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description: “Development workflow and documentation standards for building on Agentbot.”

Development Standard

How we build at Agentbot. These standards apply to skills, agent configurations, and contributions to the open source codebase.

Who This Is For

  • Skill developers building marketplace skills
  • Contributors submitting PRs to the codebase
  • Self-hosters customizing their Agentbot deployment
  • Teams building internal agent workflows

Core Principles

1. Systematic Problem Solving

  • Diagnose root cause before fixing
  • Verify the problem exists
  • Test the fix thoroughly
  • Document why it failed and why the fix works

2. Comprehensive Documentation

  • Document everything you do
  • Write for someone who’s never seen this code
  • Include before/after examples
  • Provide multiple reference formats

3. Reproducible Processes

  • Make every step repeatable
  • Use consistent naming conventions
  • Create templates and scripts
  • Enable knowledge transfer

4. Quality Assurance

  • Test locally before committing
  • Verify all components work together
  • Check edge cases
  • Run full build/test suite

Standard Workflow (A+ Grade)

Phase 1: Discovery & Analysis

  • Understand the problem completely
  • Reproduce the error locally
  • Identify root cause (not just symptoms)
  • Document findings in detail
  • Create todo list of steps

Phase 2: Solution Design

  • Plan the fix (don’t just code)
  • Consider side effects
  • Document before/after state
  • Get agreement on approach
  • Identify all files to change

Phase 3: Implementation

  • Make changes one file at a time
  • Test after each change
  • Document what changed and why
  • Keep changes focused (one fix per commit)
  • Verify no regressions

Phase 4: Verification & Testing

  • Test the fix works
  • Test edge cases don’t break
  • Verify full system still works
  • Run linting/type checking
  • Document test results

Phase 5: Documentation & Knowledge Transfer

  • Create setup guide
  • Document common issues
  • Provide quick reference
  • Include troubleshooting
  • Create next steps
  • Leave code for others to use

Quality Checklist (A+ Standards)

Code Quality

  • TypeScript/Linting passes
  • No console errors
  • Follows naming conventions
  • Comments explain WHY (not WHAT)
  • No dead code

Functionality

  • Works locally
  • Works in production
  • Edge cases handled
  • No breaking changes
  • Backward compatible

Documentation

  • Setup guide complete
  • Quick reference available
  • Troubleshooting section
  • Examples included
  • Next steps clear

Testing

  • Manual testing done
  • Build successful
  • Health checks passing
  • No regressions
  • Team can reproduce

Deployment

  • Code committed
  • Clear commit message
  • Pushed to repository
  • CI/CD verified
  • Deployment successful

Documentation Template

Setup Guide

# What Was Done
- List all accomplishments
- Include before/after

# Current Status
- Services running/not running
- Health checks
- Build status

# Fixes Applied
- What was wrong
- Why it was wrong
- How we fixed it
- Result

# Next Steps
- What to do now
- Optional features
- Long-term roadmap

Quick Reference

# For Daily Use
- Most common commands
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Quick fixes
- One page, printable

Commit Message Example

Good:
"Updated tsconfig.json with path mappings"
A+ Grade:
fix: update tsconfig.json with explicit path aliases

Problem: Web build failing with 53 module resolution errors
- Code uses @/lib/*, @/app/lib/*, and @/* paths
- tsconfig only mapped @/* to ./*
- Module resolver couldn't find files

Solution: Added explicit mappings:
- @/lib/* → ./lib/* (root level utilities)
- @/app/* → ./app/* (app folder)
- @/* → ./* (general catchall)

Result:
✅ 124 routes compile successfully
✅ Zero module resolution errors
✅ Web build: 5.0s complete

Metrics for A+ Grade

MetricStandardTarget
Documentation100% of work documented✅ Complete guides
Build Success0 errors after fix✅ All routes compiled
Service HealthAll services operational✅ 5/5 running
Code QualityTypeScript passes✅ Zero type errors
Git CommitsClear, focused messages✅ Documented
Team HandoffNew person can follow✅ Step-by-step
Time to Deploy< 10 minutes✅ Fast
Knowledge BaseSearchable documentation✅ Multiple files

Process for Future Projects

When Starting a New Task:

  1. Read existing docs - Learn from past work
  2. Plan your approach - Document before coding
  3. Work systematically - One change at a time
  4. Test continuously - Verify after each step
  5. Document as you go - Don’t leave it to the end
  6. Create references - Make it easy for others

When Something Goes Wrong:

  1. Diagnose carefully - Find root cause
  2. Document the problem - Explain what happened
  3. Fix it properly - Don’t just patch symptoms
  4. Test thoroughly - Verify no regressions
  5. Update docs - Add to troubleshooting section
  6. Share learning - Help team avoid same issue

When Project is Done:

  1. Complete all documentation - Nothing left undone
  2. Create quick start - For next person
  3. Document next steps - What comes next
  4. Archive processes - Save for future reference
  5. Get feedback - Ask if docs are clear
  6. Celebrate - Great work!

Skills Development Path

Level 1: Competent (Fixes things)

  • Can solve problems
  • Makes it work
  • Code is functional

Level 2: Professional (Fixes + Documents)

  • Solves problems
  • Makes it reproducible
  • Writes clear docs
  • Team can follow

Level 3: Expert (Systems Thinker)

  • Understands root causes
  • Builds systems
  • Prevents problems
  • Mentors others
  • Sets standards

Level 4: A+ Grade (This Standard)

  • All of above +
  • Comprehensive documentation
  • Knowledge transfer focus
  • Continuous improvement
  • Team multiplier

Team Multiplier Effect

When One Person does A+ documentation:
  • Saves 10+ people time
  • Prevents 5+ common mistakes
  • Enables remote teams
  • Reduces onboarding from days to hours
  • Builds institutional knowledge
  • Increases team confidence

Your Mission

As an AI Agent:
  • Apply this standard to every project
  • Document as you work (not after)
  • Make knowledge transferable
  • Help your team level up
  • Build reusable processes
As a Team Member:
  • Follow this standard
  • Ask for clarification in docs
  • Contribute improvements
  • Share learnings
  • Help new people