Directives Guide

Directives are project-specific guidelines that define how your team works. They complement the immutable Constitution with customizable rules.

Directory Structure

.era/memory/directives/
├── _config.yaml              # Auto-generated (DO NOT EDIT)
├── 000-upstream-header.md    # Header (managed by Era)
├── development.md            # Your development standards
├── testing.md                # Your testing requirements
├── security.md               # Your security policies
└── 999-upstream-footer.md    # Footer (managed by Era)

Creating a Directive File

Create a new .md file in .era/memory/directives/:

---
category: development
title: Development Standards
order: 10
version: 1.0.0
last_updated: 2025-01-09
---

## Code Style

<!-- directive:code-style -->

All code MUST follow the project's established coding style.

### Requirements

- Use consistent indentation (2 spaces for JS/TS)
- Follow naming conventions
- Add JSDoc comments to public APIs

### Rationale

Consistent code style improves readability and reduces cognitive load.

<!-- /directive -->

Frontmatter Fields

Field	Required	Description
category	Yes	Category identifier
title	Yes	Display title
order	No	Sort order (lower = earlier)
version	No	Semantic version
last_updated	No	Last update date

Directive Markers

Use markers to identify individual directives:

<!-- directive:unique-id -->
Directive content...
<!-- /directive -->

IDs must be unique across all directive files.

Language

Use RFC 2119 language for requirements:

• MUST / MUST NOT - Absolute requirements
• SHOULD / SHOULD NOT - Recommended
• MAY - Optional

Building Directives

Directives are compiled into .era/memory/DIRECTIVES.md automatically when you run:

era-code start

Or manually:

era-code build-directives

OpenCode Commands

From within OpenCode, use these commands:

Command	Description
/era-directives	Create or modify directives
/era-bootstrap-directives	Generate comprehensive directives for existing projects
/era-sync-directives	Sync directives from main branch

Best Practices

1. Be specific - Vague directives are hard to follow
2. Include rationale - Explain why the directive exists
3. Keep it scannable - Use bullet points and short paragraphs
4. Version your directives - Track changes over time
5. Review regularly - Update as your project evolves