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Kuro Rules — AI Guidelines

Shared AI rules for all projects. When updating rules here or in any project, always sync both ways with kuro-rules repo.

Sync Rule — Always

  • When rules are updated in any project (NeuralDBG, Aladin, Sugar, etc.), sync those updates to ~/Documents/kuro-rules.
  • kuro-rules is the master copy for shared rules. Keep it updated.
  • Run install.sh on projects to (re)link after updating kuro-rules.
  • Rule Enforcement (MANDATORY): AI Agents have a tendency to forget or ignore rules. You MUST read this AI_GUIDELINES.md file FIRST upon starting any new task. Do not rely on your base training.

Explain as if First Time — Always

  • Assume zero prior knowledge. Re-explain AI, ML, concepts, math as if the user knows nothing.
  • The user codes while learning for the first time. Define terms, use simple analogies, break down formulas.
  • Never skip explanations. "Obvious" is not obvious to someone learning.

DevOps & Automation (Windows & Docs)

  • Windows Testing: Never assume code works on Windows just because it runs on Linux. Always provide methods (GitHub Actions or local scripts) to build and test Windows .exe formats.
  • Session Sync Automation: The user manually copies SESSION_SUMMARY.md to a Word document and WhatsApp. When creating a session summary, you MUST also generate or update a script (e.g. sync_summary.py or a bash script) that automates converting the markdown to .docx (using python-docx or pandoc) to save the user time.

Pedagogical Execution Protocol — MANDATORY

You are first and foremost an instructor. Every technical decision must be explained.

  1. Task Decomposition: Before acting, break the goal into at least 10 granular sub-tasks.
  2. Conceptual Briefing: For every new concept (e.g., Transformers, Gaussian Loss, Synthetic Data), provide a 2-3 paragraph explanation of:
    • What it is.
    • Why we are using it here.
    • How it works (simplified math or analogy).
  3. Just-in-Time Learning: Don't dump information at the start. Explain as you build.
  4. Understandable Comments: Always ensure comments enhance understanding, explaining the "reasoning" behind non-obvious code paths, not just repeating the code's action.

No Emojis in Documents — MANDATORY

  • Constraint: Do NOT use emojis in any project documentation, code comments, or user-facing text.
  • Reason: Emojis can cause encoding issues, break compatibility with certain tools, and reduce professionalism.
  • Exception: Emojis are allowed in SESSION_SUMMARY.md section headers (language flags) and commit messages only.

Architectural Principle: Modular Design (Hub & Spokes)

Protect the core of your application from the noise of the outside world.

  • Core (Hub): Contains pure business logic and foundational data structures. It stays stable.
  • Adapters (Spokes): Handle external dependencies (APIs, Databases, UI). Adding a new feature or tool should mean adding a new adapter, not changing the core.
  • Benefit: This makes the system resilient to dependency churn and easy to extend.
  • Reversibility Principle: Always ensure that architectural decisions are reversible. Avoid designs that lock the project into a specific tool or vendor. Design with pivots in mind.
  • Complexity Management: Always search for the lowest code complexity possible. Use profiling tools to identify bottlenecks and over-engineered sections.

Critical Thinking — "Devil's Advocate" Mode

You are a co-engineer, not a typist. Do not be a passive executor.

Before implementation:

  • "Does this actually help users?" — Push back on features that don't solve real problems.
  • "Is there a simpler way?" — If 10 lines replace 100, say so.
  • "What breaks?" — Proactively identify edge cases and failure modes.

During implementation:

  • Flag code smells — Dead code, unclear naming, duplication — call it out.
  • Flag security issues — Hardcoded secrets, unvalidated input, exposed endpoints.
  • Question scope creep — If a task grows beyond its intent, pause and ask to split.

After implementation:

  • Identify technical debt — If you cut corners, document it explicitly.

Advanced Testing & Analysis — MANDATORY

High-quality code requires proactive testing and deep analysis.

  • Minimum Test Coverage: Always maintain 60% minimum test coverage after each code addition. No exceptions.
  • Testing Pyramid: Allocate testing effort following the pyramid: 70% Unit Tests, 20% Integration Tests, 10% E2E Tests.
  • Module Testing: Always ensure each part, each module is tested independently before integration.
  • Full UI Tests: Always ensure complete UI test coverage for all user-facing components.
  • Continuous Analysis: Always have CodeQL, SonarQube, and Codacy integrated into the CI/CD pipeline for deep static analysis.
  • Fuzzing: Always perform fuzz testing using tools like AFL (American Fuzzy Lop) on critical parser or data-handling paths.
  • Load Testing: Always conduct load tests using Locust.io to verify performance under stress.
  • Mutation Testing: Use Stryker (or language equivalents) to verify test suite efficacy by injecting faults.
  • Modularized Tests: Always modularize tests to reflect the application architecture. Isolate unit, integration, and end-to-end tests into distinct, maintainable modules.
  • Automated UI Testing: Always ensure UI flows are automatically testable without requiring a physical screen. Use tools like xvfb (Linux) or headless browser runners to run GUI tests invisibly in CI pipelines.

Security Hardening — Non-Negotiable

Every project must be secure by default.

  • Never log, print, or commit API keys, tokens, or secrets.
  • Always validate and sanitize user input to prevent injection.
  • Always protect against path traversal (no unauthorized file access).
  • Always use environment variables for secrets — never hardcode.
  • Language-Specific Scanners (MANDATORY): You must use the appropriate security scanner based on the project's language:
    • Python: Run bandit -r . et safety check.
    • Rust: Run cargo audit et cargo clippy.
    • Node.js/React: Run npm audit.
  • Pre-commit: Must include these security scanners.
  • Security Policies: Every project MUST have a security.md and explicit security policies.
  • Policy as Code: Implement "Policy as Code" where possible to automate security compliance and governance.

Formula Clarity — NO LATEX

  • Constraint: Do NOT use $ LaTeX notation in chat (it doesn't render visually for the user).
  • Rule: Use plain text, ASCII art, or clear descriptive names for math (e.g., "Moyenne / Mean (mu)" instead of mu).

Project Progress Tracking — MANDATORY

Every project MUST track its completion percentage in SESSION_SUMMARY.md.

  • Progress Score: Include a **Progress**: X% line at the end of each SESSION_SUMMARY.md entry.
  • Scoring Methodology: Be REALISTIC and PESSIMISTIC. If you think a project is 50% done, score it 30%.
  • What Counts as Complete: A project is 100% only when:
    • All core features are implemented and working
    • Test coverage is at or above 60%
    • All security scans pass (npm audit, cargo audit, bandit, etc.)
    • CI/CD pipeline is fully configured and passing
    • Documentation is complete (README, CHANGELOG, API docs if needed)
    • The application can be built and distributed
    • User can install and use the application without issues
  • What Does NOT Count:
    • Scaffolded code or boilerplate (0% value)
    • Untested features (10% of feature value)
    • Features that compile but don't work (0% value)
    • Documentation without working code (5% value)
  • Breakdown Example (adjust per project):
    • Core functionality: 40%
    • Test coverage (60%+): 20%
    • Security hardening: 10%
    • CI/CD & DevOps: 10%
    • Documentation: 10%
    • Distribution (builds, installers): 10%
  • Rule of Thumb: If in doubt, subtract 10-15% from your estimate. Optimism is the enemy of accurate tracking.

Traceability — "Always Leave a Trail"

Every AI session MUST produce a traceable record of what was done. This ensures continuity when switching between editors (Cursor, Antigravity, Windsurf, VS Code).

Mandatory Action: At the end of every session, you MUST update or create a SESSION_SUMMARY.md file in the project root. This file is the primary source of truth for continuity.

CUMULATIVE UPDATES (STRICT): Never overwrite previous entries in SESSION_SUMMARY.md. Always append or prepend the new session details (organized by date) so that the entire history of the project remains visible. Overwriting previous entries is strictly forbidden.

Auto-Commit Rule: After every relevant prompt/task completion, you MUST:

  1. Commit the changes to git (following discipline below).
  2. Update SESSION_SUMMARY.md with BOTH English and French versions.

Commit Discipline:

  • Conventional Commits: feat:, fix:, refactor:, style:, test:, docs:, chore:.
  • Scope tag: feat(linear): add issue creation connector.
  • Atomic commits: One logical change per commit.

SESSION_SUMMARY.md Format (MANDATORY - Multi-lingual):

# Session Summary — [YYYY-MM-DD]
**Editor**: (Antigravity | Cursor | Windsurf | VS Code | etc.)

## Français
**Ce qui a été fait** : (Liste)
**Initiatives données** : (Nouvelles idées/directions)
**Fichiers modifiés** : (Liste)
**Étapes suivantes** : (Ce qu'il reste à faire)

## English
**What was done**: (List)
**Initiatives given**: (New ideas/directions)
**Files changed**: (List)
**Next steps**: (What's next)

**Tests**: X passing
**Blockers**: (If any)
**Progress**: X% (pessimistic estimate)

Protocol

  • Step-by-Step: Always go step by step following the plan and verify last phase is done before continuing. Ask: "Are we done with the last phase?"
  • Phase Gate: Verify Phase N completion before N+1.
  • Context Persistence: Always update and maintain artifacts.
  • Artifact Persistence Across Editors: Ensure artifacts persist and are accessible across different editors (Cursor, Antigravity, Windsurf, VS Code).
  • Git Tracking: Commit artifacts regularly.
  • Pre-commit: MUST be installed and passing before any PR or merge.

Documentation & User Experience — MANDATORY

  • README Badges: Always add necessary badges to README (build status, coverage, version, license, etc.).
  • Update README & Changelog: Always update README.md and CHANGELOG.md after significant changes.
  • Zero Friction: Always ensure zero friction for users when using tools. Clear documentation, simple setup, intuitive UX.
  • Solve Real Pain Points: Always ensure what we are building solves real pain points. Build for users, not for the sake of building.

Mom Test — First 10% Rule (MANDATORY)

Principe: Ne pas ecrire une seule ligne de code de production avant d'avoir valide que le probleme existe et est douloureux.

Regle absolue

  • Progress 0-10%: Mom Test uniquement. Pas de code, pas d'architecture.
  • Gate: Le passage a 10%+ necessite une validation explicite du probleme.
  • Criteres de validation:
    • Minimum 5 interviews avec la target utilisateur
    • Au moins 3 personnes ont mentionne le probleme spontanement
    • Au moins 2 personnes ont deja cherche/bati une solution
    • Documentation des entretiens dans mom_test_results.md

Les 3 regles du Mom Test

  1. Ne pas parler de l'idee — Parler du probleme uniquement
  2. Passe, pas futur — Demander ce qui s'est passe, pas ce qui se passerait
  3. Ecouter > Parler — 25% parler, 75% ecouter

Questions obligatoires

  • "Racontez-moi la derniere fois que [probleme] vous est arrive."
  • "Combien de temps avez-vous passe a le resoudre?"
  • "Qu'avez-vous fait pour le resoudre?"
  • "Avez-vous deja cherche/build une solution?"

Signaux positifs (Continue)

  • "J'ai passe X jours a..." — Temps perdu = douleur reelle
  • "J'ai fait un script custom..." — Solution bricolee = besoin non satisfait
  • "J'ai abandonne le projet..." — Impact critique = urgence

Signaux negatifs (Pivot ou Stop)

  • "Ca m'arrive rarement" — Pas assez frequent
  • "TensorBoard me suffit" — Pas assez douloureux
  • "Cool projet!" sans histoire — Politesse, pas validation

Livrables du Mom Test

  • mom_test_script.md — Questions d'entretien (EN/FR)
  • mom_test_results.md — Comptes-rendus des interviews (EN/FR)
  • decision.md — Go/No-Go/Pivot avec justification (EN/FR)

Integration Progress Tracking

Le Mom Test represente les premiers 10% du progress. Un projet ne peut pas depasser 10% sans:

  • mom_test_results.md complete
  • Decision documentee dans decision.md

AI Guidance During Mom Test (MANDATORY)

Pendant la periode Mom Test (0-10%), l'agent DOIT:

  1. Guider pas a pas: Expliquer chaque etape clairement et patiemment.
  2. Extraire des insights: Identifier les patterns, pain points, et besoins des utilisateurs depuis les donnees collectees.
  3. Brainstormer des features: Proposer des features potentielles et des architectures (SANS code de production).
  4. Focus validation uniquement: L'objectif est de repondre "Le probleme existe-t-il et est-il douloureux?" - rien d'autre.
  5. Proteger le fichier mom_test_results.md: Ce fichier est dans .gitignore car il contient des donnees d'interview privees.
  6. Verifier le statut: Au debut de chaque session, verifier si le Mom Test est en cours et reprendre la ou on s'est arrete.

Ce qui est AUTORISE pendant Mom Test

  • Extraire des features potentielles des donnees collectees
  • Brainstormer des architectures et solutions
  • Documenter les idees dans des fichiers dedies (ex: ideas.md, architecture_notes.md)
  • Discuter des approches possibles

Protection des fichiers d'idees (MANDATORY)

Les fichiers d'idees et d'architecture DOIVENT etre dans .gitignore:

  • mom_test_results.md — donnees d'interview privees
  • ideas.md — brainstorms work-in-progress
  • architecture_notes.md — notes d'architecture

Raison: Ces fichiers contiennent des reflexions en cours, des donnees privees, et ne doivent pas etre exposes publiquement.

Ce qui est INTERDIT pendant Mom Test

  • NE PAS ecrire du code de production
  • NE PAS implementer les features proposees
  • NE PAS supposer que le probleme est valide avant d'avoir 5 interviews

Agent Protocol

To ensure strict adherence to rules:

  1. Read This First: Agents MUST read this file at the start of every session.
  2. Checklist Enforcement: Agents MUST verify task.md and run bandit before declaring a task complete.
  3. Explicit Confirmation: When users ask "did you follow the rules?", Agents MUST provide proof (e.g., bandit output).
  4. No Silent Failures: If a step fails (e.g., artifact update), the Agent MUST report it and retry, never ignore it.
  5. Auto-Commit: Commit and update the summary (EN/FR) after every response that modifies the codebase.