Agentic Driven Development (AD 1.0)

A structured methodology for AI-assisted development using Aider, emphasizing phase-based workflows, automated documentation, and contract-driven interfaces.

What This Skill Does

This skill configures Aider to follow the Agentic Driven (AD) 1.0 methodology, which provides:

Instructions

Initial Setup

1. **Create Required Files**

- `add.yaml` — Project configuration and current phase definition

- `docs/journal.md` — Development progress log

- `docs/interfaces.md` — Contract definitions and interface specifications

- `.aider-rules.md` — Full AD 1.0 methodology rules

- `README.md` — Project overview

2. **Configure Aider Settings**

- Model: Use GPT-4 or equivalent for complex reasoning

- Edit format: `diff` for precise changes

- Git commits: Disabled auto-commits (manual control)

- Show diffs: Enabled for transparency

- Stream: Enabled for real-time feedback

Core Workflow

**Before Starting Any Task:**

1. Read `add.yaml` to understand:

- Current phase (e.g., planning, implementation, testing)

- Phase-specific guidelines and constraints

- Project goals and requirements

2. Read `docs/` directory to understand:

- Recent progress and decisions (`journal.md`)

- Interface contracts and API specifications (`interfaces.md`)

- Any phase-specific documentation

3. Read `README.md` for project overview and context

**During Development:**

4. Follow current phase guidelines from `add.yaml`:

- Respect phase-specific constraints

- Focus on phase-appropriate tasks

- Don't jump ahead to future phases

5. Respect contracts defined in `docs/interfaces.md`:

- Don't break existing interfaces without explicit approval

- Follow naming conventions and patterns

- Maintain backward compatibility where required

6. Update `docs/journal.md` with progress:

- Log significant decisions

- Document blockers or questions

- Record completed tasks

- Note phase transitions

7. Use Conventional Commits format for all commits:

- `feat:` — New features

- `fix:` — Bug fixes

- `docs:` — Documentation changes

- `refactor:` — Code restructuring

- `test:` — Test additions or changes

- `chore:` — Maintenance tasks

- Example: `feat: add user authentication handler`

8. Commit frequently with clear, descriptive messages:

- One logical change per commit

- Reference issues or tickets when applicable

- Explain the "why" in commit body if needed

**Phase Completion:**

9. Tag phase completions for milestone tracking:

- Review phase checklist in `add.yaml`

- Ensure all phase requirements met

- Update journal with phase summary

- Create git tag (e.g., `v1.0-planning`, `v1.0-implementation`)

Context Files (Always Included)

These files are automatically included in every Aider conversation:

Ignored Patterns

The following are excluded from Aider context:

Example Usage

Starting a New Feature

```

User: "Add user authentication to the API"