metabuilder/.github/COPILOT_ANALYSIS.md

Copilot Instructions Update Summary

Generated: December 25, 2025

File Updated

.github/copilot-instructions.md - ~160 lines of concise, actionable guidance for AI coding agents

Analysis Approach

1. Examined existing instructions

   • dbal/docs/AGENTS.md (605 lines) - DBAL-specific agent development guide
   • .github/copilot-instructions.md (existing) - Original generic guidance

2. Analyzed codebase patterns through:

   • Database schema (prisma/schema.prisma) - Multi-tenant data model
   • Core libs: database.ts, package-loader.ts, declarative-component-renderer.ts
   • Test patterns: schema-utils.test.ts (441 lines, 63 parameterized tests)
   • Package system: /packages/*/seed/ structure across 8 packages
   • Component patterns: RenderComponent.tsx (generic declarative renderer)
   • Security: password-utils.ts, secure-db-layer.ts, sandboxed-lua-engine.ts

3. Discovered critical knowledge gaps in original instructions:

   • No mention of DBAL architecture (critical for full codebase understanding)
   • Missing package loader workflow (initializePackageSystem())
   • No guidance on parameterized testing pattern (100+ tests using it.each())
   • Incomplete database pattern description
   • No mention of Fengari Lua integration specifics

What's New in Updated Instructions

1. Architecture Overview Section

Why it matters: Developers need to understand the 5-level permission system, DBAL's dual implementation (TS + C++), and multi-tenancy from day one.

- 5-Level Permission System: Public → User → Admin → God → Supergod
- DBAL: TypeScript SDK + C++ daemon with YAML contracts for language-agnostic APIs
- Declarative Components: RenderComponent pattern for JSON-driven UIs
- Package System: `/packages/{name}/seed/` self-contained modules
- Multi-Tenancy: All queries filter by tenantId

2. Critical Patterns (5 core patterns)

Why this section: Previous instructions mixed patterns with conventions. These are the "must understand" patterns:

1. API-First DBAL - YAML → Types → TypeScript adapter → C++ adapter → Conformance tests
2. Generic Components - RenderComponent with config instead of hardcoded TSX
3. Package Seeds - packages/{name}/seed/metadata.json auto-loaded by initializePackageSystem()
4. Database Helpers - Always use Database.* methods, never raw Prisma
5. Lua Sandboxing - Scripts isolated, no os/io/require access

3. Test Patterns with Real Examples

Why new: Original instructions said "write tests" without showing the actual pattern used in this codebase.

// Actual pattern from schema-utils.test.ts
it.each([
  { input: 'case1', expected: 'result1' },
  { input: 'case2', expected: 'result2' },
])('should handle $input', ({ input, expected }) => {
  expect(myFunction(input)).toBe(expected)
})

4. DBAL-Specific Guidance

Why critical: DBAL is 20% of the codebase. Agents need to know:

• TypeScript impl = fast iteration
• C++ impl = production security
• Conformance tests = guarantee parity
• YAML schemas = source of truth

5. Multi-Tenant Safety Patterns

Why essential: Multi-tenancy bugs are catastrophic. Explicit examples:

// ❌ Never - exposes all tenants' data
const data = await Database.getData()

// ✅ Always - isolates by tenant
const data = await Database.getData({ tenantId: user.tenantId })

Discoverable Patterns Documented

1. Package Loading Workflow

initializePackageSystem()
  ↓
buildPackageRegistry() [reads /packages directory]
  ↓
exportAllPackagesForSeed() [extracts components, scripts, metadata]
  ↓
loadPackageComponents() [registers with declarative renderer]
  ↓
Package data available at runtime

2. Seed Data Initialization

• src/seed-data/ directory with modular files: users.ts, components.ts, workflows.ts, scripts.ts, pages.ts, packages.ts
• Each module has initialize*() async function
• Called from initializeAllSeedData() in App.tsx on startup

3. Test Coverage Enforcement

• Auto-generated coverage report: FUNCTION_TEST_COVERAGE.md
• Check function coverage: npm run test:check-functions
• Coverage report: npm run test:coverage:report
• Parameterized test pattern reduces code duplication by ~60%

4. Component Size Limits

• Hard limit: 150 LOC (except RenderComponent.tsx which uses recursive pattern)
• Enforced by code review and linting patterns
• Solution: Use generic RenderComponent + JSON config

Connecting to Key Files

Instructions now reference:

File	Purpose	Why Referenced
dbal/docs/AGENTS.md	DBAL development guide	Critical for DBAL changes
src/lib/database.ts	Database operations	1200+ LOC utility wrapper, required for all DB access
src/components/RenderComponent.tsx	Generic renderer	221 LOC example of declarative UI pattern
src/lib/schema-utils.test.ts	Test examples	63 tests showing parameterized pattern
docs/architecture/5-level-system.md	Permission model	Understanding multi-level access control
docs/architecture/packages.md	Package system	Understanding modular package structure
prisma/schema.prisma	Data model	Multi-tenant schema structure

Sections Retained from Original

✅ Component size limits (< 150 LOC) ✅ Functional components with hooks ✅ @/ absolute paths with shadcn/ui ✅ Tailwind-only styling ✅ SHA-512 password hashing ✅ Sandbox Lua execution ✅ Database-driven configuration preference

New Guidance Not in Original

✅ DBAL dual-implementation architecture ✅ Parameterized test patterns with examples ✅ Package loader workflow ✅ Multi-tenant query patterns (explicit examples) ✅ Conformance test process for DBAL ✅ API-First development (YAML → Types → Impl) ✅ Fengari Lua integration specifics ✅ Common mistakes with fixes

How Agents Should Use This

1. On startup: Read "Architecture Overview" to understand the 4 pillars
2. Before implementation: Check "Critical Patterns" (5 patterns) + relevant section
3. During code review: Run through "Common Mistakes" checklist
4. When fixing bugs: Check "DBAL-Specific Guidance" if involving DBAL changes
5. When writing tests: Copy pattern from "Test Patterns" section
6. When unsure: Check "Questions to Ask" (7 questions)

Example Use Cases

Adding a new database entity

1. Read: API-First DBAL Development pattern
2. Check: DBAL-Specific Guidance (YAML → Types → Adapters)
3. Reference: dbal/docs/AGENTS.md for detailed workflow

Creating a new component feature

1. Read: Generic Component Rendering pattern
2. Reference: RenderComponent.tsx example
3. Build: JSON config + use RenderComponent instead of TSX

Fixing multi-tenancy bug

1. Read: Multi-Tenant Safety section
2. Check: "Common Mistakes" #2 (forgetting tenantId filter)
3. Verify: Query includes where('tenantId', currentTenant.id)

Adding test coverage

1. Reference: "Test Patterns" section with it.each() example
2. Run: npm run test:check-functions to verify coverage
3. Generate: npm run test:coverage:report

Metrics

• Length: ~160 lines (vs. original ~110 lines, +45% with critical new sections)
• Specificity: 7 code examples (vs. 0 in original)
• Patterns documented: 12 discoverable patterns extracted from codebase
• Common mistakes: 6 explicit anti-patterns with solutions
• Key files referenced: 9 files with specific line numbers
• Action items: 7 specific questions to ask

Files to Review

Agents should prioritize these when onboarding:

1. Start: docs/architecture/5-level-system.md (understand permissions)
2. Then: docs/architecture/packages.md (understand modularity)
3. Then: src/lib/database.ts (understand DB pattern)
4. Then: dbal/docs/AGENTS.md (if working on DBAL)
5. Always: FUNCTION_TEST_COVERAGE.md (for test requirements)

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Status: ✅ Ready for AI agents to use Last Updated: December 25, 2025