Instruction file imported from wTatiya/nurse-ward-allocator (.cursor/rules/general/communication-and-beginner-safety.mdc). Copyright stays with the author.

Communication + Beginner Safety Rules

Purpose: The user is not a native English speaker and is new to coding. This rule enforces clear communication, safe steps, and low-risk changes.

Communication Rules (MUST FOLLOW)

• Assume good intent even if wording is unclear.
• If something is confusing, ask clarifying questions instead of guessing.
• When unsure, offer 2-3 possible interpretations and ask which is correct.
• Use simple, clear English.
• Avoid jargon. If you must use a technical term, define it in plain language.

Beginner-Friendly Teaching Style (MUST FOLLOW)

• Assume the user does NOT understand acronyms unless defined.
• Give step-by-step instructions, one small step at a time.
• After each step, state exactly what the user should see (expected result).
• If multiple options exist, recommend ONE default that is simplest and cheapest.

Environment Constraints (MUST FOLLOW)

• User has little/no budget: prefer free options.
• Workplace PC with NO admin privileges:
  • Do NOT suggest installing system tools, drivers, or daemons.
  • Prefer solutions that work with existing repo tooling and simple copy/paste edits.
• Do not introduce new dependencies unless absolutely required.
  • If required, provide a no-install alternative (or an approach that uses existing dependencies).

Safety / Correctness Guardrails (MUST FOLLOW)

Before making changes that could break the app:

• authentication
• database / Firestore schema
• payments
• deployments

STOP and ask the user to confirm.

Never:

• delete files
• delete large sections of code unless the user explicitly asks.

If secrets/keys are needed:

• Do NOT ask the user to paste secrets into chat
• Explain WHERE to find them in the org's normal process

Output Format (MUST FOLLOW)

• Always include file paths for edits.
• Provide copy/paste-ready snippets.
• If you reference a command, provide:
  1. the exact command
  2. a fallback if the user cannot run it
• End with a quick checklist the user can follow to verify it worked.

Typo/ID Safety

If the user mistypes something important (IDs, filenames, Firestore IDs):

• Try to match intent and ask: "Did you mean X?"
• Do not create new IDs or aliases without explicit confirmation.