everything-claude-code/docs/releases/2.0.0-rc.1/article-outline.md

Article Outline - ECC v2.0.0-rc.1

Working Title

Turning ECC Into a Cross-Harness Operating System

Core Argument

Most agentic work breaks down because the tools stay isolated.

The leverage comes from treating the harness, reusable workflow layer, and operator shell as one system:

• skills for repeatable work
• hooks and tests for enforcement
• MCPs for tool access
• memory and handoffs for continuity
• one operator shell that can route daily execution

Structure

1. The Problem

• too many chat windows
• too many tool-specific workflows
• too much context living in personal habit instead of reusable system shape

2. What ECC Already Solved

• reusable skill format
• cross-harness install surfaces
• hooks and verification discipline
• security and review patterns
• operator workflow skills around content, research, and business ops
• queue, discussion, Linear, legacy, and release-evidence checks that make the operating state inspectable
• supply-chain IOC scanning and no-lifecycle install hardening after the Mini Shai-Hulud/TanStack campaign

3. Why Hermes Is the Operator Layer

• chat, CLI, TUI, cron, and handoffs can sit above the reusable ECC layer
• business and content work can run next to engineering work
• the daily loop becomes easier to inspect and improve

4. What Ships in rc.1

• sanitized Hermes setup guide
• release and distribution collateral
• cross-harness architecture doc
• Hermes import guidance
• clearer 2.0 positioning in the repo
• preview-pack smoke gate
• launch drafts for GitHub release copy, X, LinkedIn, article, Telegram/Hermes handoff, and demo prompts

5. What Changed Since v1.10.0

• Claude Code remains the core target, but ECC now treats Codex, OpenCode, Cursor, Gemini, Zed, and terminal-only workflows as shared execution surfaces.
• The release process now has repeatable platform, discussion, observability, supply-chain, Linear progress, and preview-pack checks.
• AgentShield and ECC Tools work is mirrored into the roadmap so enterprise security, hosted review, policy promotion, and billing-readiness lanes do not drift away from the main release.

6. What Stays Local

• secrets and auth
• raw workspace exports
• personal datasets
• operator-specific automations that have not been sanitized
• deeper CRM, finance, and Google Workspace playbooks

7. Closing Point

The goal is not to copy one exact stack.

The goal is to build an operating system around the agent that turns repeated work into reusable, measurable surfaces.