Add instruction-fidelity guardrail across prompts

[Alan Jowett (Alan-Jowett)]

Summary

• add a universal instruction-fidelity guardrail and register it in the manifest
• wire the guardrail into every template and strengthen bootstrap plus generated prompt formats to preserve it verbatim where needed
• add tests/validate-instruction-fidelity.py, run it in CI, and update contributor documentation

Validation

• python tests/validate-manifest.py
• python tests/validate-instruction-fidelity.py
• python tests/validate-graph-integrity.py

[Copilot]

🟡 Not ready to approve

docs/faq.md now has a duplicated “4.” step in the numbered contribution list, which should be renumbered for clarity.

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Pull request overview

This PR strengthens PromptKit’s prompt-composition contract by introducing a universal instruction-fidelity guardrail and enforcing its presence and preservation across templates, bootstrap behavior, and output formats, with CI validation to prevent regressions.

Changes:

• Adds the new protocols/guardrails/instruction-fidelity.md guardrail and registers it in manifest.yaml.
• Wires guardrails/instruction-fidelity into template frontmatter and adds instruction-fidelity to every template’s manifest protocol list.
• Introduces tests/validate-instruction-fidelity.py, runs it in CI, and updates formats + docs to preserve and document the contract.

File summaries

File	Description
tests/validate-instruction-fidelity.py	New validator enforcing universal guardrail coverage + critical marker preservation
protocols/guardrails/instruction-fidelity.md	Adds the new universal instruction-fidelity guardrail protocol
manifest.yaml	Registers the new protocol and adds instruction-fidelity to template protocol lists
bootstrap.md	Adds explicit instruction-fidelity contract and preservation guidance to bootstrap
formats/agent-instructions.md	Requires verbatim inclusion of the instruction-fidelity contract in generated instruction files
formats/copilot-prompt-file.md	Requires verbatim preservation of instruction-fidelity semantics when repackaging prompts
.github/workflows/validate-manifest.yml	Runs the new instruction-fidelity validation in CI and updates path triggers
.github/copilot-instructions.md	Updates contributor-facing CI guidance to include the new validation script
README.md	Documents the new guardrail in the protocol list
CATALOG.md	Updates protocol counts and catalog to include instruction-fidelity
CONTRIBUTING.md	Updates applicable_to: all guidance and CI check references for the new validator
docs/architecture.md	Updates CI and architecture docs to mention the new validation and coverage requirement
docs/contributing-components.md	Adds the new validation step to contributor workflow and checklist
docs/faq.md	Adds the new validation step to “add a template” and troubleshooting guidance
templates/validate-simulation.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/validate-budget.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/triage-pull-requests.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/triage-issues.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/spec-extraction-workflow.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/scaffold-test-project.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/root-cause-ci-failure.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/revise-for-readability.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/review-schematic.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/review-pull-request.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/review-layout.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/review-infrastructure.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/review-enclosure.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/review-cpp-code.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/review-code.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/review-bom.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/reverse-engineer-requirements.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/respond-to-pr-comments.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/reconstruct-behavior.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/reconcile-requirements.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/profile-session.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/plan-implementation.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/maintenance-workflow.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/lint-prompt.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/investigate-trace.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/investigate-security.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/investigate-bug.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/interactive-design.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/hardware-design-workflow.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/generate-spec-changes.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/generate-implementation-changes.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/generate-commit-message.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/fix-compiler-warnings.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/find-and-fix-bugs.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/extract-rfc-requirements.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/extract-invariants.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/extend-library.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/exhaustive-bug-hunt.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/evolve-protocol.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/evaluate-prompt-portability.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/enhance-prompt.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/engineering-workflow.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/emit-manufacturing-artifacts.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/discover-tests-for-changes.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/diff-specifications.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/design-schematic.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/design-pcb-layout.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/decompose-prompt.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/collaborate-requirements-change.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/classify-findings.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-workflow-prompts.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-validation-plan.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-test-prompt.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-session-handoff.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-rfc.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-requirements-doc.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-release.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-protocol-validation.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-presentation.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-pipeline.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-north-star.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-known-conditions-registry.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-interface-contract.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-implementation-prompt.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-design-doc.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-architecture-spec.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/author-agent-instructions.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity and updates agent-instruction generation constraints
templates/audit-traceability.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/audit-test-compliance.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/audit-spec-invariants.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/audit-spec-alignment.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/audit-link-budget.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/audit-library-health.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/audit-library-consistency.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/audit-interface-contract.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/audit-integration-compliance.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/audit-implementation-alignment.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/audit-coverage-gaps.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/audit-code-compliance.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter
templates/analyze-protocol-conflicts.md	Adds guardrails/instruction-fidelity to template frontmatter

Review details

• Files reviewed: 94/94 changed files
• Comments generated: 1
• Review effort level: Lite

We're testing this review assessment. Please use 👍 or 👎 to tell us if it's correct.

[Copilot]

🟢 Ready to approve

The new guardrail is consistently integrated across templates/manifest/formats and is enforced by a dedicated CI validation script with matching marker checks.

This review doesn't count toward merge requirements. Sign up for the private preview to control whether Copilot approvals count.

Review details

• Files reviewed: 94/94 changed files
• Comments generated: 0 new
• Review effort level: Lite

We're testing this review assessment. Please use 👍 or 👎 to tell us if it's correct.