Comet Preset Path: Hotfix

Quick bug fix workflow: open → build → verify → archive. Skip brainstorming and full plan, applicable for behavior fixes not involving new capability design.

Applicable conditions (all must be met):

1. Fix bugs in existing functionality, no new capability
2. No interface changes or architecture adjustments
3. Change scope is predictable (file count is a hint only, not a hard upgrade condition; see Upgrade Assessment below)

Not applicable: If the fix process hits a qualitative-change signal (see "Upgrade Assessment" section), the user decides whether to upgrade to the full /comet-classic workflow.

Process (preset workflow, 6 steps)

0. Output Language Constraint

Streamlined OpenSpec artifacts must use the configured Comet artifact language. Before .comet.yaml exists, read classic.language from project .comet/config.yaml, then fall back to global ~/.comet/config.yaml; after initialization, use comet state get <name> language.

Execution chain: open → build → root cause check → verify → archive. Hotfix provides default decisions for each phase: streamlined open, direct build, root cause confirmation, scale-based verification, and final archive confirmation after verification passes.

Before starting, locate Comet scripts via comet/reference/scripts.md. When resuming from any entry point, first use comet/reference/context-recovery.md to confirm phase/workflow.

When resuming an existing hotfix change, the first state operation must be comet state select <change-name>. For a new change, run the command immediately after .comet.yaml initialization and before source writes.

1. Quick Open (preset open)

Reuse Comet open capability to create change, but use hotfix defaults: do not execute openspec-explore long exploration, directly enter streamlined change creation.

Immediately execute: Use the Skill tool to load the openspec-new-change skill. Skipping this step is prohibited.

After the skill loads, create the change skeleton first, then immediately initialize recoverable state and bind the current change:

comet state init <name> hotfix
comet state select <name>
comet state check <name> open

If the select / check output is BLOCKED because bound_branch does not match the current branch, immediately pause under comet/reference/decision-point.md and let the user choose one option: switch back to the bound branch and rerun entry verification, or run comet state rebind <change-name> after the user explicitly confirms the current branch should take over this change, then rerun entry verification. Do not switch branches or rebind on your own.

Entry workspace isolation is a user decision point; do not use current as the default isolation mode. Pause under comet/reference/decision-point.md and let the user choose one option:

• A. Work directly on the current branch: run comet state set <name> isolation current to truthfully bind the current branch
• B. Create a branch: create and switch to hotfix/YYYYMMDD/<change-name>, then run comet state set <name> isolation branch
• C. Create a worktree: first use the Skill tool to load Superpowers using-git-worktrees; let that skill create the isolated workspace, then run comet state set <name> isolation worktree inside the worktree

After B/C, rerun this in the actual execution branch or worktree:

comet state select <name>

Then create the streamlined artifacts:

• proposal.md — problem description + root cause analysis + fix goal (no solution comparison needed)
• design.md — fix solution (one is enough, no multi-solution comparison needed)
• tasks.md — fix task list
• No delta spec needed (unless fix changes existing spec acceptance scenarios)

Run phase guard to transition open → build:

comet guard <change-name> open --apply

Check auto_transition to decide whether to continue:

comet state next <name>

• NEXT: auto → continue to Step 2
• NEXT: manual → return control with HINT and end the current invocation; do not ask whether to continue

2. Direct Build (preset build)

Use hotfix defaults: build_mode: direct, tdd_mode: direct, and review_mode: off. isolation must keep the entry workspace isolation the user confirmed in Step 1; do not change it back to current on your own. Here direct skips full planning/TDD orchestration; it never skips reproduction, regression coverage, or verification. Skip Superpowers brainstorming and writing-plans; task count alone does not route to /comet-build. Keep larger task lists ordered in the current hotfix and ask about upgrading only when a qualitative-change signal or scope tripwire is hit.

Before continuing or starting changes, handle uncommitted changes through comet/reference/dirty-worktree.md. If attribution shows a qualitative-change signal or file-count tripwire is hit, handle it through this file's "Upgrade Assessment".

Before implementation, reproduce the bug and record failing evidence first:

1. Confirm the reported old behavior with minimal repeatable steps and record the command, input, and actual result
2. When automatable, add and run a regression test that fails for this bug; confirm the failure is caused by the bug rather than the environment or test itself
3. If automation is temporarily impossible, record why plus repeatable manual failing evidence in the proposal/verification report; never edit code without evidence

After RED evidence exists, execute tasks one by one according to tasks.md:

1. Read openspec/changes/<name>/tasks.md, get incomplete task list
2. For each incomplete task:
   • Modify code according to task description
   • Run project formatter (e.g., mvn spotless:apply, npm run format)
   • First rerun the new failing regression test and confirm it turns green, then run related tests
   • Check corresponding - [ ] to - [x] in tasks.md
   • Commit code, commit message format: fix: <brief fix description>
3. After all tasks complete, explicitly run relevant project tests and build commands

If fix affects existing spec acceptance scenarios:

• Create delta spec in openspec/changes/<name>/specs/<capability>/spec.md
• Only include ## MODIFIED Requirements section

During hotfix execution, whenever a crash, unexpected behavior, test failure, or build failure appears while running the program, tests, build, or manual verification, must use the Skill tool to load the Superpowers systematic-debugging skill. Before root-cause investigation is complete, must not propose or implement source-code fixes.

For specific investigation, minimal failing test, fix verification, and keeping the current change verification loop, follow comet/reference/debug-gate.md.

3. Root Cause Elimination Check

Execute before running build guard, ensuring the fix actually eliminates the root cause:

1. Read bug description and root cause in proposal.md
2. Search and verify problem code no longer exists
3. If root cause not eliminated, return to Step 2 to continue fix (still in build phase, no state transition needed)

Upgrade assessment signals:

• Root cause check reveals deep architecture issues → Hits a qualitative-change signal; pause per the "Upgrade Assessment" section and let the user decide
• Fix requires additional interface changes → Hits a qualitative-change signal (introduces new public API); pause per the "Upgrade Assessment" section and let the user decide

After root cause is confirmed eliminated, run phase guard to transition build → verify:

comet guard <change-name> build --apply

State automatically updates to phase: verify, verify_result: pending, then enter verification.

4. Verification (preset verify)

Reuse /comet-verify, with comet-verify's scale assessment deciding lightweight or full verification.

Immediately execute: Use the Skill tool to load the comet-verify skill. Skipping this step is prohibited.

Small-scale hotfixes without delta spec usually meet lightweight verification conditions (≤ 3 tasks, changed files below the scale threshold), comet-verify's scale assessment will select the lightweight verification path (6 quick checks; default review_mode: off does not dispatch automatic code review). If the user wants to increase review, they can run comet state set <name> review_mode standard or thorough before verification. If hotfix created delta spec, enter full verification path according to comet-verify's scale assessment rules.

After verification passes, record .comet.yaml verify_result as pass according to /comet-verify rules, must not skip this status before archiving. After verification passes, still enter /comet-archive's final archive confirmation; do not automatically run the archive script.

5. Archive (preset archive)

Reuse /comet-archive. Must satisfy verify_result: pass in .comet.yaml before archiving, and wait for /comet-archive's final archive confirmation.

Immediately execute: Use the Skill tool to load the comet-archive skill to archive. Skipping this step is prohibited. If there is delta spec, sync to main spec according to comet-archive rules, and handle associated Design Doc and Plan archiving annotations.

Continuous Execution Mode

Exception: when .comet.yaml has auto_transition: false, end the current invocation at each phase boundary and return control with HINT; the user may run the next phase later. This is a manual handoff, not a new confirmation point.

The following genuine user decisions still pause:

1. Encountering an upgrade-assessment signal (see "Upgrade Assessment" section). Must use the current platform's available user input/confirmation mechanism to pause and wait for the user to explicitly choose: continue the hotfix flow, or upgrade to the full /comet-classic workflow
2. Verify-phase acceptance of WARNING/SUGGESTION deviations, Spec drift handling, or strategy after the automatic repair limit; the first 3 clearly repairable failures close automatically
3. Final archive confirmation and the branch-handling decision after the archive commit

Execution order: quick open → direct build → root cause check → verification → archive → complete

After each step completes, immediately enter next step. Within each phase, must still call corresponding Comet/OpenSpec/Superpowers skill according to above requirements; if the called skill has its own user decision points, follow that skill's rules.

Upgrade Assessment

Hotfix upgrade assessment only decides whether to move from the preset workflow to full; file count never upgrades automatically, and comet state scale only decides verification weight.

If /comet-classic passes an intent frame from the entry, hotfix must recheck risk_signal and escalation signals only before build: new capability, public API, schema change, cross-module coordination, or deep architecture work. When any signal matches, enter the existing escalation decision point; do not reimplement entry intent recognition.

Continuously check these qualitative-change signals: cross-module coordination, needing a new capability, database schema changes, introducing a new public API, or touching a deep architecture problem (in hotfix context this often surfaces during the root-cause elimination check). If any signal appears, the agent must not self-upgrade or self-decide to continue.

The file-count tripwire is only a prompt: when changed files exceed the hint threshold (for example > 4 files), ask the user whether to continue hotfix or upgrade full. More files do not necessarily mean qualitative change. A bug fix is usually focused on 1-3 files, so exceeding the threshold means the change surface is larger and is worth having the user confirm it still fits the preset scope.

When a qualitative-change signal or file-count tripwire is hit, must pause under the comet/reference/decision-point.md protocol and wait for the user's explicit choice. Do not directly enter /comet-design; do not automatically add a Design Doc.

After the user chooses upgrade (option B), use the legal state-machine upgrade channel, a single command that converts the preset workflow to full and rolls back to design:

comet state transition <name> preset-escalate

This command atomically sets workflow/classic_profile to full, rolls phase back to design, clears design_doc, and clears preset-only build_mode, tdd_mode, review_mode, isolation, and verify_mode. Then add the Design Doc on the current change: immediately use the Skill tool to load the comet-design skill. On entering build, run the full joint workflow-configuration decision again.

When the user chooses continue (option A), continue the hotfix workflow and record the user's reason for continuing.

Exit Conditions

• Bug fixed, tests pass
• Change archived
• If spec changes, synced to main spec
• Phase guard: Before build → verify run comet guard <change-name> build --apply; before verify → archive follow /comet-verify and run comet guard <change-name> verify --apply

Automatic Handoff to Next Phase

Follow comet/reference/auto-transition.md. Key command:

comet state next <name>

• NEXT: auto → invoke the skill pointed to by SKILL to continue hotfix workflow (phase: build returns comet-hotfix, verify returns comet-verify, archive returns comet-archive)
• NEXT: manual → do not invoke the next skill; return control with HINT, end the invocation, and do not create another confirmation point
• NEXT: done → workflow is complete, no further action needed