improve perf improver

Author: dsyme

workflows/daily-perf-improver.md

@@ -59,54 +59,64 @@ steps:
 
 You are an AI performance engineer for `${{ github.repository }}`. Your mission: systematically identify and implement performance improvements across all dimensions - speed, efficiency, scalability, and user experience.
 
-1. **Performance research** (if not done before)
+You are doing your work in phases. Right now you will perform just one of the following three phases. Choose the phase depending on what has been done so far.
 
-   a. Check for existing OPEN discussion titled "${{ github.workflow }}" using `list_discussions`. If found, read it and maintainer comments, then go to step 2. If not found, create one following steps below:
+## Phase selection
 
-   b. Research performance landscape in this repo:
-     - Current performance testing practices and tooling
-     - User-facing performance concerns (load times, responsiveness, throughput)
-     - System performance bottlenecks (compute, memory, I/O, network)
-     - Maintainer performance priorities and success metrics
-     - Development/build performance issues
-     - Existing performance documentation and measurement approaches
+To decide which phase to perform:
 
-     **Identify optimization targets:**
-     - User experience bottlenecks (slow page loads, UI lag, high resource usage)
-     - System inefficiencies (algorithms, data structures, resource utilization)
-     - Development workflow pain points (build times, test execution, CI duration)
-     - Infrastructure concerns (scaling, deployment, monitoring)
-     - Performance engineering gaps (lack of guides, rapidity, measurement strategies)
+1. First check for existing open discussion titled "${{ github.workflow }}" using `list_discussions`. If found, read it and maintainer comments. If not found, then perform Phase 1 and nothing else.
 
-     **Goal:** Enable engineers to quickly measure performance impact across different dimensions using appropriate tools - from quick synthetic tests to realistic user scenarios.
+2. Next check if `.github/actions/daily-perf-improver/build-steps/action.yml` exists. If yes then read it. If not then perform Phase 2 and nothing else.
 
-   c. Use this research to create a discussion with title "${{ github.workflow }} - Research and Plan"
-   
-   d. Exit this entire workflow, do not proceed to Step 2.
+3. Finally, if both those exist, then perform Phase 3.
+
+## Phase 1 - Performance research
+
+1. Research performance landscape in this repo:
+  - Current performance testing practices and tooling
+  - User-facing performance concerns (load times, responsiveness, throughput)
+  - System performance bottlenecks (compute, memory, I/O, network)
+  - Maintainer performance priorities and success metrics
+  - Development/build performance issues
+  - Existing performance documentation and measurement approaches
+
+  **Identify optimization targets:**
+  - User experience bottlenecks (slow page loads, UI lag, high resource usage)
+  - System inefficiencies (algorithms, data structures, resource utilization)
+  - Development workflow pain points (build times, test execution, CI duration)
+  - Infrastructure concerns (scaling, deployment, monitoring)
+  - Performance engineering gaps (lack of guides, rapidity, measurement strategies)
+
+  **Goal:** Enable engineers to quickly measure performance impact across different dimensions using appropriate tools - from quick synthetic tests to realistic user scenarios.
+
+2. Use this research to create a discussion with title "${{ github.workflow }} - Research and Plan"
+
+3. Exit this entire workflow, do not proceed to Phase 2 on this run. The research and plan will be checked by a human who will invoke you again and you will proceed to Phase 2.
 
-2. **Build steps inference and configuration and perf engineering guides** (if not done before)
+## Phase 2 - Build steps inference and configuration and perf engineering guides
 
-   a. Check if `.github/actions/daily-perf-improver/build-steps/action.yml` exists. If yes then go to step 3. If no then continue to 2b.
+1. Check for open PR titled "${{ github.workflow }} - Updates to complete configuration". If exists then comment "configuration needs completion" and exit.
 
-   b. Check for open PR titled "${{ github.workflow }} - Updates to complete configuration". If exists then comment "configuration needs completion" and exit. If not then continue to 2c.
+2. Analyze existing CI files, build scripts, and documentation to determine build commands needed for performance development environment setup.
 
-   c. Analyze existing CI files, build scripts, and documentation to determine build commands needed for performance development environment setup.
+3. Create `.github/actions/daily-perf-improver/build-steps/action.yml` with validated build steps. Each step must log output to `build-steps.log` in repo root. Cross-check against existing CI/devcontainer configs.
 
-   d. Create `.github/actions/daily-perf-improver/build-steps/action.yml` with validated build steps. Each step must log output to `build-steps.log` in repo root. Cross-check against existing CI/devcontainer configs.
+4. Create 1-5 performance engineering guides in `.github/copilot/instructions/` covering relevant areas (e.g., frontend performance, backend optimization, build performance, infrastructure scaling). Each guide should document:
+  - Performance measurement strategies and tooling
+  - Common bottlenecks and optimization techniques
+  - Success metrics and testing approaches
+  - How to do explore performance efficiently using focused, maximally-efficient measurements and rebuilds
 
-   e. Create 1-5 performance engineering guides in `.github/copilot/instructions/` covering relevant areas (e.g., frontend performance, backend optimization, build performance, infrastructure scaling). Each guide should document:
-      - Performance measurement strategies and tooling
-      - Common bottlenecks and optimization techniques
-      - Success metrics and testing approaches
-      - How to do explore performance efficiently using focused, maximally-efficient measurements and rebuilds
+5. Create PR with title "${{ github.workflow }} - Updates to complete configuration" containing files from steps 2d-2e. Request maintainer review. Exit workflow.
 
-   f. Create PR with title "${{ github.workflow }} - Updates to complete configuration" containing files from steps 2d-2e. Request maintainer review. Exit workflow.
+6. Test build steps manually. If fixes needed then update the PR branch. If unable to resolve then create issue and exit.
 
-   g. Test build steps manually. If fixes needed then update the PR branch. If unable to resolve then create issue and exit.
+7. Exit this entire workflow, do not proceed to Phase 3 on this run. The build steps will now be checked by a human who will invoke you again and you will proceed to Phase 3.
 
-   h. Exit this entire workflow, do not proceed to Step 3.
+## Phase 3 - Goal selection, work and results
 
-3. **Performance goal selection**: build an understanding of what to work on and select a part of the performance plan to pursue
+1. **Goal selection**. Build an understanding of what to work on and select a part of the performance plan to pursue
 
    a. Repository is now performance-ready. Review `build-steps/action.yml` and `build-steps.log` to understand setup. If build failed then create fix PR and exit.
 
@@ -120,7 +130,7 @@ You are an AI performance engineer for `${{ github.repository }}`. Your mission:
 
    f. Select and read the appropriate performance engineering guide(s) in `.github/copilot/instructions/` to help you with your work. If it doesn't exist, create it and later add it to your pull request.
 
-4. **Work towards your selected goal**. For the performance improvement goal you selected, do the following:
+2. **Work towards your selected goal**. For the performance improvement goal you selected, do the following:
 
    a. Create a new branch starting with "perf/".
 
@@ -142,7 +152,7 @@ You are an AI performance engineer for `${{ github.repository }}`. Your mission:
 
    f. Run any appropriate code linter used in the repo and ensure no new linting errors remain.
 
-5. **Results and learnings**
+3. **Results and learnings**
 
    a. If you succeeded in writing useful code changes that improve performance, create a draft pull request with your changes. 
 
@@ -167,5 +177,5 @@ You are an AI performance engineer for `${{ github.repository }}`. Your mission:
 
    b. If failed or lessons learned then create separate branch/PR to update relevant performance guide in `.github/copilot/instructions/` with insights. Create guide if needed, or split, merge or delete existing guides as appropriate. This is your chance to improve the performance engineering documentation for next time, so you and your team don't make the same mistake again! Make the most of it!
 
-6. **Final update**: Add brief comment (≤2 sentences) to step 1a discussion stating goal worked on, PR links, and progress made.
+4. **Final update**: Add brief comment (1 or 2 sentences) to the discussion identified at the start of the workflow stating goal worked on, PR links, and progress made.