Imported from Tech-at-DU/ACS-4220-AI-Engineering (AGENTS.md). Install upstream with npx skills add Tech-at-DU/ACS-4220-AI-Engineering. Copyright stays with the author.

ACS 4220: AI Engineering — Project Instructions

Brand Voice

All .md files follow droxey's brand voice (enforced globally via ~/.Codex/AGENTS.md).

Working Rules

• Make minimal necessary changes.
• Fix root causes, not surface symptoms.
• Treat docs and course ops as part of the product.
• Cite external material clearly. If outside material informs a lesson, assignment, or README update, add the source link in Additional Resources or the relevant resources section so the course does not drift into plagiarism or academic dishonesty.
• When content changes affect navigation or schedule, update README.md and _sidebar.md in the same pass.
• After Markdown edits, run npm run lint:md.

Content Structure

Lesson Plans

Every lesson should follow this order:

1. Learning Objectives ("By the end of this lesson, you will be able to...")
2. Best Practices (5-6 bullets)
3. Topic 1: Overview (600-1200 words, origins + analogies + real-world examples)
4. Topic 2: Overview (600-1200 words, same depth)
5. Break & Wrap Up (combined, key takeaway + before-next-class task)
6. After Class Challenges (3 challenges, mix of context-building and standalone)
7. Additional Resources (4-5 links, include current April 2026 tool/model/workflow context when relevant)

Never include: Minute-by-minute tables, time markers like (10 min), Reveal.js markup, mid-lesson activity sections.

Assignments

1. Purpose (Why should I do this?)
2. Setup (How to start)
3. Instructions / Deliverables (What to do)
4. Rubric: Needs Improvement / Basic / Proficient / Advanced (always 4 levels, never 3)
5. Submission (Where to turn in)
6. Resources (Where to learn more)

README and Tutorials

Keep the three tutorial files linked in the syllabus and sidebar.

README should preserve:

• Tutorial milestones in the schedule
• The Coursera certification callout for Tutorial 3
• Claude Code student access options in Additional Resources
• Link the word Gradescope instead of pasting or describing the raw URL in prose

Token & Tool Optimization

Model Routing

• Default: Sonnet 4.6 for implementation, edits, reviews
• Planning: Opus for architecture decisions, complex multi-file reasoning
• Routine: Haiku for formatting, boilerplate, simple reads

Context Discipline

• Subagents: Use for any exploration reading 3+ files, research, or validation
• Compaction: After completing each discrete task, compact. Preserve: modified file list, test commands, architectural decisions
• Scope narrowly: One lesson or assignment per task. Don't load all 12 lessons at once
• Front-load context: Key patterns are in this file — don't re-read lesson files to discover structure

File Editing

• Use Edit over Write for existing files (sends diff, not full content)
• Read only the lines you need (offset + limit params) — not entire files
• Batch independent edits in parallel tool calls

Project Layout

Lessons/      # 12 lesson plans (weeks 1-6, 2 per week)
Assignments/  # 3 assignments + 3 tutorials + final project
Images/       # Slide headers and diagrams
.claude/      # Claude Code config (CLAUDE.md, settings.json)

• README.md is the syllabus
• _sidebar.md is the Docsify navigation
• Markdown lint config lives in .markdownlint.jsonc

Gotchas

• Lesson filenames use slugs (e.g., copilot-neq-coworker.md), not numbers
• README.md serves as the syllabus — has schedule table, deliverables, and resources
• _sidebar.md is the Docsify navigation — update when adding/renaming files