Inventory the API contracts

Write down what every endpoint promises before testing it.

First time here? Paste the Context Pack first so the AI understands your project - open it from the header above.

Prompt Capsule

Produce the API contract inventory: every endpoint with method, path, purpose, auth requirement, request shape, success response (code + body shape), and the expected failure responses (validation 400, unauthorized 401/403, not found 404, conflict 409, server 500). Define the standard error shape all endpoints should return (e.g. {error: {code, message}}). Flag endpoints whose current behavior is unknown.

Paste into EmergentFull Build: complete implementation prompt with explicit requirements

Quick is short. Full Build is recommended for most steps. Strict forces real logic when the AI keeps faking output.

Actual change check

Expected after this step

A complete contract table plus a standard error shape definition.

Should NOT happen

An existing feature broke
A button only logs to console
Data disappears after refresh
Errors fail silently with no visible state

This is what should exist before you continue. If reality does not match, do not move on.

Your notes for this step

Track what changed, failed, or needs follow-up. Notes export with the flow.

Pass the Verify Gate to complete this step

Verify before continuing

Do not move on until every check is true. The complete button stays locked until then.

Every endpoint appears with expected codesA single error shape is definedUnknowns are flagged for testing

Do not continue if…

! 200 responses containing error strings
! 500s from bad user input instead of 400s
! Different error shapes per endpoint breaking the frontend
! No timeouts, so slow APIs hang the UI forever

If the AI messes this up

Use this when:

- it only made visual forms or placeholder UI
- buttons do nothing or only log to console
- data is not persisted - state disappears on refresh
- something that worked before is now broken

Use this when the AI fakes progress or breaks the feature. It forces a real fix.

The inventory is missing failure contracts. For every endpoint define what invalid input, missing auth, and missing resources should return before testing.