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A file does not become an instruction just because it sits inside .apc/. Under the APC folder-structure specification, consumers ignore paths whose meaning is not defined by APC or a formal extension. Load a file only when its path has a documented role—and keep credentials, private conversations, and runtime data out of the directory regardless.
Why an unknown `.apc/` path should not control an agent
APC’s folder-structure specification says consumers ignore unknown paths under .apc/ unless APC or a formal extension defines them. That rule gives readers a predictable way to distinguish recognized project context from arbitrary files. It does not mean every APC-compatible tool already implements the same behavior; the cited pages describe the APC draft and project, not a ratified industry-wide standard or universal adoption. APC folder-structure specification
Consider a repository containing .apc/triage-priority.md. One tool might read it as a local experiment; another might load every Markdown file under .apc/ as instructions. The same checkout would then produce conflicting behavior, and a trial note could silently become project policy. A reader should not guess from a filename or directory alone.
Where project instructions belong
Choose a documented instruction surface according to the content’s scope and purpose:
#1 Best Overall
| Location | Use it for | Scope or role |
|---|---|---|
AGENTS.md |
Stable repository-wide project context | Broad instructions for the repository |
.apc/rules/ |
Project-owned rules, particularly rules limited to a scope | Scoped instructions |
.apc/skills/ |
Reusable procedures an agent may invoke | Callable procedures |
These paths have distinct documented roles; they are not interchangeable labels for any file a team wants an agent to read. APC agent and instruction locations
If a team needs a new machine-readable capability, define it as a formal extension and explain how readers that do not support it should behave. Until the path’s purpose and loading behavior are defined, keep experimental notes as ordinary documentation rather than treating them as active instructions.
Use this review test for every new path
- Ask whether the path is defined. Is this path defined by APC or an explicit extension?
- Check that the content fits its role. A general repository instruction, a scoped rule, and a callable procedure belong in different documented surfaces.
- Check that a compatible reader can recognize when to load it. If an agent must infer the meaning from a private filename convention, the loading contract is unclear.
- Document compatibility behavior. For a new extension, specify what an unsupported reader should do rather than leaving it to guess.
Ignoring an unknown path is not a privacy safeguard
The APC ignore rule governs interpretation, not access or storage. It does not sanitize a file, prevent other tools from reading it, or make it safe to commit. APC guidance warns against putting credentials, raw conversations, caches, or private runtime memory in .apc/. Treat such data as sensitive wherever it is stored; do not rely on an agent ignoring an unfamiliar path to protect it. APC introduction
APC describes durable, repository-owned project context. APX is the reference runtime, and its documentation places sessions and runtime state outside .apc/. That separation is a useful boundary: repository instructions belong in documented project surfaces, while runtime state belongs in the runtime’s storage. APX reference runtime and state separation
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