diff --git a/SUMMARY.md b/SUMMARY.md
index 474e20e..4c468ec 100644
--- a/SUMMARY.md
+++ b/SUMMARY.md
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 - [Project Roles](roles.md)
 - [Community Platforms](platforms.md)
 - [Software Development Practices](software-development-practices/README.md)
+  - [Agents](software-development-practices/agents.md)
 - [Documentation Guidelines](documentation.md)
 
 ---
diff --git a/software-development-practices/README.md b/software-development-practices/README.md
index 55cf295..d84ec84 100644
--- a/software-development-practices/README.md
+++ b/software-development-practices/README.md
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ _**Document status:** Working draft. Suggested categories, checks, and priority
 | Item | Description/Notes | Priority |
 | ----- | ---------------- | --------- |
 | README.md | All projects/repos must have a README file in markdown format. At minimum, the README must have a description of what the project does, information for how to start using it (can link to longer getting started documentation), and links to the CONTRIBUTING.md and Code of Conduct. | P0 |
-| AGENTS.md | Add a markdown file to guide AI coding assistants following the open [AGENTS.md format](https://github.com/agentsmd/agents.md) | P1 |
+| AGENTS.md | Add a markdown file to guide AI coding assistants following the open [AGENTS.md format](https://github.com/agentsmd/agents.md). See [ROOST AGENTS.md practices](agents.md) for detailed guidance | P1 |
 | API format | Projects should follow the [TBD] API description format | P1 |
 | CHANGELOG.md | Projects must have a CHANGELOG.md file, following the [Keep A Changelog format](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/) | P0 |
 | Contributor guidance | All projects must have a CONTRIBUTING.md file at minimum. By default this is inherited from ROOST's .github, but can be updated at the per-project level. Additional documentation for first time contributors describing project conventions and code quality expectations is recommended. | P0 |
diff --git a/software-development-practices/agents.md b/software-development-practices/agents.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..54ec6e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/software-development-practices/agents.md
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# Agent Instructions Practices for ROOST Projects
+
+
+## Part 1: The AGENTS.md Standard
+
+[AGENTS.md](https://github.com/agentsmd/agents.md) is an open format for guiding AI coding agents, governed by the [Agentic AI Foundation](https://aaif.io) under the Linux Foundation. It is supported by GitHub Copilot, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, Gemini/Jules, Claude Code, and others.
+
+Where `README.md` is for humans, `AGENTS.md` is for machines.
+
+### File setup
+- Place an `AGENTS.md` at the repo root alongside `README.md`.
+- Create symlinks for tools that use their own filenames: `ln -s AGENTS.md CLAUDE.md` and `ln -s AGENTS.md .github/copilot-instructions.md`.
+- For monorepos, place additional `AGENTS.md` files in subdirectories. Agents read the nearest file in the directory tree; the closest one takes precedence.
+
+### Recommended content
+The standard is schema-free using plain Markdown and any headings you like. The community consensus is to cover:
+- Setup and build commands
+- Testing instructions
+- Code style guidelines
+- Project structure
+- Security considerations
+- PR and commit guidelines
+
+### Principles from the standard
+- Lead with commands, not explanations.
+- Treat `AGENTS.md` as living documentation. Update it as conventions change.
+- The nearest `AGENTS.md` to the edited file wins; explicit user prompts override everything.
+
+### Related: Agent Skills
+The `.agents/skills/` directory is an adjacent open standard for packaging specialized agent capabilities (scripts, templates, reference docs) as reusable SKILL.md files. ROOST may adopt skills for specialized workflows in the future; this is out of scope for now.
+
+---
+
+## Part 2: ROOST-Specific Requirements
+
+ROOST repos must include an `AGENTS.md` that covers the full development lifecycle. This ensures contributors' agents produce work that meets project standards from the first attempt.
+
+### Minimum content by SDLC area
+
+| Area | What to include | Priority |
+| ------- | --------- | -------- |
+| Architecture | Key directories, module boundaries, where new code belongs. Point to reference files, flag legacy files to avoid | P0 |
+| Design | API conventions, data model conventions | P1 |
+| Build and run | Exact commands to install deps, build, and start the project | P0 |
+| Testing | Commands for unit tests, integration tests, lint, type checks. Both single-file and full-suite | P0 |
+| Code style | Language version, framework version. Reference linter/formatter config | P1 |
+| Code review | PR expectations: small diffs, descriptive titles, test coverage, changelog entries if applicable | P1 |
+| CI | Which CI checks run on PRs and how to run them locally before pushing | P0 |
+| CD | Release process, semver tagging convention, environments. What agents must not touch (e.g. production deploy scripts, release signing) | P1 |
+| Security | No secrets in code, no disabling lint rules, check new packages for CVEs. Link to `SECURITY.md` if present | P0 |
+| Dependencies | Rules for adding new deps (license, review process). What requires human approval | P1 |
+
+### ROOST guiding principles
+
+| Item | Description/Notes |
+| ------- | --------- |
+| Commands over prose | Agents act on commands. Prefer `npm run test -- path/to/file` over descriptive paragraphs |
+| Same review bar | PRs authored with agent assistance are held to the same standards as any other PR |
+| Boundaries with alternatives | When stating a restriction, always provide the alternative path |
+| Iterate over time | Start minimal. When you give agents the same instruction twice, add it to the file |
+| Contributors update AGENTS.md | When a contributor finds a gap, they are encouraged to update `AGENTS.md` as part of their PR |
\ No newline at end of file