validate: blend pilot - greenfield project from first commit through Base and the loop #2593

Goal

Validate the claim that a new project inherits Base's workflow, loop, and documentation tooling from its first commit.

Background

codeforester/blend is an empty repository: one commit (2026-04-23) containing only .gitignore and the issue-branch-policy workflow. Its intended product is a macOS email notifier that sends items from Reminders and Calendar. Implications for Base:

• It is macOS-only (EventKit or AppleScript access), so Ubuntu CI cannot run its real tests and the matrix accounts cannot grant TCC (Reminders/Calendar) permissions non-interactively; tests need fakes and a macOS runner.
• Sending email needs credentials; secret handling and scan-secrets coverage must be part of the baseline from the start.
• The implementation language is not yet chosen; this issue does not choose it.

Next-release planning review of 2026-10-14/15 against main at 7faf6dfb. Tracking: #2555.

Prerequisites: #2570.

Scope

• basectl repo init/configure for blend: manifest, AGENTS.md, .ai-context/, GitHub settings and Project.
• Choose the validation-command shape for a macOS-only project whose tests need fakes; document it as a recipe.
• Implement the first feature issue through the loop once available.
• Record friction with the dogfood-friction label.

Acceptance Criteria

• blend passes basectl repo check, check, and doctor on a macOS runner.
• The first feature is delivered through the loop with a ledger trail.
• No credentials or personal Reminders/Calendar data are committed.
• The macOS-only validation recipe is documented in Base.

Validation

basectl repo check ~/work/blend
basectl check blend && basectl doctor blend

Non-Goals

• Do not choose blend's language or architecture here.
• Do not add macOS-only features to Base.

Project Fields

• Status: Backlog
• Priority: P1
• Area: Product
• Initiative: Adoption Polish
• Size: S
• Milestone: v1.13.0
• Category: enhancement

Agent Assignment

Assignee: codeforester. Work spans Base and codeforester/blend; the maintainer drives project-side changes. Blocked on #2570.

Plan revision (2026-10-16)

Move this issue to v1.13.0. Prerequisites are #2570, #2580, #2581, #2590, #2599, #2601, and #2602. The first feature must travel through the same accepted L2 controller path and produce traceable evidence; a hand-created PR is not loop validation. Keep macOS TCC and email credentials behind fakes/secret-safe fixtures, and record any platform-specific limitation rather than weakening Base's safety contract. This pilot is maintainer-owned reference evidence, not independent adoption evidence.