Attainly/ai/shared.md

8.2 KiB

Shared rules

Rules that apply to both backend and frontend work in this repository. Stack-specific guides (backend-context.md, frontend-context.md) extend these rules.

Project state

  • Attainly is in early development.
  • Attainly helps users break hierarchical goals into scheduled assignments, complete daily work, and track progress toward a target date.
  • Schedule recalculation must preserve completed work while redistributing unfinished assignments across the remaining dates.
  • Planned features in README.md are future ideas, not authorized scope.
  • The Laravel backend exists under backend/.
  • The standalone Vue frontend exists under frontend/website/.
  • Keep the frontend independent from the backend. Do not add backend-driven rendering, asset delivery, or build integration unless the user explicitly asks for it.
  • PostgreSQL is the development and runtime database.
  • PHPUnit uses in-memory SQLite for isolated tests.

Process (TDD)

  1. Before editing any file, ensure you are working in a dedicated git worktree, not the main checkout (git status and git worktree list). If on master/main or in the main working directory, create a worktree first (see Branching).
  2. Write the test first.
  3. Run the test to confirm it fails for the expected reason.
  4. Commit the failing test. The test commit must precede the implementation commit, not merely appear earlier in the implementation diff.
  5. Implement the smallest change that makes the test pass.
  6. Run the test to confirm it passes.
  7. Commit the implementation.
  8. Repeat for each new behavior.

Use judgment for changes that cannot meaningfully be test-driven, such as documentation-only edits or declarative environment configuration. Validate those changes with the most relevant parser, formatter, dry run, or check.

Running processes

  • The main checkout owns the canonical stack on the default ports. Assume it is the user's stack. Do not start, restart, or stop it unless the user asks.

  • A worktree owns its own isolated stack. The flake shell hook assigns a deterministic port offset and creates worktree-local PostgreSQL state.

  • Start a worktree stack from its root. For non-interactive use, start it detached and stop it when finished, as shown below.

  • Do not use process-compose -t=false for a detached stack. It can leave an orphaned PostgreSQL process holding the data directory.

  • Non-interactive agent shells do not automatically load direnv. Bare project commands can use missing tools, default ports, or paths from the main checkout.

  • Run project tooling that depends on the repository development environment through direnv. This includes PHP, Composer, Artisan, npm, tests, builds, database clients, and services.

  • Resolve the direnv target from the worktree containing the agent's current working directory. Never target the main checkout or a different worktree:

    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" <command>
    
  • Git and environment-neutral read-only file inspection do not need the direnv wrapper.

  • Worktree stack examples:

    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" process-compose up -D
    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" process-compose down
    
  • Run backend commands from backend/, or explicitly change into it in the command. The direnv target remains the worktree root.

  • Run frontend commands from frontend/website/.

  • process-compose starts the frontend on the worktree's assigned port. To start only the frontend:

    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" \
      npm run dev -- \
      --host 127.0.0.1 \
      --port "$VITE_PORT" \
      --strictPort
    
  • When a normally valid check fails because a required service is down, surface the environmental failure. Do not skip the check or silently switch to a different database or service.

  • PHPUnit is self-contained and uses in-memory SQLite. It does not require the PostgreSQL stack unless a future test is explicitly designed as a real PostgreSQL integration test.

Code style

  • Keep lines at or below 80 columns where practical. Do not split short, readable lines unnecessarily.

  • Use explicit, descriptive variable names. Do not use single-letter or unexplained abbreviated names.

  • Explore the codebase and inspect similar files before implementing a new pattern.

  • Never use em dashes in code, comments, or docblocks. Use hyphens.

  • Always use braced control-statement bodies, including early returns:

    if (identifier === null) {
      return null
    }
    

Git commit style

  • Use present-tense, imperative subjects: add, create, wire, fix, test.
  • Keep subjects lowercase and short, normally three to six words.
  • Match patterns in the existing git history.
  • Do not add AI or tool coauthor trailers.
  • Add a body when the subject cannot explain non-obvious motivation or multi-file coordination.
  • Wrap bodies at approximately 72 columns and separate them from the subject with a blank line.

Git commits

  • Commit tests before implementation.
  • Keep one logical change per commit. A logical change may span multiple files.
  • Commit each meaningful step rather than batching unrelated work.
  • Do not include drive-by formatter or linter changes. Restore them or land them as a separate formatting commit.
  • If a check fails on untouched code, do not bundle an unrelated fix. Report the pre-existing failure or handle it as its own explicitly scoped change.

Branching

  • Never implement features directly in the main checkout or on master/main.

  • Use a dedicated worktree under <repo-root>/.worktrees/<branch>.

  • Create it with:

    git worktree add \
      "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)/.worktrees/<branch>" \
      -b <branch>
    
  • Use descriptive kebab-case branch names, optionally prefixed with a type such as feature/ or fix/.

  • Keep worktree names short, preferably no more than about 20 characters. PostgreSQL Unix socket paths are limited in length.

  • Provision a fresh worktree through direnv:

    direnv allow <worktree>
    direnv exec <worktree> true
    
  • Never symlink backend/vendor or frontend/website/node_modules from another checkout. Dependency paths and generated files must remain worktree-local.

  • The shell hook installs backend dependencies but does not install frontend dependencies. From frontend/website/, provision them with:

    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" npm install
    

Do not push anything. Make commits as the TDD workflow requires.

Before completing a change

Run the smallest relevant checks while iterating, then run every repository gate affected by the change.

Backend

  • Run tests from backend/:

    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" php artisan test
    
  • Run the Composer checks defined by backend/composer.json:

    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" composer types:check
    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" composer test
    
  • Do not claim a green gate when a command fails. If the failure predates the change, report the precise baseline failure.

Frontend

  • Run these commands from frontend/website/:

    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" npm run format
    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" npm run lint
    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" npm run type-check
    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" npm run build
    
  • The formatter and linters rewrite files. Review their changes before committing.

  • No frontend test runner is configured yet. Do not claim unit, component, or end-to-end test coverage until the relevant scripts exist and pass.

Environment and integration

  • For Nix or shell-hook changes, run:

    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" nix fmt
    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" nix flake check
    
  • For service configuration changes, run:

    direnv exec "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" \
      process-compose --dry-run
    
  • When a change affects runtime wiring, start the worktree's stack and verify the relevant endpoint or service against that worktree.

  • If you started the stack only for validation, stop it before finishing.