Using TraceDecay

IF A TRACEDECAY TOOL OR SKILL APPLIES, USING IT IS NOT OPTIONAL.
GRAPH BEFORE GREP. FACTS BEFORE FILES. CONTEXT BEFORE CODE.

This project has a live TraceDecay code graph, memory store, and session archive. If there is even a 1% chance a tracedecay tool or skill applies to what you are doing, you MUST use it — before any response or action, including clarifying questions and "quick looks" at files. This is not negotiable. You cannot rationalize your way out of it. Violating the letter of this rule is violating its spirit.

Scope and priority

• SUBAGENT-STOP: a scoped subagent handed exact files, symbols, or excerpts acts on what it was given — no re-discovery. This mandate governs open-ended work, not narrow handoffs.
• Priority: explicit user instructions and project rules (CLAUDE.md / AGENTS.md) > this skill > the host's default grep habit. Never fight a direct instruction to satisfy the mandate.
• Announce every skill you follow: "Using tracedecay: to " — then follow it exactly. If it has a checklist, make a todo per item.

Bootstrap (once per session)

tracedecay tools may be deferred — listed by name only, uncallable until their schemas load. First need → ONE batched ToolSearch call: select:tracedecay_context,tracedecay_search,tracedecay_grep,tracedecay_outline,tracedecay_body (add project/session tools such as tracedecay_project_list, tracedecay_project_search, tracedecay_project_context, or tracedecay_message_search when the moment needs them). If any MCP call errors or times out, the same tool runs as tracedecay tool <name> --args '<json>' — see tracedecay:using-the-cli. Transport failure never justifies grep.

Moment to mandatory action

The moment you are in	Do this instead
About to grep/rg a literal string, regex, or config key	tracedecay_grep — skill: tracedecay:exploring-code
About to search for a symbol or concept, or open/Read a source file	tracedecay_search / tracedecay_context; read via outline→body→read slices — tracedecay:exploring-code
User names another repo/project/workspace, sibling checkout, or cross-repo/cross-project context	tracedecay_project_list / tracedecay_project_search → tracedecay_project_context; pass project_id, project_path, or project_selector to tracedecay_context, tracedecay_search, and tracedecay_message_search
"Who calls X" / "what does X call" / "trace this"	tracedecay:tracing-functions
Wondering what breaks or which tests to run	tracedecay:assessing-impact
Trait/interface/class type-hierarchy question (implementors, extenders, inheritance)	tracedecay_type_hierarchy — skill: tracedecay:exploring-code
About to run gh pr diff / read a raw diff to review	tracedecay_pr_context / tracedecay_diff_context (offline, no gh needed) — tracedecay:reviewing-changes
About to write a new helper, rename, or mass-edit	tracedecay:editing-safely
Looking for duplicate code, similar function bodies, repeated helper logic, or consolidation targets	tracedecay_redundancy first for body/functionality matches; tracedecay_similar only for near-duplicate names — tracedecay:code-health / tracedecay:editing-safely
Build/type errors present, or about to run cargo check/tsc	tracedecay:fixing-build-and-type-errors
About to write MEMORY.md/CLAUDE.md notes, or asked about a past decision	tracedecay:project-memory (fact_store)
Need raw past-session transcripts or compaction recovery	tracedecay:managing-session-context
Architecture, tech debt, index/project status	tracedecay:code-health
An MCP call just failed	tracedecay:using-the-cli — never abandon over transport

Red flags — these thoughts mean STOP, you are rationalizing

Thought	Reality
"Grep is faster for this"	tracedecay_grep runs the same match over the index and returns the enclosing symbol. Same speed, more answer.
"I'll just read the whole file"	outline/body answer at a fraction of the tokens, cached across sessions.
"This repo probably isn't indexed"	Check tracedecay_status (one cheap call). Guessing "unindexed" to justify grep is the rationalization itself.
"I'll use gh to get the PR diff"	pr_context computes changed symbols + dependents + tests from the local graph — offline. gh is for comments/CI only.
"I made one context call; now I'll bash around"	One call is discovery, not license. Stay on the skill's ladder; pass seen_node_ids forward and narrow — don't switch to grep.
"I'll jot this in MEMORY.md"	Durable facts go to fact_store (add) — searchable, trust-ranked, cross-session. MEMORY.md is not memory.
"The index might be stale — I should sync first"	Hooks auto-sync on every session and edit. Never run manual sync; if results look stale, check tracedecay_status and report it.
"The MCP call might fail / just failed"	tracedecay tool <name> always works. Transport ≠ capability.
"This is a simple lookup"	Simple lookups are exactly what the graph is for.
"I already know this codebase"	The graph is fresher than your memory. Check it.
"I'll explore first, then use the skill"	The skills tell you HOW to explore. Check first.
"The skill is overkill here"	Simple things become complex. Use it.

Procedure

1. Before the first tool call of ANY task (questions included), check the moment table. A row matches → announce and follow it.
2. Never dispatch an Explore agent for codebase research while tracedecay is available; if one must be spawned, its prompt must mandate tracedecay_context as its only exploration tool with seen_node_ids threading.
3. Truncated response with a handle → narrow the query, or tracedecay_retrieve when the omitted detail is needed. Never re-run broad.
4. A result includes a tracedecay_metrics: line → report the savings.
5. A durable decision, preference, correction, or pitfall surfaced → store it via tracedecay:project-memory without being asked.