> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://plantis.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Step 1: Bootstrapping

> Building the AI's world through explicit context management

**Goal**: Build the AI's understanding of your codebase before asking it to make changes.

## The "Refresh" Prompt

Participants must learn to **explicitly direct the AI** to build its own context rather than relying on "magic" retrieval.

### Example Prompt

```
Before we start, please:
1. Read the main entry point (src/index.ts)
2. Review the authentication module (src/auth/)
3. Check the database schema (prisma/schema.prisma)
4. Summarize the current architecture
```

**Why this works**: You're giving the AI a clear roadmap instead of hoping it finds the right files.

## Verifying the Summary

The engineer must **review the AI's summary** of the code to ensure it isn't:

* ❌ Looking at deprecated files
* ❌ Missing key dependencies
* ❌ Misunderstanding the architecture

### Red Flags to Watch For

* AI mentions files that don't exist
* AI describes patterns that aren't actually used
* AI misses critical dependencies or integrations

## Watching Tool Calls

Senior engineers should **monitor the AI's "work"**—the files it reads and searches it runs—to spot when it's on the wrong track early.

### What to Monitor

* Which files is it reading?
* What search queries is it running?
* Is it exploring the right parts of the codebase?

**Pro tip**: If the AI is reading irrelevant files, interrupt and redirect immediately.

## Managing Context Rot

Techniques for preventing the AI's reasoning from degrading as the context window fills up:

### Strategy 1: Architecture Files

Maintain high-level `architecture.md` files that provide:

* System overview
* Key design decisions
* Important constraints
* Module relationships

### Strategy 2: Break Into Smaller Steps

Instead of one massive task, break into digestible chunks:

* ✅ "First, let's update the auth middleware"
* ✅ "Next, we'll add the new endpoint"
* ✅ "Finally, update the tests"

**Why**: Keeps the context focused and prevents drift.

### Strategy 3: Periodic Resets

For long sessions, periodically:

1. Summarize progress
2. Start a fresh conversation
3. Provide the summary as context
4. Continue with clear focus

***

**Key Principle**: The AI's context is YOUR responsibility. Manage it actively, not passively.