Instruction file imported from sethdford/Just-Call-Me-Al (.cursor/rules/commands.mdc). Copyright stays with the author.

Terminal Command Usage Rules

1. Safety First

   • Double-check commands that modify or delete files (rm, mv).
   • Be cautious with commands requiring sudo or root privileges.
   • Understand the impact of potentially long-running or resource-intensive commands.

2. Clarity and Intent

   • Prefer explicit commands over complex chains where possible.
   • Use comments (#) in scripts to explain non-obvious commands.
   • Use meaningful variable names in scripts.

3. Idempotency

   • Where possible, make scripts idempotent (running them multiple times produces the same result).
   • Use checks (e.g., if [ -f file ]) before creating or modifying resources.

4. Error Handling

   • Check exit codes ($? in bash/zsh) after critical commands in scripts.
   • Use set -e in shell scripts to exit immediately on error.
   • Provide informative error messages.

5. Git Commands

   • Follow Conventional Commits for commit messages (<type>[scope]: <description>).
   • Keep commits small and focused.
   • Use branches for feature development and bug fixes.
   • Rebase or merge appropriately based on team workflow.

6. Build/Test Commands

   • Use standard build commands (cargo build, cargo test, cargo check).
   • Use cargo clippy for linting.
   • Use cargo fmt for formatting.

7. Environment Management

   • Be aware of the current working directory (pwd).
   • Use relative paths where appropriate, absolute paths when necessary for clarity.
   • Manage environment variables carefully (e.g., using .env files and dotenv).