Proof of concept

Ideas worth finding out about, rather than work that has to be delivered.

A ticket here describes a problem and what makes it interesting. It does not describe the answer, and it carries no acceptance criteria. Writing those is the first half of the exercise and the half most often skipped.

What does not apply

The definition of done in AGENTS.md is for work that ships. None of this ships.

• Nothing merges to main, and no pull request is wanted
• No review, no gate, no green build required
• The brand is worth honouring and is not a condition. A proof that works in the wrong typeface has still proved the thing
• Work on a branch named for the ticket, because the hooks want the key in it. Nothing past that
• Nothing here is estimated. A proof of concept is however long you have, and a number invites somebody to pick the small one

What does apply

• Plan it before you build it. The planner reads the ticket and the pages it points at and produces the criteria. If a plan cannot be built from, it is not finished, and tightening it is cheaper than discovering the gap in code
• Say what you found out, including when what you found out is that the idea does not work. A proof that kills an idea has done its job and saved the rest of us the trip