ADR: Original task context and retained evidence

Scope

This decision defines task context delivery and local evaluation independently of repository-state calibration and paid-model authorization.

Date: 2026-10-08 Status: accepted Source Decisions: D25-D30 in docs/milestone-10a4f02.md

Context

Overviews identify state but do not deliver applicable instruction or procedure text. Small output cannot establish task readiness, correctness, or credit savings. Command classification cannot prove source provision or check success.

Decision

Use independent declaration, cue, benchmark, answer, runner, and result versions. Keep legacy versions, SQLite schema, and content-free snapshots. Implement deterministic selection in Go: null dimensions are global; lists use OR within dimensions and AND between them.

Pin tracked regular declaration and source files to full-file snapshot digests. Support whole files or inclusive one-based ranges. Preserve original UTF-8, line endings, and final newline. Reject linked components and escaping paths. Stream hashing while bounding retained text. Keep the quiet-repository assumption.

Assemble required primary/check sources and provenance before whole optional units. Mandatory overflow fails; optional omissions remain explicit. Cues declare coverage without enforcing instruction authority or permissions.

Separate prompt/tool provision, task correctness, verification execution, and independent semantic assessment. Capture actual stdin and supported completion, exit, and output evidence. Unknown fields prove nothing. Explanation assessment binds the exact answer, source basis, and policy.

Prepare without an agent by default. Explicit execution performs one ordered overview/task pair. Retain external attempts before launch and raw evidence on failure, malformed output, cancellation, and basis errors. Summaries launch no process and retain wrong answers.

Use complete compatible counters and dated credit/speed rates. Validate subset bounds, absence, and overflow. Calculate matched differences before descriptive aggregates. Suppress verdicts without pre-execution policy, successful tasks, complete required delivery, and required pair coverage.

Consequences

Authors maintain applicability and renew changed pins. Original context can cost more than summaries; budget failures expose missing mandatory material. External evidence requires owner retention. Local fixtures prove software behavior, not provider support, model compliance, account billing, or savings. Paid runs require separate settings, policy, rates, spending, and continuation authorization.

Alternatives considered

Whole-file-only delivery increases input. Contained symlinks need separate link/target identities. Summaries introduce model cost and uncertain fidelity. Shared legacy calibration mixes incompatible task outcomes. Success-only publication hides failures and favorable sample selection. These alternatives do not meet the accepted slice.

Verification or enforcement

Canonical M4 / T1-T8 cover contracts, real source integrity, budgeting, shipped CLI/runner paths, retained failures, regressions, distribution, and independent acceptance. Observed results belong in the canonical milestone.