feat: add Claude Code and Cursor plugins for AIDLC methodology

.github/CODEOWNERS

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md                     @awslabs/aidlc-admins
 CONTRIBUTING.md                        @awslabs/aidlc-admins
 LICENSE                                @awslabs/aidlc-admins
 README.md                              @awslabs/aidlc-admins
+plugins/                               @awslabs/aidlc-admins @awslabs/aidlc-maintainers
 scripts/                               @awslabs/aidlc-admins @awslabs/aidlc-maintainers
 
 ## Secure the CODEOWNERS file

.github/labeler.yml

@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ documentation:
     - '**/*.md'
     - '!aidlc-rules/**'
 
+plugin:
+- changed-files:
+  - any-glob-to-any-file: 'plugins/**'
+
 github:
 - changed-files:
   - any-glob-to-any-file: '.github/**'

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -24,3 +24,22 @@ jobs:
       - uses: DavidAnson/markdownlint-cli2-action@ce4853d43830c74c1753b39f3cf40f71c2031eb9 #v23.0.0
         with:
           globs: "**/*.md"
+
+  plugin-sync:
+    name: Plugin Sync Check
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd #v6.0.2
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405 # v6.2.0
+        with:
+          python-version: '3.x'
+      - name: Regenerate plugins (Claude Code + Cursor)
+        run: python scripts/build-plugins.py
+      - name: Check for drift
+        run: |
+          if ! git diff --exit-code plugins/; then
+            echo "::error::Plugin output is out of sync with aidlc-rules/. Run 'python scripts/build-plugins.py' and commit the result."
+            exit 1
+          fi

AGENTS.md

@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ aidlc-rules/
     ├── construction/             # Design and implementation rules
     ├── extensions/               # Optional cross-cutting constraint rules
     └── operations/               # Deployment and monitoring rules
+plugins/claude-code-aidlc/        # Claude Code plugin (GENERATED — do not edit directly)
+plugins/cursor-aidlc/             # Cursor rules bundle (GENERATED — do not edit directly)
+scripts/build-plugins.py          # Generator: aidlc-rules/ → plugins/{claude-code,cursor}-aidlc/
 scripts/aidlc-evaluator/          # Python evaluation framework (uv-managed)
 docs/
 ├── ADMINISTRATIVE_GUIDE.md       # CI/CD, workflows, secrets, release process

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -32,6 +32,29 @@ aidlc-rules/
     └── operations/
 ```
 
+### Generated Plugins — Do Not Edit Directly
+
+The `plugins/` directory contains generated plugin packages for Claude Code
+(`plugins/claude-code-aidlc/`) and Cursor (`plugins/cursor-aidlc/`). Both are
+produced by `scripts/build-plugins.py` from the canonical `aidlc-rules/`
+source. Do not edit files in `plugins/` directly — your changes will be
+overwritten and CI will reject the PR.
+
+To update plugin content:
+
+1. Edit the source files in `aidlc-rules/`
+2. Run `python scripts/build-plugins.py` to regenerate both plugins
+3. Commit both the source changes and the regenerated plugin output
+
+To build only one target during development:
+
+```bash
+python scripts/build-plugins.py --target cc       # Claude Code only
+python scripts/build-plugins.py --target cursor   # Cursor only
+```
+
+CI runs the generator and checks `git diff --exit-code plugins/` — if the committed output doesn't match the regenerated result, the PR fails.
+
 ### Rule Structure
 
 Rules are organized by phase:

README.md

@@ -162,9 +162,31 @@ To verify the rules are loaded:
 
 AI-DLC uses [Cursor Rules](https://cursor.com/docs/context/rules) to implement its intelligent workflow.
 
-The commands below assume you extracted the zip to your `Downloads` folder. If you used a different location, replace `Downloads` with your actual folder path.
+#### Option 1: Copy Generated Rules (Recommended)
+
+Copy the pre-built `.mdc` rules from this repository into your project:
+
+```bash
+# From a clone of this repo, at the repo root:
+mkdir -p /path/to/your/project/.cursor/rules
+cp -R plugins/cursor-aidlc/rules/* /path/to/your/project/.cursor/rules/
+```
 
-#### Option 1: Project Rules (Recommended)
+Open the project in Cursor — it picks up the rules automatically. The
+`aidlc-orchestrator.mdc` rule is set to `alwaysApply: true`, so it loads
+on every interaction. Just describe your task and the orchestrator routes
+to the appropriate phase rules.
+
+See `plugins/cursor-aidlc/README.md` for details on the generated rule
+structure and alternative install methods (Remote Rules via GitHub).
+
+> **Note:** If you previously set up AI-DLC manually (Option 2 below),
+> remove the manual `.cursor/rules/ai-dlc-workflow.mdc` and the
+> `.aidlc-rule-details/` directory to avoid duplicate context.
+
+#### Option 2: Project Rules (Manual, from Zip)
+
+The commands below assume you extracted the zip to your `Downloads` folder. If you used a different location, replace `Downloads` with your actual folder path.
 
 **Unix/Linux/macOS:**
 
@@ -223,7 +245,7 @@ mkdir .aidlc-rule-details
 xcopy "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-details\" /E /I
 ```
 
-#### Option 2: AGENTS.md (Simple Alternative)
+#### Option 3: AGENTS.md (Simple Alternative)
 
 **Unix/Linux/macOS:**
 
@@ -257,7 +279,7 @@ xcopy "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-
 
 ![AI-DLC Rules in Cursor](./assets/images/cursor-ide-aidlc-rules-loaded.png?raw=true "AI-DLC Rules in Cursor")
 
-**Directory Structure (Option 1):**
+**Directory Structure (Option 2):**
 
 ```text
 <my-project>/
@@ -361,11 +383,23 @@ xcopy "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-
 
 ### Claude Code
 
-AI-DLC uses Claude Code's project memory file (`CLAUDE.md`) to implement its intelligent workflow.
+#### Option 1: Plugin Install (Recommended)
 
-The commands below assume you extracted the zip to your `Downloads` folder. If you used a different location, replace `Downloads` with your actual folder path.
+Install AI-DLC as a Claude Code plugin — no file copying, no `CLAUDE.md` overwrite, and versioned updates:
+
+```bash
+claude plugin install --from https://github.com/awslabs/aidlc-workflows/tree/main/plugins/claude-code-aidlc
+```
 
-#### Option 1: Project Root (Recommended)
+Once installed, use `/aidlc` to start a new workflow or resume an existing one. Phase-specific commands are also available: `/aidlc:inception`, `/aidlc:construction`, `/aidlc:operations`.
+
+> **Note:** If you previously set up AI-DLC manually (copied `core-workflow.md` to `CLAUDE.md`), remove the manual setup to avoid duplicate context. Delete `CLAUDE.md` (if it only contains AIDLC content) and the `.aidlc-rule-details/` directory from your project.
+
+#### Option 2: Project Root (Manual)
+
+AI-DLC can also be set up manually using Claude Code's project memory file (`CLAUDE.md`).
+
+The commands below assume you extracted the zip to your `Downloads` folder. If you used a different location, replace `Downloads` with your actual folder path.
 
 **Unix/Linux/macOS:**
 
@@ -391,7 +425,7 @@ mkdir .aidlc-rule-details
 xcopy "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads\aidlc-rules\aws-aidlc-rule-details" ".aidlc-rule-details\" /E /I
 ```
 
-#### Option 2: .claude Directory
+#### Option 3: .claude Directory (Manual)
 
 **Unix/Linux/macOS:**
 

aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/common/content-validation.md

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 ```
 
 ### Implementation Pattern
-```markdown
+````markdown
 ## Workflow Visualization
 
 ### Mermaid Diagram (if syntax valid)
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ Phase 1: INCEPTION
 - Stage 2: Requirements Analysis (COMPLETED)
 [continue with text representation]
 ```
+````
 
 ## General Content Validation
 

aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rule-details/common/terminology.md

@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ Examples (these are internal sub-steps within a single stage, not separate stage
 
 ### Plans
 Documents with checkboxes and questions that guide execution.
-- Located in `aidlc-docs/plans/`
+- Located in phase-specific plan directories such as `aidlc-docs/inception/plans/` and `aidlc-docs/construction/plans/`
 - Examples: `story-generation-plan.md`, `unit-of-work-plan.md`
 
 ### Artifacts

aidlc-rules/aws-aidlc-rules/core-workflow.md

@@ -1,6 +1,31 @@
 # PRIORITY: This workflow OVERRIDES all other built-in workflows
 # When user requests software development, ALWAYS follow this workflow FIRST
 
+## MANDATORY: Pre-Flight Hard Gate (Execute Before ANY Substantive Response)
+
+**CRITICAL**: On the FIRST turn of any AI-DLC workflow request, you MUST complete every item below BEFORE producing any plan, code, recommendation, or other substantive output. Failing to complete a pre-flight item is a bug in your behavior, not a permissible shortcut.
+
+1. **Create or append to `aidlc-docs/audit.md`**: Log the user's complete raw input with ISO-8601 timestamp per the format in the "Prompts Logging Requirements" section below. If the file does not exist, create it. NEVER overwrite; always append.
+2. **Resolve the rule-details directory**: Probe the four paths listed under "MANDATORY: Rule Details Loading" below and record the resolved path in `audit.md`.
+3. **Load common rules** from the resolved rule-details directory: `common/process-overview.md`, `common/session-continuity.md`, `common/content-validation.md`, `common/question-format-guide.md`.
+4. **Display the welcome message** from `common/welcome-message.md` (first turn only — do not re-display on subsequent turns).
+5. **Scan `extensions/` for opt-in files** per the "MANDATORY: Extensions Loading" section below. Do NOT load full extension rule files yet.
+6. **Check for session state**: Read `aidlc-docs/aidlc-state.md` if it exists. If present, follow `common/session-continuity.md` to resume. If absent, initialize it during Workspace Detection.
+7. **Execute Workspace Detection stage** (ALWAYS EXECUTE — see stage definition below).
+
+**Hard stop rule**: If you cannot complete a pre-flight item (e.g., missing file, unresolvable path), STOP, report the specific failure to the user, and do not proceed with their requested work. Do not substitute, simplify, or skip.
+
+## Adaptive Depth vs. Mandatory Steps
+
+**The workflow is adaptive in DEPTH (minimal / standard / comprehensive), NOT in mandatory steps.**
+
+- Stages marked ALWAYS EXECUTE run on every workflow. Their depth varies; their existence does not.
+- Stages marked MANDATORY in any sub-section run regardless of perceived task simplicity.
+- Compressing Inception + Construction + Operations into a single informal chat exchange is a violation.
+- Rolling multiple stages under one approval is a violation — each stage requires its own completion message and its own approval.
+- Asking clarifying questions in freeform chat instead of a question file (per `common/question-format-guide.md`) is a violation.
+- "The task is small" is not a valid reason to skip MANDATORY items. It IS a valid reason to choose minimal depth within each stage.
+
 ## Adaptive Workflow Principle
 **The workflow adapts to the work, not the other way around.**
 

plugins/claude-code-aidlc/.claude-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+  "name": "aidlc",
+  "version": "0.1.8",
+  "description": "AI-Driven Development Life Cycle \u2014 structured adaptive workflow for software development with AI coding agents",
+  "repository": "https://github.com/awslabs/aidlc-workflows",
+  "license": "Apache-2.0"
+}

plugins/claude-code-aidlc/.markdownlint-cli2.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# markdownlint overrides for aidlc-rules/ (LLM prompt files)
+# These rules are temporarily disabled pending incremental remediation.
+# Each rule is re-enabled in a separate PR after fixing its violations.
+# See PR #159 for the full remediation plan ordered by LLM prompt impact.
+
+config:
+  # --- Tier 1: Zero prompt impact (invisible whitespace) ---
+  MD009: false  # no-trailing-spaces (9 violations)
+  MD012: false  # no-multiple-blanks (2 violations)
+  MD047: false  # single-trailing-newline (4 violations)
+
+  # --- Tier 2: Zero prompt impact (formatting normalization) ---
+  MD029: false  # ol-prefix (1 violation)
+  MD026: false  # no-trailing-punctuation (17 violations)
+
+  # --- Tier 3: Zero prompt impact (blank line structure) ---
+  MD022: false  # blanks-around-headings (274 violations)
+  MD032: false  # blanks-around-lists (426 violations)
+  MD031: false  # blanks-around-fences (31 violations)
+
+  # --- Tier 4: Minimal prompt impact (table/URL formatting) ---
+  MD060: false  # table-column-style (34 violations)
+
+  # --- Tier 5: Low prompt impact (structural cosmetic) ---
+  MD046: false  # code-block-style (8 violations)
+  MD007: false  # ul-indent (34 violations)
+
+  # --- Tier 6: Needs review (adds content or changes structure) ---
+  MD040: false  # fenced-code-language (18 violations)
+  MD025: false  # single-title (13 violations)
+
+  # --- Plugin-specific overrides ---
+  MD041: false  # first-line-heading — plugin files use YAML frontmatter