https://github.com/atakanatali/agent-behavior-development
ABD: A development paradigm where the primary refactoring target is agent behavior (prompts, guardrails, flow), and code is a byproduct validated by evidence.
https://github.com/atakanatali/agent-behavior-development
agent-behavior-development agile-methodology continuous-improvement human-in-the-loop prompt-as-artifact prompt-engineering scrum-compatible software-development-paradigm software-quality
Last synced: 4 months ago
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ABD: A development paradigm where the primary refactoring target is agent behavior (prompts, guardrails, flow), and code is a byproduct validated by evidence.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/atakanatali/agent-behavior-development
- Owner: atakanatali
- Created: 2026-01-21T02:00:45.000Z (5 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2026-02-14T09:42:37.000Z (4 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-02-14T18:03:25.511Z (4 months ago)
- Topics: agent-behavior-development, agile-methodology, continuous-improvement, human-in-the-loop, prompt-as-artifact, prompt-engineering, scrum-compatible, software-development-paradigm, software-quality
- Language: Python
- Homepage:
- Size: 619 KB
- Stars: 2
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Changelog: CHANGELOG.md
- Governance: GOVERNANCE.md
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README
# Agent Behavior Development (ABD)
Agent Behavior Development (ABD) is a software development paradigm that treats
**agent behavior** as the primary engineering artifact.
In ABD:
- Code is not the first-class citizen.
- Prompts, guardrails, output formats, review rules, and recycle loops are.
This repository does not provide tools.
It defines a **development paradigm**, not an SDK.
---
## One-Sentence Definition
> **Agent Behavior Development (ABD)** is a paradigm where humans design and evolve the behavior of agents, and code is a byproduct validated by evidence.
---
```mermaid
graph TB
subgraph Planning
A[Product Intent or Sprint Goal]
B[Notlanot Sprint Plan with Personas]
C[Task Packets]
D[Conflict Inputs]
E[Conflict Scoring and Replan]
end
subgraph PromptOps
F[Prompt Library]
G[Prompt Compiler]
H[Guardrails]
I[Output Format Contract]
end
subgraph Execution
J[Agent Run]
K[Structured Output]
L[Evidence Production]
end
subgraph ReviewRecycle
M[Scorecard]
N[Tags and Anti Patterns]
O[Prompt Patch Rules]
P[Promote to Library]
Q[Recycle Outputs]
R[Changelog and Governance]
end
A --> B
B --> C
C --> D
D --> E
E --> G
F --> G
G --> H
H --> I
I --> J
J --> K
K --> L
K --> M
L --> M
M --> N
N --> O
O --> J
O --> P
P --> F
M --> Q
Q --> R
R --> B
style F fill:#9C27B0,color:#fff
style M fill:#FF9800,color:#fff
style O fill:#F44336,color:#fff
style L fill:#4CAF50,color:#fff
style I fill:#1565C0,color:#fff
```
---
## Why ABD Exists
Traditional development paradigms assume:
- Humans write specifications.
- Humans write tests.
- Humans write most of the code.
- Tools assist.
That assumption no longer holds.
Modern agents:
- Propose behaviors
- Generate test strategies
- Produce implementation drafts
Yet teams still:
- Debug code instead of behavior
- Retry prompts instead of fixing agent constraints
- Treat prompt failures as one-off accidents
ABD exists to systematize agent behavior improvement.
---
## The Core Shift: Code → Behavior
The defining shift of ABD is simple:
> **The primary refactoring target is agent behavior, not code.**
In ABD, when output quality is poor:
1) Fix the prompt
2) Tighten guardrails
3) Lock output formats
4) Improve review rules
5) Strengthen recycle logic
**Only then** adjust code.
---
## What ABD Is
ABD is:
- Agent-first, not agent-autonomous
- Behavior-driven, not prompt-driven
- Evidence-oriented, not test-obsessed
- Governance-heavy, not “just try again”
ABD introduces:
- Prompt-as-artifact discipline
- Behavior scorecards
- Mandatory recycle outputs
- Conflict-aware task planning
- Agent behavior retrospectives
---
## What ABD Is Not
ABD is NOT:
- AI-assisted TDD
- BDD automation
- “Let the agent do everything”
- Prompt engineering tips
- A replacement for Scrum
ABD complements Scrum by adding an **agent behavior governance layer**.
---
## ABD vs TDD vs BDD
| Aspect | TDD | BDD | ABD |
|-----|-----|-----|-----|
| Who defines behavior | Human | Human | Agent (under rules) |
| Primary artifact | Test | Scenario | Prompt + Guardrails |
| What is refactored | Code | Code | Agent behavior |
| Failure resolution | Rewrite code | Rewrite scenario | Patch prompt/flow |
| Evidence | Tests | Scenarios | Tests, checks, demos |
| Paradigm focus | Code correctness | Business behavior | Behavior production system |
TDD and BDD are **techniques** in ABD, not paradigms.
---
## Non-Negotiable Rules (v1)
1) Agent output must follow a fixed format.
2) Evidence must be proposed before implementation.
3) Assumptions must be explicit.
4) Agents may ask up to 3 questions and must stop.
5) Every task must produce recycle outputs.
6) Behavior changes must be versioned.
---
## Repository Map
- `MANIFESTO.md` → Hard rules of the paradigm
- `0_introduction/` → What ABD is and is not
- `1_core/` → Principles and artifacts
- `2_process/` → Lifecycle, sprint and task models
- `3_promptops/` → Prompt operations and metrics
- `4_templates/` → Ready-to-use templates
- `5_examples/` → End-to-end worked examples
---
## First-Week Adoption Guide
Day 1:
- Read MANIFESTO
- Use the core prompt template for one task
- Score the output
Day 2–3:
- Run 3 more tasks
- Tag recurring failures
Day 4:
- Patch the prompt
- Document behavior improvement
Day 5:
- Sprint review focused on agent behavior, not features