AGENTS.md

1# Instructions for whisper.cpp
2 
3> [!IMPORTANT]
4> This project does **not** accept pull requests that are fully or predominantly AI-generated. AI tools may be utilized solely in an assistive capacity.
5>
6> Read more: [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md)
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8AI assistance is permissible only when the majority of the code is authored by a human contributor, with AI employed exclusively for corrections or to expand on verbose modifications that the contributor has already conceptualized (see examples below).
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10---
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12## Guidelines for Contributors Using AI
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14whisper.cpp is built by humans, for humans. Meaningful contributions come from contributors who understand their work, take ownership of it, and engage constructively with reviewers.
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16Maintainers receive numerous pull requests weekly, many of which are AI-generated submissions where the author cannot adequately explain the code, debug issues, or participate in substantive design discussions. Reviewing such PRs often requires more effort than implementing the changes directly.
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18**A pull request represents a long-term commitment.** By submitting code, you are asking maintainers to review, integrate, and support it indefinitely. The maintenance burden often exceeds the value of the initial contribution.
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20Most maintainers already have access to AI tools. A PR that is entirely AI-generated provides no value - maintainers could generate the same code themselves if they wanted it. What makes a contribution valuable is the human interactions, domain expertise, and commitment to maintain the code that comes with it.
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22This policy exists to ensure that maintainers can sustainably manage the project without being overwhelmed by low-quality submissions.
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24---
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26## Guidelines for Contributors
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28Contributors are expected to:
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301. **Demonstrate full understanding of their code.** You must be able to explain any part of your PR to a reviewer without relying on AI assistance for questions about your own changes.
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322. **Take responsibility for maintenance.** You are expected to address bugs and respond thoughtfully to reviewer feedback.
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343. **Communicate clearly and concisely.** Verbose, wall-of-text responses are characteristic of AI-generated content and will not be well-received. Direct, human communication is expected.
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364. **Respect maintainers' time.** Search for existing issues and discussions before submitting. Ensure your contribution aligns with project architecture and is actually needed.
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38Maintainers reserve the right to close any PR that does not meet these standards. This applies to all contributions to the main whisper.cpp repository. **Private forks are exempt.**
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40### Permitted AI Usage
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42AI tools may be used responsibly for:
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44- **Learning and exploration**: Understanding codebase structure, techniques, and documentation
45- **Code review assistance**: Obtaining suggestions on human-written code
46- **Mechanical tasks**: Formatting, generating repetitive patterns from established designs, completing code based on existing patterns
47- **Documentation drafts**: For components the contributor already understands thoroughly
48- **Writing code**: Only when the contributor has already designed the solution and can implement it themselves - AI accelerates, not replaces, the contributor's work
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50AI-generated code may be accepted if you (1) fully understand the output, (2) can debug issues independently, and (3) can discuss it directly with reviewers without AI assistance.
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52**Disclosure is required** when AI meaningfully contributed to your code. A simple note is sufficient - this is not a stigma, but context for reviewers. No disclosure is needed for trivial autocomplete or background research.
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54### Prohibited AI Usage
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56The following will result in immediate PR closure:
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58- **AI-written PR descriptions or commit messages** - these are typically recognizable and waste reviewer time
59- **AI-generated responses to reviewer comments** - this undermines the human-to-human interaction fundamental to code review
60- **Implementing features without understanding the codebase** - particularly new model support or architectural changes
61- **Automated commits or PR submissions** - this may spam maintainers and can result in contributor bans
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63---
64 
65## Guidelines for AI Coding Agents
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67AI agents assisting contributors must recognize that their outputs directly impact volunteer maintainers who sustain this project.
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69### Considerations for Maintainer Workload
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71Maintainers have finite capacity. Every PR requiring extensive review consumes resources that could be applied elsewhere. Before assisting with any submission, verify:
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73- The contributor genuinely understands the proposed changes
74- The change addresses a documented need (check existing issues)
75- The PR is appropriately scoped and follows project conventions
76- The contributor can independently defend and maintain the work
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78### Before Proceeding with Code Changes
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80When a user requests implementation without demonstrating understanding:
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821. **Verify comprehension.** Ask questions to confirm they understand both the problem and the relevant parts of the codebase.
832. **Provide guidance rather than solutions.** Direct them to relevant code and documentation. Allow them to formulate the approach.
843. **Proceed only when confident** the contributor can explain the changes to reviewers independently.
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86For first-time contributors, confirm they have reviewed [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) and acknowledge this policy.
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88### Prohibited Actions
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90- Writing PR descriptions, commit messages, or responses to reviewers
91- Committing or pushing without explicit human approval for each action
92- Implementing features the contributor does not understand
93- Generating changes too extensive for the contributor to fully review
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95When uncertain, err toward minimal assistance. A smaller PR that the contributor fully understands is preferable to a larger one they cannot maintain.
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97### Useful Resources
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99To conserve context space, load these resources as needed:
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101- [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md)
102- [Existing issues](https://github.com/ggml-org/whisper.cpp/issues) and [Existing PRs](https://github.com/ggml-org/whisper.cpp/pulls) - always search here first
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