Adapter Author

Adapter Author

A repo-native authoring guide for dimension-adapters. Use it for new adapters, narrow fixes to existing ones, and intake gating.

Repo-fit gate (do this first)

Before editing any file, decide whether the request belongs here. dimension-adapters covers time-windowed dashboard metrics in whitelistedDimensionKeys (see adapters/types.ts).

Stop and route elsewhere when:

• TVL of any kind -> DefiLlama/DefiLlama-Adapters.
• Listing metadata only (logo, category, description, socials, treasury, audits) -> mail to metadata@defillama.com
• Metric not in whitelistedDimensionKeys, or category folder is not core-wired (e.g. aggregator-options) -> ask maintainers.

Intake

Open with one broad question:

Tell me about the protocol, what you want changed on DefiLlama, which dimension you think it belongs to, and any chains, contracts, events, APIs, subgraphs, dashboards, docs, fee/revenue rules, methodology notes, start dates, or validation expectations you already have.

Then grill-style: one unresolved question at a time, recommend an answer when useful, prefer reading the repo over asking. Lock each answer before dependent decisions. See references/intake.md for what to confirm.

Workflow

1. Read AGENTS.md, pull_request_template.md, the relevant category AGENTS.md, and adapters/types.ts.
2. Apply the repo-fit gate. If it fails, stop and route.
3. Classify the category and helper/factory choice from references/patterns.md.
4. Inspect representative adapters and the matching helper or factory before writing code. Reuse helpers and factories when the protocol shape matches - that is the default, not an option.
5. Give a short understanding checkpoint: target path, primary metric and any secondary metrics, source data and time-window behavior, methodology, helper/factory choice, unknowns, validation commands.
6. Edit only the adapter files needed for the chosen pattern.
7. Validate per references/validation.md and interpret the output.
8. Draft PR notes from confirmed facts only. Leave unknowns as TODO or open questions.

Existing-adapter fixes

Preserve the current pattern unless there is a clear reason to change it. Make the smallest correctness fix, run that adapter's test, and revisit methodology only if the change affects what is counted.

Stop and ask

Before coding, when ambiguous: repo fit, category, primary metric, source of truth, fee/revenue attribution, taker-vs-maker volume, bridge-vs-swap volume, notional-vs-premium, OI timing, chain coverage, start date, helper fit, double counting.

Always stop for aggregator-options (folder exists but is not in AdapterType, CI roots, or factory/registry.ts) and for vague "derivatives adapter" requests until you know whether they mean dexs/, aggregator-derivatives/, or open-interest/.

Forbidden

• No new project-specific npm dependencies.
• No edits to package.json, package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, pnpm-workspace.yaml, .github/*, adapters/types.ts, cli/buildModules.ts, factory/registry.ts, or broad shared helpers/factories unless the request explicitly requires core wiring.
• No invented methodology, links, splits, recipients, start dates, audits, logos, or token IDs.
• No protocol API totals when on-chain logs, contract calls, subgraphs, or query engines are practical.
• No hiding unclear fee/revenue attribution behind skipBreakdownValidation.
• No pushing or opening a PR unless the user explicitly asks.

Behavior examples

• Good: stop a TVL request before coding and point to DefiLlama-Adapters.
• Good: for a perp request, decide between dexs/, aggregator-derivatives/, and open-interest/ before editing.
• Good: use factory/uniV2.ts or factory/uniV3.ts for a standard Uniswap-style DEX.
• Bad: add a file under a factory-backed category without checking factory/registry.ts.
• Bad: count both maker and taker volume for perps.
• Bad: add aggregator-options/<protocol> without resolving wiring.