How to Execute Bolts Against ARC

Bolt execution is where code gets written. Marcus, the Developer agent, implements each bolt while enforcing ARC constraints and AI governance rules.

Prerequisites

• Bolt specs must exist (from cat-bolt-writer)
• ARC must be accessible in _cat/artifacts/architecture/

Executing a Bolt

cat-bolt-execution

Marcus reads the bolt spec and ARC, then:

1. Plans the implementation based on the bolt scope and mapped constraints
2. Generates code following ARC patterns and technology stack
3. Runs constraint-aware testing — verifies each mapped ARC constraint
4. Reports compliance — produces a constraint-by-constraint status

During Execution

Marcus will ask clarifying questions if the bolt spec is ambiguous:

“The bolt spec says ‘validate input’ but the ARC specifies JSON Schema validation. Should I create a new schema file or extend the existing shared schema?”

Answer directly — Marcus prefers concrete decisions over abstract discussions.

Code Review After Execution

cat-code-review

Marcus and Vera jointly review the implementation:

• ARC compliance — Does the code satisfy every mapped constraint?
• AI governance — Were AI-specific review requirements met?
• Testing — Do tests cover the acceptance criteria?
• Patterns — Does the code follow established project patterns?

Output: _cat/artifacts/construction/code-review-{bolt_id}.md

Handling Failed Constraints

If a bolt execution reveals that an ARC constraint can’t be met as written:

1. Don’t bypass it. The ARC is the law.
2. Use cat-change-proposal to formally propose modifying the constraint
3. Document the reason — why the constraint as-written is impractical
4. Get the ARC updated via cat-arc-edit once the change is approved

Execution Order

Execute bolts in dependency order. If Bolt 1.2 depends on Bolt 1.1:

1. Execute Bolt 1.1
2. Code review Bolt 1.1
3. Execute Bolt 1.2
4. Code review Bolt 1.2

Test Plan Generation

Before or during construction, generate a formal test plan:

cat-test-plan

Vera produces a risk-prioritized test strategy derived from the ARC’s testing requirements, with full traceability.

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See Also: Write Bolt Specs · What Are Bolts? · Handle Scope Changes