docs: Add 'Before Building New Functionality' guidance to AWARENESS_INDEX

[colombod]

Summary

Add "check before building" guidance to AWARENESS_INDEX.md to prevent module duplication.

Tracking issue: https://github.com/microsoft-amplifier/amplifier-support/issues/43

Changes

File	Change
context/shared/AWARENESS_INDEX.md	Add domain prerequisite and "Before Building New Functionality" section

What This Adds

Domain Prerequisite Table Entry

| **New module/tool/capability** | **Consult `amplifier:module-catalog-expert`** |

"Before Building New Functionality" Section

4-step process:

1. Consult amplifier:module-catalog-expert - Focused expert with complete ecosystem catalog
2. Check if it exists - Similar functionality may exist under different name
3. Consider extending - Contribute to existing module instead of creating new
4. Only then build new - If no existing solution covers use case

Architecture

Every Session (minimal cost, ~30 tokens)
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ AWARENESS_INDEX.md                              │
│ "New module → Consult module-catalog-expert"    │
└──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────┘
                       │ triggers delegation
                       ▼
Only When Checking Catalog (~4,600 tokens)
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ amplifier:module-catalog-expert (from PR #211)  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Related

• Companion PR: docs: Add 'check before building' triggers to amplifier-expert amplifier#211 (creates the module-catalog-expert agent)
• Issue: https://github.com/microsoft-amplifier/amplifier-support/issues/43

[bkrabach]

Review: PR #55 - "Before Building New Functionality" guidance

The approach here is architecturally sound - adding lightweight guidance to AWARENESS_INDEX is the correct pattern:

• Thin pointer (~100 tokens) in a file that's meant to propagate
• Directs agents to consult an expert rather than loading heavy docs directly
• Preserves the context sink pattern

Issue: Agent Reference Should Be amplifier:amplifier-expert

The PR references amplifier:module-catalog, but this agent doesn't exist. The correct agent is amplifier:amplifier-expert, which already has MODULES.md @mentioned in its body (line 88) and is explicitly designed as the authoritative consultant for ecosystem knowledge.

Required Fix

-| **New module/tool/capability** | **Consult `amplifier:module-catalog`** |
+| **New module/tool/capability** | **Consult `amplifier:amplifier-expert`** |

-1. **Consult `amplifier:module-catalog`** - Focused expert with the complete ecosystem catalog (MODULES.md)
+1. **Consult `amplifier:amplifier-expert`** - Authoritative ecosystem consultant with access to MODULES.md

Note on Companion PR

The companion PR (amplifier#211) has architectural concerns - adding MODULES.md to context.include would propagate it to all parent bundles, defeating the context sink pattern. I've requested changes there.

This PR (#55) takes the right approach. Just needs the agent reference corrected.

[colombod]

Addressing Feedback

Thanks Brian!

Note: amplifier:module-catalog is a New Agent

The companion PR (#211) introduces a new focused agent called module-catalog. It's intentional, not a typo for amplifier-expert.

Rationale:

Agent	Purpose	Token Cost
amplifier-expert	General ecosystem guidance	~2k tokens (ecosystem-overview.md)
module-catalog	Focused "what exists?" queries	~4.6k tokens (MODULES.md) - only when spawned

This follows the context sink pattern more precisely:

• Thin trigger in AWARENESS_INDEX (~30 tokens): "consult module-catalog before building"
• Heavy catalog loads only when that specific agent runs

If we used amplifier-expert instead, users asking general ecosystem questions ("how do I create a bundle?") would also load MODULES.md even when they don't need the catalog.

context.include Issue Fixed

Per your feedback on #211, I removed context.include from the module-catalog behavior. MODULES.md is now loaded only via the @mention in the agent body, so it won't propagate during composition.

Happy to discuss if you'd prefer consolidating into amplifier-expert!

[colombod]

Correction: The Agent Now Exists

Apologies for the confusion in my previous comment. When you reviewed, the companion PR (#211) was missing the actual module-catalog files due to a failed push. You were right to flag that the agent didn't exist.

Now fixed: PR #211 has been force-pushed with the complete implementation:

File	Description
agents/module-catalog.md	Focused catalog agent with @mention to MODULES.md
behaviors/module-catalog.yaml	Thin behavior (no context.include - fixed per your feedback)
bundle.md	Updated to include the behavior

This PR (#55) references amplifier:module-catalog which now actually exists in #211.

Also fixed in #211:

• Removed context.include from behavior (uses @mention in agent body instead)
• Fixed duplicate "Examples:" header

Please re-review both PRs when you have a chance.