coding-best-practices
Coding best practices
Own the requested change through a working, verified result. Start with the problem and inspect the relevant code before choosing a solution.
Resolve what you can
Use the repository, existing behavior, logs, and a reproduction to fill gaps. Make routine, reversible choices and state assumptions that affect the result. A short plan helps when the work has dependencies; a small fix does not need a planning ceremony.
Ask when missing information changes the intended outcome or exceeds your authority. Explain what you found and recommend a choice. Keep working on independent parts while waiting.
Keep the change small
Implement the simplest solution that satisfies the request. Follow the repository's conventions. Avoid speculative options, one-use abstractions, and unrelated cleanup. Remove code your change makes obsolete and preserve other people's work.
A bug fix should address the cause. Reproduce the failure when possible, trace it, and check that the fix changes the observed behavior. Do not hide failures with fallback values or guards that make the symptom disappear.