Context-Stack

NOW (Notes On Work)

Prevent AI-generated code projects from becoming archaeological sites.

The Problem

You’re working on a project. AI helps you generate code fast. You switch to another project. A week/month/year later, you come back and have no idea:

• What problem you were solving
• What was blocking you
• What you were about to try next
• Whether the tests actually pass or AI just claimed they did

Multiply this across dozens of AI-accelerated projects and you end up abandoning perfectly good code because the context is lost.

The Solution

One minimal file (NOW.md) at the root of every repo that:

• Takes 30 seconds to generate/update via /now-update command
• Takes <5 minutes to read and fully reorient
• Prevents false “task completed” claims via evidence requirements
• Designed for GitHub Copilot to read and explain to humans

Quick Start

1. Install NOW in Your Project

# Clone this repo
git clone https://github.com/VirtualAdam/now.git

# Copy .prompt folder into your project root
cp -r now/.prompt /path/to/your-project/

2. Create Your First NOW

In your project (with GitHub Copilot enabled):

You: /now-update

Copilot will analyze your codebase and conversation history and generate NOW.md at your repo root.

3. Update Before You Leave

At the end of your work session:

You: /now-update

Copilot updates the NOW with current state, blockers, and next steps.

4. Resume Work Later

When you return (tomorrow or next year):

1. Type /now-status to get instant reorientation from copilot using NOW.md
2. You now know exactly where you left off and what to do next

What’s in the NOW?

A minimal 5-section structure (<500 words):

META          # Version, last updated
STATE         # What problem, current focus, what's blocking
EVIDENCE      # Test status with proof (no false claims)
NEXT          # Single immediate task with completion criteria
CONTEXT       # Key decisions & failed approaches (optional)

See NOW.md for the complete schema specification.

Commands Reference

Command	What It Does	When to Use
/now-update	Generate/update NOW.md with current state	First time setup or end of work session
/now-status	Read and summarize existing NOW.md	When returning to project for quick reorientation

Design Principles

1. Ruthlessly minimal - If it’s not essential for reorientation, it’s cut
2. Evidence-based - Claims require proof (files must exist)
3. Machine-first - Optimized for AI parsing, human-readable second
4. Single source of truth - Only one NOW per repo (canonical: true enforced)
5. Force focus - One immediate task at a time prevents diffusion
6. No archaeology - Small enough to read in one sitting

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TL;DR: Copy .prompt/ folder to your project. Type /now-update before you stop working. Never lose context again.