Documentation / Index

Unbroken Method Templates

Ready-to-use templates for implementing The Unbroken Method in your AI-assisted development workflow.

Choose Your Starting Point

Quick Start Prompt

Best for: Getting started immediately, trying out the methodology, simple projects

A minimal, one-page prompt covering the essential principles. Copy, paste, and start working.

Full Collaboration Prompt

Best for: Serious projects, teams adopting the methodology, complex multi-session work

Complete prompt with all seven behaviors, anti-patterns, session protocols, and customization guidance.

Handoff Templates

Best for: Multi-session projects, team handoffs, context preservation

Templates for the four-document handoff protocol: CONTINUATION_PROMPT, AGENT_PLAN, FEATURES, and CHANGELOG.

Anti-Pattern Template

Best for: Building your failure catalog, team learning, preventing repeated mistakes

Structure and examples for documenting anti-patterns as you discover them.

Collaboration Tool Scripts

Best for: Programmatic checkpoints, terminal-based workflows, automation

Bash and Python scripts for implementing collaboration checkpoints in your workflow.

Quick Reference: The Seven Behaviors

Behavior Principle Key Practice
1. Continuous Context Never break the conversation Checkpoints + structured handoffs
2. Complete Ownership If you find it, you fix it No "out of scope" or "separate issue"
3. Investigation First Understand before acting Read, search, test, then implement
4. Root Cause Focus Solve problems, not symptoms Ask "why?" until you find the cause
5. Complete Deliverables Finish what you start No partial solutions or TODOs
6. Structured Handoffs Perfect context transfer Four-document protocol
7. Learning from Failure Codify mistakes Anti-pattern catalog

Editor-Specific Setup

The Unbroken Method uses two files: an instructions file (methodology) and a project reference (project scope). The instructions file location varies by tool; the project reference is typically AGENTS.md in your repository root.

CLIO

CLIO loads both files automatically:

  • .clio/instructions.md - Methodology (The Unbroken Method)
  • AGENTS.md - Project reference (architecture, conventions, commands)

CLIO also implements checkpoint discipline, long-term memory, todo tracking, and session persistence natively.

VS Code with GitHub Copilot

Save your methodology prompt as .github/copilot-instructions.md. Create AGENTS.md in your repository root for project context.

Cursor

Add methodology to your .cursorrules file. Create AGENTS.md in your repository root for project context.

Claude Projects

Add methodology as project instructions in the Claude web interface. Upload AGENTS.md as project knowledge.

ChatGPT

Use methodology as custom instructions or system prompt. Paste AGENTS.md content at session start.

Other AI Assistants

Most AI assistants support custom instructions or system prompts. Adapt the templates to your tool's format. The pattern is always the same: methodology instructions tell the AI how to work, and AGENTS.md tells it what the project looks like.

Getting Started

  1. Start minimal - Use the Quick Start Prompt for your first session
  2. Add as needed - Incorporate elements from the Full Prompt as you discover needs
  3. Document failures - When something goes wrong, add it to your Anti-Pattern Catalog
  4. Plan for handoffs - When sessions end, use the Handoff Templates