leaf-press

LEAF Press

Create a citable Markdown digest from an active LEAF item. Pressing does not promote, move, or execute the source; it writes a paper-style abstract into the source 00-status.md and extracts the important context into .leaf/04-pressed/{slug}.md so later work can quote or cite it.

Boundary

• Work only with .leaf/ content.
• Do not move .leaf/01-seeds/, .leaf/02-leaves/, or .leaf/03-fallen/ directories.
• On every press, update only the source 00-status.md with ## Press Abstract; do not change source gate files unless the user separately asks for source edits.
• Do not create wt TaskDocuments, workflows, branches, PRs, commits, tickets, or execution artifacts.
• Do not present the pressed file as source truth. It is a digest with source links; the original LEAF files remain authoritative.
• Do not invent certainty. Mark missing, inferred, or unresolved points plainly.

Reference map

Conduct and reporting are shared across the LEAF family, not duplicated here. Read this sibling before writing the digest:

Read	When
../leaf-soul/SKILL.md	always: shared conduct/voice, overview-first reporting, fact-vs-guess separation, review handoff, and preferred language — follow it for the pressed file and final report

Source Resolution

Inspect local truth first:

git status --short --branch
find .leaf/01-seeds .leaf/02-leaves .leaf/03-fallen .leaf/04-pressed -maxdepth 1 -mindepth 1 2>/dev/null | sort

Resolve the source for {slug}:

• Prefer .leaf/02-leaves/{slug}/ when an active leaf exists.
• Use .leaf/03-fallen/{slug}/ only when the user explicitly asks to press a fallen/trash item.
• Use .leaf/01-seeds/{slug}/ only when the user explicitly asks to press a seed.
• If several sources exist and the user did not specify one, state which source you will use and why.
• If neither exists, stop and list likely available slugs.

Create .leaf/04-pressed/ when absent. Write the output to .leaf/04-pressed/{slug}.md. If a pressed file already exists, read it before replacing or refreshing it.

Read Order

Read only the files needed to produce a faithful digest:

1. 00-status.md
2. 01-Learn/01-intent.md
3. 01-Learn/02-unknowns.md
4. 02-Example/03-criteria.md
5. 02-Example/04-wireframe.md
6. 03-Architect/05-design.md
7. 03-Architect/07-tasks.md
8. 04-Feedback/ files, when present
9. referenced materials under 01-Learn/02-references/, only when the gate files point to them or the digest needs provenance

Missing files are acceptable. Note them in the pressed file only when their absence affects interpretation.

Status Abstract

Before writing the pressed file, write or refresh ## Press Abstract in the source 00-status.md. This is a paper-style abstract for humans scanning the leaf, not a lifecycle state change.

Use this shape after the status preamble:

## Press Abstract

- pressed at: <local timestamp>
- pressed file: .leaf/04-pressed/{slug}.md

<One compact abstract-style paragraph: what the leaf tried to clarify, what
method it used, what it established or produced, and the main caveat or open
limit.>

If ## Press Abstract already exists, replace that section rather than appending a duplicate. Keep the existing status preamble and other sections intact. If the source is too thin to support a useful abstract, write a short abstract that says the source is insufficient and names the missing context. Use the same core paragraph as the pressed file's Citation Summary.

Pressed File Shape

Use this structure:

# <human-readable title>

- source: .leaf/<seeds-or-leaves>/{slug}
- pressed at: <local timestamp>
- citation handle: leaf:{slug}
- status: <state/current phase if known>

## Citation Summary

<One compact paragraph that can be quoted elsewhere. Say what this LEAF item was
trying to clarify, what approach it took, what it produced, and what caveat
matters most.>

## Intent

<The original purpose and why the work existed. Preserve important user wording
when it affects meaning.>

## Method

<How the work approached the problem: gates used, research path, examples,
criteria, comparisons, implementation strategy, or review loop.>

## What Was Done

<Concrete artifacts, decisions, explored alternatives, task graph, or outputs.>

## Key Points To Reuse

- <Reusable point, decision, pattern, or constraint>
- <Another point>

## Limits And Open Questions

- <Known limitation, unresolved question, weak evidence, or non-goal>

## Lessons

- <What was learned that should influence future work>

## Source Map

- `00-status.md`: <why it mattered>
- `01-Learn/01-intent.md`: <why it mattered>
- `<other source file>`: <why it mattered>

Keep the digest concise enough to quote. Prefer faithful compression over coverage. Include direct quotations only when the original wording matters; keep them short and source them in Source Map.

Quality Bar

Before writing the pressed file, separate:

• confirmed source facts
• agent inference from source facts
• unresolved or missing context

The pressed file must make those boundaries visible. If the source is too thin to support a useful citation, create a short pressed file that says so instead of filling the gaps.

After Press

Report per ../leaf-soul/SKILL.md — overview-first, plain words, verified facts separate from assumptions. Include:

• output path: .leaf/04-pressed/{slug}.md
• source path used
• 00-status.md ## Press Abstract written or refreshed
• whether this was a new pressed file or a refresh
• important missing source files or unresolved questions
• confirmation that no source lifecycle state transition, .wt/, or execution artifact was changed