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DWG. FACTOR V — RESEARCH BEFORE YOU BUILDFACTOR V / XII
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VBOUND

Research Before You Build

Inspect the integration surface before writing code.

Rule

Inspect the real codebase before writing code.

What AgentOps Enforces

  • Search for existing patterns before adding new abstractions.
  • Read the files that own the behavior you are changing.
  • Identify validation commands before implementation begins.
  • Write down the relevant findings so implementation starts with evidence, not vibes.

Failure Signal

  • The patch duplicates a helper that already exists.
  • The code passes a narrow test but violates local architecture.
  • The agent says "I assume" when the repo can answer the question.
  • Implementation starts before the relevant files have been opened.

Done Looks Like

Before editing, the agent can name the owner files, the local pattern, the risk, and the command that will prove the change.