aligning-existing-code-with-guidelines

Purpose

Loaded skills provide best practice guidelines, but existing codebases often use different patterns. This skill ensures you always ask the user which approach to follow rather than imposing guidelines that break codebase consistency.

When to Use

When you detect conflicts between skill guidelines and existing code patterns

Process

1. Identify the Conflict

When you notice the existing code contradicts a loaded skill guideline, identify:

• What the skill guideline recommends
• What the existing codebase actually does
• Specific examples with file:line references

2. Always Ask the User

• Never blindly apply skill guidelines or current code style. Present both options and Ask the user which approach to follow

3. Respect the Decision

After the user chooses, apply that approach consistently throughout your implementation. Don't question or second-guess their choice.