# General Rules

General development rules for the AI Coding Starter Kit.

## Feature Tracking

- All features MUST be tracked in `features/INDEX.md`
- Feature IDs are sequential: PROJ-1, PROJ-2, etc.
- Never skip IDs or use non-sequential numbering

## Git Workflow

- Commits: `feat(PROJ-X): description`, `fix(PROJ-X): description`
- Never commit secrets, API keys, or credentials
- Always read file before modifying (never assume contents)

## File Structure

- Feature specs: `features/PROJ-X-feature-name.md`
- Tests: co-located next to source (`*.test.ts` next to `*.ts`)
- shadcn/ui components: `src/components/ui/` (NEVER recreate)

## State Management

- State lives in files, not in memory
- Re-read files when context is compacted
- All progress in markdown files (INDEX.md, feature specs)

## Context Recovery

If context is compacted:
1. Re-read relevant feature spec
2. Check `git diff` for uncommitted changes
3. Continue from where you left off
4. Never restart from scratch without checking progress