---
name: rite-polish
description: Polish the active feature's code and any touched UI before review. Use for finish or normalization requests; not for repository-wide refactors.
argument-hint: "[target | bolder | quieter | distill | harden | normalize-only]"
---

<!-- loads: {"always":["devrites-lib/reference/standards/core.md","devrites-lib/reference/candidate-integrity.md","rite-polish/reference/code.md","rite-polish/reference/anti-patterns.md","rite-polish/reference/anti-ai-slop.md","rite-polish/reference/harden-checklist.md","rite-polish/reference/ledger.md","rite-build/reference/checkpoint.md"],"triggers":{"adr":["rite-polish/reference/adr-promotion.md"],"agents":["devrites-lib/reference/standards/agents.md"],"backend":["rite-polish/reference/backend-polish.md"],"coding":["devrites-lib/reference/standards/coding-style.md","devrites-lib/reference/standards/duplicate-code.md"],"errors":["devrites-lib/reference/standards/error-handling.md"],"ui":["rite-polish/reference/ui.md","rite-polish/reference/design-memory.md","rite-polish/reference/design-system-discovery.md","rite-polish/reference/browser-polish-evidence.md","devrites-lib/reference/standards/browser-proof-checklist.md"]},"workspace":["brief.md","spec.md","state.md","decisions.md","assumptions.md","questions.md","decision-coverage.md","architecture.md","plan.md","tasks.md","traceability.md","eng-review.md","test-plan.md","gates.md","evidence.md","touched-files.md","design-brief.md","browser-evidence.md","polish-report.md"],"workspaceByRole":{"slice-wright":["spec.md","architecture.md","plan.md","tasks.md","test-plan.md","state.md","decisions.md","design-brief.md"]}} -->
> Read-set manifest: `devrites-engine context <slug> --phase polish` bundles every file named below into one deduplicated read. Trigger names map to the conditional rules in the sections that follow.


# /rite-polish: finish before review

Polish code for every feature. When the feature touches UI, normalize and polish the
UI as well. Complete this self-review before `/rite-review`. The code and UI phases
live in [`reference/code.md`](reference/code.md)
([`anti-ai-slop.md`](reference/anti-ai-slop.md),
[`backend-polish.md`](reference/backend-polish.md))
and [`reference/ui.md`](reference/ui.md)
([`browser-polish-evidence.md`](reference/browser-polish-evidence.md),
[`design-system-discovery.md`](reference/design-system-discovery.md),
[`harden-checklist.md`](reference/harden-checklist.md));
read only the phase in scope.

## Operating rules

- **Functionality complete first.** Polish runs after `/rite-prove` (full
  feature proven).
- Follow the shared
  [`candidate-integrity.md`](../devrites-lib/reference/candidate-integrity.md).
  Polish owns every candidate-affecting correction and durable rollup before Review.
- Feature scope only.
- For UI, **normalize before polishing**. Do not add decoration on top of drift.
- **Bounded polish passes.** Verification runs in bounded passes, not a loop: after the
  Phase 4 assessment, at most one more correction round for **new** findings, then stop —
  residual subjective preference is recorded in `polish-report.md`, not re-polished.
  **Failing case:** the same surface reopened a third time with no new failing evidence.
- **Root selects; wright edits.** The controlling chat assesses and reconciles, but every
  accepted source/test correction is dispatched to the sole writer,
  `devrites-slice-wright`, through
  [`agents.md`](../devrites-lib/reference/standards/agents.md). Never edit source inline or
  run two correction writers concurrently.

## Polish axes (C3 — completeness vs craft)

Score **separately**; conflating them hides gaps:

| Axis | Question | Failing case |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **ux_coverage** | Did we compare every stated alternative/state? | Omitted empty/error state treated as agreement |
| **completeness** | Are required states, copy, and flows present? | Hero-only layout with no loading/error |
| **craft / anti-slop** | Does the UI avoid generic template patterns? | Inter + purple gradient hero with no product-specific hierarchy |
| **distinction** | Is there one intentional signature detail? | Polished but indistinguishable from a template |

Incomplete comparison is **not** agreement. Record axis deltas in `polish-report.md`.

## Orchestration

0. **Read** `.devin/skills/devrites-lib/reference/standards/core.md` first (the always-on operating rules). The
   per-phase rule files ([`coding-style.md`](../devrites-lib/reference/standards/coding-style.md), [`error-handling.md`](../devrites-lib/reference/standards/error-handling.md), …) load on demand
   from `reference/code.md` / `reference/ui.md` when their phase runs; for UI scope also read
   `.devin/skills/devrites-lib/reference/standards/browser-proof-checklist.md`.
   Then read the explicit or active workspace's `state.md` directly.
1. **Read** `state.md`, `touched-files.md`, the current candidate digest, and the
   `git diff` for the active workspace (or `$ARGUMENTS` if a target was given).
2. **Detect UI scope:** UI is touched if the diff or `touched-files.md`
   contains any of: `.tsx`, `.jsx`, `.vue`, `.svelte`, `.html`, `.css`,
   `.scss`, `.sass`, `.less`, `.styl`, component dirs (`components/`,
   `pages/`, `routes/`, `app/`, `views/`, `screens/`), Storybook stories,
   or design-token files. When in doubt, look for visual changes that need
   verification.
3. **Always** read [`reference/code.md`](reference/code.md) and assess **Phase 1
   (code polish)**; if backend was touched, assess **Phase 2 (backend polish)** from
   the same file. Reconcile the findings, then send accepted corrections as one bounded
   wright contract: build its read-set with
   `devrites-engine context <slug> --phase polish --role slice-wright`, run the
   single-agent wave through `devrites-engine dispatch <slug> open|start|seal|return`
   (auto-records dispatch/return metrics), and gate returned paths
   with `devrites-engine check diff-scope <slug> --allow <contract-paths>` before
   proof.
4. **If UI scope detected** read [`reference/ui.md`](reference/ui.md), and read
   `design-brief.md` if present so the polish follows the direction and states established
   by `devrites-ux-shape` and refined by `devrites-frontend-craft`. **Read the
   `## Visual Verdict` table in `browser-evidence.md` if present:
   its `FAIL` and `PARTIAL` rows are the normalize/quality-bar worklist**: identify the root
   cause of each (a missing state, an off-token CTA, or an anti-slop hit) rather than
   hiding it with decoration. Assess **Phase 3 (normalize)** → **Phase 4 (UI polish)**,
   then send accepted UI
   corrections to the wright (which invokes the relevant craft skill). Honor argument modes:
   - `bolder | quieter | distill | harden`: passed to Phase 4 as the
     emphasis dial.
   - `normalize-only`: assess Phase 3 and stop (no Phase 4).
5. **Finish durable rollups before Review.** Apply the capability
   [`ledger`](reference/ledger.md) when requirements changed, the optional UI
   [`design memory`](reference/design-memory.md), and durable
   [`ADR promotion`](reference/adr-promotion.md). Add every changed project path
   to the candidate manifest; none of these writes waits for Ship.
6. **Re-prove and close.** After all accepted code/UI corrections and rollups,
   run `devrites-engine check candidate <slug>` and `devrites-engine check
   windows <slug>` — an unwaived deferral marker surfaces here, not at Seal.
   Any digest change requires
   affected real re-proof using the approved commands, fresh proof-runner
   validation, refreshed evidence/browser bindings, and an updated candidate
   manifest. Record a **`Re-verification:`** line in `polish-report.md`. Close
   the candidate for Review only after these checks are green. Then checkpoint
   remaining candidate diffs per
   [`checkpoint.md`](../rite-build/reference/checkpoint.md).
7. **Aggregate output:** each phase appends to the single `polish-report.md`.

## Refinement modes

Pass the requested UI direction to Phase 4. Modes do not bypass normalization or the
quality bar; they apply after the system is aligned. See `reference/ui.md`.

> **Mid-flight discipline.** When tempted to polish UI without normalize, cite
> clean lint as proof of quality, skip Phase 2 on a backend diff, or delete a
> Chesterton's Fence: see [anti-patterns](reference/anti-patterns.md).