CITATION.cff

cff-version: 1.2.0
message: If you use BACKBONE or build on its methodology, please cite as below.
title: 'BACKBONE: The Anti-Dodge Skill for AI Code Agents'
abstract: >-
  BACKBONE is a structured prompt protocol that redirects AI coding agents
  from a learned label-and-defer behavior to a deterministic engagement
  contract. The agent must NAME each encountered defect with file and line,
  CLASSIFY by relationship and effort, DECIDE between FIX, OFFER, or TRACK
  using a 16-cell decision matrix, EMIT in one of three structured formats,
  BAN a list of dodge phrases, and SELF-CHECK before sending. Provider
  neutral, Apache 2.0 licensed, distributable as a system-prompt segment
  for Claude, Cursor, Aider, Continue, GitHub Copilot, and any agent that
  accepts a system prompt.
authors:
  - family-names: Belkhouja
    given-names: Yassine
    affiliation: PulsarOS Intelligence Inc.
    city: Ottawa
    country: CA
    email: yassine@pulsaros.ca
    orcid: 'https://orcid.org/0000-0000-0000-0000'
identifiers:
  - type: url
    value: 'https://github.com/PulsarOSDevTeam/backbone'
    description: Canonical project URL
date-released: '2026-05-08'
license: Apache-2.0
repository-code: 'https://github.com/PulsarOSDevTeam/backbone'
url: 'https://github.com/PulsarOSDevTeam/backbone'
version: 1.1.0
keywords:
  - artificial-intelligence
  - large-language-models
  - code-agents
  - prompt-engineering
  - prompt-protocol
  - agent-discipline
  - claude
  - cursor
  - aider
  - copilot
  - software-engineering
  - developer-tools
preferred-citation:
  type: software
  authors:
    - family-names: Belkhouja
      given-names: Yassine
      affiliation: PulsarOS Intelligence Inc.
  title: 'BACKBONE: The Anti-Dodge Skill for AI Code Agents'
  year: 2026
  version: 1.1.0
  url: 'https://github.com/PulsarOSDevTeam/backbone'
  license: Apache-2.0