# Best Practices

> Activate when starting new work to check for established patterns. Activate when ensuring consistency with team standards or when promoting successful memory patterns. Searches and applies best practices before implementation. Use when this capability is needed.

- Skill: `tomevault-io/best-practices-19` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/best-practices-19`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/best-practices-19/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/best-practices-19

---


# Best Practices Skill

Search and apply established best practices before implementation.

## When to Use

- Starting new implementation work
- Checking for established patterns
- Promoting successful memory patterns
- Ensuring consistency with team standards

## Best Practices Location

Best practices are stored in `best-practices/<category>/`:
- `best-practices/architecture/`
- `best-practices/development/`
- `best-practices/git/`
- `best-practices/operations/`
- `best-practices/quality/`
- `best-practices/security/`
- `best-practices/collaboration/`

## Search Before Implementation

**MANDATORY**: Check best-practices AND memory before starting work:

1. **Identify** the domain/category of work
2. **Search best-practices** directory:
   ```bash
   find best-practices/<category>/ -name "*.md"
   ```
3. **Search memory** for related patterns:
   ```text
   memory search: "<relevant keywords>"
   ```

   (CLI fallback: `node ./.claude/skills/memory/cli.js search "<relevant keywords>"` for project installs,
   or `node ~/.claude/skills/memory/cli.js search "<relevant keywords>"` for user installs.)
4. **Apply** established patterns to implementation
5. **Note** deviations with justification

## Best Practice Format

```markdown
# [Practice Name]

## When to Use
[Situations where this practice applies]

## Pattern
[The recommended approach]

## Example
[Concrete implementation example]

## Rationale
[Why this approach is preferred]

## Anti-patterns
[What to avoid]
```

## Promotion from Memory

When a memory pattern proves successful:
1. **Threshold**: Used 3+ times successfully
2. **Validation**: Pattern is generalizable
3. **Documentation**: Full best-practice format
4. **Location**: Move to appropriate category
5. **References**: Update memory to link to best-practice

## Integration with AgentTasks

When creating AgentTasks, reference applicable best practices:
```yaml
context:
  best_practices:
    - category: security
      practice: input-validation
    - category: git
      practice: commit-messages
```

## Categories

| Category | Focus |
|----------|-------|
| architecture | System design patterns |
| collaboration | Team workflow patterns |
| development | Coding standards |
| git | Version control practices |
| operations | Deployment/monitoring |
| quality | Testing/review practices |
| security | Security patterns |

---
> Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/intelligentcode-ai) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.
<!-- tomevault:4.0:skill_md:2026-04-11 -->