Framework Conventions Guide

"The best code is the code you don't write. The second best is the code that's obviously correct."

Embrace the framework:

• Rich domain models over service layers
• Framework routing over custom routing
• Built-in patterns over imported patterns
• Framework's database tools, not external ORMs
• Build solutions before reaching for packages
• Trust the framework's opinions - they exist for good reasons

What to avoid (universal anti-patterns):

• External auth libraries when framework auth exists
• Complex permission systems over simple role checks
• External job queues when framework has one
• External caching when framework provides it
• Component libraries when templates work
• GraphQL when REST is sufficient
• Factory patterns in tests when fixtures/seeds work
• Microservices when a monolith suffices

Development Philosophy:

• Ship, Validate, Refine - get to production to learn
• Fix root causes, not symptoms
• Write-time operations over read-time computations
• Database constraints over application validations
• Simple code that works > clever code that impresses

1. Controllers/Views - Request handling, routing, responses
2. Models/Data - Domain logic, state management, queries
3. Frontend - Templates, components, interactivity
4. Architecture - Routing, auth, jobs, caching
5. Testing - Unit tests, integration tests, fixtures
6. Dependencies - What to use vs avoid
7. Code Review - Review against framework conventions
8. General Guidance - Philosophy and conventions

Specify a number or describe your task and your framework (Django, Laravel, Next.js, etc.)

After reading relevant references, apply patterns to the user's code.

Actions: Domain verbs that describe what happens

• Good: card.close(), order.ship(), user.activate()
• Bad: card.setStatus('closed'), order.updateShipped(true)

Predicates: Boolean queries derived from state

• Good: card.closed?, order.shipped?, user.active?
• Bad: card.isClosed, order.getIsShipped()

Collections: Descriptive scope names

• Good: chronologically, alphabetically, recent, active, pending
• Bad: sortByDate, filterActive, getRecent

REST Mapping (Universal)

Instead of custom actions, create new resources:

Custom Action          →  RESTful Resource
POST /cards/:id/close  →  POST /cards/:id/closure
DELETE /cards/:id/close → DELETE /cards/:id/closure
POST /orders/:id/ship  →  POST /orders/:id/shipment
POST /users/:id/ban    →  POST /users/:id/ban

State as Data (Universal)

Instead of boolean flags, use related records or enums:

Boolean Flag           →  State Record/Enum
card.closed = true     →  card.closure (record exists)
order.shipped = true   →  order.shipment (record exists)
user.status = 'banned' →  user.ban (record exists)

Query with joins/relations, not boolean comparisons:
- Cards with closures = closed cards
- Cards without closures = open cards

The Framework Way

Before writing custom code, ask:

1. Does the framework have a built-in way to do this?
2. Is there a convention I should follow?
3. Will this surprise other developers familiar with the framework?
4. Am I fighting the framework or working with it?

All detailed patterns in references/:

1. Shared vocabulary - Everyone knows what to expect
2. Faster onboarding - New devs understand the codebase immediately
3. Less decision fatigue - Spend energy on business logic, not architecture
4. Community support - Problems are already solved and documented
5. Upgrades are easier - Framework updates don't break custom patterns

The 90/10 Rule

The framework solves 90% of your problems elegantly. The remaining 10% often feels like it needs custom solutions, but usually:

• You're overcomplicating the requirement
• There's a framework pattern you haven't discovered
• The "limitation" is actually protecting you from a bad idea

When you truly need to go custom, document why and keep it isolated.