# Getting Started

Use this path when you want to understand Agent Spine quickly and try it on a repository.

## 1. Read The Contract

Start with:

- `AGENTS.md`
- `ARCHITECTURE.md`
- `docs/TEMPLATE_CONTRACT.md`

The core contract is `AGENTS.md` + `.codex/` + `.agents/skills/`.

## 2. Preview Adoption

Run dry-run mode against a target repository:

```bash
./scripts/install-agent-contract.sh ../target-repo auto preserve-agents --dry-run
```

This prints the files that would be installed and the rollback surface.

## 3. Install On A Branch

```bash
./scripts/install-agent-contract.sh ../target-repo auto
```

Review:

- `docs/AGENT_SPINE_ADOPTION.md`
- `docs/AGENT_SPINE_ADOPTION.json`
- `scripts/verify-agent-contract.sh`

## 4. Verify

Inside the target repository:

```bash
./scripts/verify-agent-contract.sh
```

Then run the target repository's own lint, test, build, and release gates.

## 5. Decide

Merge only if the target repo still reads as itself and the Agent Spine surface improves agent work without replacing project-native verification.