fix(linkedin-studio): close v4.0.0 audit review findings (S8)

Close the 5 findings from the S7 /trekreview release gate (review.md, verdict BLOCK):

- BLOCKER: comment-multiplier "5x" reconciled to the canonical order-only framing
  (no fixed multiplier) in agents/engagement-coach.md, linkedin-growth-playbook,
  linkedin-formats.md — per algorithm-signals-reference.md ("do not quote a comment
  multiplier").
- BLOCKER: carousel rate "6.60%/6.6% (highest)" reconciled to "~7% top organic
  format" in linkedin-formats.md:42 (was self-contradicting :50) and
  assets/templates/carousel-templates.md.
- Lint hardening: test-runner.sh STALE_STATS now matches 6.60% + the 5x comment
  folklore and scans agents/ + assets/templates/ — the grep that defines the
  Phase-0 criterion now catches both BLOCKERs.
- MAJOR: onboarding.md command count 26 -> 27.
- MAJOR: add section-append-branch (production-path) tests for recordFirstHourPlan
  + recordOutreachContact against a template-layout fixture.
- MINOR: move date-scalar changes.push inside the write branch in state-updater.mjs.

Verify: node --test hooks/scripts/__tests__/*.test.mjs -> 92/92; bash
scripts/test-runner.sh -> 66/0/0. NO push until /trekreview re-confirms ALLOW/WARN.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

plugins/linkedin-studio/agents/engagement-coach.md

@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ Help creators:
 
 **The math that most creators ignore:**
 - Comments rank above likes in the engagement order (see `references/algorithm-signals-reference.md`)
-- Comments drive 5x more reach than reshares
+- Substantive comments (15+ words) outweigh short ones and rank above plain reactions — but below saves and shares (no fixed comment-vs-reshare multiplier)
 - Posts with 15+ engagements in first hour unlock 2nd/3rd degree distribution
 - Your comments on others' posts expose you to their audience
 - Commenting within 30 minutes of a post = 64% more follow-up engagement on your comment

plugins/linkedin-studio/assets/templates/carousel-templates.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Carousel Templates
 
-Slide-by-slide blueprints for LinkedIn carousels (PDF document posts). Carousels have the highest engagement rate of all LinkedIn formats (6.6%) because they maximize dwell time and encourage swipe completion.
+Slide-by-slide blueprints for LinkedIn carousels (PDF document posts). Carousels/documents are the top organic format on LinkedIn (~7%; see `references/algorithm-signals-reference.md`) because they maximize dwell time and encourage swipe completion.
 
 ## Universal Design Specs
 

plugins/linkedin-studio/commands/onboarding.md

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name: linkedin:onboarding
 description: |
   Multi-step onboarding wizard that guides new users through profile → setup → first-post
   as one cohesive flow. Designed for users who have just installed the plugin and want a
-  single guided path instead of navigating 26 commands on their own.
+  single guided path instead of navigating 27 commands on their own.
   Triggers on: "onboarding", "get started", "new user", "setup wizard", "start from scratch",
   "just installed", "how do I start", "walk me through", "linkedin onboarding".
 allowed-tools:
@@ -214,4 +214,4 @@ First post:       [Published DATE / Pending — run /linkedin:first-post]
 - `/linkedin:batch` — Plan a full week of content in one session
 - `/linkedin:react` — Turn articles and news into posts
 - `/linkedin:strategy` — Growth strategy tailored to your follower level
-- `/linkedin` — See all 26 commands anytime
+- `/linkedin` — See all 27 commands anytime

plugins/linkedin-studio/hooks/scripts/__tests__/state-updater.test.mjs

@@ -36,6 +36,42 @@ growth_rate_needed: 0
 ## Milestone Log
 `;
 
+// Mirrors config/state-file.template.md: every template-initialized state file
+// ships the ## First-Hour Plans and ## Outreach Pipeline sections pre-created,
+// each already containing its two <!-- --> format comments. Real
+// /linkedin:firsthour and /linkedin:outreach invocations therefore hit the
+// section-APPEND branch — not the section-CREATE branch that SAMPLE_STATE (which
+// omits the sections) exercises. These fixtures cover the production code path.
+const TEMPLATE_STATE = `---
+last_post_date: "2026-04-05"
+first_post_date: "2026-01-15"
+last_post_topic: "AI strategy"
+posts_this_week: 2
+weekly_goal: 3
+current_streak: 5
+longest_streak: 12
+follower_count: 850
+follower_target: 10000
+target_date: "2026-12-31"
+---
+
+# LinkedIn Session State
+
+## Recent Posts
+
+- [2026-04-05] "AI governance is not about..." (1450) - AI strategy
+
+## First-Hour Plans
+
+<!-- First-hour / reply-loop plans, newest first. Written by /linkedin:firsthour. -->
+<!-- Format: ### [YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM] topic -->
+
+## Outreach Pipeline
+
+<!-- Outreach contacts / pipeline rows, newest first. Written by /linkedin:outreach. -->
+<!-- Format: ### [YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM] partner — track -->
+`;
+
 describe('updatePostTracking', () => {
   test('sets last_post_date to provided date', () => {
     const result = updatePostTracking(SAMPLE_STATE, {
@@ -364,6 +400,28 @@ describe('recordFirstHourPlan', () => {
     assert.ok(Array.isArray(result.changes));
     assert.ok(result.changes.length > 0);
   });
+
+  test('appends into the pre-existing First-Hour Plans section (production path) without duplicating it or dropping its format comments', () => {
+    // TEMPLATE_STATE ships the section + its two <!-- --> comments → the
+    // section-APPEND branch must fire (the path every real invocation takes),
+    // NOT section creation.
+    assert.ok(TEMPLATE_STATE.includes('## First-Hour Plans'));
+    const result = recordFirstHourPlan(TEMPLATE_STATE, PLAN_OPTS);
+    assert.notEqual(result, null);
+    // Heading not duplicated (the create branch did not also run)
+    const headings = result.content.match(/^## First-Hour Plans$/gm) || [];
+    assert.equal(headings.length, 1, 'section must not be duplicated');
+    // Both template format comments survive the append
+    assert.ok(result.content.includes('<!-- First-hour / reply-loop plans, newest first. Written by /linkedin:firsthour. -->'));
+    assert.ok(result.content.includes('<!-- Format: ### [YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM] topic -->'));
+    // Entry lands INSIDE the section (between its heading and the next section)
+    const section = result.content.slice(
+      result.content.indexOf('## First-Hour Plans'),
+      result.content.indexOf('## Outreach Pipeline')
+    );
+    assert.ok(section.includes('[2026-05-30 09:00]'), 'entry must land inside the First-Hour Plans section');
+    assert.ok(section.includes('AI governance'));
+  });
 });
 
 describe('recordOutreachContact', () => {
@@ -438,4 +496,22 @@ describe('recordOutreachContact', () => {
     assert.ok(Array.isArray(result.changes));
     assert.ok(result.changes.length > 0);
   });
+
+  test('appends into the pre-existing Outreach Pipeline section (production path) without duplicating it or dropping its format comments', () => {
+    // TEMPLATE_STATE ships the section + its two <!-- --> comments → the
+    // section-APPEND branch must fire, NOT section creation.
+    assert.ok(TEMPLATE_STATE.includes('## Outreach Pipeline'));
+    const result = recordOutreachContact(TEMPLATE_STATE, CONTACT_OPTS);
+    assert.notEqual(result, null);
+    // Heading not duplicated (the create branch did not also run)
+    const headings = result.content.match(/^## Outreach Pipeline$/gm) || [];
+    assert.equal(headings.length, 1, 'section must not be duplicated');
+    // Both template format comments survive the append
+    assert.ok(result.content.includes('<!-- Outreach contacts / pipeline rows, newest first. Written by /linkedin:outreach. -->'));
+    assert.ok(result.content.includes('<!-- Format: ### [YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM] partner — track -->'));
+    // Entry lands INSIDE the section (it is the last section in the template)
+    const section = result.content.slice(result.content.indexOf('## Outreach Pipeline'));
+    assert.ok(section.includes('[2026-05-30 14:00]'), 'entry must land inside the Outreach Pipeline section');
+    assert.ok(section.includes('@bigvoice'));
+  });
 });

plugins/linkedin-studio/hooks/scripts/state-updater.mjs

@@ -219,13 +219,16 @@ export function recordFirstHourPlan(stateContent, { planDate, postTopic = '', ta
   let content = stateContent;
   const changes = [];
 
-  // 1. last_firsthour_date — replace in place, else insert after last_post_date (additive)
+  // 1. last_firsthour_date — replace in place, else insert after last_post_date (additive).
+  //    Report the change only inside the branch that actually writes it: if neither
+  //    anchor field exists, the scalar is not inserted and must not be reported as changed.
   if (/^last_firsthour_date: .*/m.test(content)) {
     content = replaceField(content, 'last_firsthour_date', `"${planDate}"`);
+    changes.push(`last_firsthour_date → ${planDate}`);
   } else if (/^last_post_date: .*/m.test(content)) {
     content = content.replace(/^(last_post_date: .*)$/m, `$1\nlast_firsthour_date: "${planDate}"`);
+    changes.push(`last_firsthour_date → ${planDate}`);
   }
-  changes.push(`last_firsthour_date → ${planDate}`);
 
   // 2. firsthour_active flag — only touch if the field is declared (additive)
   if (/^firsthour_active: .*/m.test(content)) {
@@ -276,15 +279,18 @@ export function recordOutreachContact(stateContent, { contactDate, track = '', p
   const changes = [];
 
   // 1. last_outreach_date — replace in place, else insert after last_firsthour_date
-  //    if present, else after last_post_date (additive — never required up front)
+  //    if present, else after last_post_date (additive — never required up front).
+  //    Report the change only inside the branch that actually writes it.
   if (/^last_outreach_date: .*/m.test(content)) {
     content = replaceField(content, 'last_outreach_date', `"${contactDate}"`);
+    changes.push(`last_outreach_date → ${contactDate}`);
   } else if (/^last_firsthour_date: .*/m.test(content)) {
     content = content.replace(/^(last_firsthour_date: .*)$/m, `$1\nlast_outreach_date: "${contactDate}"`);
+    changes.push(`last_outreach_date → ${contactDate}`);
   } else if (/^last_post_date: .*/m.test(content)) {
     content = content.replace(/^(last_post_date: .*)$/m, `$1\nlast_outreach_date: "${contactDate}"`);
+    changes.push(`last_outreach_date → ${contactDate}`);
   }
-  changes.push(`last_outreach_date → ${contactDate}`);
 
   // 2. outreach_active flag — only touch if the field is declared (additive)
   if (/^outreach_active: .*/m.test(content)) {

plugins/linkedin-studio/references/linkedin-formats.md

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ Choosing the right format isn't just about engagement rates—it's about underst
 
 ### Engagement Rates by Format (With Strategic Context)
 
-**1. Multi-image carousels: 6.60% engagement rate (highest)**
+**1. Documents / carousels (PDF posts): top organic format (~7%; see `references/algorithm-signals-reference.md`)**
    - 6-10 slides optimal
    - 100-150 characters per slide
    - Caption: 300-500 characters
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ The first hour after posting determines 70% of your post's total reach. See the
 2. **Shares** (High signal - people want to show others)
 3. **Comments 15+ words** (High signal - 2x impact vs short comments)
 4. **Comments <15 words** (Medium signal)
-5. **Reactions** (Lower signal - 5x less valuable than comments)
+5. **Reactions** (Lower signal - baseline engagement unit; see `references/algorithm-signals-reference.md`)
 
 **AI-generated generic comments reduce reach by 30% and engagement by 55%**
 

plugins/linkedin-studio/references/linkedin-growth-playbook-2025-2026.md

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ Complete reference guide for growing from hundreds to thousands of engaged follo
 
 **Comment Value:**
 - Comments rank above likes in the engagement order (saves > shares > quality comments > reactions; see `references/algorithm-signals-reference.md`)
-- Comments: **5x more effective** than reshares
+- Comments: high-value engagement signal, but ranked below saves and shares — no verified fixed multiplier
 - Comments over 15 words: **2x impact** vs shorter ones
 - Comments from relevant professionals: Significantly higher weight than generic responses
 

plugins/linkedin-studio/scripts/test-runner.sh

@@ -187,8 +187,17 @@ echo "--- Algorithm-Stat Consistency ---"
 # stale/competing magnitudes — and the unpublishable model brand/date — must not
 # reappear anywhere else (cite the reference, do not restate). This enforces
 # "one value per effect" by forbidding the known competing values from returning.
-STALE_STATS='40-50%|25-40%|6\.6%|1\.92%|15x more reach|-40-60%|360Brew|January 2026'
+#
-STAT_HITS=$(grep -rnE "$STALE_STATS" references/ commands/ skills/ hooks/prompts/ CLAUDE.md README.md .claude-plugin/plugin.json 2>/dev/null | grep -v 'algorithm-signals-reference' || true)
+# Pattern + scope must cover every file the criterion's grep covers. The carousel
+# rate appears as the substring "6.60%" (which "6\.6%" does NOT match), and the
+# retired comment multiplier as "5x more effective / 5x less valuable / 5x more
+# reach than" — folklore the canonical reference forbids (it keeps only the
+# engagement ORDER). Scope includes agents/ and assets/templates/ because the two
+# v4.0.0 BLOCKERs survived there (agents/engagement-coach.md, assets/templates/
+# carousel-templates.md). assets/templates/ — not all of assets/ — keeps the scan
+# off gitignored runtime data (assets/analytics/, assets/drafts/).
+STALE_STATS='40-50%|25-40%|6\.6%|6\.60%|1\.92%|15x more reach|5x more effective|5x less valuable|5x more reach than|-40-60%|360Brew|January 2026'
+STAT_HITS=$(grep -rnE "$STALE_STATS" references/ commands/ skills/ hooks/prompts/ agents/ assets/templates/ CLAUDE.md README.md .claude-plugin/plugin.json 2>/dev/null | grep -v 'algorithm-signals-reference' || true)
 if [ -z "$STAT_HITS" ]; then
   pass "no stale algorithm magnitudes / model brand outside the canonical reference"
 else