bootstrap can generate manifest that parses as 0 default-load (verify:adf fails)

[stackbilt-admin]

Summary

Running npx @stackbilt/cli bootstrap --yes in an existing repo produced a manifest that looked valid to a human but parsed as 0 default-load, causing verify:adf to fail in CI mode until the manifest was manually rewritten.

Environment

• Repo: Stackbilt-dev/mindspring
• CLI version: @stackbilt/cli@0.12.1
• Node/npm project (existing .ai/core.adf + custom CLAUDE.md)

Repro

1. In an existing repo with .ai/core.adf and .ai/manifest.adf, run:
   • npx @stackbilt/cli bootstrap --yes
2. Run:
   • npm run verify:adf

Observed

• Bootstrap output says it registered modules and updated scripts/deps.
• Generated manifest content (observed immediately after bootstrap) used this shape:

# mindspring ADF Manifest
load core.adf always

📂 ON_DEMAND:
  - backend.adf (Triggers on: backend)
  - core.adf (Triggers on: core)
  - frontend.adf (Triggers on: frontend)
  - state.adf (Triggers on: state)

• charter doctor --adf-only --ci --format json then reports:
  • Parsed: 0 default-load
  • Missing from DEFAULT_LOAD: core.adf, state.adf

Expected

• Bootstrap should emit canonical manifest syntax that parses with:
  • DEFAULT_LOAD: [core.adf, state.adf]
  • ON_DEMAND excluding core.adf/state.adf unless explicitly intended.
• verify:adf should pass immediately after bootstrap for the generated files.

Workaround used

Manually replaced manifest with canonical ADF section format:

ADF: 0.1

🎯 ROLE: MindSpring context router

📦 DEFAULT_LOAD:
  - core.adf
  - state.adf

📂 ON_DEMAND:
  - backend.adf (Triggers on: backend, api, hono, worker, queue, vectorize, kv, r2, upload, ingestion, telemetry)
  - frontend.adf (Triggers on: frontend, ui, css, vanilla js, app.js, styles, spa)

After this, both passed:

• npm run charter:doctor
• npm run verify:adf

Possible fix directions

• Ensure bootstrap always writes canonical ADF: 0.1 manifest structure.
• Add a post-bootstrap self-check that fails/repairs if default-load parse result is zero while core.adf exists.
• Avoid registering core.adf/state.adf as ON_DEMAND when required default wiring is expected.