# Claude Instructions for WLED Screen Controller

## Code Search

**If `ast-index` is available, use it as the PRIMARY code search tool.** It is significantly faster than grep and returns structured, accurate results. Fall back to grep/Glob only when ast-index is not installed, returns empty results, or when searching regex patterns/string literals/comments.

**IMPORTANT for subagents:** When spawning Agent subagents (Plan, Explore, general-purpose, etc.), always instruct them to use `ast-index` via Bash for code search instead of grep/Glob. Example: include "Use `ast-index search`, `ast-index class`, `ast-index usages` etc. via Bash for code search" in the agent prompt.

```bash
# Check if available:
ast-index version

# Rebuild index (first time or after major changes):
ast-index rebuild

# Common commands:
ast-index search "Query"                  # Universal search across files, symbols, modules
ast-index class "ClassName"               # Find class/struct/interface definitions
ast-index usages "SymbolName"             # Find all places a symbol is used
ast-index implementations "BaseClass"     # Find all subclasses/implementations
ast-index symbol "FunctionName"           # Find any symbol (class, function, property)
ast-index outline "path/to/File.cpp"      # Show all symbols in a file
ast-index hierarchy "ClassName"           # Show inheritance tree
ast-index callers "FunctionName"          # Find all call sites
ast-index changed --base master           # Show symbols changed in current branch
ast-index update                          # Incremental update after file changes
```

## CRITICAL: Git Commit and Push Policy

**🚨 NEVER CREATE COMMITS WITHOUT EXPLICIT USER APPROVAL 🚨**

**🚨 NEVER PUSH TO REMOTE WITHOUT EXPLICIT USER APPROVAL 🚨**

### Strict Rules

1. **DO NOT** create commits automatically after making changes
2. **DO NOT** commit without being explicitly instructed by the user
3. **DO NOT** push to remote repository without explicit instruction
4. **ALWAYS WAIT** for the user to review changes and ask you to commit
5. **ALWAYS ASK** if you're unsure whether to commit

### Workflow

1. Make code changes as requested
2. **STOP** - Inform user that changes are complete
3. **WAIT** - User reviews the changes
4. **ONLY IF** user explicitly says "commit" or "create a commit":
   - Stage the files with `git add`
   - Create the commit with a descriptive message
   - **STOP** - Do NOT push
5. **ONLY IF** user explicitly says "push" or "commit and push":
   - Push to remote repository

### What Counts as Explicit Approval

✅ **YES - These mean you can commit:**
- "commit"
- "create a commit"
- "commit these changes"
- "git commit"

✅ **YES - These mean you can push:**
- "push"
- "commit and push"
- "push to remote"
- "git push"

❌ **NO - These do NOT mean you should commit:**
- "that looks good"
- "thanks"
- "perfect"
- User silence after you make changes
- Completing a feature/fix

### Example Bad Behavior (DON'T DO THIS)

```
❌ User: "Fix the MSS engine test issue"
❌ Claude: [fixes the issue]
❌ Claude: [automatically commits without asking]  <-- WRONG!
```

### Example Good Behavior (DO THIS)

```
✅ User: "Fix the MSS engine test issue"
✅ Claude: [fixes the issue]
✅ Claude: "I've fixed the MSS engine test issue by adding auto-initialization..."
✅ [WAITS FOR USER]
✅ User: "Looks good, commit it"
✅ Claude: [now creates the commit]
```

## IMPORTANT: Auto-Restart Server on Code Changes

**Whenever server-side Python code is modified** (any file under `/server/src/` **excluding** `/server/src/wled_controller/static/`), **automatically restart the server** so the changes take effect immediately. Do NOT wait for the user to ask for a restart.

**No restart needed for frontend-only changes** — but you **MUST rebuild the bundle**. The browser loads the esbuild bundle (`static/dist/app.bundle.js`, `static/dist/app.bundle.css`), NOT the source files. After ANY change to frontend files (JS, CSS under `/server/src/wled_controller/static/`), run:

```bash
cd server && npm run build
```

Without this step, changes will NOT take effect. No server restart is needed — just rebuild and refresh the browser.

### Restart procedure

Use the PowerShell restart script — it reliably stops only the server process and starts a new detached instance:

```bash
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "c:\Users\Alexei\Documents\wled-screen-controller\server\restart.ps1"
```

**Do NOT use** `Stop-Process -Name python` (kills unrelated Python processes like VS Code extensions) or bash background `&` jobs (get killed when the shell session ends).

## Default Config & API Key

The server configuration is in `/server/config/default_config.yaml`. The default API key for development is `development-key-change-in-production` (label: `dev`). The server runs on port **8080** by default.

## Project Structure

This is a monorepo containing:
- `/server` - Python FastAPI backend (see `server/CLAUDE.md` for detailed instructions)
- `/client` - Future frontend client (if applicable)

## Working with Server

For detailed server-specific instructions (restart policy, testing, etc.), see:
- `server/CLAUDE.md`

## Frontend (HTML, CSS, JS, i18n)

For all frontend conventions (CSS variables, UI patterns, modals, localization, tutorials), see [`contexts/frontend.md`](contexts/frontend.md).

## Task Tracking via TODO.md

Use `TODO.md` in the project root as the primary task tracker. **Do NOT use the TodoWrite tool** — all progress tracking goes through `TODO.md`.

- **When starting a multi-step task**: add sub-steps as `- [ ]` items under the relevant section
- **When completing a step**: mark it `- [x]` immediately — don't batch updates
- **When a task is fully done**: mark it `- [x]` and leave it for the user to clean up
- **When the user requests a new feature/fix**: add it to the appropriate section with a priority tag

## Documentation Lookup

**Use context7 MCP tools for library/framework documentation lookups.** When you need to check API signatures, usage patterns, or current behavior of external libraries (e.g., FastAPI, OpenCV, Pydantic, yt-dlp), use `mcp__plugin_context7_context7__resolve-library-id` to find the library, then `mcp__plugin_context7_context7__query-docs` to fetch up-to-date docs. This avoids relying on potentially outdated training data.

## General Guidelines

- Always test changes before marking as complete
- Follow existing code style and patterns
- Update documentation when changing behavior
- Write clear, descriptive commit messages when explicitly instructed
- Never make commits or pushes without explicit user approval
