Specify the generated AI context export contract #2686

Problem

The accepted Base governance design and implementation plan identify package 13a as a required deliverable. This issue translates that package into a reviewed, bounded issue/PR train; it does not authorize implementation before the issue reaches Ready.

Expected behavior

Before implementing context generation, specify how basectl export-context selects an installed AI CLI, invokes it noninteractively, summarizes canonical repository docs, writes outside the repository, cites source paths/revisions and date, and handles privacy, redaction, failures, partial output and unsupported providers. The generated context is a derived artifact, not checked into source control.

Scope and non-goals

Scope: Before implementing context generation, specify how basectl export-context selects an installed AI CLI, invokes it noninteractively, summarizes canonical repository docs, writes outside the repository, cites source paths/revisions and date, and handles privacy, redaction, failures, partial output and unsupported providers. The generated context is a derived artifact, not checked into source control.

Non-goals: Do not silently expand scope, activate unreviewed policy, mirror issue fields onto PRs, grant agents merge/release authority, or make changes outside the named affected areas. Any new product decision or materially new work gets a separate issue and decision record.

Affected areas

• CLI behavior contract, docs/CLI reference, security/privacy guidance and context export runbook.
• Accepted source: governance design and implementation plan, PR #2664
• Parent tracker: #2665

Impact and evidence

1. Product intent: Implements only the accepted governance design and plan; any product-requirement change must be filed separately.
2. Architecture and contracts: Destination is the package-specific section of the merged governance design/implementation plan plus the affected canonical contract named above.
3. User guidance: The issue identifies likely guidance paths; the implementation PR must name updated user/FAQ/README paths or give a change-specific reason why none is affected.
4. CLI/API and reference: The affected-area list determines whether CLI/API/reference docs change; the implementation PR must cite the exact reference path or justify no impact.
5. Operations and safety: No privileged automation or merge authority is implied; the PR must list operational/security effects and any rollback.
6. Validation and testing: The issue lists the planned tests; the PR must report executed validation and explain any unavailable test.
7. Examples and downstream use: The implementation PR must identify affected examples/consumers or give evidence that this change has no downstream surface.
8. Governance and contributor process: This package changes or preserves the contributor/governance contract as described in Scope; links must point to the canonical rules.
9. Decision records: No new decision is accepted by this issue; any durable deviation requires a proposed decision record and explicit maintainer acceptance.
10. Release notes: The PR must include a user-facing release-note line or a reasoned none; this issue does not pre-decide that disposition.

These are issue-stage dispositions to refine during Triage. Before Ready, every category must have its exact destination or evidence-based no-impact reason; the PR repeats the ten-category evidence for actual changes.

Open questions

• None known. If implementation exposes an unresolved contract, return this issue to Triage and record the decision before implementation continues.

Plan

• S1: One focused PR for this issue. Use Fixes #N only if no additional slice is needed; if the maintainer approves multiple PRs, name each S1…Sn here before the first is opened and use Part of #N.
• Dependencies: None known.
• Acceptance criteria:
• Provider selection and supported installed CLI contract are explicit and user-controlled.
• Output location is outside the repository by default and can be reviewed before use.
• Source attribution/revision, date, privacy disclosure, redaction boundaries and failure semantics are specified.
• No provider is invoked on untrusted repository instructions without the documented user consent and safety boundaries.
• The contract makes clear tracked .ai-context/ remains maintained until package 13b is released and proven.
• Validation:
• Review command help/prototype expectations against the chosen AI CLI interfaces.
• Threat-model repository prompt injection, secret discovery, external data transfer and partial failures.
• Validate examples for noninteractive and unavailable-provider behavior.
• Risks and rollback: AI CLIs and provider behavior vary; support only explicitly detected interfaces and fail closed without overwriting tracked files.
• Decision impact: No decision is accepted merely by implementing the issue. Record the relevant accepted decision/ADR and file a superseding record if the maintainer approves a change.