Web Development

3. Naming Conventions

Specific Patterns:

• Event Handlers: handleClick, handleSubmit
• Booleans: isLoading, hasError, canSubmit
• Hooks: useAuth, useForm
• Abbreviations: Avoid them. Exceptions: err, req, res, props, ref.

4. Code Style & Implementation

• Formatting: Tabs for indentation. Single quotes. No semicolons (unless needed). 80 char line limit.
• Equality: Always use strict ===.
• Control Flow: Curly braces for multi-line if. Else on same line as closing brace.
• Planning: Write pseudocode before implementation. Document architecture.

5. React & Next.js Best Practices

• Server Components: Default to Server Components. Use 'use client' only for interactivity (hooks, listeners).
• Performance:
  • useCallback/useMemo for expensive ops.
  • React.lazy / Dynamic imports for code splitting.
  • Next/Image for images.
• Key Props: Never use index as key.
• Hooks: Extract logic to custom hooks. Clean up useEffect.

6. TypeScript Rules

• Strict Mode: Enabled.
• Types vs Interfaces: Prefer interface for objects (extensibility). Use type for unions/mappings.
• Generics: Use for flexible actions/utilities.
• No any: Use unknown or strict checks. Use Type Guards.

7. UI & Styling

• Tailwind: Utility-first. Mobile-first (responsive).
• Shadcn UI: Use for consistent base components.
• Theming: CSS variables for colors/spacing. Dark mode via Tailwind/CSS vars.
• Accessibility (A11y):
  • Semantic HTML.
  • Keyboard navigation coverage.
  • ARIA attributes where semantic tags fail.
  • Color contrast compliance.

8. State Management (Redux Toolkit)

• Organization: Use createSlice. Normalize state (flat structure).
• Selectors: Encapsulate access.
• Slices: Feature-based separation (not monolithic).

9. Testing & Quality

• Unit: Jest + RTL. Test behavior, not implementation details.
• Integration: Focus on workflows.
• TDD Requirement (If active): Red -> Green -> Refactor.
• Linting: No eslint-disable. Fix errors immediately.

10. Production (EXPERIMENTAL) & AI

• Environment:
  • Review: NEVER hardcode API URLs. Use NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL etc.
  • Config: Maintain .env.example.
• Database: Plan for schema migrations. Don't break prod DB.
• AI Models:
  • Priority: Gemini 3.0 > 2.5.
  • Documentation: You MUST create and maintain AI_MODELS.md in the project root.
  • Required Content:

    Service/Feature	Model Name	File Location	Purpose	Est. Cost (per 1k tokens)
    Example: Chat	gemini-3.0-pro	server/services/chat.ts:45	User conversation handling	$0.00025 input / $0.0005 output

  • Update Trigger: Every time you add, change, or remove an AI model call, update this file.

11. API Documentation (Backend)

• Requirement: Every backend API MUST have Swagger/OpenAPI documentation.
• Implementation:
  • Use swagger-jsdoc + swagger-ui-express (Node/Express) or equivalent for your stack.
  • Document ALL routes with: method, path, description, request body schema, response schema, and auth requirements.
• Security Documentation: Each endpoint must specify:
  • Authentication method (JWT, API Key, OAuth, Public)
  • Required permissions/roles
  • Rate limiting (if applicable)
• Location: Serve docs at /api/docs or /swagger.
• Maintenance: Update Swagger docs on every API change.

12. Workflow Triggers

• Backend Logic Detection: If writing DB/Secret logic in a Client Component -> STOP. Suggest decoupling.
• Cross-Stack Verification: If editing Client AND Server in one go -> STOP. Ask for confirmation.

13. Link Integrity

• No Dead Ends: Every link (<a> tag or router navigation) MUST point to a functional destination. 404s are unacceptable.
• Verification: Always verify link targets during implementation and testing. For internal links, ensure the route exists. For external links, ensure the URL is valid.
• Clarification: If the destination of a link is unclear or not yet implemented, ASK THE USER for instructions before proceeding. Do not use placeholder links (e.g., #) in production-ready code without explicit approval.

14. Project Documentation (README.md)

• Requirement: Every project MUST have a README.md file in the root directory.
• Essential Content: The README must include a "Getting Started" or "Setup" section that explains:
  • Prerequisites: Required tools (e.g., Node.js version, npm/yarn).
  • Environment Variables: List of required variables (referencing .env.example).
  • Installation: Commands to install dependencies (e.g., npm install).
  • Development: Commands to run the app locally (e.g., npm run dev).
  • Testing: Commands to run tests (e.g., npm test).
  • Architecture: Brief overview of the project structure and key components.

15. Visual Verification & Rendering

• Mandatory Verification: Frontend work is NOT considered complete until it has been visually verified in a real browser environment.
• Browser Tool: Use the browser tool to navigate to the local development environment (npm run dev) and capture screenshots or videos of the rendered UI.
• Checklist:
  • Rendering: Ensure all components render without errors or layout shifts.
  • Responsiveness: Verify the UI across Mobile, Tablet, and Desktop breakpoints.
  • Dark Mode: If implemented, ensure styles are correct in dark mode.
  • Interactivity: Test hover states, clicks, and form submissions to ensure the UI responds as expected.
• Fail Proof: If the browser tool fails to load the page or rendering is broken, you MUST identify and fix the issue before asking for user review.

16. Interactive Content Discovery

• Proactive Consultation: When building multi-level or complex websites, do not assume the content or purpose of nested pages.
• Mandatory Questions: As you build, proactively ask the user: "Would you like a page that does [X]?" or "How should this nested section behave?"
• Final Design Check: At the conclusion of the primary build-out, you MUST ask the user: "Are there any other pages you think I should design?" to ensure no requirements were missed.