A tiny contract that keeps coding agents scoped

A coding agent is most useful when the repository makes the boundaries obvious.

A small, practical contract can answer four questions before any code changes:

1. What is this repository responsible for?
2. Which commands are safe to run?
3. What must be checked before a change is considered done?
4. Which directories or files are out of scope?

That is the job of a few plain-text files: AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, and focused Cursor rules. They are not a replacement for review. They are a way to reduce ambiguity, keep context close to the code, and make agent behavior repeatable across contributors.

A useful starting point is to write one rule per failure mode you have actually seen: broad refactors, skipped tests, invented APIs, or edits outside the requested area. Keep the rules short, specific, and easy to verify.

Vildanden’s free Next.js sample includes a copy-ready baseline for this workflow: https://fairly-charlie-907.rehost.page/

What is the first boundary you would add to your repository?