# Talking Stick 0.4.0

Date: 2026-05-10

This release adds editable collaboration instructions for harness roles and
phase preferences while keeping the bundled Talking Stick skill as the
coordination safety floor.

## Added

### Editable collaboration instructions

New CLI surface:

```bash
tt instructions show
tt instructions edit
tt instructions reset
```

`show` returns the effective Markdown prompt for the detected harness. Effective
instructions are layered as bundled defaults, user defaults, and project
overrides. User instructions live under the Talking Stick data directory
(`instructions.md`); project instructions live at
`.talking-stick/instructions.md` in the workspace root.

`edit` lazily materializes the default Markdown on first use and opens
`$VISUAL`, `$EDITOR`, or a platform editor fallback. `reset` deletes the chosen
user or project file so lower layers apply again.

### Bundled defaults

The shipped defaults describe the shared phase vocabulary:

- draft
- adversarial review
- convergence
- implementation
- implementation review
- test review
- release

They also include advisory harness fits for Claude, Codex, Gemini, and
OpenCode. These defaults are prompt guidance only; Talking Stick does not track
phase state or auto-route turns.

### Skill loading

The bundled `talking-stick` skill now tells agents to run
`tt instructions show --json` after joining a room. If the command fails, agents
continue with the bundled skill. Editable instructions can add local
preferences, but they cannot override the core safety rules around joining,
waiting, guardian checks, handoffs, event wakes, or takeover.

## Changed

- `tt install` prints a short customization hint after a successful skill
  install: `Customize collaboration instructions with: tt instructions edit`.
- The skill's re-entry guidance now says to prefer continued action until the
  task is complete or the operator explicitly redirects or stops the room.

## Verification

```bash
npm run typecheck
npm run build
npm test
git diff --check
node dist/cli.js instructions show --harness codex --scope bundled --json
npm pack --dry-run
```