# Skill: Shared Rule Capture

slug: skill-shared-rule-capture · https://miscsubjects.com/a/skill-shared-rule-capture · updated 2026-07-22T09:52:14.470Z

---
name: shared-rule-capture
description: Use when the owner restates a rule, correction, or constraint, or when a governor report shows high owner-restatement counts.
---

# Shared Rule Capture — turn repetition into memory

## Overview
When the owner has to say the same thing more than once, the build has failed to remember. This skill captures repeated owner rules as skill or law candidates so future agents load them automatically.

## When to Use
- The owner says "I already told you...", "always...", "never...", "do X before Y", or repeats a constraint.
- You notice yourself about to restate a rule the owner already stated this session.
- A governor or audit report shows high `owner_restatement` counts.

## Core Pattern

1. **Detect repetition.** Note when a rule-like statement appears from the owner.
2. **Draft a skill candidate.** One rule = one concise `shared-law-<topic>.md` or addition to an existing skill.
3. **Ask for approval.** Surface the candidate to the owner with a one-tap approve/reject.
4. **Commit on approve.** Place it in the correct skill directory and update `AGENTS.md` if project-specific.

## Rules

- Capture the rule in the same turn it is stated or confirmed.
- Task-only or capture-only is a half-failure: capture, then run the task, then verify the rule is loaded next time.
- A skill candidate must be <500 words and include concrete triggers, not abstract philosophy.
- Do not capture one-off corrections that are specific to a single bug. Capture patterns.

## Red Flags

- "I keep having to tell you..."
- "Same problem as last time..."
- "Why did you do X again?"
- Writing a long explanation instead of a skill.

## Verify

After capturing: the next agent session that touches the same topic loads the skill and follows it without the owner restating it.