docs: inbox-consolidation spec + backlog filings

The inbox-workflow consolidation reached a Ready spec — one inbox.org engine with process/monitor/roam modes, plus "auto inbox zero" as the interactive recurring roam check (the fully-unattended cron pass deferred to vNext).

Files the backlog surfaced while triaging the inbox: the wrap-it-up teardown proposal, the agent-source improvements, the consolidation task itself, and the deferred unattended-cron pass.

2 files changed, 166 insertions, 2 deletions

diff --git a/.ai/notes.org b/.ai/notes.org
index af1d3c5..79b158f 100644
--- a/.ai/notes.org
+++ b/.ai/notes.org
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ See [[file:../README.org][README.org]] for the full layout, install modes, and l
 
 - =claude-rules/= — generic rules (=commits.md=, =testing.md=, =verification.md=, =subagents.md=) symlinked into =~/.claude/rules/= and applied to every Claude Code session on the machine.
 - Top-level skill directories (=add-tests/=, =debug/=, =five-whys/=, =frontend-design/=, =pairwise-tests/=, =playwright-js/=, =playwright-py/=, =root-cause-trace/=, =voice/=) — each a Claude Code skill, symlinked into =~/.claude/skills/= by =make install=.
-- =languages/= — per-language bundles (rules + hooks + settings) copied into target projects via =make install-lang LANG=<name> PROJECT=<path>=. Both =LANG= and =PROJECT= are optional — fzf picks them interactively when omitted. Bundles currently shipping: =elisp=, =python=.
+- =languages/= — per-language bundles (rules + hooks + settings) copied into target projects via =make install-lang LANG=<name> PROJECT=<path>=. Both =LANG= and =PROJECT= are optional — fzf picks them interactively when omitted. Bundles currently shipping: =bash=, =elisp=, =go=, =python=, =typescript=.
 - =.claude/= — repo-local Claude Code config: =settings.json= and =commands/=.
 - =hooks/=, =scripts/= — install helpers and PostToolUse validators that ride along with bundles.
 - =Makefile= — install / uninstall / list entry points.
@@ -79,6 +79,6 @@ Format:
 Markers maintained by workflows to record when they last ran. Read by other workflows that gate their behavior on freshness.
 
 :LAST_AUDIT: 2026-06-15
-:LAST_INBOX_PROCESS: 2026-06-15 (3 items: fix-speedrun proposal filed [#C], 2 pearl acks cleared)
+:LAST_INBOX_PROCESS: 2026-06-23 (2 handoffs implemented: inbox-zero capture-guard, install-lang neutral-default CLAUDE.md; bash bundle filed [#C])
 
 Format: one =:MARKER: YYYY-MM-DD= line per workflow. Workflows overwrite their own marker on completion.
diff --git a/.ai/sessions/2026-06-23-22-36-inbox-guard-bash-bundle-consolidation-spec.org b/.ai/sessions/2026-06-23-22-36-inbox-guard-bash-bundle-consolidation-spec.org
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..19e9a2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ai/sessions/2026-06-23-22-36-inbox-guard-bash-bundle-consolidation-spec.org
@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+#+TITLE: Session — inbox guard, bash bundle, agent-neutral rules, inbox-consolidation spec
+
+* Summary
+
+** Active Goal
+
+Started by processing two inbox handoffs, then ran long across a queue of work:
+two handoff fixes, a new bash bundle, item 1-2-3 from the roam inbox, and a spec
+for consolidating the inbox workflows. Five commits landed; the inbox-consolidation
+spec reached Ready for a next-session build.
+
+** Decisions
+
+- Item 1: build the guard as a shared, testable script (.ai/scripts/), not
+  inline in the workflow. Fix the handoff's malformed lisp (#(quote …) →
+  #'buffer-name). Add an emacs.md cross-reference.
+- Item 2 (Craig's design answers, all recommendations): (Q1) language-neutral
+  default *fallback* template install-lang seeds when the bundle ships none —
+  per-bundle templates still win where present; (Q2) the default names *no*
+  language — Craig fills it in; (Q3) inbox-zero's wrap-up roam sub-step, on a
+  live-capture collision, *skips that sub-step non-blocking* and finishes the
+  rest of wrap-up.
+- Bash/shell language bundle: built this session (shellcheck the gate, shfmt left
+  advisory since shell has no canonical style). Confirmed the five bundles cover
+  Craig's ecosystem — no further bundles warranted.
+- Item 1 (inbox-zero empty sweep): built. Item 2 (agent-source): claude-rules/
+  neutralized + .emacs.d note sent; the workflow sweep parked behind consolidation
+  (don't neutralize files about to be merged). Item 3 (wrap-teardown): filed, not
+  built (open decisions).
+- Inbox consolidation: spec it before building (load-bearing 3→1 merge of synced
+  workflows). Engine shape = Option A (one inbox.org, process/monitor/roam modes).
+  "auto inbox zero" = interactive /loop only in v1; fully-unattended /schedule
+  cron pass deferred to vNext (Codex finding, narrowed).
+
+** Data Collected / Findings
+
+- Verified handoff #2 against the tree: claim "only elisp ships CLAUDE.md" is
+  stale — go ships one too; python + typescript ship none; install-lang guards
+  on [ -f "$SRC/CLAUDE.md" ]. Core gap holds.
+- Only inbox-zero.org Phase D writes the roam inbox on disk (startup reads,
+  wrap-up delegates to inbox-zero). So one guard call covers it.
+- Canonical/mirror: claude-templates/.ai/ is canonical; .ai/ root is the mirror
+  kept in sync by scripts/sync-check.sh (pre-commit enforced). Edit canonical,
+  then sync --fix.
+
+** Files Modified
+
+Item 1 (capture guard): NEW claude-templates/.ai/scripts/capture-guard + its
+bats test; edited claude-templates/.ai/workflows/inbox-zero.org (Phase D guard
+step, before the pull); edited claude-rules/emacs.md (new "don't edit on disk a
+file the daemon is capturing into" section). Mirror synced to .ai/.
+
+Item 2 (CLAUDE.md fallback): NEW languages/default-CLAUDE.md (neutral, names no
+language); edited scripts/install-lang.sh (fall back to default when bundle
+ships none); Makefile LANGUAGES glob hardened to dirs-only; scripts/lint.sh
+lints the default; scripts/tests/install-lang.bats +3 tests.
+
+Housekeeping: bash bundle filed todo.org [#C]; both handoffs preserved to
+docs/design/ (2026-06-22-inbox-zero-capture-hardening.org,
+2026-06-23-install-lang-claude-md-gap.org); TODO link repointed; replies sent to
+home + archangel; notes.org :LAST_INBOX_PROCESS: stamped 2026-06-23.
+
+Second half: NEW languages/bash/ bundle (rules, validate-bash.sh shellcheck hook
++ 8 bats tests, pre-commit githook, settings, CLAUDE.md), Makefile glob for
+languages/*/tests/*.bats, README + notes bundle-list fixes. inbox-zero.org Phase
+B/D empty-sweep. claude-rules/ (interaction, cross-project, working-files,
+triggers) agent-neutralized. NEW docs/inbox-workflow-consolidation-spec.org
+(Ready). todo.org: bash bundle DONE, + filed wrap-teardown [#B], inbox-empty
+[#C], agent-source [#C], consolidation [#B], unattended-cron [#D].
+
+Commits this session: 603abc4 (capture-guard), 71db71b (install-lang fallback),
+3626285 (bash bundle), 3da2725 (inbox empty sweep), 6ad0442 (agent-neutral rules).
+Roam repo: 436d646 (route rulesets tasks). All un-pushed until this wrap.
+
+Verification: full make test exit 0 (200 ok, 0 not-ok); lint clean except a
+pre-existing remove.sh chmod warning (untouched); capture-guard lisp eval'd in the
+live daemon; bash hook + githook dogfood shellcheck-clean.
+
+** Next Steps
+
+Build the inbox consolidation from the Ready spec (docs/inbox-workflow-consolidation-spec.org):
+Phase 1 author inbox.org, Phase 2 reconcile callers + retire the 3 old files +
+stale-ref grep, Phase 3 auto-inbox-zero, Phase 4 verify. Then the parked agent-
+neutrality workflow sweep (over the consolidated file), then item 3 (wrap-teardown,
+needs Craig's 3 open decisions). Queue tasks #5, #6, #7 carry these.
+
+KB: promoted 0 / consulted no
+
+* Session Log
+
+** Committed both fixes (603abc4, 71db71b)
+
+Two feat commits landed as Craig: capture-guard (603abc4) and install-lang
+neutral CLAUDE.md (71db71b). Author verified c@cjennings.net. Push deferred to
+wrap-up. notes.org marker + session-context.org stay for the wrap commit.
+
+Built the bash/shell bundle (languages/bash/): rules (bash.md, bash-testing.md),
+shellcheck validate hook (8 bats tests, handles extensionless shell via shebang,
+caught a real path-dot bug during TDD), shellcheck pre-commit githook,
+settings.json, gitignore-add.txt, "Bash/shell project" CLAUDE.md. Makefile test
+target extended to discover languages/*/tests/*.bats. README bundle table + notes
+bundle list corrected (were stale at elisp-only / elisp+python). bash-bundle TODO
+closed DONE. Full make test exit 0 (200 ok), lint clean, hook+githook dogfood
+shellcheck-clean, installs + fingerprint-detects correctly.
+
+Committed bash bundle (3626285). Awaiting Craig's call on further bundles (I
+recommended none — the five cover his visible ecosystem).
+
+** Inbox zero (local + roam)
+
+Local inbox: a new home handoff arrived mid-session — wrap-it-up teardown +
+"wrap it up and shutdown" (Craig's own design). Filed [#B] :feature:, preserved
+to docs/design/2026-06-23-wrap-teardown-shutdown-proposal.org, replied to home,
+NOT built (shared-asset + open decisions). Companion cj/ai-term-quit routes to
+.emacs.d when built.
+
+Roam inbox (11 items, 2 rulesets-claimed): imported both to rulesets todo.org —
+"inbox-zero: delete empty roam entries on triage" [#C], and "Multiple
+agent-source improvements" [#C] :spec: (naming the agent, agent-neutral rule
+source / Codex review, multi-LLM ai-term note to .emacs.d). Removed both from the
+roam inbox via the new capture-guard (exit 0, safe) + pull, committed the roam
+repo (436d646). 9 foreign items left untouched (emacs, pocketbook, archsetup x4,
+chime, emacs-wttrin, pearl). No empty entries existed to delete this pass.
+
+Pending push: rulesets 4 commits ahead (603abc4, 71db71b, 3626285 + the inbox
+filing), roam 1 commit (436d646, roam-sync timer will push). Hold for wrap-up.
+
+** Startup + inbox triage
+
+Ran startup. Clean prior wrap-up (no session-context). 16 stale tasks, 11 roam
+inbox items (2 rulesets-related). Two pending inbox handoffs, both shared-asset
+change proposals → skeptical review, surfaced to Craig. Craig chose to implement
+both now (bash bundle filed separately) and answered the three design questions
+with all recommendations.
+
+** Items 1-2 + the consolidation pivot to a spec
+
+Craig set up a visible task queue (TaskCreate #1-#7) and worked items 1, 2, 3 in
+order. Item 1 (inbox-zero empty-entry sweep): added a Phase B "empty" bucket +
+Phase D removal so aborted/blank roam headings get swept every triage; committed
+3da2725. Item 2 (agent-source): thread 3 (.emacs.d multi-LLM ai-term note) sent;
+claude-rules/ neutralized (7 agent-as-actor "Claude" → "the agent" edits, commits.md
+correctly untouched) committed 6ad0442; the 45-file workflow-neutralization sweep
+PARKED.
+
+Mid-flow Craig dropped a roam item — "consolidate inbox workflows, there's too
+many" + how to schedule inbox checks. Routing a 45-file neutrality sweep over
+workflows about to be consolidated would be wasted, so parked #5 behind a new
+consolidation task #7, routed the roam item to todo [#B], and mapped the inbox
+landscape (3 overloaded surfaces: local inbox/ dir → process-inbox+monitor-inbox;
+roam → inbox-zero; external → triage-intake). Proposed 3→1 engine; Craig chose to
+SPEC it.
+
+Ran the spec trio: spec-create authored docs/inbox-workflow-consolidation-spec.org
+(Option A: one inbox.org engine, process/monitor/roam modes, shared core);
+Craig resolved all 4 decisions and specified "auto inbox zero" (interactive /loop,
+ask-interval, acknowledge-only-on-empty, find → summarize → file → displayed queue
+→ ask-to-execute, cross-cycle dedup). Codex reviewed (2 findings, 1 blocking).
+spec-response folded both: finding 1 (unattended behavior unspecified) accepted via
+narrow — v1 = interactive auto inbox zero only, fully-unattended /schedule cron pass
+deferred to vNext [#D] with its open contract questions; finding 2 (checker doesn't
+validate workflow links) accepted — added an explicit stale-reference grep as an
+acceptance item, dropped the over-claim. Spec Status → Ready, Decisions [4/4],
+Findings [2/2]. The build (Phase 1 author inbox.org) is the next session's work.