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Agent Guardrails

Stop AI agents from secretly bypassing your rules. Mechanical enforcement with git hooks, secret detection, deployment verification, and import registries. B...

personAuthor: jzocbhubclawhub
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Agent Guardrails

Mechanical enforcement for AI agent project standards. Rules in markdown are suggestions. Code hooks are laws.

Quick Start

cd your-project/
bash /path/to/agent-guardrails/scripts/install.sh

This installs the git pre-commit hook, creates a registry template, and copies check scripts into your project.

Enforcement Hierarchy

  1. Code hooks (git pre-commit, pre/post-creation checks) — 100% reliable
  2. Architectural constraints (registries, import enforcement) — 95% reliable
  3. Self-verification loops (agent checks own work) — 80% reliable
  4. Prompt rules (AGENTS.md, system prompts) — 60-70% reliable
  5. Markdown rules — 40-50% reliable, degrades with context length

Tools Provided

Scripts

| Script | When to Run | What It Does | |--------|------------|--------------| | install.sh | Once per project | Installs hooks and scaffolding | | pre-create-check.sh | Before creating new .py files | Lists existing modules/functions to prevent reimplementation | | post-create-validate.sh | After creating/editing .py files | Detects duplicates, missing imports, bypass patterns | | check-secrets.sh | Before commits / on demand | Scans for hardcoded tokens, keys, passwords | | create-deployment-check.sh | When setting up deployment verification | Creates .deployment-check.sh, checklist, and git hook template | | install-skill-feedback-loop.sh | When setting up skill update automation | Creates detection, auto-commit, and git hook for skill updates |

Assets

| Asset | Purpose | |-------|---------| | pre-commit-hook | Ready-to-install git hook blocking bypass patterns and secrets | | registry-template.py | Template __init__.py for project module registries |

References

| File | Contents | |------|----------| | enforcement-research.md | Research on why code > prompts for enforcement | | agents-md-template.md | Template AGENTS.md with mechanical enforcement rules | | deployment-verification-guide.md | Full guide on preventing deployment gaps | | skill-update-feedback.md | Meta-enforcement: automatic skill update feedback loop | | SKILL_CN.md | Chinese translation of this document |

Usage Workflow

Setting up a new project

bash scripts/install.sh /path/to/project

Before creating any new .py file

bash scripts/pre-create-check.sh /path/to/project

Review the output. If existing functions cover your needs, import them.

After creating/editing a .py file

bash scripts/post-create-validate.sh /path/to/new_file.py

Fix any warnings before proceeding.

Setting up deployment verification

bash scripts/create-deployment-check.sh /path/to/project

This creates:

  • .deployment-check.sh - Automated verification script
  • DEPLOYMENT-CHECKLIST.md - Full deployment workflow
  • .git-hooks/pre-commit-deployment - Git hook template

Then customize:

  1. Add tests to .deployment-check.sh for your integration points
  2. Document your flow in DEPLOYMENT-CHECKLIST.md
  3. Install the git hook

See references/deployment-verification-guide.md for full guide.

Adding to AGENTS.md

Copy the template from references/agents-md-template.md and adapt to your project.

中文文档 / Chinese Documentation

See references/SKILL_CN.md for the full Chinese translation of this skill.

Common Agent Failure Modes

1. Reimplementation (Bypass Pattern)

Symptom: Agent creates "quick version" instead of importing validated code. Enforcement: pre-create-check.sh + post-create-validate.sh + git hook

2. Hardcoded Secrets

Symptom: Tokens/keys in code instead of env vars. Enforcement: check-secrets.sh + git hook

3. Deployment Gap

Symptom: Built feature but forgot to wire it into production. Users don't receive benefit. Example: Updated notify.py but cron still calls old version. Enforcement: .deployment-check.sh + git hook

This is the hardest to catch because:

  • Code runs fine when tested manually
  • Agent marks task "done" after writing code
  • Problem only surfaces when user complains

Solution: Mechanical end-to-end verification before allowing "done."

4. Skill Update Gap (META - NEW)

Symptom: Built enforcement improvement in project but forgot to update the skill itself. Example: Created deployment verification for Project A, but other projects don't benefit because skill wasn't updated. Enforcement: install-skill-feedback-loop.sh → automatic detection + semi-automatic commit

This is a meta-failure mode because:

  • It's about enforcement improvements themselves
  • Without fix: improvements stay siloed
  • With fix: knowledge compounds automatically

Solution: Automatic detection of enforcement improvements with task creation and semi-automatic commits.

Key Principle

Don't add more markdown rules. Add mechanical enforcement. If an agent keeps bypassing a standard, don't write a stronger rule — write a hook that blocks it.

Corollary: If an agent keeps forgetting integration, don't remind it — make it mechanically verify before commit.