The ContextOps lifecycle

ContextOps is to context what DevOps is to code: a versioned, governed lifecycle that prevents drift between what the agent thinks is true and what the code actually does.

1. Build

Generate the initial context files by scanning the repo, not by guessing. Detect the stack from manifests, test commands from scripts, the dominant style from recent commits.

Commands: init, document.

2. Distribute

Same rules, in the format each harness expects. Single source of truth, thin pointer files per harness.

Commands: init, scope.

3. Maintain

Pre-commit hooks and CI checks that validate context files when the code they describe changes. If package.json changes and AGENTS.md still names the old framework, fail the commit. Without this stage, context rots.

Commands: verify, audit.

4. Update

Context evolves through delta updates, not full rewrites. New conventions added with a date. Deprecated ones marked, not deleted, with the reason. Rewrites lose the why; the why is the valuable part.

Commands: adr, document.

5. Measure

Track how often the agent's output passes the project's own checks without modification. Low conformity means the context is failing to communicate.

Command: audit.

What to do with this

Build → Distribute → wire Maintain. Skipping Maintain is the most common failure: teams build beautiful context files and never check whether the agent actually follows them. verify closes that loop.