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Add onboarding instructions for Copilot and other AI coding agents (#4314)
* Initial plan * Add copilot-instructions.md and .cursorrules for AI agents Co-authored-by: tig <585482+tig@users.noreply.github.com> --------- Co-authored-by: copilot-swe-agent[bot] <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: tig <585482+tig@users.noreply.github.com>
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# Terminal.Gui - Copilot Coding Agent Instructions
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This file provides onboarding instructions for GitHub Copilot and other AI coding agents working with Terminal.Gui.
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## Project Overview
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**Terminal.Gui** is a cross-platform UI toolkit for creating console-based graphical user interfaces in .NET. It's a large codebase (~1,050 C# files, 333MB) providing a comprehensive framework for building interactive console applications with support for keyboard and mouse input, customizable views, and a robust event system.
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**Key characteristics:**
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- **Language**: C# (net8.0)
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- **Size**: ~496 source files in core library, ~1,050 total C# files
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- **Platform**: Cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux)
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- **Architecture**: Console UI toolkit with driver-based architecture
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- **Version**: v2 (Alpha), v1 (maintenance mode)
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- **Branching**: GitFlow model (v2_develop is default/active development)
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## Building and Testing
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### Required Tools
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- **.NET SDK**: 8.0.0 (see `global.json`)
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- **Runtime**: .NET 8.x (latest GA)
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- **Optional**: ReSharper/Rider for code formatting
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### Build Commands (In Order)
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**ALWAYS run these commands from the repository root:**
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1. **Restore packages** (required first, ~15-20 seconds):
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```bash
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dotnet restore
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```
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2. **Build solution** (Debug, ~50 seconds):
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```bash
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dotnet build --configuration Debug --no-restore
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```
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- Expect ~326 warnings (nullable reference warnings, unused variables, etc.) - these are normal
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- 0 errors expected
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3. **Build Release** (for packaging):
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```bash
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dotnet build --configuration Release --no-restore
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```
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### Test Commands
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**Two test projects exist:**
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1. **Non-parallel tests** (depend on static state, ~10 min timeout):
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```bash
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dotnet test Tests/UnitTests --no-build --verbosity normal
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```
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- Uses `Application.Init` and static state
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- Cannot run in parallel
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- Includes `--blame` flags for crash diagnostics
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2. **Parallel tests** (can run concurrently, ~10 min timeout):
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```bash
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dotnet test Tests/UnitTestsParallelizable --no-build --verbosity normal
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```
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- No dependencies on static state
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- Preferred for new tests
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3. **Integration tests**:
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```bash
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dotnet test Tests/IntegrationTests --no-build --verbosity normal
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```
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**Important**: Tests may take significant time. CI uses blame flags for crash detection:
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```bash
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--diag:logs/UnitTests/logs.txt --blame --blame-crash --blame-hang --blame-hang-timeout 60s --blame-crash-collect-always
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```
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### Running Examples
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**UICatalog** (comprehensive demo app):
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```bash
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dotnet run --project Examples/UICatalog/UICatalog.csproj
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```
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## Repository Structure
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### Root Directory Files
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- `Terminal.sln` - Main solution file
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- `Terminal.sln.DotSettings` - ReSharper code style settings
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- `.editorconfig` - Code formatting rules (111KB, extensive)
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- `global.json` - .NET SDK version pinning
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- `Directory.Build.props` - Common MSBuild properties
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- `Directory.Packages.props` - Central package version management
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- `GitVersion.yml` - Version numbering configuration
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- `AGENTS.md` - General AI agent instructions (also useful reference)
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- `CONTRIBUTING.md` - Contribution guidelines
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- `README.md` - Project documentation
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### Main Directories
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**`/Terminal.Gui/`** - Core library (496 C# files):
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- `App/` - Application lifecycle (`Application.cs` static class, `RunState`, `MainLoop`)
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- `Configuration/` - `ConfigurationManager` for settings
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- `Drivers/` - Console driver implementations (`IConsoleDriver`, `NetDriver`, `UnixDriver`, `WindowsDriver`)
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- `Drawing/` - Rendering system (attributes, colors, glyphs)
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- `Input/` - Keyboard and mouse input handling
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- `ViewBase/` - Core `View` class hierarchy and layout
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- `Views/` - Specific View subclasses (Window, Dialog, Button, ListView, etc.)
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- `Text/` - Text manipulation and formatting
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**`/Tests/`**:
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- `UnitTests/` - Non-parallel tests (use `Application.Init`, static state)
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- `UnitTestsParallelizable/` - Parallel tests (no static dependencies)
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- `IntegrationTests/` - Integration tests
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- `StressTests/` - Long-running stress tests (scheduled daily)
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- `coverlet.runsettings` - Code coverage configuration
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**`/Examples/`**:
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- `UICatalog/` - Comprehensive demo app for manual testing
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- `Example/` - Basic example
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- `NativeAot/`, `SelfContained/` - Deployment examples
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- `ReactiveExample/`, `CommunityToolkitExample/` - Integration examples
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**`/docfx/`** - Documentation source:
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- `docs/` - Conceptual documentation (deep dives)
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- `api/` - Generated API docs (gitignored)
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- `docfx.json` - DocFX configuration
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**`/Scripts/`** - PowerShell build utilities (requires PowerShell 7.4+)
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**`/.github/workflows/`** - CI/CD pipelines:
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- `unit-tests.yml` - Main test workflow (Ubuntu, Windows, macOS)
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- `build-release.yml` - Release build verification
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- `integration-tests.yml` - Integration test workflow
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- `publish.yml` - NuGet package publishing
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- `api-docs.yml` - Documentation building and deployment
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- `codeql-analysis.yml` - Security scanning
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## Code Style and Quality
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### Formatting
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- **Do NOT add formatting tools** - Use existing `.editorconfig` and `Terminal.sln.DotSettings`
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- Format code with:
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1. ReSharper/Rider (`Ctrl-E-C`)
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2. JetBrains CleanupCode CLI tool (free)
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3. Visual Studio (`Ctrl-K-D`) as fallback
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- **Only format files you modify**
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### Code Style Tenets
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1. **Six-Year-Old Reading Level** - Readability over terseness
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2. **Consistency, Consistency, Consistency** - Follow existing patterns ruthlessly
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3. **Don't be Weird** - Follow Microsoft/.NET conventions
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4. **Set and Forget** - Rely on automated tooling
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5. **Documentation is the Spec** - API docs are source of truth
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### Coding Conventions
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- Use explicit types (avoid `var` except for basic types like `int`, `string`)
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- Use target-typed `new()`
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- Follow `.editorconfig` settings (e.g., braces on new lines, spaces after keywords)
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- 4-space indentation
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- See `CONTRIBUTING.md` for full guidelines
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## Testing Requirements
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### Code Coverage
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- **Never decrease code coverage** - PRs must maintain or increase coverage
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- Target: 70%+ coverage for new code
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- CI monitors coverage on each PR
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### Test Patterns
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- **Parallelizable tests preferred** - Add new tests to `UnitTestsParallelizable` when possible
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- **Avoid static dependencies** - Don't use `Application.Init`, `ConfigurationManager` in tests
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- **Don't use `[AutoInitShutdown]`** - Legacy pattern, being phased out
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- **Make tests granular** - Each test should cover smallest area possible
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- Follow existing test patterns in respective test projects
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### Test Configuration
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- `xunit.runner.json` - xUnit configuration
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- `coverlet.runsettings` - Coverage settings (OpenCover format)
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## API Documentation Requirements
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**All public APIs MUST have XML documentation:**
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- Clear, concise `<summary>` tags
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- Use `<see cref=""/>` for cross-references
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- Add `<remarks>` for context
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- Include `<example>` for non-obvious usage
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- Complex topics → `docfx/docs/*.md` files
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- Proper English and grammar
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## Common Build Issues
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### Issue: Build Warnings
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- **Expected**: ~326 warnings (nullable refs, unused vars, xUnit suggestions)
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- **Action**: Don't add new warnings; fix warnings in code you modify
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### Issue: Test Timeouts
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- **Expected**: Tests can take 5-10 minutes
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- **Action**: Use appropriate timeout values (60-120 seconds for test commands)
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### Issue: Restore Failures
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- **Solution**: Ensure `dotnet restore` completes before building
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- **Note**: Takes 15-20 seconds on first run
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### Issue: NativeAot/SelfContained Build
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- **Solution**: Restore these projects explicitly:
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```bash
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dotnet restore ./Examples/NativeAot/NativeAot.csproj -f
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dotnet restore ./Examples/SelfContained/SelfContained.csproj -f
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```
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## CI/CD Validation
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The following checks run on PRs:
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1. **Unit Tests** (`unit-tests.yml`):
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- Runs on Ubuntu, Windows, macOS
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- Both parallel and non-parallel test suites
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- Code coverage collection
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- 10-minute timeout per job
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2. **Build Release** (`build-release.yml`):
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- Verifies Release configuration builds
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- Tests NativeAot and SelfContained builds
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- Packs NuGet package
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3. **Integration Tests** (`integration-tests.yml`):
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- Cross-platform integration testing
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- 10-minute timeout
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4. **CodeQL Analysis** (`codeql-analysis.yml`):
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- Security vulnerability scanning
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To replicate CI locally:
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```bash
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# Full CI sequence:
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dotnet restore
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dotnet build --configuration Debug --no-restore
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dotnet test Tests/UnitTests --no-build --verbosity normal
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dotnet test Tests/UnitTestsParallelizable --no-build --verbosity normal
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dotnet build --configuration Release --no-restore
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```
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## Branching and PRs
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### GitFlow Model
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- `v2_develop` - Default branch, active development
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- `v2_release` - Stable releases, matches NuGet
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- `v1_develop`, `v1_release` - Legacy v1 (maintenance only)
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### PR Requirements
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- **Title**: "Fixes #issue. Terse description"
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- **Description**: Include "- Fixes #issue" for each issue
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- **Tests**: Add tests for new functionality
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- **Coverage**: Maintain or increase code coverage
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- **Scenarios**: Update UICatalog scenarios when adding features
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## Key Architecture Concepts
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### View System
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- `View` base class in `/Terminal.Gui/ViewBase/`
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- Two layout modes: Absolute and Computed
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- Event-driven architecture
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- Adornments: Border, Margin, Padding
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### Console Drivers
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- `IConsoleDriver` interface
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- Platform-specific: `WindowsDriver`, `UnixDriver`, `NetDriver`
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- `FakeDriver` for testing
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### Application Lifecycle
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- `Application` static class manages lifecycle
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- `MainLoop` handles event processing
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- `RunState` tracks application state
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## What NOT to Do
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- ❌ Don't add new linters/formatters (use existing)
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- ❌ Don't modify unrelated code
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- ❌ Don't remove/edit unrelated tests
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- ❌ Don't break existing functionality
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- ❌ Don't add tests to `UnitTests` if they can be parallelizable
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- ❌ Don't use `Application.Init` in new tests
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- ❌ Don't decrease code coverage
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- ❌ Don't add `var` everywhere (use explicit types)
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## Additional Resources
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- **Full Documentation**: https://gui-cs.github.io/Terminal.Gui
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- **API Reference**: https://gui-cs.github.io/Terminal.Gui/api/Terminal.Gui.App.html
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- **Deep Dives**: `/docfx/docs/` directory
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- **AGENTS.md**: Additional AI agent instructions
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- **CONTRIBUTING.md**: Detailed contribution guidelines
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---
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**Trust these instructions.** Only search for additional information if instructions are incomplete or incorrect.
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