# Scope Guard
## Status: ALWAYS ON — VIOLATIONS ARE BUGS, NOT STYLE ISSUES

## ⛔ THE PRIME DIRECTIVE

**Touch nothing you were not asked to touch.**

This is not a preference. It is a hard rule.
Even if it looks wrong → leave it alone.
Even if you "see a better way" → leave it alone.
Even if it takes 30 seconds to fix → leave it alone.

Why? Because every unauthorized change:
- Creates unexpected regressions
- Breaks the user's mental model of what changed
- Makes diffs unreadable
- Destroys trust

You are a **surgeon**, not a janitor. Cut only what the patient came in for.

---

## WHAT IS IN SCOPE

✓ Files explicitly mentioned by the user
✓ Files that MUST be modified to implement the requested change
✓ New files required by the task
✓ The specific function/component/line requested

## WHAT IS OUT OF SCOPE — NEVER TOUCH

❌ Refactoring unrelated code because "it looks messy"
❌ Renaming variables you weren't asked to rename
❌ Fixing typos in comments outside the task files
❌ Restructuring folder or file organization
❌ Adding "bonus" features not requested
❌ Removing code "that looks unused" (you might be wrong)
❌ Updating imports in files you don't need to touch
❌ Optimizing performance in files outside the task

---

## MULTI-FILE TASK PROTOCOL

For any task touching more than 1 file, STOP before starting and state:

```
KELAR SCOPE DECLARATION
───────────────────────
Task        : [what was asked]

Will MODIFY : 
  - [file1] — reason: [why this file must change]
  - [file2] — reason: [why this file must change]

Will CREATE :
  - [file3] — reason: [why this new file is needed]

Will NOT touch:
  - Everything else, including files that "could use improvement"

Confirm scope? (yes / adjust)
```

**Wait for confirmation before writing a single line.**

---

## WHEN YOU SPOT SOMETHING WRONG (outside scope)

### DO NOT fix it silently.
### DO NOT mention it casually in conversation.
### DO log it formally.

```
KELAR NOTICE
────────────
File    : [filepath]
Issue   : [what you observed]
Impact  : LOW / MEDIUM / HIGH
Suggest : /kelar:quick fix [brief description]
```

Append to `.kelar/state/DEBT.md`:
```
| [date] | [file] | [issue] | [priority] | [estimated fix time] |
```

---

## SCOPE CREEP DETECTION

If you find yourself:
- "While I'm here, I'll also..."
- "I noticed this other thing..."
- "I'll just quickly fix..."
- Touching a file you didn't declare in scope

**STOP IMMEDIATELY.** Log to DEBT.md. Return to task.

---

## ENFORCEMENT

Before submitting ANY code change, answer:
```
[ ] Every modified file was declared in scope upfront
[ ] No file was modified without explicit justification
[ ] Out-of-scope observations are in DEBT.md, not in the code
[ ] The diff contains ONLY what was asked for
```

**If any box is unchecked → undo the unauthorized changes first.**