diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
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+<!-- This file is duplicated as CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md. Keep them in sync. -->
+# AGENTS.md — Workspace-level instructions for AI coding agents
+
+## DeepSpeed Project Rules
+
+### Commit & CI requirements
+
+- All commits MUST have a `Signed-off-by` line (use `--signoff`). Get the name and email from `git config user.name` / `git config user.email`.
+- Formatting: yapf (column_limit=119, `.style.yapf`) + flake8 (`.flake8`).
+- Always verify changed files pass pre-commit checks before committing. Config: `.pre-commit-config.yaml`.
+- `check-torchdist` hook: NEVER directly import torch's distributed module. Use `import deepspeed.comm as dist` instead.
+- New files require license header:
+  ```
+  # Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation.
+  # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+  # DeepSpeed Team
+  ```
+
+### Code change discipline
+
+- NEVER make cosmetic/formatting-only changes to existing code. Only add/modify lines that are functionally necessary. Minimizing diff noise is critical for code review.
+- Delete dead code decisively — if code is unused at runtime (only referenced in tests), remove it along with its tests.
+- Prefer consolidating tests over proliferating test files.
+- Blend in: when modifying code, read the surrounding context and match the style of neighboring code (naming, spacing, patterns, idioms).
+- Write beginner-friendly code: avoid deeply nested expressions or chained logic. Break complex expressions into clear, named intermediate steps.
+- Comments should explain **why**, not **what**. Describe the purpose and reasoning, not the mechanics that the code already shows.
+- New features must include corresponding tests and documentation updates.
+
+## Tool Caveats
+
+### Edit tool auto-formatter
+
+The Edit tool has a hidden auto-formatter that silently changes quotes, whitespace, blank lines, and line wrapping. For format-sensitive modifications (e.g., when exact formatting matters for pre-commit), use `bash` with `sed`, `python`, or `cat` instead.
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
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+++ b/CLAUDE.md
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+<!-- This file is duplicated as CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md. Keep them in sync. -->
+# AGENTS.md — Workspace-level instructions for AI coding agents
+
+## DeepSpeed Project Rules
+
+### Commit & CI requirements
+
+- All commits MUST have a `Signed-off-by` line (use `--signoff`). Get the name and email from `git config user.name` / `git config user.email`.
+- Formatting: yapf (column_limit=119, `.style.yapf`) + flake8 (`.flake8`).
+- Always verify changed files pass pre-commit checks before committing. Config: `.pre-commit-config.yaml`.
+- `check-torchdist` hook: NEVER directly import torch's distributed module. Use `import deepspeed.comm as dist` instead.
+- New files require license header:
+  ```
+  # Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation.
+  # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+  # DeepSpeed Team
+  ```
+
+### Code change discipline
+
+- NEVER make cosmetic/formatting-only changes to existing code. Only add/modify lines that are functionally necessary. Minimizing diff noise is critical for code review.
+- Delete dead code decisively — if code is unused at runtime (only referenced in tests), remove it along with its tests.
+- Prefer consolidating tests over proliferating test files.
+- Blend in: when modifying code, read the surrounding context and match the style of neighboring code (naming, spacing, patterns, idioms).
+- Write beginner-friendly code: avoid deeply nested expressions or chained logic. Break complex expressions into clear, named intermediate steps.
+- Comments should explain **why**, not **what**. Describe the purpose and reasoning, not the mechanics that the code already shows.
+- New features must include corresponding tests and documentation updates.
+
+## Tool Caveats
+
+### Edit tool auto-formatter
+
+The Edit tool has a hidden auto-formatter that silently changes quotes, whitespace, blank lines, and line wrapping. For format-sensitive modifications (e.g., when exact formatting matters for pre-commit), use `bash` with `sed`, `python`, or `cat` instead.