optimizelisted

# Optimize — applied hot-path transform with a proven win A self-contained diagnose→optimize→verify loop. Locate the hot path (lightly — no full investigation ledger), fan out five candidate transformations as worktree-isolated `Agent` calls, benchmark each, gate on behavior, commit the winner. The deliverable is a **committed, measured change** — not a verdict, not a report, not a list of suggestions. Op-cell is context-dependent: `correct` + `Restores: spec:<budget>` when a `--budget` or a named regression is the target; `compress` when removing wasted work with no stated budget; `extend` when the winning change adds an approximation or cache contract that changes observable semantics. Rejection grounds: **Excess** (micro-opt with no measured hotspot), **Graft** (optimization applied before the hotspot is confirmed), **Sprawl** (added complexity that outweighs the earned speedup). **Reference files (verbatim prompts, agent dispatch shapes, harness templates):** - `references/lenses.md` — five lens prompts sent to candidate agents, one per lens - `references/tooling.md` — per-language benchmark/profile tooling matrix + minimal harness templates for the author-a-harness phase ## Constitutional Rules (Non-Negotiable) 1. **No optimization without a measured hotspot.** Accept a supplied profile, symbol, or `perf-profile` output — or run Phase 2's light locate. Never fan out candidates against unmeasured code. 2. **Benchmark before landing.** Every accepted change carries