Constitution Format
Knowledge about writing effective project constitution files for LLM/coding agents. Use this skill when creating, editing, or reviewing constitution.md files.
What this skill does
# Constitution Format Knowledge ## Purpose A constitution file defines rules, best practices, patterns, and guardrails for LLM and coding agents working in a project. Unlike human documentation, constitutions are optimized for token efficiency and machine parsing. ## File Location Standard locations (checked in order): 1. `constitution.md` (project root) 2. `doc/constitution.md` ## Token Budget **Hard limit: 25,000 tokens** Approximate conversion: 1 token ≈ 4 characters Monitor size when adding rules. A well-written constitution for a medium project typically uses 5,000-15,000 tokens. ## Structure ```markdown # Project Constitution Brief one-line project description. ## <Category 1> - Rule 1 - Rule 2 (rationale) ## <Category 2> - Rule 3 - Prefer X over Y - Avoid Z ``` ## Common Categories | Category | Contents | |----------|----------| | **Stack** | Languages, frameworks, versions | | **Patterns** | Required architectural patterns | | **Anti-patterns** | What to avoid | | **Conventions** | Naming, structure, organization | | **Testing** | Testing requirements and approaches | | **Security** | Security requirements | | **Performance** | Performance constraints | | **Dependencies** | Dependency rules | ## Writing Effective Rules ### DO - **Imperative voice:** "Use X" not "You should use X" - **Be specific:** "Use `const` by default" not "Prefer immutability" - **Include brief rationale:** "Avoid any (breaks type safety)" - **Quantify when possible:** "Max 300 lines per file" - **State the positive:** "Use async/await" not "Don't use callbacks" ### DON'T - Write explanatory prose - Include code examples (unless critical) - Duplicate information - Use filler words (very, really, always try to) - Over-qualify (usually, in most cases, generally) ## Rule Formats **Simple rule:** ```markdown - Use TypeScript strict mode ``` **Rule with rationale:** ```markdown - Use TypeScript strict mode (catches null errors early) ``` **Preference:** ```markdown - Prefer composition over inheritance ``` **Prohibition:** ```markdown - Avoid `any` type ``` **Conditional:** ```markdown - Use server components by default; client components only for interactivity ``` **Exception:** ```markdown - Use strict mode (except legacy/ directory) ``` **Quantified:** ```markdown - Max 300 lines per file - Min 80% test coverage for business logic ``` ## Example Constitution ```markdown # Project Constitution TypeScript monorepo for e-commerce platform. ## Stack - TypeScript 5.3+ strict mode - React 18 with Server Components - Next.js 14 App Router - PostgreSQL with Drizzle ORM - Vitest for testing ## Patterns - Feature-based directory structure - Repository pattern for data access - Use server components by default - Client components only for interactivity - Collocate tests with source files ## Anti-patterns - Avoid `any` type (use `unknown` if needed) - No barrel exports in feature modules - No circular dependencies - Avoid prop drilling beyond 2 levels ## Conventions - camelCase for functions/variables - PascalCase for components/types - kebab-case for files and directories - Prefix interfaces with I (IUser, IProduct) - Suffix types with Type only if needed for clarity ## Testing - Unit tests for business logic (min 80% coverage) - Integration tests for API routes - E2E tests for critical user flows - Use Testing Library, avoid implementation details ## Security - Validate all user input at API boundary - Use parameterized queries only - No secrets in code or logs - HTTPS only, secure cookies ``` ## Maintenance - Review constitution when adding major features - Remove rules for deprecated technologies - Consolidate overlapping rules periodically - Keep total under 25,000 tokens
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