---
name: ai-native-backend-contract
description: Use when an AI-native workflow skill needs to read or write workflow state through the configured `.and/config.yml` backend, or needs the `github-native` / `markdown-file-based` representation rules.
---

# AI-Native Backend Contract

Reference skill for loading the configured workflow state backend contract.

Use it before an AI-native workflow skill reads, writes, validates, or reasons about workflow state. This skill loads the contract; it does not perform the workflow operation.

## Process

1. Read and validate the repository's `.and/config.yml`.
   - It must be a YAML mapping with `version: 1`.
   - It must contain only `version` and `workflow_state_backend`.
   - `workflow_state_backend` must be `github-native` or `markdown-file-based`.
   - If missing, malformed, unsupported, extended, or ambiguous, route to `setup-ai-native-development`.
   - Completion criterion: one supported backend is known.

2. Read [backend-contract.md](backend-contract.md).
   - Use it for backend-neutral concepts, operations, relationship vocabulary, State Reason, receipt, lifecycle, and invariant rules.
   - Completion criterion: the calling skill's operation is expressed in backend-neutral terms.

3. Read exactly one backend reference.
   - For `github-native`, read [backends/github-native.md](backends/github-native.md).
   - For `markdown-file-based`, read [backends/markdown-file-based.md](backends/markdown-file-based.md).
   - Do not read the other backend unless doing setup, backend change design, sweep validation, or an explicit comparison.
   - Completion criterion: the calling skill knows the configured representation for the operation it is about to perform.

4. Return to the calling workflow skill.
   - Do not perform the operation here.
   - Do not produce a separate user-facing receipt unless the user directly asked about backend rules.
   - Completion criterion: the caller can continue with one backend-specific read, write, or validation plan.

5. Read [workflow-examples.md](workflow-examples.md) only when doing setup, sweep, validation, review, or an end-to-end dry run.

## Boundaries

- Do not choose or switch the repository backend; `setup-ai-native-development` owns that.
- Do not mutate issues, files, labels, relationships, ownership, claims, branches, PRs, or lifecycle state.
- Do not run the calling workflow stage.
- Do not duplicate backend reference rules into the calling workflow skill.
- Do not invent fields outside `.and/config.yml` v1 or the configured backend reference.
- Do not maintain GitHub and markdown workflow state in parallel.
- Do not treat implementation artifacts as workflow state.