Agent skill
smith-standards
Universal coding standards for emoji usage, comments, datetime formatting, and file conventions. Use when writing code, logs, documentation, or any text output. Always active as universal rules for all development.
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/tianjianjiang/smith/tree/main/smith-standards
SKILL.md
Universal Coding Standards
- Scope: Universal coding standards (emoji, comments, datetime)
- Load if: Always active (universal rules for all development)
- Prerequisites: @smith-principles/SKILL.md
CRITICAL: Universal Rules (Primacy Zone)
- Decorative emoji in code, logs, or documentation
- Files without exactly one trailing newline
- Self-documenting code over inline comments
- ISO 8601 timestamps with timezone
Universal standards that apply to all code, logs, documentation, and outputs across all languages and contexts.
Universal Code Standards
- NEVER use decorative emoji (for example: x-mark, check mark, warning, memo, celebration, thumbs-up symbols) in code, logs, print statements, error messages, or documentation. Exception: user-facing UI text if explicitly requested. Functional Unicode symbols (→, ±×÷) are allowed. Checkmarks are redundant when followed by descriptive labels.
- NEVER add excessive blank lines between code blocks
- NEVER commit files without exactly one trailing newline
Inline Comments:
- ONLY add inline comments when code intent is not self-evident from naming and structure
- Prefer self-documenting code (clear variable/function names) over inline comments
- Allowed cases: Config files (.env), TODO markers, complex algorithms, non-obvious business logic
File Format:
- ALWAYS have exactly one newline at the end of every file
- ALWAYS use language-appropriate formatters before commits
- ALWAYS use descriptive names following language conventions
DateTime Standards
Timezone: All timestamps MUST use local timezone dynamically
Format: ISO 8601 with timezone: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS±HH:MM
Examples:
- Python:
datetime.now().astimezone().isoformat()(automatically uses local timezone) - JavaScript:
new Date().toISOString()(UTC) ornew Date().toLocaleString('en-CA', {timeZoneName: 'short'})(local with timezone)
Quality Standards
Documentation: Use precise, technical language; maintain consistent terminology; follow these standards in ALL text outputs
Testing: ALWAYS update reports when standards change; maintain test documentation accuracy
Code Reuse: ALWAYS check existing scripts before creating new ones; check debug_scripts/ and language-specific tool directories
- @smith-principles/SKILL.md - Fundamental coding principles
@smith-style/SKILL.md- Path and naming standards- @smith-guidance/SKILL.md - AI agent behavior patterns (always active)
@smith-dev/SKILL.md- Development workflow@smith-tests/SKILL.md- Testing standards@smith-git/SKILL.md- Version control@smith-gh-pr/SKILL.md- Pull request workflows@smith-gh-cli/SKILL.md- GitHub CLI operations
ACTION (Recency Zone)
Before committing:
- No decorative emoji in code/logs
- Exactly one trailing newline
- Self-documenting names over comments
- ISO 8601 timestamps with timezone
Recommended Agent Skills
Expand your agent's capabilities with these related and highly-rated skills.
tianjianjiang/smith
smith-style
File naming, path standards, and conventional commits. Use when naming files, creating branches, writing commit messages, or setting up new projects. Covers underscore vs hyphen conventions, commit format, and branch naming patterns.
tianjianjiang/smith
smith-stacks
Stacked pull request workflows for large features. Use when creating stacked PRs, managing dependent PRs, or rebasing after parent merges. Covers stack creation, merge order, and squash merge handling.
tianjianjiang/smith
smith-python
Python development with uv, pytest, ruff, and type hints. Use when writing Python code, running tests, managing Python packages, or working with virtual environments. Covers import organization, type hints, pytest patterns, and environment variables.
tianjianjiang/smith
smith-principles
Fundamental coding principles (DRY, KISS, YAGNI, SOLID, HHH). Use when starting any development task, evaluating implementation approaches, or reviewing code quality. Always active as foundation for all development decisions.
tianjianjiang/smith
smith-nuxt
Nuxt 3 development patterns including auto-import stubbing for tests, environment variable conventions, and middleware testing. Use when working with Nuxt projects, testing Nuxt components/middleware, or configuring Nuxt environment variables.
tianjianjiang/smith
smith-plan
Plan tracking protocol (portable). Progress tracking with checkboxes, iteration workflow, completion/blocker signals. Use when executing multi-step plans, tracking task progress, or working from plan files. IMPORTANT - Always update the plan file after completing tasks.
Didn't find tool you were looking for?