Start Here (60-90 min)

One end-to-end loop: spec -> patch -> test -> document -> check.

What you’ll do

Choose one small change (a function, a bug, or a doc fix)
Ask the agent for a minimal patch + tests
Run verification locally
Iterate until devtools::check() is clean

Why this loop works

Agentic tooling saves time by generating code and tests quickly, but quality comes from repeating the same engineering loop:

Spec: write acceptance criteria you can test.
Patch: make minimal, safe edits.
Test: prove behavior (including failures) with testthat.
Document: keep roxygen and examples aligned with behavior.
Check: trust devtools::check() over subjective review.

Inputs you need

Package name + goal of the change (1 sentence)
File paths + function name(s)
Current code (only the relevant functions)
Any errors/logs (minimal)
If the repo is new: a minimal package scaffold + tests (see Bootstrap a package for agentic work)
Project conventions that should persist across sessions (see AGENTS.md)

Prompt (copy/paste)

Paste this and fill placeholders:

ROLE:
You are an expert R package maintainer. Make minimal, safe changes.

CONSTRAINTS:
- Use explicit namespacing (pkg::fun); no library()/require() in package code.
- Use cli::cli_abort/cli::cli_warn/cli::cli_inform.
- Provide full drop-in function definitions (no partial snippets).
- Add/modify testthat tests (3e). Prefer regression tests for bugs.
- Keep changes minimally invasive; no broad refactors unless required.
- End with verification commands: devtools::document(); devtools::test(); devtools::check()

TASK:
<one sentence>

SCOPE:
Files: <R/file.R, tests/testthat/test-file.R>
Functions: <fn1, fn2>

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA:
1) ...
2) ...
3) ...

CURRENT CODE:
<paste>

ERRORS/LOGS (minimal):
<paste>

DELIVERABLE:
Updated function(s) + updated/added tests + verification commands.

Commands (copy/paste)

# In R
devtools::document()
devtools::test()
devtools::check()

# Optional: run check from shell
R CMD check .

Definition of Done

New/changed behavior is covered by testthat (regression test for bugs)
Documentation is up to date (devtools::document() clean)
devtools::test() passes
devtools::check() passes (or known NOTE is justified and documented)

Engineering standards (quick checklist)

API clarity: inputs validated; outputs stable; errors actionable (cli::cli_abort()).
Namespacing discipline: production code uses pkg::fun (avoid library() in package code).
Test discipline: add tests for new behavior and every bug fix; keep tests deterministic.
Change discipline: minimal diff; avoid broad refactors unless required by the task.

If the agent gets “lost”

Use this to reset the thread and re-anchor the scope:

TASK:
<one sentence>

SCOPE:
Files: <...>
Functions: <...>

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA:
1) ...
2) ...
3) ...