steering

Prompt file imported from y047aka/DeepSpaceNine-RTA-Chart (.codex/prompts/kiro/steering.md). Fill in {{LAST_COMMIT}} before use. Copyright stays with the author.

Kiro Steering Management

Intelligently create or update steering documents in .kiro/steering/ to maintain accurate project knowledge for spec-driven development. This command detects existing documents and handles them appropriately.

Existing Files Check

Current steering documents status

• Product overview: Check .kiro/steering/product.md via read_file; create if missing
• Technology stack: Check .kiro/steering/tech.md via read_file; create if missing
• Project structure: Check .kiro/steering/structure.md via read_file; create if missing
• Custom steering files: Discover via list_dir/glob_file_search in .kiro/steering excluding core files; preserve if present

Project Analysis

Current Project State

• Project files: Discover via glob_file_search while excluding common vendor dirs; summarize by type
• Configuration files: Discover typical configs via glob_file_search (e.g. package.json, requirements.txt, pyproject.toml, tsconfig.json, etc.)
• Documentation: Discover markdown/docs via list_dir/glob_file_search (exclude vendor dirs)

Recent Changes (if updating)

• Last steering update: git log -1 --oneline -- .kiro/steering/ 2>/dev/null || echo "No previous steering commits"
• Commits since last steering update: LAST_COMMIT=$(git log -1 --format=%H -- .kiro/steering/ 2>/dev/null); if [ -n "$LAST_COMMIT" ]; then git log --oneline {{LAST_COMMIT}}..HEAD --max-count=20 2>/dev/null || echo "Not a git repository"; else echo "No previous steering update found"; fi
• Working tree status: git status --porcelain 2>/dev/null || echo "Not a git repository"

Existing Documentation

• Main README: @README.md
• Package configuration: @package.json
• Python requirements: @requirements.txt
• TypeScript config: @tsconfig.json
• Project documentation: @docs/

Smart Update Strategy

Based on the existing files check above, this command will:

For NEW files (showing "📝 Not found"):

Generate comprehensive initial content covering all aspects of the project.

For EXISTING files (showing "✅ EXISTS"):

1. Preserve user customizations - Any manual edits or custom sections
2. Update factual information - Dependencies, file structures, commands
3. Add new sections - Only if significant new capabilities exist
4. Mark deprecated content - Rather than deleting
5. Maintain formatting - Keep consistent with existing style

Inclusion Modes for Core Steering Files

The three core steering files (product.md, tech.md, structure.md) are designed to be Always Included - loaded in every AI interaction to provide consistent project context.

Understanding Inclusion Modes

• Always Included (Default for core files): Loaded in every interaction - ensures consistent project knowledge
• Conditional: Loaded only when working with matching file patterns (mainly for custom steering)
• Manual: Referenced on-demand with @filename syntax (for specialized contexts)

Core Files Strategy

• product.md: Always - Business context needed for all development decisions
• tech.md: Always - Technical constraints affect all code generation
• structure.md: Always - Architectural decisions impact all file organization

Task: Create or Update Steering Documents

1. Product Overview (product.md)

For NEW file:

Generate comprehensive product overview including:

• Product Overview: Brief description of what the product is
• Core Features: Bulleted list of main capabilities
• Target Use Case: Specific scenarios the product addresses
• Key Value Proposition: Unique benefits and differentiators

For EXISTING file:

Update only if there are:

• New features added to the product
• Removed features or deprecated functionality
• Changed use cases or target audience
• Updated value propositions or benefits

2. Technology Stack (tech.md)

For NEW file:

Document the complete technology landscape:

• Architecture: High-level system design
• Frontend: Frameworks, libraries, build tools (if applicable)
• Backend: Language, framework, server technology (if applicable)
• Development Environment: Required tools and setup
• Common Commands: Frequently used development commands
• Environment Variables: Key configuration variables
• Port Configuration: Standard ports used by services

For EXISTING file:

Check for changes in:

• New dependencies added via package managers
• Removed libraries or frameworks
• Version upgrades of major dependencies
• New development tools or build processes
• Changed environment variables or configuration
• Modified port assignments or service architecture

3. Project Structure (structure.md)

For NEW file:

Outline the codebase organization:

• Root Directory Organization: Top-level structure with descriptions
• Subdirectory Structures: Detailed breakdown of key directories
• Code Organization Patterns: How code is structured
• File Naming Conventions: Standards for naming files and directories
• Import Organization: How imports/dependencies are organized
• Key Architectural Principles: Core design decisions and patterns

For EXISTING file:

Look for changes in:

• New directories or major reorganization
• Changed file organization patterns
• New or modified naming conventions
• Updated architectural patterns or principles
• Refactored code structure or module boundaries

4. Custom Steering Files

If custom steering files exist:

• Preserve them - Do not modify unless specifically outdated
• Check relevance - Note if they reference removed features
• Suggest new custom files - If new specialized areas emerge

Instructions

1. Create .kiro/steering/ directory if it doesn't exist
2. Check existing files to determine create vs update mode
3. Analyze the codebase using native tools (Glob, Grep, LS)
4. For NEW files: Generate comprehensive initial documentation
5. For EXISTING files:
   • Read current content first
   • Preserve user customizations and comments
   • Update only factual/technical information
   • Maintain existing structure and style
6. Use clear markdown formatting with proper headers and sections
7. Include concrete examples where helpful for understanding
8. Focus on facts over assumptions - document what exists
9. Follow spec-driven development principles

Important Principles

Security Guidelines

• Never include sensitive data: No API keys, passwords, database credentials, or personal information
• Review before commit: Always review steering content before version control
• Team sharing consideration: Remember steering files are shared with all project collaborators

Content Quality Guidelines

• Single domain focus: Each steering file should cover one specific area
• Clear, descriptive content: Provide concrete examples and rationale for decisions
• Regular maintenance: Review and update steering files after major project changes
• Actionable guidance: Write specific, implementable guidelines rather than abstract principles

Preservation Strategy

• User sections: Any section not in the standard template should be preserved
• Custom examples: User-added examples should be maintained
• Comments: Inline comments or notes should be kept
• Formatting preferences: Respect existing markdown style choices

Update Philosophy

• Additive by default: Add new information rather than replacing
• Mark deprecation: Use strikethrough or [DEPRECATED] tags
• Date significant changes: Add update timestamps for major changes
• Explain changes: Brief notes on why something was updated

The goal is to maintain living documentation that stays current while respecting user customizations, supporting effective spec-driven development without requiring users to worry about losing their work. ultrathink