Generate a complete Foldkit program based on this description:
$ARGUMENTS
Phase 1: Analyze the Description
Before writing any code, analyze the description to identify:
- Domain entities: nouns that become Model fields (e.g., "todos", "user", "score")
- User interactions: verbs that become Messages (e.g., "add", "delete", "filter", "submit")
- Async operations: external data that becomes Commands (e.g., "fetch weather", "save to localStorage")
- Real-time needs: streaming data that becomes Subscriptions (e.g., "live updates", "countdown", "WebSocket")
- Pages/navigation: URL structure that becomes routes (e.g., "home page", "detail page")
- UI component needs: interactive widgets that map to Foldkit UI components (e.g., "dropdown" → Menu, "modal" → Dialog, "tabs" → Tabs, "autocomplete" → Combobox, "date picker" → DatePicker, "file upload" → FileDrop, "reorderable list" → DragAndDrop, "toast/notification" → Toast, "hover tooltip" → Tooltip, "range/price filter" → Slider, "long scrolling list" → VirtualList)
- Form validation needs: required fields, format checks, async uniqueness →
foldkit/fieldValidationmodule (see Phase 4) - Date handling: birthdays, deadlines, scheduling →
Calendarmodule +DatePickerorCalendarfrom@foldkit/ui - File handling: uploads, attachments, images →
Filemodule +FileDropfrom@foldkit/ui - Remote data: anything fetched, cached, refreshed, or revalidated → the
AsyncDatamodule (see Phase 4). Don't hand-roll a loading/error union - Multi-state flows: a described process that moves through several named steps with rules about which step follows which (checkout, onboarding, multi-step approval, a connection lifecycle) → consider the
Machinemodule (foldkit/experimental). Writing the transitions as a table letsunreachableStates()anddeadTransitions()inspect reachability through the declared Edges frominitialand any caller-supplied extra roots. The analysis cannot see state changes made outside the Machine, so pass restored, deep-linked, hydrated, and other externally entered states as extra roots before treating its findings as application defects. Present it as an experimental option and let the user choose. For a flow with only two or three states, usedefineTaggedUnionand onematch.repos/foldkit/examples/state-machine/is the reference - Host embedding: the program runs inside another app ("a widget in our React app", "embed this in an existing page", "the host needs to control it") →
Runtime.makeElementplus theRuntime.embedlifecycle handle, with Flags for initial data and Ports for ongoing communication in both directions.repos/foldkit/examples/embedding/is the canonical reference: a plain TypeScript host driving a Foldkit widget end to end
Present this analysis to the user before proceeding.
If the description is detailed and unambiguous, summarize the analysis and confirm before moving on. But if there are gaps (unclear state transitions, vague UI requirements, unspecified error handling, missing edge cases, ambiguous domain boundaries, unclear counter/reset semantics), ask targeted clarifying questions before proceeding. Don't ask open-ended questions like "anything else?". Ask specific questions about the gaps you found.
UX/behavior gaps:
- "Should the todo list persist across page reloads (localStorage), or start fresh each session?"
- "When the API call fails, should the app show an inline error or a dialog?"
- "You mentioned 'users can edit items'. Is that inline editing or a separate edit page?"
Domain-logic gaps (easy to miss, expensive to fix):
- "When the user skips an interval, does that count as 'completed' for purposes of the streak?"
- "Does a counter that tracks 'completed' increments on successful actions only, or on skipped actions too?"
- "If the user triggers a reset mid-flow, does the counter reset with it, or persist across resets?"
- "You mentioned 'after N events, trigger X'. Is that N events total, or N events since the last X?"
- "On the Nth action in a cycle, which action does it trigger, the cycle's first or last?"
Domain-logic questions often surface off-by-one bugs before they hit the code. If the description has any counter, cycle, streak, or "after N" phrase, ask about edge cases at 0 and 1 and N specifically.
The goal is to resolve ambiguity early so the generated code matches what the user actually wants, not what you assumed.
Phase 2: Study Reference Examples
Read the architecture and conventions guides to internalize the rules:
- Architecture guide: TEA structure, file organization, type patterns
- Conventions guide: naming, Effect-TS patterns, anti-patterns
- Verification checklist: not just for Phase 5, also the generation bar. Skim the Quality Bar section now so you generate code that already meets it rather than code that will fail review.
- Blind spots: what the Phase 6 reviewer will grade you against. Reading it now is cheaper than fixing it later.
These four files are a snapshot of a moving codebase. When they disagree with the live source (repos/foldkit/, or the .d.ts in node_modules), the live source is right. Treat the disagreement as a bug in this skill and say so in your final report.
If you have access to a context7 MCP tool, use it to look up Effect-TS documentation when you're unsure about an API. Effect is a large library. Verify function signatures rather than guessing.
Quality exemplars
Two codebases are the quality bar for generated apps. Not just "patterns to copy" but "the level of craft to match":
${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../packages/typing-game/client/src/: production multi-page app: Submodels, OutMessage, update/view decomposition, curried handler extraction, subscription patterns, domain modules.${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../packages/website/src/: production Foldkit website: page organization, shared view primitives, route-driven rendering, idiomatic domain separation.
Before generating, spot-check at least ONE file from each (the shape of update.ts / how handlers get extracted / how domain files are structured) and match that level of craft in your output. The generated code should be indistinguishable from hand-written exemplar code.
Then read the tier-specific example files that match the app's complexity. Always read at least one tier-specific example. Never generate from memory alone.
Complexity tiers
Tier 1: Single page, no async, minimal state:
Read ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/counter/src/main.ts
Tier 2: Timers, subscriptions, simple stateful apps:
Read ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/stopwatch/src/main.ts (timer via subscription, Duration field pattern) and ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/todo/src/main.ts (CRUD with localStorage via Flags)
Tier 3: Async operations, loading/error states, API calls, form validation:
Read ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/weather/src/main.ts (HTTP with HttpClient) and ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/form/src/main.ts (uses foldkit/fieldValidation; see the Form Validation section in Phase 4)
Tier 4: URL routing, multiple pages, query parameters:
Read ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/routing/src/main.ts and ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/query-sync/src/main.ts
Tier 5: Complex state, nested domain models, CRUD, drag-and-drop:
Read ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/shopping-cart/src/main.ts (nested domain schemas, cart state) and ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/kanban/src/main.ts (CRUD with DragAndDrop, Flags restoring from localStorage, subscriptions)
Tier 6: Submodels, OutMessage, multi-step forms, auth flows, multi-module apps:
Read ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/auth/src/main.ts (login/signup with Submodels, OutMessage, protected routes) and ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/job-application/src/main.ts (multi-step form with deeply nested Submodels in step/, DatePicker, FileDrop, Listbox, Calendar module for date handling)
Tier 7: Real-time, WebSocket, Managed Resources, production-grade:
Read ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../packages/typing-game/client/src/update.ts, then explore its page/home/ and page/room/ directories for the full Submodel/OutMessage pattern.
Read examples from the target tier AND all lower tiers. A Tier 4 app should reflect patterns from Tiers 1-3 as well.
Phase 2.5: Identify Foldkit UI Component Opportunities
Foldkit ships accessible UI components that handle keyboard navigation, ARIA attributes, and focus management automatically. They live in a separate package, @foldkit/ui, and are imported by name:
import { Button, Dialog, Input } from '@foldkit/ui'
There is no Ui namespace on the foldkit package. Reach for Dialog.view, not Ui.Dialog.view. Deep imports (@foldkit/ui/dialog) work too when you want to keep the barrel out of the bundle.
Before generating, check if any part of the app maps to a built-in component:
| User Need | Component | What you get for free |
|---|---|---|
| Modal/dialog/confirmation | Dialog |
Focus trapping, Escape to close, scroll locking, backdrop |
| Tabbed content | Tabs |
Arrow key navigation, aria-selected, roving tabindex |
| Dropdown menu | Menu |
Arrow keys, typeahead search, aria-expanded, click-outside |
| Autocomplete/tag input | Combobox |
Filtering, arrow key selection, aria-activedescendant |
| Select dropdown | Select |
Keyboard selection, aria-selected, positioning |
| Single selection from options | RadioGroup |
Arrow key cycling, aria-checked, read-only navigation |
| On/off toggle | Switch |
Spacebar toggle, aria-checked |
| Boolean option | Checkbox |
Spacebar toggle, aria-checked, indeterminate |
| Expandable section | Disclosure |
Enter/Space toggle, aria-expanded |
| Floating content on hover/click | Popover |
Positioning, click-outside, focus management |
| Hover tooltip | Tooltip |
Show-delay, keyboard dismiss, positioning, aria-describedby |
| Single-select list | Listbox |
Arrow keys, typeahead, aria-selected |
| Text input | Input |
Consistent styling/behavior wrapper |
| Multi-line text | Textarea |
Auto-resize, consistent styling |
| Form group | Fieldset |
Disabled state propagation, grouping |
| Styled button | Button |
Consistent click/keyboard handling |
| Inline calendar grid | Calendar |
Month navigation, keyboard nav, aria-selected, date constraints |
| Date input + popover | DatePicker |
Calendar popover, input masking, keyboard nav, constraints |
| File upload zone | FileDrop |
Drag-and-drop, click-to-browse, accept filters, validation |
| Reorderable list | DragAndDrop |
Pointer + keyboard drag, drop zones, announcement region |
| Transient notifications | Toast |
Auto-dismiss, pause-on-hover, stacking, role=status/alert |
| Numeric range / price filter | Slider |
Arrow/Home/End keys, aria-valuenow, multi-thumb ranges |
| Long scrolling list | VirtualList |
Windowed rendering, scroll anchoring, measured item heights |
| Site/section navigation | Nav |
Current-page marking, keyboard traversal, landmark semantics |
The package is not one shape.
Stateful Submodels carry their own Model, Message, update, and (mostly) OutMessage, and are embedded via h.submodel: Menu, Listbox, Combobox, Calendar, DatePicker, Dialog, Popover, RadioGroup, Tabs, Tooltip, FileDrop, DragAndDrop, Slider, VirtualList, plus Toast once built through Toast.make(PayloadSchema).
Stateless render helpers have no Model at all. You call view directly with a ViewConfig and your own h, and store the value in your own Model: Button, Input, Textarea, Select, Fieldset, Checkbox, Switch, Disclosure, Nav.
Don't take that split on faith, because components have moved across it (Checkbox, Switch, and Disclosure became controlled render helpers; RadioGroup became a Submodel; Tabs and Slider moved their selection to the parent Model). Read the component's public.d.ts: exporting Model and update means Submodel, exporting only view and a ViewConfig / ViewInputs type means render helper. A render helper does not want a Got* Message.
To use a stateful Submodel:
- Add its Model to your Model:
confirmDialog: Dialog.Model - Add a
Got*Message:GotConfirmDialogMessagewith{ message: Dialog.Message } - Initialize in init:
confirmDialog: Dialog.init({ id: 'confirm-dialog' }) - Delegate in update:
GotConfirmDialogMessage: ({ message }) => ... - Embed in view via
h.submodel:h.submodel({ slotId: 'confirm-dialog', view: Dialog.view, model: model.confirmDialog, toParentMessage: message => Message.GotConfirmDialogMessage({ message }) })(addviewInputsfor components whose view takes them)
Always prefer Foldkit UI components over hand-rolling interactive widgets. They make accessibility the default, not an afterthought.
For form inputs specifically: every text input, textarea, and button in a form MUST go through Input, Textarea, and Button. This is not optional, even though raw input/textarea HTML elements are available on the view's builder h. The form example (examples/form/src/main.ts) defines inputFieldView and textareaFieldView helpers that wrap Input.view and Textarea.view with label + validation feedback. Copy that helper pattern. Raw input/textarea are for non-form cases (search fields, inline editors) where you're intentionally working below the component layer, and even then, reach for the component first.
If the app uses UI components, always read the ui-showcase example first to understand how components are wired. This is the canonical reference for Foldkit UI integration patterns:
${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/ui-showcase/src/main.ts: root wiring,Got*delegation,toParentMessagehelpers${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/ui-showcase/src/ui/message.ts: how component Messages are structured${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/ui-showcase/src/ui/model.ts: how component Models are composed${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/ui-showcase/src/ui/update.ts: how component updates are delegated${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/ui-showcase/src/ui/subscriptions.ts: which components need Subscriptions lifted into the parent (DragAndDrop,Slider,VirtualList)${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../examples/ui-showcase/src/ui/toast.ts: read when usingToast. It's unique in that it's parameterized on a payload schema viaToast.make(PayloadSchema), returning a typed module you import from
Directory names under examples/ui-showcase/src/ have moved before. List the directory rather than trusting these paths blind.
For apps using DatePicker, FileDrop, or other recently-added components, also read the job-application example (see Tier 6 below). It's the most complete real-world integration of these components together.
Phase 3: Determine File Organization
Match the file structure to the app's complexity. The architecture stays the same at every scale; only the file organization changes.
What lives in which file
Beyond the tier-based layouts below, follow these "schema placement" rules to avoid model.ts bloat:
model.tsholds theModelschema + any schemas that are fields of Model (or composed into fields, like form state / submit state unions). Nothing else.command.tsholds schemas for the payloads commands send to / receive from external systems, in particular the persistence schema thatsaveStateserializes andflagsdeserializes. The persistence schema is a command-layer concern, not a model concern; it often looks like a subset of Model but it isn't part of Model.domain/*.tsholds domain entity schemas and pure operations on them.message.tsholds messages (only).route.tsholds route variants + router pipelines.
A common mistake (because kanban colocates SavedBoard in model.ts): putting the persistence schema in model.ts because "it's schema." It's schema for the persistence layer, not for the Model. Move it to where it's used.
Single file (Tier 1-2, under ~300 lines):
src/main.ts ← Model, Message, init, update, view
src/entry.ts ← Runtime.makeApplication + Runtime.run
Split commands + messages (Tier 3, has async operations):
src/main.ts ← Model, init, update, view
src/entry.ts ← Runtime.makeApplication + Runtime.run
src/message.ts ← Message definitions
src/command.ts ← Command functions
Important rule: if you extract command.ts, you MUST also extract message.ts. Commands reference Message constructors (for example, Message.SucceededFetchWeather({...})) as their Effect return values. If Messages live in main.ts and Commands live in command.ts, command.ts imports from main.ts and main.ts uses Commands from command.ts, a circular import. Pull Messages out first, then both main.ts and command.ts import the Message namespace from message.ts.
Full split (Tier 4-5, multiple concerns):
src/main.ts ← init, update, view
src/entry.ts ← Runtime.makeApplication + Runtime.run
src/model.ts ← Model schema
src/message.ts ← Message definitions
src/command.ts ← Command functions
src/route.ts ← Route parser (if routing)
src/view.ts ← View functions (if view is large)
src/domain/ ← Shared domain schemas (if multiple entities)
Submodel directories (Tier 6-7, independent modules):
src/main.ts ← Root init, update, view
src/entry.ts ← Runtime.makeApplication + Runtime.run
src/model.ts ← Root model (contains submodels)
src/message.ts ← Root messages + Got* bridging
src/command.ts ← Shared commands
src/route.ts ← Route parser
src/domain/ ← Shared domain schemas
src/page/
featureA/
main.ts ← Submodel init, update, view
message.ts ← Submodel messages + OutMessage
command.ts ← Submodel commands
featureB/
...
Phase 3.3: Architecture sketch (Tier 4+ only)
For Tier 4+ apps (routing, domain modules, multiple entities, submodels) produce a compact sketch BEFORE generating implementations. Tier 1-3 apps are small enough to generate in one pass; Tier 4+ apps burn a lot of effort if the structure is wrong.
The sketch has five parts. Emit them inline in the conversation, get confirmation, THEN scaffold:
- File tree: the exact paths you will create. Match Phase 3's organization.
- Model shape: the top-level
Schema.Structfields and their types. Not the full schema, just the shape. - Message list: every Message you plan to define, grouped by category (clicks, inputs, commands, out-messages).
- Route list: if routing, every
defineRouteUnionvariant with its params and the path it maps to. - Domain operations: for each file in
domain/, the operations it will expose (Link.byNewest,Link.filterByTag, etc.).
Example for a Tier 4 link saver:
### Sketch
Files:
src/main.ts, entry.ts, model.ts, message.ts, command.ts, route.ts
src/domain/link.ts, index.ts
src/story.test.ts, scene.test.ts
Model:
route: AppRoute
links: ReadonlyArray<Link>
newLinkForm: NewLinkForm (url: Field<string>, title/description/tagsInput: string, submitState)
Messages:
Clicks: ClickedSaveLink, ClickedDeleteLink
Inputs: UpdatedLinkUrl, UpdatedLinkTitle, UpdatedLinkDescription, UpdatedLinkTagsInput, BlurredLinkUrl
Commands: SubmittedNewLinkForm, SucceededSaveLinks, FailedSaveLinks
Routing: ClickedLink, ChangedUrl, CompletedNavigateInternal, CompletedLoadExternal
Toggles: ToggledFavorite
Routes:
AppRoute.Home → /
AppRoute.NewLink → /new
AppRoute.TagFilter → /tag/:tag
AppRoute.NotFound → /* fallback
Domain:
Link: schema + byNewest, filterByTag, toggleFavorite, remove, updateById
After emitting the sketch, ask the user to confirm or adjust. Don't start scaffolding or generation until they do. If the user confirms silently (e.g. "looks good, continue"), proceed. If they adjust, iterate on the sketch. Don't write code against a version they haven't approved.
This step is frequently tempting to skip because the agent "knows what it's doing." Skip it and you ship a fully-generated app that turns out to need structural changes. That's the expensive form of iteration. The sketch is the cheap form.
Phase 3.5: Scaffold the Project
Before generating code, scaffold a runnable project using create-foldkit-app:
npx create-foldkit-app@latest
Run with no flags to drop into the interactive prompts; pick the counter example as the base (simplest starting point) and the user's preferred package manager. The generated project includes:
package.jsonwith all Foldkit and Effect dependenciesvite.config.tswith Tailwind and the Foldkit Vite plugintsconfig.jsonwith strict TypeScript settingsindex.htmlwith the root containersrc/styles.csswith Tailwind importFOLDKIT.mdwith Foldkit conventions, and anAGENTS.mdstub pointing at it
Offer the Foldkit subtree
After scaffolding, offer to vendor Foldkit in as a git subtree so future AI sessions can reference the full source, examples, and docs directly from the user's project. Commit the scaffold first so subtree has a base commit to merge into:
git init # if not already a git repo
git add .
git commit -m "chore: initial commit"
git subtree add --prefix=repos/foldkit https://github.com/foldkit/foldkit.git "foldkit@$(node -p "require('./node_modules/foldkit/package.json').version")" --squash
The foldkit@<version> tag pins the subtree to the release the scaffold just installed, so the vendored source, examples, and docs match the APIs the app compiles against. Vendoring main instead can hand future sessions examples and APIs from a release the app has not installed. A canary install (x.y.z-canary.<commit>) has no tag; pin to the full hash of the commit its version names instead, which GitHub expands at https://github.com/foldkit/foldkit/commit/<commit>.
This is optional but strongly recommended. The scaffolded AGENTS.md includes a subtree_prompted: false line that agents check on future sessions. If the subtree is absent and this flag is false, the agent offers to add it. Handling it up front here means the user's next AI session already has full context. If the user declines, update the line to subtree_prompted: true so they aren't asked again.
To re-pin the subtree after a Foldkit package upgrade, run the same command with pull in place of add.
Replace the scaffold
Then replace the counter example code in src/main.ts (and add additional source files as needed) with the generated app code.
Phase 3.7: Ground the Foldkit APIs
Before writing any code, READ the type signatures of every Foldkit module you will use. Guessing signatures wastes cycles: each wrong guess is a tsc error, a re-read, an edit, another typecheck. Five minutes of reading prevents thirty minutes of iteration.
The exact files to read
For each Foldkit module you plan to use, read the .d.ts at the paths below. Read the public surface; you don't need the internals. Write a short signature crib in your working notes so you don't have to re-check while generating.
# Every app
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/index.d.ts # top-level re-exports: the authoritative list of what `foldkit` exposes
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/html/index.d.ts # HtmlBuilder<Message>, element signatures, Attribute<Message>, inertHtml
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/message/public.d.ts # defineMessageUnion()
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/schema/public.d.ts # defineTaggedUnion(), taggedStruct()
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/struct/index.d.ts # evo(): check nested-update signature
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/update/public.d.ts # Update.Return, Update.ReturnWithOutMessage, Update.withOutMessage, Update.combine, Update.refresh
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/runtime/runtime.d.ts # ApplicationInit, RoutingApplicationInit, makeApplication, makeElement
# If using routing
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/route/public.d.ts # defineRouteUnion, literal, slash, string, int, Route.root, Route.mapTo, Route.oneOf, Route.parseUrlWithFallback
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/url/index.d.ts # toString
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/navigation/index.d.ts # pushUrl, load: all return Effect<void> (no Effect.ignore needed)
# If using async / side effects
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/command/index.d.ts # Command.define: config object with args/messages/interrupt/execute. Command.mapMessages for parent<-child mapping
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/asyncData/public.d.ts # AsyncData: Idle/Loading/Refreshing/Failure/Stale/Success + Schema, match, isPending, hasData, revalidate
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/http/public.d.ts # Http.layer: provide it to Commands that use HttpClient
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/dom/index.d.ts # focus, advanceFocus, scrollIntoView, showDialog, closeDialog, clickElement, lockScroll, unlockScroll, inertOthers, restoreInert, detectElementMovement, waitForAnimationSettled. For time/random/delay use Effect's Clock, Random, Effect.sleep + Duration directly. For UUIDs use Crypto.Crypto's randomUUIDv4 with BrowserCrypto.layer.
# If using subscriptions
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/subscription/index.d.ts # Subscription.make<Model, Message>, Subscription.lift, Subscription.aggregate
# If using mount / managed-resource / custom-element
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/mount/public.d.ts # Mount.define (one-shot) / Mount.defineStream (continuous): per-instance VNode lifecycle
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/managedResource/public.d.ts # ManagedResource.make / lift / aggregate + tag: for stateful runtime objects keyed on Model condition
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/customElement/index.d.ts # CustomElement.define: for typed bindings to native web components
# If the host application drives the program
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/port/public.d.ts # Port.inbound / outbound / emit / stream / subscription
# If using forms
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/fieldValidation/public.d.ts # Field (tagged union), makeRules({required?, rules}), match, validate, allValid; rule constructors on the Rule namespace (Rule.url(options), Rule.email, Rule.minLength, Rule.pattern, Rule.fromSchema, ...)
# Rule.Rule is [Predicate, Rule.RuleMessage], NOT {test, message}. Field.Invalid has `errors: NonEmptyArray<string>`, not `error: string`.
# If using any UI component (SEPARATE PACKAGE)
<project>/node_modules/@foldkit/ui/dist/<component>/public.d.ts # Model, Message, init, update, view (Submodel-shaped) or ViewConfig (render-helper-shaped), OutMessage when applicable
# Check: is it a Submodel (Menu/Listbox/Combobox/Calendar/DatePicker/Dialog/Popover/RadioGroup/Tabs/Tooltip/FileDrop/DragAndDrop/Slider/VirtualList/Toast) embedded via h.submodel, or a stateless render helper (Button/Input/Textarea/Select/Fieldset/Checkbox/Switch/Disclosure/Nav) called directly? Submodels carry their own Model/Message/update/OutMessage; render helpers don't. Check ViewInputs (for Submodels) or ViewConfig (for helpers) for the slot callbacks (toView, itemToConfig, etc.).
# If using dates
<project>/node_modules/foldkit/dist/calendar/index.d.ts # CalendarDate, today.local (returns Effect<CalendarDate>); for raw millis use Clock.currentTimeMillis
If a path above doesn't resolve, list the package's dist/ and find the module. The .d.ts is authoritative and this file is not. Where the two disagree, the .d.ts is right and the disagreement is a bug in this skill worth reporting.
What to record in the crib
For each symbol you'll call, write one line:
h: HtmlBuilder<Message> (view parameter, supplied by the runtime): { div, input (VOID), textarea (VALUE-ONLY), button, Class, Href, For, Id, Role, OnClick(Message), OnInput(value=>Message), OnBlur(Message), OnSubmit(Message), keyed, empty, submodel, ... }
Route.mapTo(schema)(parser): curried
pushUrl(path): Effect<void> // NOT fallible, no Effect.ignore needed
urlToString(url: Url): string
Update.Return<Model, Message>: { model: Model; commands?: ReadonlyArray<Command.Command<Message>>; outMessage?: never }
Command.mapMessages(commands: ReadonlyArray<Command.Command<ChildMessage>> | undefined, toParentMessage): ReadonlyArray<Command.Command<ParentMessage>>
AsyncData.Schema(DataSchema, ErrorSchema): { schema, Idle(), Loading(), Success({data}), Failure({error}), ... }
AsyncData.match(value, { onIdle, onLoading, onRefreshing, onFailure, onStale, onSuccess })
// handlers take BARE values, except onStale:
// onIdle: () => B onLoading: () => B
// onRefreshing: (data) => B onSuccess: (data) => B
// onFailure: (error) => B onStale: ({ error, data }) => B
Command.define(name, { args, messages, execute }): every input is a named field.
`execute` binds at DEFINITION and receives the decoded args object directly, so
you destructure the fields themselves; the call site passes args:
const Fetch = Command.define('Fetch', {
args: { id: Schema.String },
messages: [Ok, Err],
execute: ({ id }) => ...,
})
update: [Fetch({ id })] // NOT Fetch({ id })(effect)
Document: NOT generic, and `body` is a single Html, not an array
Input.view({ id, value, onInput, isInvalid?, type?, placeholder?, toView: (attrs) => Html }, h)
// from '@foldkit/ui', NOT Ui.Input
// attrs: { label: ReadonlyArray<Attribute<M>>, input: ..., description: ... }
Field (schema): NotValidated | Validating | Valid | Invalid(errors: NonEmpty<Rule Message>)
Specific API pitfalls the generator hits repeatedly
Record these in the crib and keep them visible while generating:
inputandbrand other void elements take ONLY attributes:input([...]), neverinput([...], []).textareaalso takes attributes only; set its content withh.Value(text), never children orh.InnerHTML.buttontakes children.- The children argument is optional on elements that accept children. Omit it when there are none:
div([Class('divider')]), notdiv([Class('divider')], []). Attributes stay required, sodiv([])is how an element with neither is written.keyedfollows the element:h.keyed('li')(key, [attrs]), noth.keyed('li')(key, [attrs], []); useh.keyed('textarea')(key, [h.Value(text)])without children. UrlRequesttags areInternalandExternal, notInternalUrl/ExternalUrl.OnClickandOnSubmittake a Message directly, not a() => Message. OnlyOnInputtakes(value) => Messagebecause it needs the input value.keyed,emptyare properties on the builderhthe view receives as its last parameter. They are not top-level exports offoldkit/html.- Attribute helpers are specific:
Value(...),Type(...),Placeholder(...),Href(...),Target(...),Rel(...),Rows(n),Id(...),For(...),Role(...),AriaLabel(...). There is no genericAttr('...', '...'). ApplicationInit<Model, Message, Flags>has no URL parameter. For routed apps, useRoutingApplicationInit<Model, Message, Flags>: the second arg isurl: Url.Route.mapTotakes the route schema, not a factory function.pipe(literal('new'), Route.mapTo(AppRoute.NewLink)). NOTRoute.mapTo(() => AppRoute.NewLink()).Effect.ignoreis ONLY for fallible Effects.pushUrl(path).pipe(Effect.as(Message())). NoEffect.ignorebecausepushUrlreturnsEffect<void>.Command.definetakes a config object with amessagesarray:Command.define('Fetch', { messages: [Message.SucceededFetch, Message.FailedFetch], execute }).messagesis required and is always an array, even for one Message:Command.define('ReadClock', { messages: [Message.RecordedTime], execute }).makeRulestakes{ required?: Rule.RuleMessage, rules: Array<Rule.Rule> }whereRule.Rule = [Predicate, Rule.RuleMessage]: a tuple, NOT{ test, message }. Rule constructors live on theRulenamespace (Rule.url({ message }),Rule.email(message?),Rule.minLength(n, message?),Rule.pattern(regex, message?),Rule.fromSchema(schema, message)).Field.Invalidhaserrors: NonEmptyArray<string>, noterror: string. UseArray.headNonEmpty(errors)to get the first message; useRule.resolveMessage(message, value)to resolve a rule message to its final string.- Route variants stay on
AppRouteand drop the repeatedRoutesuffix. WriteAppRoute.HomeandAppRoute.NewLink, not sibling bindings namedHomeRouteandNewLinkRoute. - Routers are callable for printing:
homeRouter()returns'/',tagFilterRouter({ tag: 'foo' })returns'/tag/foo'. Never hand-construct URLs. - UI components come from
@foldkit/ui, not from aUinamespace onfoldkit.import { Dialog, Input } from '@foldkit/ui', thenDialog.view(...). There is noUiexport on thefoldkitpackage. HttpClientandHttpClientRequestcome fromeffect/unstable/http, not@effect/platform. Provide the client to the Command's Effect withEffect.provide(effect, Http.layer), whereHttpis imported fromfoldkit.@effect/platform-browseris a different thing, used forBrowserKeyValueStoreandBrowserCrypto.- Use
Update.foldChildorUpdate.foldChildStepfor a child Submodel result. The fold lifts the child's Commands throughtoParentMessage. UseCommand.mapMessagesdirectly only for lower-level helpers or independent init results. - Inline a one-use update return type. Use
Message.match<Update.Return<Model, Message>>when the matcher is its only use. Create anUpdateReturnalias when another matcher, helper, or exported signature reuses the type. The match generic constrains the whole update, so omit a redundant return annotation. Constrain a domain union match inside a handler the same way, through its ownmatchormatchOrElsegeneric (Submission.match<UpdateReturn>(submission, { ... }));Match.withReturnType<UpdateReturn>()is only for EffectMatch(partial Message matches, shared multi-tag handlers, or unions without their own matcher). - Preserve the plain-return OutMessage guard. Use
Update.Return<Model, Message>when an update cannot emit an OutMessage. It prevents a result containing an OutMessage from entering code that would keep only its Model and Commands. A result with nooutMessagecan still be used whereUpdate.ReturnWithOutMessage<Model, Message, OutMessage>is expected. The missing field means that update emitted no OutMessage. A hand-written plain-return type must preserve theoutMessage?: neverfield. - Omit only statically empty Commands. A producer with statically no Commands omits
commands. A producer with a computed collection returns it without checking whether it is empty. Never writecommands: []. - Keep update-like results together. Bind each result to a value named after the operation and use dot access. Use a trailing underscore such as
init_when the operation name collides with the function. Do not destructure or renamemodel,commands, oroutMessage. Name a child fold'swriteparameter after the next child Model, such asnextSettings. Pass optional Commands directly toCommand.mapMessages; useresult.commands ?? []only when the next operation requires a concrete array. Dot access keeps the operation and all of its returned fields visible together but does not prevent someone from ignoringoutMessage. - Use the update combinators for their full patterns. Use
Update.combinewhen a later Step should receive the Model produced by an earlier Step. It takes two or more Steps. Do not wrap one Step inUpdate.combine; call that operation directly. Name an inline Step parameterstepModelwhen combining several. When the OutMessage is already known while constructing a new result, include it directly. UseUpdate.withOutMessagefor an existing plain return or a value with the typeOutMessage | undefined: pipe an existing return into the helper, and pass a new result literal first. UseUpdate.foldChildorUpdate.foldChildStepfor child results. AddtoParentOutMessageonly when at least one child OutMessage should continue to the current Submodel's parent. For partial forwarding, match every child variant and returnundefinedfor the variants that stop here. OmittoParentOutMessagewhen every variant stops here.foldOutMessagestill handles each variant locally, including variants that continue upward. Never addtoParentOutMessage: () => undefined. - Branch on a Model array with
Array.match, not the predicates.Array.isArrayEmptyandArray.isArrayNonEmpty(note the names: notisEmptyArray/isNonEmptyArray) take a mutableArray<A>, so neither compiles against theReadonlyArrayanSchema.Array(...)field decodes to.Array.matchtakesReadonlyArrayand is what the exemplars use. emptyandkeyedare properties onh, so they are never in thefoldkit/htmlimport list. Import the types (import type { Document, Html, HtmlBuilder } from 'foldkit/html') and reach forh.empty/h.keyedoff the view's builder.
Phase 4: Generate the App
Generate files following the architecture and conventions guides exactly. Write all source files into the scaffolded project's src/ directory. For each file, follow these rules:
Model
- Define as
Schema.Structwith Effect Schema types - Use discriminated unions for state:
Idle | Loading | Error | Ok, never booleans for multi-valued state - Use
Optionfor fields that may be absent. Never empty strings or null - Prefix Option-typed fields with
maybe:maybeCurrentUser,maybeError - For remote data, use the
AsyncDatamodule rather than hand-rolling a union.AsyncData.Schema(WeatherData, Schema.String)returns{ schema, Idle, Loading, Refreshing, Failure, Stale, Success }; putschemain the Model and build values with the constructors. TheRefreshingandStalestates are the point: they let a reload keep the current data on screen, and a failed reload keep it rather than discarding it.repos/foldkit/examples/weather/src/main.tsis the canonical use. ReadAsyncData.match's signature before calling it: the handlers take bare values (onSuccess: data => ...,onFailure: error => ...), exceptonStale, which takes{ error, data } - For non-remote multi-valued state (form steps, editor modes, connection phases), declare the whole union with
defineTaggedUnion(). See Discriminated Unions for State in [conventions.md](conven
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