Architecture
Layering and module boundaries, codified into CLAUDE.md plus path-scoped .claude/rules/.
transcend-harness
Interviews the developer, detects the stack, and generates a bespoke, committed
.claude/ harness — then helps maintain and improve it over time.Seven pillars, codified into your project
Section titled “Seven pillars, codified into your project”Run /transcend-init inside any project and transcend interviews you, detects your stack, and writes a harness tailored to your answers — every convention rendered as docs, an advisory nudge, or a hard block, at the enforcement tier you choose per rule.
Testing
Framework, coverage, TDD-vs-after — made explicit and enforced at the tier you choose.
Context & Handoff
The centerpiece: compact per-session handoff docs that auto-load next session, so you resume cheaply and keep context light.
Project & Git
Branch and PR workflow, protected branches — documented, nudged, or blocked.
Review & Quality Gates
Lint, typecheck, self-review checklists, and an optional reviewer subagent.
Specialized Workflows
A curated catalog — frontend/UX audit, visual regression, a11y, contract tests — wired in based on your stack.
Delivery Pipeline
Opt-in: PM, architect, coder, and research subagents driven by a local issue store — plan a goal, then /loop through the roadmap until it’s done.
Layered enforcement
Section titled “Layered enforcement”Every convention can be rendered at one of three tiers, chosen per-rule during the interview:
| Tier | Mechanism | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — DOCS | CLAUDE.md + .claude/rules/*.md (path-scoped) | “Push only on green.” |
| 2 — ADVISORY | non-blocking PostToolUse/Stop hooks that nudge | warn when src changed but no test changed |
| 3 — BLOCKING | PreToolUse hooks that deny | block git push when tests are red |
Block only what genuinely must not happen; nudge the rest; document everything. Read more in Enforcement Tiers and the Philosophy.
Product suite
Section titled “Product suite”transcend-harness pairs with transcend-mcp — a code-intelligence MCP server that gives your agent a cheap static map of the repository plus live language-server navigation. The harness shapes how your agent works; transcend-mcp gives it eyes on the codebase.