# Akeru.ai Coding Conventions

## Introduction

This document outlines the coding standards and best practices for the Akeru.ai project. Adhering to these conventions is essential to maintain code quality, facilitate collaboration, and ensure the project is scalable and maintainable.

## Table of Contents

- [General Principles](#general-principles)
- [Language-Specific Standards](#language-specific-standards)
- [Formatting and Style](#formatting-and-style)
- [Commenting and Documentation](#commenting-and-documentation)
- [Error Handling](#error-handling)
- [Security Practices](#security-practices)
- [Performance Optimization](#performance-optimization)
- [Version Control Practices](#version-control-practices)
- [Testing Standards](#testing-standards)
- [Build and Deployment](#build-and-deployment)

## General Principles

- **Readability and Clarity**: Code should be written as if the next person to read it is a serial killer who knows where you live. Prioritize clarity.
- **Maintainability**: Write code that is easy to maintain and extend. Any developer should be able to understand your code and make changes when necessary.
- **DRY Principle**: Don't Repeat Yourself. Ensure that you don't have duplicate code scattered throughout the codebase.

## Language-Specific Standards

### JavaScript/TypeScript

- Use [ESLint with a configuration based on Next.js](https://nextjs.org/docs/pages/building-your-application/configuring/eslint) standards.
- Follow [TypeScript strict typing](https://www.typescriptlang.org/tsconfig#strict) as much as possible for type safety.

### Python (if applicable)

- Follow [PEP 8 standards](https://peps.python.org/pep-0008/) for Python code.
- Use type hints for better maintainability.

## Formatting and Style

- **Indentation**: Use spaces (not tabs) and set the width to 2 or 4 spaces per indent level, depending on the language.
- **Braces**: Use the "1TBS (One True Brace Style)" where braces open on the same line as the statement but close on a new line.
- **Variable Naming**: Use `camelCase` for identifiers in JavaScript and `snake_case` for Python variables.

## Commenting and Documentation

- **Code Comments**: Write comments that explain "why" something is done, not "what" is done. The code itself should explain "what."
- **Documentation**: Use [JSDoc](https://jsdoc.app/) for JavaScript and [Docstrings](https://peps.python.org/pep-0257/) for Python. Document all public APIs and critical internal mechanisms.

## Error Handling

- **Consistency**: Use a consistent method across the entire codebase to handle errors. In Node.js, use asynchronous error handling with promises and async/await.
- **Logging**: Implement comprehensive logging for errors. Use a library that supports different log levels (e.g., debug, info, error).

## Security Practices

- **Input Validation**: Always validate external inputs to avoid [SQL injections](https://www.simplilearn.com/tutorials/cyber-security-tutorial/what-is-sql-injection) and other malicious attacks.
- **Dependency Management**: Regularly update dependencies to mitigate vulnerabilities, using tools like [Dependabot](https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/getting-started/dependabot-quickstart-guide).

## Performance Optimization

- **Best Practices**: Follow language-specific performance optimization techniques, such as optimizing loops and asynchronous programming in JavaScript.
- **Profiling**: Regularly profile the application and optimize bottlenecks.

## Version Control Practices

- **Branching**: Follow a branching model like [Git Flow](https://github.com/nvie/gitflow) to manage features, fixes, and releases.
- **Commit Messages**: Write clear, concise commit messages that explain the why and what of the changes.

## Testing Standards

- **Coverage**: Aim for a high test coverage percentage. Use tools like [Istanbul](https://istanbul.js.org/) for JavaScript to check coverage.
- **Frameworks**: Use [Jest](https://jestjs.io/) for JavaScript testing. Ensure tests are thorough and cover expected and unexpected use cases.

## Build and Deployment

- **Automated Builds**: Use CI/CD pipelines to automate builds and deployments. Tools like [Jenkins](https://www.jenkins.io/) or [GitHub Actions](https://docs.github.com/en/actions) can be integrated to manage these processes.
- **Environment Specifics**: Ensure configurations such as API keys and endpoints are environment-specific and secured.
