# AGENTS.md — Build guide for SlideFast

## Project scope
Turn notes or a permitted URL into an approved carousel outline, edit each slide and apply a reusable brand theme. Render a LinkedIn-style PDF at an explicit page size with a review of overflow and source claims.

Catalogue verdict: kinda. A personal prompt-to-carousel tool is a solid weekend build, but SlideFast's polished editor, reusable brand system, asset library, dependable multi-format exports, and publishing workflow take sustained product work.
Use the implementation prompt below to define the deliverable. Complete each phase's acceptance checks before extending the scope.

## Working agreement
- Inspect the repository and its existing instructions before choosing paths, dependencies or commands. Keep one coherent stack and explain changes to the proposed architecture.
- Plan a vertical slice that accepts a real input and produces the useful output described below. Persist only the state the prompt calls for; respect memory-only and upstream-managed workflows. Use fixtures only when they are clearly labelled.
- After scaffolding, document the actual install, development, check and build commands in README and keep them synchronized with the package or project manifest. Do not report commands as successful unless they ran.
- Work in small steps. At handoff, list implemented flows, checks actually performed, remaining blockers, and any credentials or provider setup the owner must supply.
- Do not publish, spend money, contact customers, delete source data or run irreversible migrations without the project owner's authorization.

## Prerequisites
- A supported Node release, a writable local data directory and a separate backup location. Bind to localhost; remote use requires authentication and HTTPS first. Licensed brand fonts/images and an optional model API key; local manual slide authoring works without the key.
- Implementation components: Node.js, TypeScript and Express with server-rendered HTML and small browser modules. SQLite through better-sqlite3 with migrations, prepared statements and a single background worker. A constrained slide JSON schema, 1080×1350 canvas previews and a browser/PDF renderer using approved local fonts.
- Scope boundary: Guaranteed engagement and live social publishing are excluded.

## Stack and architecture
- Node.js, TypeScript and Express with server-rendered HTML and small browser modules.
- SQLite through better-sqlite3 with migrations, prepared statements and a single background worker.
- A constrained slide JSON schema, 1080×1350 canvas previews and a browser/PDF renderer using approved local fonts.
- Domain model: carousel briefs, approved claims, slide outlines, theme tokens, text-fit warnings and PDF export jobs

## Security and data integrity
- Reject unexpected origins and unbounded request bodies even on localhost. Keep credentials outside the database export and redact sensitive text from logs.
- Correctness boundary: A generated slide cannot add unsupported statistics; font and text overflow warnings block an apparently successful final export.
- Use short SQLite transactions and persist job state before starting work. Give retries stable operation IDs; report incomplete or unknown results instead of silently repeating them.
- Use a consistent SQLite backup and an attachment manifest. Export portable JSON/CSV, then restore to a new directory without overwriting the original data.

## Agent implementation rules
- Project rule — data model: carousel briefs, approved claims, slide outlines, theme tokens, text-fit warnings and PDF export jobs
- Project rule — preserve this invariant: A generated slide cannot add unsupported statistics; font and text overflow warnings block an apparently successful final export.
- Project rule — acceptance evidence: A long title shows a fit warning and can be edited; exported PDF pages retain the approved slide order and citations where needed.

## Optional agent skills and references
- Optional external skill: [web-design-guidelines](https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/web-design-guidelines/SKILL.md) — Review web interfaces for accessibility, keyboard focus, forms, navigation and interaction quality. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
- Optional external skill: [sharp-edges](https://github.com/trailofbits/skills/blob/main/plugins/sharp-edges/skills/sharp-edges/SKILL.md) — Review security-sensitive APIs and configuration for dangerous defaults and easy-to-misuse interfaces. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
- Optional external skill: [pdf](https://github.com/anthropics/skills/blob/main/skills/pdf/SKILL.md) — Process PDFs through extraction, generation, page operations, form filling and OCR workflows. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.

Read the linked SKILL.md and its dependencies before adding a skill. Select only the skills matching this project's runtime and task; their documentation does not supply API access, credentials or approval to perform external actions. Pin the reviewed revision where the tool supports it. Follow the chosen agent's documented project-level installation mechanism.

## Distribution ideas
These are optional planning notes. Obtain the owner's approval before publishing or contacting anyone.
- Demonstrate the actual SlideFast-inspired workflow with owned or clearly labeled sample data: Turn notes or a permitted URL into an approved carousel outline, edit each slide and apply a reusable brand theme. Render a LinkedIn-style PDF at an explicit page size with a review of overflow and source claims.
- Publish a reproducible walkthrough with this observable result: A long title shows a fit warning and can be edited; exported PDF pages retain the approved slide order and citations where needed.
- Explain who can operate this scoped tool, its setup and ongoing costs, and these remaining product gaps: Guaranteed engagement and live social publishing are excluded. Avoid guaranteed savings, performance scores or implied endorsement.

## Engineering roadmap
1. Phase 1 — Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Turn notes or a permitted URL into an approved carousel outline, edit each slide and apply a reusable brand theme. Render a LinkedIn-style PDF at an explicit page size with a review of overflow and source claims. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: Guaranteed engagement and live social publishing are excluded.
2. Phase 2 — Durable model. Model carousel briefs, approved claims, slide outlines, theme tokens, text-fit warnings and PDF export jobs Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: A generated slide cannot add unsupported statistics; font and text overflow warnings block an apparently successful final export.
3. Phase 3 — Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Use short SQLite transactions and persist job state before starting work. Give retries stable operation IDs; report incomplete or unknown results instead of silently repeating them.
4. Phase 4 — Permissions and integration failure. Reject unexpected origins and unbounded request bodies even on localhost. Keep credentials outside the database export and redact sensitive text from logs. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results.
5. Phase 5 — Portable handoff. Use a consistent SQLite backup and an attachment manifest. Export portable JSON/CSV, then restore to a new directory without overwriting the original data. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README.
6. Phase 6 — Acceptance scenarios. A long title shows a fit warning and can be edited; exported PDF pages retain the approved slide order and citations where needed. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder.

## Paid-product capabilities outside this build
- polished visual editor
- reusable brand and asset library
- reliable PDF and image exports
- multi-channel publishing workflow
- hosted storage and sharing

## Implementation prompt
WORKING SLICE
Turn notes or a permitted URL into an approved carousel outline, edit each slide and apply a reusable brand theme. Render a LinkedIn-style PDF at an explicit page size with a review of overflow and source claims.

Build this scoped SlideFast-inspired workflow with a documented data model and visible failure states.

Architecture
- Node.js, TypeScript and Express with server-rendered HTML and small browser modules.
- SQLite through better-sqlite3 with migrations, prepared statements and a single background worker.
- A constrained slide JSON schema, 1080×1350 canvas previews and a browser/PDF renderer using approved local fonts.

Prerequisites and limits
A supported Node release, a writable local data directory and a separate backup location. Bind to localhost; remote use requires authentication and HTTPS first. Licensed brand fonts/images and an optional model API key; local manual slide authoring works without the key.
Outside this release: Guaranteed engagement and live social publishing are excluded.

Data model and correctness
carousel briefs, approved claims, slide outlines, theme tokens, text-fit warnings and PDF export jobs
Invariant: A generated slide cannot add unsupported statistics; font and text overflow warnings block an apparently successful final export.
Use short SQLite transactions and persist job state before starting work. Give retries stable operation IDs; report incomplete or unknown results instead of silently repeating them.

Security and privacy
Reject unexpected origins and unbounded request bodies even on localhost. Keep credentials outside the database export and redact sensitive text from logs.

Recovery and export
Use a consistent SQLite backup and an attachment manifest. Export portable JSON/CSV, then restore to a new directory without overwriting the original data.

Implementation order
1. Phase 1 — Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Turn notes or a permitted URL into an approved carousel outline, edit each slide and apply a reusable brand theme. Render a LinkedIn-style PDF at an explicit page size with a review of overflow and source claims. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: Guaranteed engagement and live social publishing are excluded.
2. Phase 2 — Durable model. Model carousel briefs, approved claims, slide outlines, theme tokens, text-fit warnings and PDF export jobs Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: A generated slide cannot add unsupported statistics; font and text overflow warnings block an apparently successful final export.
3. Phase 3 — Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Use short SQLite transactions and persist job state before starting work. Give retries stable operation IDs; report incomplete or unknown results instead of silently repeating them.
4. Phase 4 — Permissions and integration failure. Reject unexpected origins and unbounded request bodies even on localhost. Keep credentials outside the database export and redact sensitive text from logs. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results.
5. Phase 5 — Portable handoff. Use a consistent SQLite backup and an attachment manifest. Export portable JSON/CSV, then restore to a new directory without overwriting the original data. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README.
6. Phase 6 — Acceptance scenarios. A long title shows a fit warning and can be edited; exported PDF pages retain the approved slide order and citations where needed. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder.

Acceptance
A long title shows a fit warning and can be edited; exported PDF pages retain the approved slide order and citations where needed.
Use real source data or clearly labeled fixtures. Explain unsupported input and provider failures; do not fabricate analytics, delivery receipts, accuracy claims or security guarantees.

Optional agent guidance
Optional external skill: [web-design-guidelines](https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-skills/blob/main/skills/web-design-guidelines/SKILL.md) — Review web interfaces for accessibility, keyboard focus, forms, navigation and interaction quality. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: [sharp-edges](https://github.com/trailofbits/skills/blob/main/plugins/sharp-edges/skills/sharp-edges/SKILL.md) — Review security-sensitive APIs and configuration for dangerous defaults and easy-to-misuse interfaces. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: [pdf](https://github.com/anthropics/skills/blob/main/skills/pdf/SKILL.md) — Process PDFs through extraction, generation, page operations, form filling and OCR workflows. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Project rule — data model: carousel briefs, approved claims, slide outlines, theme tokens, text-fit warnings and PDF export jobs
Project rule — preserve this invariant: A generated slide cannot add unsupported statistics; font and text overflow warnings block an apparently successful final export.
Project rule — acceptance evidence: A long title shows a fit warning and can be edited; exported PDF pages retain the approved slide order and citations where needed.

## Completion evidence
Demonstrate the prompt's acceptance scenarios against the scoped workflow. Include setup from a clean checkout and failure recovery. Check persistence across restart and export/restore only for the state the prompt says to store; for memory-only tools, confirm that temporary content is discarded as specified. Record actual results and remaining limitations. A detailed plan alone does not establish a working replacement.