# Playbooks

A **playbook** is a curated, bounded objective — a preset that fills in a
procedural [focus](/docs/focus) and a suggested [verify command](/docs/verification-gate)
for a common kind of maintenance. They're the fastest way to get reliable runs.

## Available playbooks

| Playbook | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Improve documentation** | READMEs, module docs, doc comments, typos |
| **Lint / format** | Resolve formatter & linter findings (mechanical, no behaviour change) |
| **TODO / FIXME burndown** | Resolve one small, self‑contained TODO/FIXME |
| **Add a missing test** | Add one focused test for an untested function |
| **Dependency hygiene** | Update one outdated dependency safely (minor/patch only) |

## Apply one

In **Repo settings → Playbook**, pick one. It sets the focus (and suggests a
verify command). You can edit either before saving — the playbook is a starting
point, not a lock.

## Define your own

The built‑ins are starters, not the whole story. In **Settings → Playbooks**, add
your own curated templates for work specific to your stack ("migrate to v2 API",
"our lint policy") — a name, the procedural focus the agent runs, and a suggested
verify command. Custom playbooks appear in the repo dropdown alongside the
built‑ins (which stay read‑only). Edit or delete them anytime.

## Why playbooks work

Each playbook focus is **procedural**: orient briefly, take the first safe win,
and commit. That framing keeps agents from over‑exploring and producing no‑op
runs. They're also the taxonomy [explore mode](/docs/explore-mode) draws from when
it proposes its own work.

## Playbooks vs profile presets

A playbook is a one‑time *starting point* you apply to a repo's settings. A
[profile preset](/docs/profile-presets) is a **named, schedulable work stream** a
repo keeps — you can run several side by side (round‑robin or on a schedule) and
trigger them from the CLI/API. Seed a preset from a playbook, then schedule it.

## Related

- [Focus](/docs/focus) · [Verification Gate](/docs/verification-gate)
- [Profile presets](/docs/profile-presets) · [Explore mode](/docs/explore-mode)