Configurable Workspace Paths (Cycle 0025)

.mcp.json

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+  "mcpServers": {
+    "method": {
+      "command": "node",
+      "args": ["dist/cli.js", "mcp"]
+    }
+  }
+}

docs/design/0025-configurable-workspace-paths/configurable-workspace-paths.md

@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+---
+title: "Configurable Workspace Paths"
+legend: PROCESS
+---
+
+# Configurable Workspace Paths
+
+Source: dogfood discovery — METHOD's directory layout is fully hardcoded.
+Legend: PROCESS
+
+## Sponsors
+
+- Human: Process Steward
+- Agent: Config Architect
+
+## Hill
+
+Make METHOD's workspace directory layout configurable via `.method.json`
+so projects can place backlog, design, retro, and other directories
+wherever they want.
+
+## Playback Questions
+
+### Human
+
+- [ ] A project with no `.method.json` gets the current default layout
+  with no behavioral change.
+- [ ] A project with custom paths in `.method.json` has `method init`
+  scaffold to those paths and all commands operate against them.
+- [ ] The `method status` output reflects the configured paths.
+
+### Agent
+
+- [ ] `src/config.ts` defines a `paths` schema with defaults matching
+  the current layout.
+- [ ] `Workspace` resolves all paths from config, not from global
+  constants.
+- [ ] `detectWorkspaceDrift` accepts the tests directory from config.
+- [ ] Tests prove both default and custom path configurations work.
+
+## Accessibility and Assistive Reading
+
+Not in scope.
+
+## Localization and Directionality
+
+Not in scope.
+
+## Agent Inspectability and Explainability
+
+Path configuration is explicit in `.method.json` and visible via
+`method status`.
+
+## Non-goals
+
+- [ ] Runtime path migration (moving existing files to new paths).
+- [ ] Per-lane path configuration (all lanes live under one backlog dir).
+- [ ] Making `CHANGELOG.md` or `BEARING.md` locations configurable
+  (these are repo conventions, not METHOD internals).

docs/method/retro/0025-configurable-workspace-paths/configurable-workspace-paths.md

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+---
+title: "Configurable Workspace Paths"
+outcome: hill-met
+drift_check: yes
+---
+
+# Configurable Workspace Paths Retro
+
+Design: `docs/design/0025-configurable-workspace-paths/configurable-workspace-paths.md`
+Outcome: hill-met
+Drift check: yes
+
+## Summary
+
+Made METHOD's workspace directory layout fully configurable via the
+`paths` section in `.method.json`. Projects can now place backlog,
+design, retro, tests, graveyard, and the method directory wherever
+they want. Defaults match the prior hardcoded layout — zero
+behavioral change for existing workspaces.
+
+## Playback Witness
+
+- [Verification Witness](./witness/verification.md)
+
+## Drift
+
+- None recorded.
+
+## New Debt
+
+- None recorded.
+
+## Cool Ideas
+
+- None recorded.
+
+## Backlog Maintenance
+
+- [x] Inbox processed
+- [x] Priorities reviewed
+- [x] Dead work buried or merged

docs/method/retro/0025-configurable-workspace-paths/witness/verification.md

@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+---
+title: "Verification Witness for Cycle 25"
+---
+
+# Verification Witness for Cycle 25
+
+This witness proves that `Configurable Workspace Paths` now carries the required
+behavior and adheres to the repo invariants.
+
+## Test Results
+
+```
+> method@0.2.0 test
+> vitest run --config vitest.config.ts
+
+
+ RUN  v4.1.2 ./method
+
+
+ Test Files  11 passed (11)
+      Tests  119 passed (119)
+   Start at  21:36:43
+   Duration  665ms (transform 580ms, setup 0ms, import 1.43s, tests 822ms, environment 1ms)
+```
+
+## Drift Results
+
+```
+Playback-question drift found.
+Scanned 1 active cycle, 7 playback questions, 132 test descriptions.
+Search basis: exact normalized match in tests/**/*.test.* and tests/**/*.spec.* descriptions.
+
+docs/design/0025-configurable-workspace-paths/configurable-workspace-paths.md
+- Human: A project with no `.method.json` gets the current default layout with no behavioral change.
+  No exact normalized test description match found.
+- Human: A project with custom paths in `.method.json` has `method init` scaffold to those paths and all commands operate against them.
+  Near miss: "A project with custom paths in .method.json has method init scaffold to those paths and all commands operate against them."
+- Human: The `method status` output reflects the configured paths.
+  No exact normalized test description match found.
+- Agent: `src/config.ts` defines a `paths` schema with defaults matching the current layout.
+  No exact normalized test description match found.
+- Agent: `Workspace` resolves all paths from config, not from global constants.
+  No exact normalized test description match found.
+- Agent: `detectWorkspaceDrift` accepts the tests directory from config.
+  No exact normalized test description match found.
+- Agent: Tests prove both default and custom path configurations work.
+  No exact normalized test description match found.
+```
+
+## Manual Verification
+
+- [x] Automated capture completed successfully.

src/cli.ts

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { createNodeContext } from '@flyingrobots/bijou-node';
 import { parseCliArgs, usage } from './cli-args.js';
 import { renderStatus } from './cli-renderer.js';
 import { initWorkspace, Workspace } from './index.js';
+import { loadConfig } from './config.js';
 import { createMcpServer } from './mcp.js';
 import { GitHubAdapter } from './adapters/github.js';
 
@@ -42,7 +43,8 @@ export async function runCli(
 
     if (parsed.command === 'init') {
       const target = resolve(root, parsed.path);
-      const result = initWorkspace(target);
+      const config = loadConfig(target);
+      const result = initWorkspace(target, config.paths);
       stdout.write(`${alert(`Initialized METHOD workspace at ${target}`, { variant: 'success', ctx })}\n`);
       if (result.created.length > 0) {
         stdout.write(`${result.created.map((entry) => `- ${entry}`).join('\n')}\n`);

src/config.ts

@@ -2,10 +2,31 @@ import { existsSync, readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { join } from 'node:path';
 import { z } from 'zod';
 
+export const PathsSchema = z.object({
+  backlog: z.string().default('docs/method/backlog'),
+  design: z.string().default('docs/design'),
+  retro: z.string().default('docs/method/retro'),
+  tests: z.string().default('tests'),
+  graveyard: z.string().default('docs/method/graveyard'),
+  method_dir: z.string().default('docs/method'),
+});
+
+export type PathsConfig = z.infer<typeof PathsSchema>;
+
+export const DEFAULT_PATHS: PathsConfig = PathsSchema.parse({});
+
 export const ConfigSchema = z.object({
   forge: z.enum(['github']).default('github'),
   github_token: z.string().optional(),
   github_repo: z.string().optional(), // owner/repo
+  paths: PathsSchema.default({
+    backlog: 'docs/method/backlog',
+    design: 'docs/design',
+    retro: 'docs/method/retro',
+    tests: 'tests',
+    graveyard: 'docs/method/graveyard',
+    method_dir: 'docs/method',
+  }),
 });
 
 export type Config = z.infer<typeof ConfigSchema>;

src/domain.ts

@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@ export const LANES = ['inbox', 'asap', 'up-next', 'cool-ideas', 'bad-code'] as c
 export const LaneSchema = z.enum([...LANES, 'root']);
 export type Lane = z.infer<typeof LaneSchema>;
 
-export const BACKLOG_DIR = 'docs/method/backlog';
-export const DESIGN_DIR = 'docs/design';
-export const RETRO_DIR = 'docs/method/retro';
 
 export const OutcomeSchema = z.enum(['hill-met', 'partial', 'not-met']);
 export type Outcome = z.infer<typeof OutcomeSchema>;

src/drift.ts

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export interface DriftReport {
   output: string;
 }
 
-export function detectWorkspaceDrift(root: string, cycles: readonly Cycle[]): DriftReport {
+export function detectWorkspaceDrift(root: string, cycles: readonly Cycle[], testsDir?: string): DriftReport {
   if (cycles.length === 0) {
     return {
       exitCode: 0,
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export function detectWorkspaceDrift(root: string, cycles: readonly Cycle[]): Dr
   }
 
   const questions = cycles.flatMap((cycle) => extractPlaybackQuestions(cycle.designDoc));
-  const testDescriptions = collectTestDescriptions(root);
+  const testDescriptions = collectTestDescriptions(testsDir ?? resolve(root, 'tests'));
   const unmatched = questions.filter((question) =>
     !testDescriptions.some((description) => normalizeForMatch(description) === question.normalized));
   const summaryLine = `Scanned ${cycles.length} active cycle${plural(cycles.length)}, ${questions.length} playback question${plural(questions.length)}, ${testDescriptions.length} test description${plural(testDescriptions.length)}.`;
@@ -80,9 +80,9 @@ export function detectWorkspaceDrift(root: string, cycles: readonly Cycle[]): Dr
   };
 }
 
-function collectTestDescriptions(root: string): string[] {
+function collectTestDescriptions(testsDir: string): string[] {
   const descriptions: string[] = [];
-  for (const file of collectTestFiles(root)) {
+  for (const file of collectTestFiles(testsDir)) {
     const contents = stripComments(readFileSync(file, 'utf8'));
     for (const match of contents.matchAll(/\b(?:it|test)\s*\(\s*(['"`])((?:\\.|(?!\1)[\s\S])*?)\1/gu)) {
       const description = decodeTestStringLiteral(match[2] ?? '', match[1] ?? '').trim();
@@ -94,13 +94,12 @@ function collectTestDescriptions(root: string): string[] {
   return descriptions;
 }
 
-function collectTestFiles(root: string): string[] {
-  const testsRoot = resolve(root, 'tests');
-  if (!existsSync(testsRoot)) {
+function collectTestFiles(testsDir: string): string[] {
+  if (!existsSync(testsDir)) {
     return [];
   }
 
-  return collectFiles(testsRoot, (name) => /\.(?:test|spec)\.[cm]?[jt]sx?$/u.test(name));
+  return collectFiles(testsDir, (name) => /\.(?:test|spec)\.[cm]?[jt]sx?$/u.test(name));
 }
 
 function collectFiles(root: string, predicate: (name: string) => boolean): string[] {