# Audit scripts walk the filesystem fresh on every run — never pin to a historical snapshot

## What it says

Audit scripts MUST walk the filesystem fresh on every invocation. They MUST NOT cache the file list, pin to a historical snapshot, or read from a stale index. Each run is a fresh walk of `src/`, `tests/`, `scripts/`, or whatever directory the audit targets.

## Why

A stale audit misses regressions. If the audit reads from a cached file list (e.g., a JSON index written last session), it will not see files added, renamed, or deleted since. The audit's value is "what does the codebase look like RIGHT NOW." A historical snapshot answers the wrong question.

## The pattern

```python
# WRONG: read from a cached index
files = json.loads(Path("tests/artifacts/file_index.json").read_text())

# RIGHT: walk fresh
files = list(Path("src").rglob("*.py"))
```

## See also

- `conductor/directives/generation_script_walks_filesystem_fresh_each_run` — the same rule for generation/index scripts
- `conductor/directives/audit_script_as_gate` — the `--strict` gate companion