---
id: 1155c874-8531-41ee-bbb1-24d8e5b6728f
title: 'AGENTS.md refresh: wiki paths, byte budgets, true merge contract, --skill pointer'
state: closed
labels: []
assignees: []
milestone: null
created: 2026-09-08T08:40:27.467909782Z
updated: 2026-09-08T08:46:58.696953826Z
---
SOURCE: owner request + orchestrator audit (2026-09-08). The live
manual (.forge/wiki/docs/AGENTS.md) drifted from reality in four
places; every other section is still true and stays untouched.

STALE vs CURRENT:
1. Reading order points at root OUTLINE.md / PLAN.md — they moved to
   .forge/wiki/docs/ long ago (no root copies exist). Fix the paths.
2. Budgets bullet lists line caps only. Byte caps are live now:
   root <=300B/12ln, -h <=250B/8ln, --skill <=1000B/30ln (PLAN
   [M2] table, in the wiki). Add the byte figures.
3. "Merges are agent work" bullet says merge "applies, runs CI,
   lists what conflicted, stops" — omits the never-touch-main truth
   (#27): f0rge merge CI-gates the patch in a scratch worktree,
   NEVER touches main or branches; the ORCHESTRATOR fast-forwards
   the applied sha and deletes the branch; conflicts are reconciled
   by the agent. Say that.
4. No mention of the canonical agent contract: `f0rge --skill`
   (single source of truth; skill.md body == SKILL_TEXT; golden
   test; 1000B budget). Add one line.

Scope: .forge/wiki/docs/AGENTS.md ONLY. Token-minimal prose; no
format changes; keep Install section and everything else verbatim.
DONE: a fresh agent reading this AGENTS.md + `f0rge --skill` can
run the whole daily loop with zero contradictions.