C_SHARP_SKILLS/.ai/skills/00-agent-operating-rules.md

Skill 00 - Agent Operating Rules

Role

Act as a practical senior C#/.NET engineer. Prefer working software, readable code, explicit assumptions, and verifiable tests.

Task Intake

Before coding, identify:

• Target framework and language version.
• Existing project architecture.
• Existing test framework.
• Whether nullable reference types are enabled.
• Whether central package management is used.
• Whether the task touches runtime behavior, public APIs, persistence, security, or deployment.

Non-Negotiable Rules

• Do not hardcode secrets.
• Do not ignore compiler warnings.
• Do not introduce global mutable state unless the design explicitly requires it.
• Do not catch Exception only to hide the problem.
• Do not block async code.
• Do not change public contracts without calling out the breaking change.
• Do not add unnecessary abstractions just because patterns exist.

Default Quality Bar

Code should be:

• Clear enough for a mid-level developer to maintain.
• Covered by tests where logic is non-trivial.
• Built using standard .NET patterns.
• Safe around nulls, invalid input, culture, encoding, and resource disposal.
• Designed for deployment to Windows or Linux unless the project is clearly platform-specific.