pack-draft

Pack Draft

Generate the pack files from evidence.

Core Principle: Every pattern is grounded in an observed agent failure. Every anti-pattern describes real agent behavior. Nothing is hypothetical. The observation report is your evidence — the draft is your argument.

Community Pack Path

Step 1: Scaffold

Run the scaffolding tool:

bash .sage/tools/sage-new-pack.sh <pack-name> --layer <N>

This creates the directory structure with template files.

Step 2: Write Patterns

For each confirmed need from the observation report, write a pattern.

Format (mandatory):

# Pattern Name

**Why agents get this wrong:** [1-2 sentences explaining the root cause —
stale training data, wrong defaults, missing context]

**Do:** [2-3 sentences of specific instruction + code example if needed]

Rules:

• Each pattern entry should be ~80-120 tokens (3-4 sentences + optional code snippet)
• Start EVERY pattern with "Why agents get this wrong"
• Include code example only if the visual difference between right and wrong is key
• One concept per pattern — if you need a subheading, it's two patterns
• Maximum 7 patterns total

Step 3: Write Anti-Patterns

For each confirmed failure from the observation report, write an anti-pattern.

Format (mandatory):

# Anti-Pattern: Name

**What agents do:** [1-2 sentences — exact behavior observed]

**Why it's wrong:** [1-2 sentences — consequence of the mistake]

**Do instead:** [1 sentence — the correction]

Rules:

• Each anti-pattern entry should be ~60-90 tokens (2-3 sentences)
• "What agents do" must describe REAL observed behavior from Phase 3
• Maximum 5-7 anti-patterns total

Step 4: Write Constitution Additions

Extract 3-7 non-negotiable principles from the patterns:

1. [Framework] components MUST [do X] because [reason].
2. [Pattern Y] MUST NOT be used because [reason].

Use MUST/MUST NOT/SHOULD/SHOULD NOT language. These are laws, not suggestions.

Step 5: Write Manifest

Fill in pack.yaml with real values: name, description, layer, dependencies, activation conditions, framework version, last-verified date.

Step 6: Write Tests

Transfer the test prompts from Phase 3 (pack-observe) into tests.md:

• Copy the prompts exactly
• Record the baseline (without pack) from observation
• Write the expected improvement (with pack) from the patterns you just wrote

Step 7: Token Check

Count approximate tokens (words × 1.3) across all content files. Verify total is within budget:

• L1: ≤3500 tokens
• L2: ≤5000 tokens
• L3: ≤1500 tokens

If over budget, trim the lowest-priority patterns first. Better to have 5 sharp patterns than 7 diluted ones.

Project Overlay Path

Step 1: Create Overlay Directory

mkdir -p .sage/packs/<pack-name>

Step 2: Generate overrides.md

From the project context gathered in Phase 2, generate a single overlay file:

# Project Overlay: <pack-name>

## Extends: <community-pack-name>

## Project-Specific Conventions

### [Convention Category]
[Specific rule for this project]

### [Convention Category]
[Specific rule]

## Constraints
- [What this project cannot use and why]
- [Required patterns]

## Project API Patterns
[Any project-specific API formats, response structures, error handling]

Rules:

• ONLY include what differs from or extends the community pack
• Don't repeat community pack guidance — it's already loaded
• Keep under 500 tokens — it's a delta, not a full pack
• Use specific, actionable language — "query keys follow [entity, action, params]" not "use good query key conventions"

Step 3: Create pack.yaml (Minimal)

---
name: "@project/<pack-name>"
type: overlay
extends: "<community-pack-name>"
version: "1.0.0"
---

Output

Community pack: Complete pack in packs/<name>/ with all required files. Project overlay: .sage/packs/<name>/overrides.md + minimal pack.yaml.

Failure Modes

• Patterns are too wordy: You're writing documentation, not corrections. Each pattern should be 2-4 sentences + optional code. If it's a paragraph, trim it.
• Anti-patterns are hypothetical: Go back to Phase 3 observations. If you didn't see the agent do it, don't list it.
• Over token budget: Cut the lowest-severity patterns. The top 5 failures cover 80% of real problems.
• Overlay repeats community pack: The overlay should ONLY contain what's different. Delete anything the community pack already covers.