Make Every Code an independent product

[cbusillo]

Objective

Transition this repository from an overlay/fork-maintenance posture into Every Code as an independent product, while preserving the ability to import useful changes from openai/codex and just-every/code.

Finish Line

Every Code repo identity, branch/release policy, and upstream import workflow describe an independent product.

Current Status

State: Active
Next action: Finish the remaining identity/productization tracks: prompt/context observability (#92), manual-only skills (#91), issue taxonomy cleanup (#89), and repo layout/search-confusion mitigation (#88).
Blocked by: None
Last verified: 2026-05-24 after #87 closed and Release run 26360477400 completed green on main.

Scope

• In: README/product identity, AGENTS guidance, .github/github.json, maintainer import docs, branch/default-branch strategy, release naming, GitHub issue/label taxonomy, upstream import policy, and repo layout/search-confusion planning.
• Out: npm publishing/package rename for now; large code/tree renames before policy/docs are aligned; removing upstream attribution.

Acceptance Criteria

• Product-facing docs consistently use Every Code as the proper name; code remains CLI/shorthand only.
• Upstream relationship is documented as provenance/import policy, not product identity.
• .github/github.json no longer frames the repo as a local overlay project once the docs/policy transition lands.
• The default-branch transition to main is planned and then executed in wave two, with workflows/metadata updated together.
• Release strategy says GitHub Releases are sufficient for now; npm/package identity is deferred intentionally.
• codex-rs/code-rs confusion has a concrete mitigation path before any large layout change.
• Existing roadmap issues are classified under Every Code product themes rather than upstream patch-carry themes.

Relationships

Completed sub-tracks:

• Reframe Every Code product identity docs #86 / PR docs: reframe Every Code product identity #100: product identity docs and metadata.
• Plan Every Code default branch and release identity #87 / PRs docs: prepare Every Code branch release cutover #101-ci: require canonical npm token for publishing #120: default branch and release identity cutover.

Remaining active or waiting tracks:

• Reduce codex-rs/code-rs search and layout confusion #88: repo layout/search-confusion mitigation.
• Refresh Every Code issue taxonomy and roadmap labels #89: issue taxonomy and roadmap cleanup.
• Support manual-only skills outside default context #91: manual-only skills outside default context.
• Add context source ledger and prompt observability #92: context source ledger and prompt observability.
• Configure npm publishing token for Release workflow #121: npm publishing credential setup, intentionally deferred.
• Fix Homebrew tap publish credential for Release workflow #122: Homebrew tap publish credential setup, intentionally deferred.

Related existing issues:

• Keep efficiency work aligned with just-every/code and Codex CLI #51: upstream alignment/import discipline.
• Make Auto Review snapshot-aware and preserve superseded results #76: Auto Review stale-result handling remains a high-value product-quality issue.
• Support metadata.short-description for Code skills #72: skill metadata support remains a bounded product feature.

Validation

Each implementation PR should use the repo-required ./build-fast.sh when code or required repo completion policy applies. Docs/metadata PRs should at minimum validate JSON and check relevant GitHub state. Branch/default-branch changes need workflow and metadata verification before and after the rename.

Decisions

• The proper product name is Every Code. Use code only for the CLI command or informal shorthand.
• main is now the Every Code default branch and release source of truth.
• GitHub Releases are sufficient distribution for now. npm publishing remains optional until Configure npm publishing token for Release workflow #121 is resolved.
• Keep importing useful changes from both openai/codex and just-every/code, but this repo owns product direction, defaults, releases, and UX.
• Do not collapse codex-rs and code-rs immediately; first reduce confusion through docs/search policy and decide whether a safer mirror/layout change is worthwhile.

Cutover Evidence

• GitHub default branch is main.
• main is protected with the required Blob size policy check.
• The previous divergent branch tip is preserved as archive/pre-every-code-main-2026-05-24.
• Release run 26360477400 completed successfully on main with 9/9 jobs green.
• GitHub Release v0.6.100 exists and was updated by the main-branch Release workflow.

Open Questions

• Should docs/local-overlay.md be renamed to an import/maintenance policy doc, or replaced by a new document and left as a historical note until a future docs cleanup?
• Which labels should be added or retired for product areas without creating taxonomy churn?