Universal Coding Standards
<metadata>- Scope: Universal coding standards (emoji, comments, datetime)
- Load if: Always active (universal rules for all development)
- Prerequisites: @smith-principles/SKILL.md
CRITICAL: Universal Rules (Primacy Zone)
<forbidden>- Decorative emoji in code, logs, or documentation
- Files without exactly one trailing newline
- Self-documenting code over inline comments
- ISO 8601 timestamps with timezone
Universal standards that apply to all code, logs, documentation, and outputs across all languages and contexts.
</context>Universal Code Standards
<forbidden>- NEVER use decorative emoji (for example: x-mark, check mark, warning, memo, celebration, thumbs-up symbols) in code, logs, print statements, error messages, or documentation. Exception: user-facing UI text if explicitly requested. Functional Unicode symbols (→, ±×÷) are allowed. Checkmarks are redundant when followed by descriptive labels.
- NEVER add excessive blank lines between code blocks
- NEVER commit files without exactly one trailing newline
Inline Comments:
- ONLY add inline comments when code intent is not self-evident from naming and structure
- Prefer self-documenting code (clear variable/function names) over inline comments
- Allowed cases: Config files (.env), TODO markers, complex algorithms, non-obvious business logic
File Format:
- ALWAYS have exactly one newline at the end of every file
- ALWAYS use language-appropriate formatters before commits
- ALWAYS use descriptive names following language conventions
DateTime Standards
Timezone: All timestamps MUST use local timezone dynamically
Format: ISO 8601 with timezone: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS±HH:MM
Examples:
- Python:
datetime.now().astimezone().isoformat()(automatically uses local timezone) - JavaScript:
new Date().toISOString()(UTC) ornew Date().toLocaleString('en-CA', {timeZoneName: 'short'})(local with timezone)
Quality Standards
Documentation: Use precise, technical language; maintain consistent terminology; follow these standards in ALL text outputs
Testing: ALWAYS update reports when standards change; maintain test documentation accuracy
Code Reuse: ALWAYS check existing scripts before creating new ones; check debug_scripts/ and language-specific tool directories
- @smith-principles/SKILL.md - Fundamental coding principles
@smith-style/SKILL.md- Path and naming standards- @smith-guidance/SKILL.md - AI agent behavior patterns (always active)
@smith-dev/SKILL.md- Development workflow@smith-tests/SKILL.md- Testing standards@smith-git/SKILL.md- Version control@smith-gh-pr/SKILL.md- Pull request workflows@smith-gh-cli/SKILL.md- GitHub CLI operations
ACTION (Recency Zone)
<required>Before committing:
- No decorative emoji in code/logs
- Exactly one trailing newline
- Self-documenting names over comments
- ISO 8601 timestamps with timezone