kandev/docs/plans/pr-documentation-coverage/task-05-exempt-ci-paths.md

id, title, status, wave, depends_on, plan, requirements, acceptance_criteria, system_design

id	title	status	wave	depends_on	plan	requirements	acceptance_criteria	system_design
05-exempt-ci-paths	Exempt CI infrastructure paths	done	5	04-exempt-plugin-registry-source	plan.md	REQ-CI-PR-DOCS-001	AC-CI-PR-DOCS-001.8	../../specs/ci/system-design/pull-request-documentation-coverage.md

Task 05: Exempt CI infrastructure paths

Summary

Allow a pull request that changes only CI infrastructure under .github/workflows/**, .github/scripts/**, or .github/actions/** to pass documentation coverage without a linked delivery package. Keep every other path, including workflows, scripts, and actions outside .github/, covered.

In scope

• Add the .github/workflows/**, .github/scripts/**, and .github/actions/** path families to the classifier exemption list.
• Add regression coverage for the CI-only and mixed-path cases, including a workflow, script, or action outside .github/ that still triggers coverage.
• Update the existing validator test that asserts .github/workflows/release.yml requires coverage.
• Reconcile the CI requirement, system design, decision, and plan records.

Out of scope

• Exempting the full .github/ tree, including configuration, keys, or docker files under .github/.
• Exempting workflows, scripts, or actions outside .github/.
• Changing the label override, rulesets, or merge enforcement.

Acceptance

• A change containing only paths under .github/workflows/**, .github/scripts/**, or .github/actions/** is classified as exempt and does not require delivery artifacts.
• A CI change combined with any non-exempt path still requires coverage.
• A workflow, script, or action outside .github/ still triggers coverage.
• Existing path exemptions and generic YAML classification remain unchanged.

Verification

Run from the repository root:

node --test .github/scripts/pr-docs.test.cjs
python3 .github/scripts/pr-docs-workflow-contract_test.py
python3 .github/scripts/lint-action-pinning_test.py
python3 .github/scripts/lint-action-pinning.py
zizmor .github/workflows/pr-docs.yml
python3 scripts/list-docs.py validate
python3 scripts/lint-spec-files.py --all
git diff --check

Files likely touched

• .github/scripts/pr-docs.cjs
• .github/scripts/pr-docs.test.cjs
• docs/specs/ci/requirements/pull-request-documentation-coverage.md
• docs/specs/ci/system-design/pull-request-documentation-coverage.md
• docs/decisions/2026-09-10-pr-documentation-coverage.md
• docs/plans/pr-documentation-coverage/plan.md

Dependencies

Task 04. The existing coverage validator and workflow must remain the implementation boundary.

Risks

• A directory-prefix exemption could accidentally cover .github/ files outside the three CI path families. Use directory-scoped matching and a negative test for a non-CI .github/ file.
• Broader than the registry exemption: three path families instead of one exact path. Keep the scope confined to .github/ CI infrastructure.

Parallelism

sequential

Inputs

• Requirements
• System design
• Plan
• Decision
• .github/AGENTS.md and the existing validator tests.

Results

Implemented the .github/workflows/**, .github/scripts/**, and .github/actions/** exemptions in the path classifier and added positive, mixed-path, and negative regression coverage. The previous .github/workflows/release.yml coverage assertion moved to the CI exemption test. Non-CI .github/ files and CI paths outside .github/ still trigger coverage.

Verification:

• node --test .github/scripts/pr-docs.test.cjs: 80 tests passed.
• python3 .github/scripts/pr-docs-workflow-contract_test.py: 7 tests passed.
• python3 .github/scripts/lint-action-pinning_test.py: 9 tests passed.
• python3 .github/scripts/lint-action-pinning.py: 24 workflows passed.
• zizmor .github/workflows/pr-docs.yml: no findings.
• python3 scripts/list-docs.py validate: 294 decisions and 1066 specifications validated.
• python3 scripts/lint-spec-files.py --all: passed.
• git diff --check: passed.