concrete language inventories belong in `src/packages/cnos.eng/skills/eng/README.md`, not in CDD.
- **Why iteration #1 caught language leaks in plan/SKILL.md but missed CDD.md.** Iteration #1 grep'd `src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/` for `src/(lib|go/internal|ocaml)/` runtime-tree paths only. Skill-name leaks (`eng/<language>`) and concrete inventory lists were not in the grep pattern. The operator's standard is broader than the iteration #1 grep.
- **Fix.** Three sites:
  - dispatch prompt example (line 193): `e.g. eng/go, eng/test` → removed; the line now reads `Tier 3 skills: <list issue-specific skills>` without examples
  - Tier 2 inventory (lines 503–512): replaced concrete bundle list with a six-item category list (coding / review / design / runtime/platform / tooling / writing), pointing at the engineering package README as the source of truth. Added a sentence stating CDD does not enumerate language- or platform-specific bundles here.
  - artifact table row 6d: `e.g. eng/code, eng/ocaml, eng/go, eng/typescript, eng/tool, eng/ux-cli` → "language skill, runtime/platform skill, tooling skill — see `src/packages/cnos.eng/skills/eng/README.md`"
- **Disposition.** **Immediate MCA — landed.**

### T13 — `plan/SKILL.md §2.2.3` placeholders rendered malformed in operator's review tool

- **Pattern.** Iteration #1's patch wrote `<runtime-source-tree>` and `<package>` inside backticks. The file on disk preserves the angle brackets; the operator's review tool renders them as HTML and strips the content, leaving `src/packages//...` and `/deps/restore.{src,test}` visible. The on-disk content was correct; the rendered output was malformed for the operator.
- **Fix.** Restructured §2.2.3 to use the operator's prescribed three-line example block: one placeholder per bullet, no compound paths. Removed the inline-comma example list (which compounded the rendering miss with a readability issue). Kept the language-neutrality guidance one sentence above the examples.
- **Disposition.** **Immediate MCA — landed.**

### T14 — Residual α-side leak found by sweep (not in operator's findings)

- **Pattern.** `alpha/SKILL.md §2.8` close-out voice examples referenced `eng/go §2.13` and `pkgbuild/build.go` — both language-specific. The operator's three findings did not name this site; γ-side sweep (`grep -rnE 'eng/(go|ocaml|typescript)' src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/`) caught it.
- **Disposition.** **Immediate MCA — landed.** Replaced with `eng/<language> §X`, `<runtime-source-tree>/...`, and a more generic class name (`cross-toolchain non-determinism` rather than `cross-toolchain gzip non-determinism`).
- **Why this is in scope.** The operator's convergence standard is "no language-specific references in the CDD package." If T14 ships unfixed, the convergence claim is not defensible. Patching it in the same iteration is in scope of #268's audit-driven contract convergence.

### Iteration #2 §9.1 reassessment

- T11: existing `review/SKILL.md §2.2.8` (authority-surface conflict) covers the principle; the iteration #1 audit just had an enumeration gap (didn't audit β's own opening prose against β's own load order). No skill patch from this miss; recording for observation.
- T12: same shape as T11 — the rule "no language-specific references inside the CDD package" exists as an operator standard but is not encoded in any skill. Sharpening candidate: add to `cnos.core/skills/skill` or `eng/document` a rule for "method packages must use placeholders, not concrete language inventories." Deferred to next observation cycle (N=2 occurrences here, but the skill-text patch has not yet been designed).
- T13: not a skill miss — file content was correct; rendering tool stripped HTML-like content. Drop as finding.
- T14: same class as T12 (residual language inventory leak). Drop as separate finding; patch is sufficient.

### Re-asserted closure (iteration #2)

All §10.3 conditions still hold. Five iteration patches landing in-cycle per gamma/SKILL.md §3.6.

**Cycle #268 closed (iterated ×2). cnos.cdd package coherence claim re-asserted. Operator-requested rebase onto current `origin/main` performed in §12 below. Next: #272 (subject to next-cycle γ selection per CDD §3).**

## 12. Rebase trace (operator-requested)

Pre-rebase state:
- γ branch tip: `93cbd9f` (iteration #1 patches)
- `origin/main` tip: `ab28734` (operator merged γ branch + landed `86b817a` "Coherence for Agents — One-as-Two, One-as-Three" doctrine + merged again to resolve a CFA rebase collision)
- HEAD was an ancestor of `origin/main`; `origin/main..HEAD` was empty.

Rebase action:
- `git reset --keep origin/main` — fast-forward HEAD from `93cbd9f` to `ab28734`; working tree's iteration #2 patches preserved on top of the new base.
- Pre-rebase collision check: inspected `86b817a` (touched only `docs/alpha/doctrine/COHERENCE-FOR-AGENTS.md`, no overlap with CDD skill files this iteration patches) and `ab28734` (merge of γ branch, no new content beyond what was already on the prior γ branch). Zero collision risk.

Post-rebase state:
- HEAD: `ab28734` (origin/main)
- Working tree: 5 iteration #2 patches (T11 + T12×3 + T13 + T14)
- Commit will be authored on top of `ab28734` and pushed as a single iteration #2 commit.

## 13. Operator iteration #3 (signature normalization pass)

After iteration #2 closure, operator returned with the **CTB v4-aligned signature normalization** pass. Recommendation: do not rewrite the package; add a `## Signature` block to every CDD skill/runbook with five fields (Scope / Inputs / Outputs / Requires / Calls) using a three-tier scope vocabulary (global / role-local / task-local). Operator pre-decided every block's content. γ executes mechanically.

This is the function-signature layer that makes the prose package legible as a module/function system, which CTB v4 §8.5.2 ("agents as scoped function calls") landed on `main` while iteration #2 was in flight names as the missing piece.

### T15 — Signature blocks across the CDD skill program

Eleven blocks landed in this iteration:

| File | Scope | Insertion point | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|
| `cdd/SKILL.md` | global | before `## Load order` | `CDD.md`, role skills, lifecycle sub-skills |
| `cdd/CDD.md` | global | after `## 0. Purpose` | all role skills + all lifecycle sub-skills |
| `cdd/alpha/SKILL.md` | role-local | after Core Principle | `design/`, `plan/`, language/domain skills |
| `cdd/beta/SKILL.md` | role-local | after Core Principle | `review/`, `release/` |
| `cdd/gamma/SKILL.md` | role-local | after Core Principle | `issue/`, `post-release/` |
| `cdd/issue/SKILL.md` | task-local | after intro | none |
| `cdd/design/SKILL.md` | task-local | after Core Principle | none |
| `cdd/plan/SKILL.md` | task-local | after intro | none |
| `cdd/review/SKILL.md` | task-local | after Core Principle | `eng/design-principles` when active |
| `cdd/release/SKILL.md` | task-local | after intro | `writing` when notes need authoring |
| `cdd/post-release/SKILL.md` | task-local | after intro | none |

Plus an **invocation-model** sub-section in `CDD.md` immediately after the canonical Signature block, naming the three-tier composition explicitly.

### T16 — Rebase-integrity check applied manually pre-push

Pre-rebase state at iteration #3 commit time:
- γ branch tip after iteration #2: `99d29e1`
- `origin/main` had advanced 4 commits: `f019c12` (CTB v4 §8.5.2 — the doctrine driving this iteration), `06c9603` (merge of iteration #2), `4c8ffe4` (issue consolidation analysis), `6ec9667` (merge of consolidation).

Per #273's not-yet-installed pre-push hook spec, ran the check manually before fast-forward:
- **Upstream-added since merge-base** (`git diff base..origin/main --name-only --diff-filter=A`): `docs/gamma/cdd/ISSUE-CONSOLIDATION-ANALYSIS.md` — disjoint from my edit set (working tree only touches `src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/**`)
- **Upstream-modified since merge-base** (`--diff-filter=M`): `docs/alpha/ctb/CTB-v4.0.0-VISION.md` — disjoint from my edit set
- **Collision risk:** zero. Fast-forward via `git reset --keep origin/main` keeps the iteration #3 working tree intact on top of the new base.
- **Post-fast-forward verification:** `ISSUE-CONSOLIDATION-ANALYSIS.md` present on disk; `CTB-v4.0.0-VISION.md` matches `origin/main` byte-for-byte.

This is the first lived demonstration of #273's check shape. The check caught nothing (because nothing was at risk this time), but the pattern is the one that would catch CFA / CTB §8.5.2 silent-loss recurrence. Recording here as evidence that the check is executable as specified, and as the discipline γ adopted post-#273 even before the hook ships.

### Iteration #3 §9.1 reassessment

- T15 is structural addition, not a §9.1 loaded-skill-miss. The signature blocks add a new layer; nothing was wrong before, just less function-shaped. No skill patch from this iteration; the patch *is* the iteration.
- T16 is a self-applied discipline ahead of #273's hook. Not a finding; recording as the operating pattern γ uses until the hook ships.

### Re-asserted closure (iteration #3)

All §10.3 conditions still hold. Iteration #3 is in scope per gamma/SKILL.md §3.6; CTB v4 §8.5.2 is now the doctrine the package matches.

**Cycle #268 closed (iterated ×3). cnos.cdd package coherence claim re-asserted with function-signature layer aligned to CTB v4 §8.5.2. Next: #272, #273 (subject to next-cycle γ selection per CDD §3).**

## 14. Operator iteration #4 (frontmatter schema normalization)

After iteration #3 closure, operator returned with the **uniform frontmatter schema** pass. Recommendation: promote the body-level `## Signature` blocks from iteration #3 into YAML frontmatter fields so the signature surface is machine-readable, not prose. Operator pre-decided every block's content + every removal target.

This is the next bridge step CTB v4 §8.5.2 named: skills as functions with frontmatter-as-signature.

### T17 — Frontmatter schema across the 10 CDD skill files

Ten frontmatter replacements landed in this iteration. Each adds five new YAML fields (`scope`, `inputs`, `outputs`, `requires`, `calls`) and converts inline-list `triggers` to YAML list form. Several skills also got tightened `description` and `governing_question` per the operator's prescribed YAML.

| File | Scope | Calls (frontmatter) |
|---|---|---|
| `cdd/SKILL.md` | global | 9 sub-skills |
| `cdd/alpha/SKILL.md` | role-local | `design/SKILL.md`, `plan/SKILL.md`, Tier 2/3 from issue |
| `cdd/beta/SKILL.md` | role-local | `review/SKILL.md`, `release/SKILL.md` |
| `cdd/gamma/SKILL.md` | role-local | `issue/SKILL.md`, `post-release/SKILL.md` |
| `cdd/issue/SKILL.md` | task-local | none |
| `cdd/design/SKILL.md` | task-local | none |
| `cdd/plan/SKILL.md` | task-local | none |
| `cdd/review/SKILL.md` | task-local | `eng/design-principles` |
| `cdd/release/SKILL.md` | task-local | `writing` |
| `cdd/post-release/SKILL.md` | task-local | none |

### T18 — Body-level `## Signature` blocks removed

All 10 body Signature blocks added in iteration #3 are removed. Verification: `grep -rn '^## Signature$' src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/` returns empty. Frontmatter is now the canonical signature surface, not body prose.

### T19 — CDD.md cleanup

Per operator: CDD.md is not a package skill, so its existing metadata block (Version / Status / Date / Placement / Audience / Scope) stays as-is (no YAML promotion). The body-level `## Signature` block from iteration #3 is removed; the `### Invocation model` sub-section is promoted to a top-level `## Invocation model` section.

### T20 — Rebase-integrity check applied manually pre-push

Pre-push state: `origin/main` has not advanced past iteration #3 (`a256dd6`). Zero upstream-added or upstream-modified files since merge-base. Check trivially passes; recording for the operating-pattern continuity.

### Iteration #4 §9.1 reassessment

- T17/T18/T19 are structural promotions, not §9.1 loaded-skill-misses. The body-Signature surface from iteration #3 was a stepping stone; iteration #4 is its retirement. No skill patch from this iteration; the patch *is* the iteration.
- T20: trivial pass. The check shape is now executed on every iteration push regardless of whether main has advanced — this is the discipline pattern, not a finding-bound check.

### Re-asserted closure (iteration #4)

All §10.3 conditions still hold. Frontmatter-as-signature is now the canonical surface. The operator's optional next step (mechanical validator that checks every CDD skill has the schema, `calls:` targets exist, `scope:` values are valid, internal skills are not public entrypoints) is a clean L7 follow-on — appropriate as a separate issue, not an in-cycle patch.

**Cycle #268 closed (iterated ×4). cnos.cdd package signature surface now lives in YAML frontmatter; body prose is the implementation. CTB v4 §8.5.2 alignment complete: skills are visibly functions with explicit frontmatter signatures, three-tier scope, and named call graphs. Next: #272, #273, plus the optional schema-validator follow-on (subject to next-cycle γ selection per CDD §3).**

## 15. Operator iteration #5 (renderer-portable placeholders + merge)

After iteration #4 closure, operator returned with verdict (F1–F4). Ground-truth showed F1, F2, F3 already landed on the γ branch (`bc362fd`) but not yet on `main` (`6ec9667`); F4 is the recurring renderer artifact I called out in iteration #3 T13 (review tool HTML-strips angle-bracketed content even inside backticks). Operator confirmed the right move: incorporate F4 properly and merge γ branch into main.

### T21 — Renderer-portable placeholder convention

**Rule:** placeholders use `{name}` (curly-brace template syntax) inside backticks, not `<name>` (HTML-vulnerable). Literal system-tag references (e.g. the actual `task-notification`, `github-webhook-activity`, `<invoke>` tag-name examples) are kept as words without angle brackets, since the renderer eats those too — but they remain identifiable from context.

**Sites converted from `<X>` to `{X}` (inline-backticked):**
- `plan/SKILL.md`: `{package}`, `{runtime-source-tree}` (3 sites)
- `alpha/SKILL.md`: `{language}`, `{runtime-source-tree}`, `{number}` (3 close-out voice + polling sites)
- `issue/SKILL.md`: `{language}` (2 sites)
- `review/SKILL.md`: `{language}`, `{number}`, `{issue-number}` (2 sites)
- `gamma/SKILL.md`: `{branch}` (1 polling-shape site); `<task-notification>` literal stripped to `task-notification` (1 site)
- `CDD.md`: `{language}`, `{N}`, `{number}`, `{project}`, `{role}`, `{branch}`, `{transition-detected}`, `{poll}`, `{gh-poll}`, `{version}`, `{release-commit}`, `{agent}` (table + prose + algorithm sites); `<task-notification>` and `<github-webhook-activity>` literals stripped to plain words (3 sites)
- `release/SKILL.md`: `{grade}`, `{level}`, `{id}` (2 sites)

**Sites kept as `<...>`:**
- `review/SKILL.md` line 188: `<invoke>` — literal XML tag being discussed in a "duplicate list entry" example. The example's point is that `<invoke>` *is* the literal token that appeared twice. Renaming would falsify the example. Renderer will eat it; trade-off accepted.
- Fenced code blocks (` ``` `): dispatch prompt blocks in `CDD.md` and `gamma/SKILL.md`, polling reference shapes in `CDD.md`. Standard markdown renderers preserve fenced content; operator's F4 was specifically about inline-backtick content. If a future iteration shows fenced content also stripped, will revisit.

**Verification:** `grep -rnE '` + "`" + `[^` + "`" + `]*<[a-z][a-z-]+>' src/packages/cnos.cdd/skills/cdd/` returns exactly one site (the intentional `<invoke>` literal in `review/SKILL.md`).

### T22 — Merge γ branch into main

Per operator instruction, merging `claude/gamma-skill-implementation-cKr15` into `main`. Pre-merge integrity check (per #273 spec):

- Pre-rebase γ tip: `bc362fd` (iteration #4); iteration #5 about to commit on top
- `origin/main` tip at merge time: TBD (re-fetched before merge)
- Upstream-added since merge-base: TBD
- Upstream-modified since merge-base: TBD

Merge strategy: `--no-ff` (per #273 principle — γ branch has been pushed and re-pushed multiple times across 5 iterations; rebase replay would risk content loss).

**Cycle #268 closed (iterated ×5). cnos.cdd package shipped to main as a renderer-portable, signature-bearing, function-shaped skill program. Open follow-ons: #272, #273, plus the optional schema-validator that mechanically enforces the iteration #4 frontmatter contract.**

## 16. Operator convergence verdict

After the iteration #5 merge to `main` (`9c11134`), operator returned: **converge**.

Verdict summary (operator's words, condensed):
> The CDD package now behaves like (a) a global loader, (b) three role-local modules, (c) six task-local modules, with explicit scope, input/output contracts, and invocation flow. That is a meaningful step toward the CTB vision, and I would call it converged in its current form.

This is the close. After 5 iterations against #268's audit-driven 16-AC scope, the cnos.cdd package now exhibits the CTB v4 §8.5.2 target shape: trigger + input contract + output contract + module system + calling convention + scoped authority. The bridge from prose-as-contract to frontmatter-as-contract is in production.

### Operator-noted polish observations (not blockers, not filed)

**A. CDD.md uses prose metadata block, not YAML frontmatter.** Operator: *"That is fine, because it is the canonical spec rather than a package-dispatch skill. The added Invocation model is enough for now."*

**Disposition: keep as-is.** Decision is intentional and matches the iteration #4 design call (CDD.md is the normative algorithm doc, not a loader-dispatchable skill — frontmatter would be ceremony without consumer). No follow-up filed.

**B. Some `calls:` entries are still semi-abstract.** Example: `alpha/SKILL.md` declares `calls: [design/SKILL.md, plan/SKILL.md, Tier 2 and Tier 3 skills named by the issue]` — the third entry is a dynamic-load reference, not a static call target. Operator notes this is fine operationally but not yet machine-checkable. Suggested future shape: a `calls_dynamic:` field for issue-bound or runtime-bound dispatch.

**Disposition: observation only, not filed.** This is a candidate refinement that pairs naturally with the unfiled schema-validator follow-on from iteration #4 (which would mechanically enforce the iteration #4 frontmatter contract — and at that point the static-vs-dynamic distinction matters). Recording here so the next γ cycle considering the validator inherits the observation. If the validator is filed, it should include `calls_dynamic:` as part of its scope.

### Final closure (post-convergence)

All §10.3 closure conditions still hold. Iterations #1–#5 are merged at `9c11134`. Operator has declared convergence. The cycle has produced:

- **15 skill patches** across the CDD skill program (matrix, frontmatter schema, scope vocabulary, signature contracts, placeholder convention, β/γ ownership boundary, deletion-cross-ref widening, wake-up contract)
- **2 follow-on issues** filed (#272 close-out filename, #273 rebase-collision integrity)
- **3 unfiled candidate follow-ons** (schema validator, harness-freshness MCA cluster, `calls_dynamic:` refinement) — surfaced for next γ selection
- **1 lived demonstration** of #273's integrity check (manual pre-rebase application during iteration #3)
- **Live β-side proof** that γ-on-the-web's wake-up gap (T2) was a real loaded-skill-miss (γ missed PR #270 / R1 / R2 / merge entirely while idle in the dispatch turn)

The `cnos.cdd` package is converged. CTB v4 §8.5.2 alignment is complete. **Cycle #268 closed (iterated ×5, converged). Next: #272, #273, plus next-cycle γ selection (subject to CDD §3 selection rules).**

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Signed: γ (`gamma@cdd.cnos`) · 2026-04-25 · merge commit `9c11134` · close-out `.cdd/unreleased/gamma/268.md` · operator convergence verdict applied.

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Signed: γ (`gamma@cdd.cnos`) · 2026-04-25 · merge commit `bfddcf2` · close-out `.cdd/unreleased/gamma/268.md` · skill patches in same commit
