local-cal/.opencode/context/core/context-system/standards/structure.md

Context Structure

Purpose: Function-based folder organization for easy discovery

Last Updated: 2026-01-06

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Core Structure

ALWAYS organize by function (what info does), not just by topic.

Required folders:

• concepts/ - Core ideas, definitions, "what is it?"
• examples/ - Minimal working code
• guides/ - Step-by-step workflows
• lookup/ - Quick reference tables, commands, paths
• errors/ - Common issues, gotchas, fixes

.opencode/context/{category}/
├── navigation.md              # Navigation map (REQUIRED)
├── concepts/              # What it is
│   └── {topic}.md
├── examples/              # Working code
│   └── {example}.md
├── guides/                # How to do it
│   └── {guide}.md
├── lookup/                # Quick reference
│   └── {reference}.md
└── errors/                # Common issues
    └── {framework}.md

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Folder Purposes

concepts/

Purpose: Core ideas, definitions, "what is it?"

Contains:

• Fundamental concepts
• Design patterns
• Architecture decisions
• System principles

Examples:

• concepts/authentication.md
• concepts/state-management.md
• concepts/mvi-principle.md

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examples/

Purpose: Minimal working code examples

Contains:

• Code snippets that work as-is
• Minimal reproductions
• Common patterns in action

Examples:

• examples/jwt-auth-example.md
• examples/react-hooks-example.md
• examples/api-call-example.md

Rule: Examples should be <30 lines of code, fully functional

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guides/

Purpose: Step-by-step workflows, "how to do X"

Contains:

• Numbered procedures
• Setup instructions
• Implementation workflows
• Migration guides

Examples:

• guides/setting-up-auth.md
• guides/deploying-api.md
• guides/migrating-to-v2.md

Rule: Steps should be actionable (not theoretical)

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lookup/

Purpose: Quick reference tables, commands, paths

Contains:

• Command lists
• File locations
• API endpoints
• Configuration options
• Keyboard shortcuts

Examples:

• lookup/cli-commands.md
• lookup/file-locations.md
• lookup/api-endpoints.md

Rule: Must be in table/list format (scannable)

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errors/

Purpose: Common errors, gotchas, edge cases

Contains:

• Error messages + fixes
• Common pitfalls
• Edge cases
• Troubleshooting

Examples:

• errors/react-errors.md
• errors/nextjs-build-errors.md
• errors/auth-errors.md

Rule: Group by framework/topic, not one file per error

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navigation.md Requirement

Every context category MUST have navigation.md at its root with: 1. Purpose (1-2 sentences) 2. Navigation tables for each function folder 3. Priority levels (critical/high/medium/low) 4. Loading strategy (what to load for common tasks)

Example:

# Development Context

**Purpose**: Core development patterns, errors, and examples

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## Quick Navigation

### Concepts
| File | Description | Priority |
|------|-------------|----------|
| concepts/auth.md | Authentication patterns | critical |

### Examples
| File | Description | Priority |
|------|-------------|----------|
| examples/jwt.md | JWT auth example | high |

### Errors
| File | Description | Priority |
|------|-------------|----------|
| errors/react.md | Common React errors | high |

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## Loading Strategy

**For auth work**: 
1. Load concepts/auth.md
2. Load examples/jwt.md
3. Reference guides/setup-auth.md if needed

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Categorization Rules

When organizing a file, ask:

Question	Folder
Does it explain what something is?	concepts/
Does it show working code?	examples/
Does it explain how to do something?	guides/
Is it quick reference data?	lookup/
Does it document an error/issue?	errors/

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Anti-Patterns ❌

❌ Flat Structure

development/
├── authentication.md
├── jwt-example.md
├── setting-up-auth.md
├── auth-errors.md
└── api-endpoints.md

Problem: Hard to discover. Is authentication.md a concept or guide?

✅ Function-Based

development/
├── navigation.md
├── concepts/
│   └── authentication.md
├── examples/
│   └── jwt-example.md
├── guides/
│   └── setting-up-auth.md
├── lookup/
│   └── api-endpoints.md
└── errors/
    └── auth-errors.md

Benefit: Instantly know file purpose by location

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Validation

Before committing context structure:

• All categories have navigation.md?
• Files are in function folders (not flat)?
• README has navigation tables?
• Priority levels assigned?
• Loading strategy documented?

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Related

• mvi-principle.md - What to extract
• templates.md - File formats
• creation.md - How to create files