Convention Learner

Convention Learner

Core Principles

1. Observe before enforcing — Never impose conventions without first analyzing the existing codebase. A project with 200 internal sealed class handlers should not get a new public class handler. Detect first, then match.
2. Project conventions override generic rules — If the project uses *Service instead of *Handler, follow the project's convention even if the kit default is different. Explicit .editorconfig and Directory.Build.props rules always win.
3. Use MCP tools for analysis — get_public_api reveals naming patterns, get_project_graph shows structure conventions, detect_antipatterns tracks quality trends. Tools provide objective data; file reads provide confirmation.
4. Document findings — After detecting conventions, suggest adding them to the project's CLAUDE.md. Undocumented conventions are lost when the original developers leave.
5. Consistency over perfection — A project with consistent snake_case database columns is better than a project with half snake_case and half PascalCase. Match the existing pattern, even if another convention is theoretically superior.

Patterns

Convention Detection Flow

Systematic analysis to understand a project's coding conventions. Run this when joining an existing project or before generating new code.

Step 1: Project Structure Analysis

→ get_project_graph
  Detect:
  - Project naming: PascalCase? Dots? (MyApp.Domain vs Domain)
  - Layer organization: by layer (Domain/Application/Infrastructure) or by feature?
  - Test project naming: *.Tests, *.UnitTests, *.IntegrationTests?
  - Shared project: Common/, Shared/, BuildingBlocks/?

Step 2: Type Naming Patterns

→ get_public_api (on 3-5 key types across different layers)
  Detect:
  - Class modifiers: sealed? internal? internal sealed?
  - Interface prefix: I* (standard) or no prefix?
  - Suffix conventions: Handler, Service, Repository, Validator, Endpoint?
  - Record usage: for DTOs? for value objects? for commands/queries?
  - Primary constructor usage: consistently? selectively?

Step 3: Folder Structure Patterns Scan the file system for structural conventions:

• Feature folders: Features/{FeatureName}/ with all files together?
• Layer folders: Controllers/, Services/, Repositories/ separate?
• Shared patterns: Common/, Extensions/, Middleware/?
• Configuration location: root? Config/ folder? Infrastructure/?

Step 4: Configuration Detection Check for explicit convention enforcers:

→ Look for Directory.Build.props
  - TreatWarningsAsErrors?
  - Nullable enabled globally?
  - ImplicitUsings?
  - AnalysisLevel?

→ Look for .editorconfig
  - Naming rules: camelCase fields? _prefixed privates?
  - Code style: var preferences, expression bodies, using placement

→ Look for global.json
  - SDK version pinned?
  - Roll-forward policy?

Step 5: Build Convention Summary Compile findings into a structured summary:

## Detected Conventions

### Naming
- Classes: `internal sealed class` (95% of handlers/services)
- Suffixes: Handlers end in `Handler`, validators in `Validator`
- Records: Used for DTOs and commands/queries

### Structure
- Architecture: Vertical Slice Architecture
- Features: `Features/{Name}/` with command, handler, validator, endpoint in one file

### Code Style
- Primary constructors: Used consistently for DI injection
- Nullable: Enabled globally, no suppressions (`!`) used
- File-scoped namespaces: 100% consistent

Add categories as needed: EF Core (configurations, naming, migrations), Testing (framework, naming, fixtures), etc.

Convention Enforcement

Apply detected conventions when generating new code or reviewing existing code.

When Generating Code: Match every detected pattern:

// If existing handlers are: internal sealed class + primary constructor
// Generate matching:
internal sealed class CreateProductHandler(AppDbContext db, TimeProvider clock)
{
    // Not: public class CreateProductHandler
    // Not: internal class CreateProductHandler (missing sealed)
}

// If existing DTOs are records with init properties
// Generate matching:
public record ProductResponse(Guid Id, string Name, decimal Price);
// Not: public class ProductResponse { public Guid Id { get; set; } }

When Reviewing Code: Flag deviations from detected conventions:

⚠️ Convention violation: CreateOrderHandler is `public class` but project convention
   is `internal sealed class` (detected in 12/12 existing handlers).
   Change to: internal sealed class CreateOrderHandler

Suggesting Enforcement Rules: After detecting conventions, suggest .editorconfig rules to enforce them automatically:

# Key .editorconfig rules to suggest based on detected conventions
dotnet_diagnostic.CA1852.severity = warning           # Seal internal types
csharp_style_namespace_declarations = file_scoped:warning
csharp_style_prefer_primary_constructors = true:suggestion
# Add dotnet_naming_rule entries for private field prefix (_camelCase) if detected

Anti-pattern Tracking

Use detect_antipatterns to track recurring quality issues across sessions.

Periodic Check:

→ detect_antipatterns (scope: solution)
  Track over time:
  - Are the same patterns recurring? (DateTime.Now keeps appearing)
  - Are new patterns emerging? (new HttpClient() in a new module)
  - Is the count trending up or down?

Prioritization:

| Anti-pattern | Count | Trend | Priority |
|-------------|-------|-------|----------|
| DateTime.Now | 12 | ↑ +3 | High — add to CLAUDE.md conventions |
| async void | 1 | → same | Medium — one-off fix |
| new HttpClient | 0 | ↓ -2 | Low — already fixing |

When patterns recur, add explicit rules to CLAUDE.md:

## Conventions
- **NEVER use DateTime.Now** — Use TimeProvider.GetUtcNow() (12 violations found, fixing)

Anti-patterns

Enforcing Without Detecting

# BAD — Imposing kit defaults on a project with its own conventions
"All handlers should be internal sealed class"
# But this project uses public class with interfaces for testing

# GOOD — Detect first, then follow what exists
→ get_public_api reveals: 8/8 handlers are `public class` implementing `IHandler<T>`
"This project uses public handlers with interfaces. Matching that convention."

Overriding Explicit Project Rules

# BAD — Ignoring .editorconfig because kit says otherwise
# .editorconfig says: csharp_style_expression_bodied_methods = false
# But generating expression-bodied methods anyway

# GOOD — .editorconfig and Directory.Build.props always win
"Your .editorconfig disables expression-bodied methods.
I'll use block-bodied methods to match your project settings."

Applying Generic Conventions to Unconventional Projects

# BAD — Forcing Clean Architecture naming on a VSA project
"You need a Services/ folder and a Repositories/ folder"
# But this project uses feature folders with everything co-located

# GOOD — Match the project's organizational convention
"This project uses feature folders. I'll add the new feature
at Features/Shipping/ with all related files together."

Documenting Conventions Without Evidence

# BAD — "Conventions" based on reading one file
"Convention: Use var everywhere" (based on seeing var in one method)

# GOOD — Document only patterns confirmed across multiple files
→ get_public_api on 5 types: 100% use explicit types for non-obvious cases
"Convention: Use explicit types for non-obvious cases (e.g., method returns),
var for obvious cases (e.g., new MyClass()). Confirmed across 5 files."

Decision Guide