beta_shape_pnpi/DEVELOPMENT.md

Development Workflow

1. Setup

Do not attempt system wide pip installations. Use virtual environment 'sci'. Default venv location: ~/.pyenv/.

source ~/.pyenv/sci/bin/activate
pip install -e ".[dev]"

2. Git Workflow

Before Starting Any Work

git status          # MUST show clean working tree
git fetch origin
git rebase origin/main   # update to latest main

If git status is not clean, commit or stash existing changes first. Never begin new work on a dirty working tree.

Branch Strategy

git checkout main
git checkout -b dev/<feature-name>   # always create a new branch

Branch naming: dev/<short-description> (e.g., dev/recoil-correction)

Merging Rules

• All work happens on dev/* branches — never commit directly to main
• Tests MUST pass before any merge attempt
• Merging to main requires a pull request with passing CI checks
• If tests fail, fix them on the dev branch — do NOT merge broken code

3. Test-Driven Development

TDD Cycle

1. Red — write a failing test that expresses the desired behavior
2. Green — implement minimal code to make the test pass
3. Refactor — clean up code while keeping all tests green

Test Conventions

• Tests live in tests/ with the same structure as beta_spectrum/
• New component beta_spectrum/components/foo.py → test file tests/test_foo.py
• Use shared fixtures from tests/conftest.py (W_low, W_mid, W_high, W_full, large_W)
• Organize tests in classes by feature area (e.g., TestComponentBasicProperties, TestComponentEdgeCases)
• Each test class should have a docstring explaining what is being tested and why
• Use descriptive test names: test_threshold_vanishes, not test_1

What to Test

See CONVENTIONS.md §4 for physics-specific testing guidelines (physical constraints, positivity, numerical stability).

For general test structure, use the conventions below.

4. Quality Gates

All of the following MUST pass before merging to main:

pytest                           # all tests pass
black --check .                  # code formatting
ruff check .                     # linting
mypy .                           # type checking (strict mode)

These are configured in pyproject.toml. Run them individually to identify failures.

5. Agent Instructions

When working on this project, agents must:

1. Read existing tests first — understand patterns before writing new ones
2. Follow existing conventions — match test style, fixture usage, and class organization
3. Never commit changes without explicit user request
4. Never merge branches without explicit user request
5. Verify git status is clean before starting any file modifications
6. Work on a dev branch — create dev/<description> and switch to it
7. Run quality gates after making changes and report results
8. Update docs when changing public API or adding features

6. Release Checklist

• All tests pass (pytest)
• Code is formatted (black --check)
• No lint errors (ruff check)
• Type checks pass (mypy)
• Update version in pyproject.toml
• Update Development Status section in README.md
• Commit changes
• Create git tag: git tag v<version>
• Push to remote