Orca GTT Method
GTT-Method
Governance Through Thinking
Orca leaping from the ocean before alpine mountains

Open methodology for the AI era

GTT — Governed Thought TeamworkAgentic Specification-Driven DevelopmentAI Efficiency Governance

GTT-Method helps individuals and teams design, build and evolve software with AI, using a governed, reusable and human-centered approach.

Read the Method Get Started Install GTT CLI
Open Source Community Driven Real Projects

The GTT Method

A practical flow for AI-assisted software development.

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Governance

Set the rules, context, evidence and boundaries.

THINK

Analyze, design and reason with agents.

Reuse

Leverage existing epics, stories, patterns and knowledge.

Decide

Human judgment when it matters.

Build

Execute with confidence, traceability and impact.

Documentation

Guides, templates and practical examples to apply GTT in real projects.

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Open Source

Built in the open. Contribute, learn and grow with the community.

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Real Impact

From ideas to working software, with governance and purpose.

See Examples
Works with your
preferred AI tools
✺ Claude Code● GitHub Copilot◎ OpenAI Codex◐ Kiro⬢ Cursor⬡ Continue〰 Windsurf△ Antigravity◈ VS Code

GTT-Method · Engine and governed domain

GTT-Method governs a project
through gtt-domain/

GTT-Method is the engine: it defines how governance works. gtt-domain/ is the project space it governs: what is being governed.

01 · ENGINE.gtt/ · GTT engine

Scripts and tools that implement GTT and operate on the governed domain.

02 · DOMAINgtt-domain/ · Governed project

What GTT governs: this project's context, intent, decisions and state.

Project workspace

GTT creates its structure during installation. The team and agents use gtt-domain/ to work with the project's governed information.

my-project/
├── .gtt/GTT engine: scripts and tools
├── gtt-domain/← Governed project information
│   ├── context/Governed context · L0
│   ├── adr/Accepted decisions · L1
│   ├── backlog.mdDevelopment line
│   └── proposals/Drafts for human review
└── src/Project source code

Inside gtt-domain/

The engine lives in .gtt/. This domain contains information about the project and how its team works.

GTT Bootstrap repository · some files are templates; proposals concern this project

01

context/ · Governed context (L0)

The project's reference for orienting development and evaluating whether implementation follows its design.

  • gtt-domain/context/architecture.mdDescribes the system architecture in prose.
  • gtt-domain/context/constraints.mdLimits decisions and implementation must respect; always-loaded GTT context.
  • gtt-domain/context/glossary.mdDefines project terms to prevent different interpretations.
  • gtt-domain/context/principles.mdDesign principles that guide decisions.
  • gtt-domain/context/solution-vision.mdSolution purpose and what falls outside its goals.
  • gtt-domain/context/stack.mdArchitecture and technology views, plus technical boundaries.
02

adr/ · Accepted decisions (L1)

Permanent record of approved architecture decisions and their rationale.

  • gtt-domain/adr/ADR-001-context-governance.mdAccepted decision: governed context is the source of truth; code does not replace it.
  • gtt-domain/adr/ADR-TEMPLATE.mdTemplate for context, decision, alternatives, consequences, risks and affected areas.
03

Planning and change requests

Separates the approved project frame, operational delivery plan and requests for governed change.

  • gtt-domain/backlog.mdDevelopment line: Epics, Stories, current focus and next work. Humans approve Epic goals and scope; agents may create and update Stories.
  • gtt-domain/change-request.mdEntry point for governed design changes or material Epic changes, not routine work.
  • gtt-domain/session.mdScript-regenerated operational summary to resume work; not authority or a decision record.
04

proposals/ · Reviewable drafts

A proposal is a draft, never an accepted decision. Check its content and status before treating it as current.

  • gtt-domain/proposals/README.mdProposal workflow, states and naming conventions.
  • gtt-domain/proposals/PROPOSAL-*.mdDrafts on Antigravity support, backlog changes, Bootstrap 1.3.1 closure, D1 instruction layer, 1.3.2 scope and session-memory consolidation.
  • gtt-domain/proposals/*.patchProposed edits to files such as AGENTS.md or the GTT engine.
  • gtt-domain/proposals/apply-*.shPromotion scripts a person reviews and runs when the workflow requires it.
  • gtt-domain/proposals/claude-adapter/Working adapter code/configuration associated with a proposal.
  • gtt-domain/proposals/closure-1.3.1/Working closure package associated with a proposal.
  • gtt-domain/proposals/release-1.3.2/Working release package associated with a proposal.
  • gtt-domain/proposals/session-adapters/Draft Codex, Copilot and Kiro session adapters.
05

Optional or generated artifacts

These files may exist in other projects; they are not all present in this repository.

  • gtt-domain/sources.mdDeclared sources and precedence, when needed.
  • gtt-domain/working-agreements.mdTeam agreements, when used.
  • gtt-domain/governance-backlog.jsonCalculated observations and human decisions about them.
  • gtt-domain/.frozenFreeze marker and baseline, created only by the GTT freeze procedure.

Here, gtt-domain/ describes GTT Bootstrap itself. session.md reports pre-freeze status: no .frozen baseline exists yet. An installing project gets its own domain content.

The governed domain

the governed project space

gtt-domain/ is the project space governed by GTT-Method. It preserves the governed context, intent, decisions, pending proposals, change rules, development line, methodological state and governance traceability.

GTT-Method is the method. .gtt/ holds its tools; gtt-domain/ is what it governs.

Why multiple files?

Different files have different authority: governed context and accepted decisions set the frame, the backlog plans delivery, and proposals prepare changes for human review.

  • Capture decisionsArchitecture, design and direction.
  • Preserve intentKeep context from being lost as work changes.
  • Align people and agentsA shared context guides everyone’s work.
  • Keep traceabilityRecord changes, learning and evolution.

People and agents work from the same methodological context.

GTT supplies the structure and method; each project supplies its content. People and agents work from shared context without mistaking drafts or operational summaries for authority.

GTT guides the project through its lifecycle

From initial intent to continuous evolution.

  1. 01IntentVision and goals
  2. 02DesignArchitecture, decisions and rules
  3. 03DecisionHuman judgment when it matters
  4. 04BuildWork aligned with context
  5. 05EvolutionLearning and continuous improvement