METHODOLOGY.md

Universal software project methodology (concise, project-agnostic)

1) Clarify the intent before coding

• State the goal, constraints, assumptions, and unknowns.
• If ambiguous, document a safe default and/or list options with trade-offs.

2) Deliver the smallest useful increment

• Build only what is required to meet the goal now.
• Avoid speculative features and unnecessary abstraction.
• Minimize dependencies; justify each new dependency or custom build by overall risk and maintenance cost.

3) Keep changes focused and consistent

• Change only what the goal requires, plus necessary integration points.
• Defer unrelated refactors unless they block delivery.
• Follow existing conventions; if none exist, define lightweight ones and apply consistently.

4) Make “done” measurable and verified

• Define success criteria (acceptance criteria, metrics, or observable outcomes).
• Validate with automated checks when feasible; otherwise provide clear manual verification steps.
• Record what was verified and what remains unverified.

5) Engineer robustness proportional to risk

• Handle realistic edge cases at Input/Output (I/O) boundaries and external interactions.
• Treat “impossible” cases as assumptions and document them.
• Address quality attributes as needed (security, privacy, reliability, performance, compliance), scaling rigor to impact.