SBK coding-agent instructions

This is the compact compatibility entry point for tools that look for INSTRUCTIONS.md. The authoritative repository rules are in AGENTS.md; read that file before changing code.

Required context

• README.md: product overview, build, and first run.
• docs/ARCHITECTURE.md: module boundaries and runtime flow.
• docs/REPOSITORY_MAP.md: code navigation.
• docs/HOT_PATHS.md: mandatory sensitive-file inventory and explicit-approval gate.
• docs/AGENT_RECIPES.md: exact task procedures.
• docs/DRIVER_GUIDE.md: driver contract and verification.

Non-negotiable facts

• SBK is a Java 25 multi-project Gradle build; use ./gradlew.
• The dependency direction is perl <- sbk-api <- drivers.
• Drivers implement Storage<T> and should leave general scheduling and timing to the harness.
• Every enabled driver appears in both settings-drivers.gradle and build-drivers.gradle.
• Checkstyle is strict, including import-package allow-listing.
• Do not add synchronization or avoidable allocation to driver operation paths.
• Before editing a writer, reader, callback, queue, timestamp, recorder, measurement accumulator, or SBM ingestion/forwarding path, read docs/HOT_PATHS.md. Do not add any branch, atomic/volatile access, lock, wait, allocation, bookkeeping, conversion, clock read, or dispatch cost to those paths without explicit confirmation for that exact edit.
• Do not hand-edit generated Javadocs.
• ChromaDB, HaloDB, and Ignite are disabled; sbktemplate is not a runtime driver.
• MinIO 8.5.17 is intentionally pinned for older S3-compatible backend behavior.

Normal workflow

1. Inspect the working tree and preserve unrelated changes.
2. Read the affected source, its module build file, and the nearest documentation.
3. Make a focused change.
4. Run the affected module check.
5. Run the full build and distribution verification when feasible.
6. Smoke-test driver behavior against the relevant backend.
7. Update documentation and report exact verification results.

git status --short
./gradlew :<module>:check
./gradlew check
./gradlew installDist
git diff --check

After dependency changes:

./gradlew clean :pathingJar installDist --rerun-tasks

Actions requiring explicit authority

Do not infer permission to publish, push, tag, rewrite history, change the project version or license, add a new top-level module, re-enable HaloDB, or upgrade the pinned MinIO client. See AGENTS.md for the complete constraints and definition of done.