tool-creation-guidelines

AST parsing ensures robust code analysis by understanding structure, whereas regex pattern matching is brittle and fails on complex code. This guideline mandates AST parsers to guarantee reliable developer tool behavior.

The best way to build reliable developer tools is adopting a tool-first philosophy, using AST parsers for analysis, and applying fail-safe design with adversarial testing to ensure robustness and maintainability.

Rust is recommended for building non-AST developer tools because it delivers high performance and compiles to standalone binaries, simplifying deployment. This ensures tools run efficiently across different environments.

A verification anti-pattern occurs when developer tools mask underlying issues by automatically fixing them. This guideline advises against such tools to prevent compensating for problems they should detect.

Ensure your script follows quality assurance by implementing fail-safe design, conducting adversarial testing, and reviewing against thorough checklists. This verifies that tools maintain high standards and reliability.

You need a tool-first philosophy for repetitive tasks to improve efficiency. Building dedicated developer tools for these actions ensures long-term maintainability and consistent execution across projects.