research-looplisted

# Research Loop Improve the user-selected implementation through controlled experiments. Treat evaluator integrity, comparable measurements, immutable evidence identity, recoverable changes, and an auditable decision trail as hard requirements. Before creating or resuming run state, read [references/run-state-protocol.md](references/run-state-protocol.md). It defines the canonical artifacts, identifiers, lifecycle, evidence schema, and atomic completion boundary. Use [scripts/validate_run_state.py](scripts/validate_run_state.py) at every resume and completion boundary. The validator proves structural integrity, not scientific merit; independently apply the sealed acceptance rule before recording `decided`. ## Preflight the workspace Inspect the repository, harness, documentation, and Git state before writing files or asking questions. - Require a Git repository and recoverable baseline commit. Do not proceed in an unversioned workspace. - Identify pre-existing changes. If they overlap the writable scope, stop and ask the user to resolve or relocate them. If unrelated, create a branch-backed worktree without altering the original worktree. - Infer the evaluation command, metric, mutable and immutable paths, constraints, generated state, environment, and expected resource use from repository sources when possible. - Reject a request whose purpose is to improve the score by changing tests, fixtures, scoring logic, evaluation data, or protected feedback. Treat any candidate