Shared context

Begin from the repository that owns your role's work. BA and Architect share one product documentation repository; Developer works in the code checkout and opens the prepared design package by an explicit path. Quality needs the code and review artifacts. Chat history is not a handoff.

Role	Working directory	Reads	Writes
BA	Product documentation repository	Customer source, vision, existing requirements and changes	Canon requirements, initial wp/<WP-ID>/, BA handoff
Architect	Same product repository	BA WP and linked requirements, decisions, code context if supplied	Technical design under design/<WP-ID>/, Developer handoff
Developer, source tools	Code checkout	External product/design/<WP-ID>/ and its referenced canon files	Code/tests in checkout; dev/ and Quality handoff in the explicit design directory
Developer, current Runtime	Selected local Runtime project root	Local work-packages/<runtime-WP>/manifest.json, design and evidence already present there	Code and local completion artifacts; Jira only through approved operations
Quality Harness	Configured local project and review context	Developer evidence, design and selected code	Local review record; approved Apply may write Jira

Runtime resolves one selected project root. It does not search a sibling product repository or import its canon automatically. Before a Runtime Developer session, explicitly prepare the complete local execution package and map its ID to the canon WP and Jira key when both exist. See handoffs and Work Package identities.

.project

.project is a configuration file at a selected repository root. The source workflow also recognizes .project.yaml or .project.yml; inspect the installed Runtime's project-init/status workflow for its own expected file. Template: .project.example.

stack:
  - node
requirementsFormat: user-story-gherkin
requiredArtifacts: []
environments:
  - local
knowledge:
  path: packages/knowledge/dataset
  ref: main
  # product: demo
  # service: api
jira:
  # baseUrl: https://jira.example.com
  # projectKey: SMOKE

Parsed by @praxis/project-config. If the file is missing, work continues on defaults and the session lists unset parameters. Do not put secrets here. Desktop credentials belong in Runtime secure settings (jira_token, optional github_token / gitlab_token). PRAXIS_JIRA_* environment variables apply only to advanced CLI/CI execution. See configuration and secrets.

Field	Used for
stack	Developer stack-rule loading
requirementsFormat	BA shaping (e.g. user story + Gherkin)
requiredArtifacts	Session reminder of expected files
environments	Named environments (parameter, not a runtime switch)
knowledge.*	Slice of company/product/service rules
jira.*	Optional URL/key overrides only

Knowledge corpus

Layout under packages/knowledge/dataset/:

company | product/<id> | service/<id> / {rules,precedents}

The source bootstrap loads the slice that matches role ∩ stage. If knowledge.path is unset, knowledge is skipped — plugins must not invent a path.

Current Desktop startup

Start a new Cowork session after installation/update, enable local computer access, and select the product folder. Run doctor/status through the role Skill. When .project is missing, use the project-init preview/apply workflow; quality.test names the real verification command. First run describes the current path.

Advanced source session start

The scripts below describe the earlier local-canon source layout. They are not executable files promised inside a skills-only Desktop ZIP; verify source paths and CLI help in your pinned release.

The source role repositories contain skills/session-start and bootstrap scripts. These commands require a compatible source checkout; a Skills ZIP alone does not provide the scripts:

node plugins/ba/tools/session-bootstrap.mjs .
node plugins/architect/tools/session-bootstrap.mjs .
node plugins/developer/tools/session-bootstrap.mjs .

@praxis/plugin-sdk.bootstrapSession() prints .project values, applicable norms, and a version check. Outdated-but-compatible plugins warn and continue; a canon major mismatch hard-stops.

Default stages: BA research, Architect plan, Developer implement.

What is not shared automatically

• Chat history between roles
• Quality SQLite DB (local to the Quality process / Docker volume)
• Architect design.root mentioned in some skills — not a .project schema field today; design output path is a CLI --out / convention under design/<WP-ID>/
• A sibling repository, untracked local files, Runtime journals, and Jira credentials. A second checkout and any staging/sync are explicit team actions.