Constrained self-improvement

The public verb is /meta-improve-vault.

Input and gate

Select only from canonical vault/memory/DREAM_LOG.md: an exact candidate whose status is approved and whose approval was written by /dream --set-status from a direct operator decision. proposed is not approval.

Read only the exact evidence references named by that approved candidate from vault/memory/runtime/LESSONS.jsonl and vault/memory/runtime/NIGHTLY_CAPTURE_CANDIDATES.jsonl. Those products provide traceability; they never provide approval by themselves.

Before Build:

node daemons/nightly-contracts.mjs meta --root <aigent-root> \
  --candidate <candidate-id>

Require META_GATE PASS. It checks the canonical block for exact approved status and non-placeholder operator evidence. This is the executable nightly-contracts.mjs meta gate.

Build

For one approved candidate:

1. Re-read its evidence, proposed change, mutation proof, and scope.
2. Use repository isolation where normal policy requires it.
3. Apply the smallest change satisfying the proposal.
4. Run the real red-before and green-after proof plus relevant system checks.
5. Produce a review artifact with exact diff, commands, exits, residual risks, and rollback.
6. Surface accept / reject / revise to the operator.

Never merge, push, deploy, broaden scope, modify an operator gate, approve another candidate, or infer approval. A failed proof asks the Dream writer to set the candidate blocked.

Status ownership

This skill never edits Dream directly. The Dream writer owns:

• direct operator approval: proposed -> approved;
• verified build failure: approved -> blocked;
• direct rejection: approved -> rejected;
• independently verified merge: approved -> merged.

The complete flow is:

propose -> operator gate -> build -> independent review -> operator outcome