What happened
On PR #6988, the code agent was instructed to implement changes for issue #6738 but explicitly told to skip .github/workflows/ files (because the coder app lacks workflows push permission). The code agent successfully modified scaffold templates and tests but did not document what corresponding changes needed to be applied to the live workflow files (.github/workflows/fullsend.yaml, .github/workflows/reusable-dispatch.yml). ggallen had to independently determine what manual changes were needed and apply them via a squash commit that combined the code agent's work with the manual fixes. This added cognitive overhead and delayed the merge.
What could go better
When the code agent knows — either via explicit human instructions or via environment constraints (per #3627) — that certain files cannot be modified, it should proactively document the needed changes for those files. In this case, the code agent updated the scaffold template internal/scaffold/fullsend-repo/templates/shim-per-repo.yaml but could have included a section in the PR body showing the equivalent change needed in the live .github/workflows/fullsend.yaml. This would have reduced the human's work from 'figure out what changes are needed' to 'apply these documented changes.' Confidence: moderate — this is a single instance, but the pattern applies broadly to any change spanning files the code agent cannot push (workflow files, cross-repo files, protected paths).
Proposed change
Update the code agent definition in fullsend-ai/agents (at agents/code.md or the post-code script at scripts/post-code.sh) to add guidance: when the implementation plan includes changes to files the agent cannot modify — whether due to permissions, explicit exclusion in dispatch instructions, or other constraints — the PR description should include a clearly labeled 'Manual Changes Required' section documenting: (1) the specific file paths that need changes, (2) the exact changes needed (as diffs or descriptions), and (3) why the agent couldn't make them. This complements #3627 (which prevents the failure) by ensuring productive behavior when the constraint is known.
Validation criteria
The next 3 code agent runs where the agent is told to skip certain files, or where it encounters unpushable files (once #3627 is implemented), should include a 'Manual Changes Required' section in the PR description with specific file paths and changes for the human to apply.
Generated by retro agent from fullsend-ai/fullsend#6988
What happened
On PR #6988, the code agent was instructed to implement changes for issue #6738 but explicitly told to skip
.github/workflows/files (because the coder app lacksworkflowspush permission). The code agent successfully modified scaffold templates and tests but did not document what corresponding changes needed to be applied to the live workflow files (.github/workflows/fullsend.yaml,.github/workflows/reusable-dispatch.yml). ggallen had to independently determine what manual changes were needed and apply them via a squash commit that combined the code agent's work with the manual fixes. This added cognitive overhead and delayed the merge.What could go better
When the code agent knows — either via explicit human instructions or via environment constraints (per #3627) — that certain files cannot be modified, it should proactively document the needed changes for those files. In this case, the code agent updated the scaffold template
internal/scaffold/fullsend-repo/templates/shim-per-repo.yamlbut could have included a section in the PR body showing the equivalent change needed in the live.github/workflows/fullsend.yaml. This would have reduced the human's work from 'figure out what changes are needed' to 'apply these documented changes.' Confidence: moderate — this is a single instance, but the pattern applies broadly to any change spanning files the code agent cannot push (workflow files, cross-repo files, protected paths).Proposed change
Update the code agent definition in
fullsend-ai/agents(atagents/code.mdor the post-code script atscripts/post-code.sh) to add guidance: when the implementation plan includes changes to files the agent cannot modify — whether due to permissions, explicit exclusion in dispatch instructions, or other constraints — the PR description should include a clearly labeled 'Manual Changes Required' section documenting: (1) the specific file paths that need changes, (2) the exact changes needed (as diffs or descriptions), and (3) why the agent couldn't make them. This complements #3627 (which prevents the failure) by ensuring productive behavior when the constraint is known.Validation criteria
The next 3 code agent runs where the agent is told to skip certain files, or where it encounters unpushable files (once #3627 is implemented), should include a 'Manual Changes Required' section in the PR description with specific file paths and changes for the human to apply.
Generated by retro agent from fullsend-ai/fullsend#6988