Deployment Operations

1. Gather Inputs

Read when present: README.md, project-instructions.md, .github/sddp-config.md, specs/prd.md, specs/sad.md, specs/dod.md.

If .github/sddp-config.md exists:

1. Read ## Product Document → **Path**: when non-empty and readable
2. Read ## Technical Context Document → **Path**: when non-empty and readable
3. Read ## Deployment & Operations Document → **Path**: when non-empty and different from specs/dod.md

Treat SAD as primary architecture input. Extract deployment model, hosting, cross-cutting concerns, quality targets, architecture decisions affecting operations.

Search most relevant extra deployment/operations inputs:

• Top-level and docs/ files mentioning deployment, infrastructure, DevOps, CI/CD, monitoring, observability, SRE, operations, environments, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, or cloud providers
• Dockerfile, docker-compose.yml, .github/workflows/, Makefile, Procfile, Jenkinsfile, or IaC files when present
• Attached files or explicit user paths

Summarize as PROJECT_CONTEXT before asking questions.

2. Mode and Source of Truth

• specs/dod.md exists with substantive content → MODE = REFINE; else CREATE
• DOD_CONFLICT = true when registered Deployment & Operations Document differs from specs/dod.md and both exist

3. Identify Decisions

Infer deployment complexity from repo context and available docs.

• BLOCKING_CHOICES: cloud/provider or hosting choice, deployment model, environment ladder, packaging model, IaC approach, canonical document handling
• FOLLOW_UP_DECISIONS: CI/CD design, observability stack, SLI/SLO targets, incident management, security/compliance posture, ownership/process, cost optimization

Skip anything already resolved.

4. Blocking Batch

BLOCKING_CHOICES non-empty → ask one batch before research.

• 1-5 questions; prefer multiple choice; allow short freeform when needed
• Include DOD_CONFLICT handling when present
• Each question: decision, recommended answer, local-context rationale, main tradeoff

5. Research

Run only after Step 4 answers (unless no blocking choices).

Report: Researching deployment patterns, operational best practices, and reliability engineering.

Delegate: Technical Researcher (.github/agents/_technical-researcher.md):

• Topics: (1) Deployment strategy/environment management for detected model (2) CI/CD pipeline patterns, IaC approaches, progressive delivery for chosen stack (3) Observability: structured logging, metrics, distributed tracing, SLI/SLO frameworks, alerting (4) SRE: operational readiness reviews, incident management, disaster recovery, chaos engineering
• Context: PROJECT_CONTEXT, deployment complexity, constraints, SAD decisions, Step 4 answers, unresolved FOLLOW_UP_DECISIONS
• Purpose: "Inform the canonical project-level specs/dod.md and remaining deployment/operations decisions."
• File Paths: every project document read in Step 1

Use research only for unresolved follow-up decisions and final DOD content.

6. Follow-Up Batch

Unresolved FOLLOW_UP_DECISIONS remain → ask one batch.

• 3-7 questions; prefer multiple choice; allow short freeform when needed
• Each question: decision, recommended answer, rationale from repo/research, main tradeoff
• No high-impact questions remain → skip

7. Write and Register

Use .github/skills/deployment-operations/assets/dod-template.md as starting structure. Ensure specs/ exists.

The DOD must contain:

• Deployment summary/context
• Environment strategy with table and Mermaid flow
• Feature flags/progressive rollout
• Deployment targets/packaging
• CI/CD design with Mermaid pipeline flow
• Infrastructure/hosting with Mermaid diagram
• Observability: logging, metrics (including DORA), tracing, alerting, SLI/SLO table
• Reliability: availability, RPO/RTO, disaster recovery, capacity, incident management, production readiness
• Operational security/compliance: supply chain, runtime, secrets, compliance, audit logging
• Operational ownership/processes, cost considerations, DDR-### decisions, risks, assumptions, constraints, open questions

Writing rules:

• System-specific, operations-focused; reference SAD instead of duplicating architecture choices
• No internal workflow/canonical-document filler
• Preserve valid sections/diagrams when refining; remove contradictions instead of duplicating
• Update decision records when choices change
• Omit fully inapplicable sections instead of adding explanatory prose

Registration:

• Ensure .github/sddp-config.md exists (current shared config structure if missing)
• Preserve existing Product Document and Technical Context Document paths
• Adopt specs/dod.md as ## Deployment & Operations Document → **Path**: unless user explicitly keeps another document
• Preserve unrelated config sections
• Another document stays canonical → still write/refine specs/dod.md; report downstream phases keep using registered path

8. Validate and Report

Verify:

• specs/dod.md exists
• Document covers major deployment and operations areas
• All diagrams use standard Mermaid syntax
• Deployment decisions use DDR-### identifiers
• .github/sddp-config.md exists; registered paths match chosen canonical sources

Output:

• MODE
• Inputs read
• Conflicts and resolution
• Research topics delegated
• specs/dod.md path and registration outcome
• Remaining open questions or assumptions
• Next steps:
  1. /sddp-projectplan — suggested prompt using registered Product Document, Technical Context Document, and specs/dod.md
  2. /sddp-init — suggested prompt preserving or adopting specs/dod.md