pinpoint-prototype-mode

name

pinpoint-prototype-mode

description

Opt-in rapid-iteration mode for UI/UX prototyping — layout, components, styling, page structure, interaction/flow. Relaxes test/lint/type rigor on presentational code in favor of speed while tracking the resulting debt. NOT for backend/internal work (data layer, server-action logic, auth, permissions, migrations). Use when the user says "prototype mode", "rapid iteration", "vibe", or asks to explore a UI/design idea quickly without worrying about tests passing. Also read this to EXIT the mode.

PinPoint Prototype Mode

A deliberately-entered, deliberately-exited mode for iterating on UI/UX fast — layout, components, styling, page structure, interaction and flow — without stopping to make tests, lint, and types green at every step. The work is not done when prototype mode ends; the mode tracks exactly what rigor was skipped so it can be repaid.

Scope: UI/UX only

This mode is for visual and interaction design — the stuff you want to see rendered, tweak, and see again. It is not a license to vibe-code internals.

• In scope: components, layouts, Tailwind/styling, page composition, responsive behavior, copy, empty/loading/error states, navigation and interaction flow.
• Out of scope (keep full rigor): the data layer, server-action business logic, queries, migrations, auth, permissions, anything in ~/lib that isn't presentational. If a UI idea needs data, stub or hard-code it to see the screen — don't build the real backend under relaxed rigor. When the design is settled, exit the mode and build the backend properly.

If the exploration starts requiring real backend/internal changes, that's the signal to exit prototype mode (or keep that slice rigorous) — say so rather than quietly relaxing rigor on logic that matters.

When to use

Enter only when the user explicitly asks: "prototype mode", "rapid iteration", "let's just explore", "vibe on this UI", "don't worry about tests for now", or similar — and the work is UI/UX. Never self-elect into this mode. Full rigor (AGENTS.md §2) is always the default.

Entering the mode

1. Announce: "⚡ Entering prototype mode — rigor relaxed, debt tracked."
2. Create the marker file .prototype-mode at the worktree root (it is gitignored). Seed it with the ledger template below.
3. From here on, follow the relaxed rules and append to the ledger as you skip things.

Marker file template:

# Prototype mode — entered <ISO date/time>

Goal: <one line: what are we exploring?>

## Debt ledger (repay before this work is "real")

- [ ] (nothing skipped yet)

What is RELAXED in prototype mode

• Don't run preflight/check/tests before showing work. Show the change and move on. Iterate on the idea, not the gates.
• Don't fix every lint / type-strictness error mid-flight. A red squiggle is fine while exploring. Log it in the ledger.
• Don't write test coverage yet. Log "needs tests: " in the ledger.
• Don't polish for DRY / architecture / Rule-of-Three. Duplicate freely; note it for later.
• Don't spawn review subagents or worry about CI.

Every time you skip one of these, add a concrete line to the ledger. "Later" must be a real checklist, not an implied promise.

What is NEVER relaxed (even in prototype mode)

These are cheap and keep "fast" from becoming "unusable" or "dangerous":

• No commit, no push, no PR. Prototype work stays in the working tree. (If you do commit, pre-commit/preflight hooks still run and will block — that's expected; the point of this mode is you're not committing yet.)
• Never touch production (no prod DB, no prod deploy, no prod secrets).
• Never delete or weaken existing tests to make something pass.
• Auth, permissions, and data-privacy rules still apply (AGENTS.md §2.1 #5 Supabase SSR, #10 email privacy, #11 permissions matrix) — a prototype that leaks data or bypasses a permission check isn't a prototype, it's a bug.
• localhost not 127.0.0.1 (#14) — breaking this wastes iteration time on auth failures, so keep it.

Exiting the mode

Triggered when the user says "exit prototype mode", "make this real", "let's land it", or starts asking for tests/PR/commit.

1. Read .prototype-mode and present the debt ledger as a checklist of what must now happen: tests to write, lint/type errors to fix, preflight to green, DRY cleanup.
2. Delete the marker file.
3. Announce: "✅ Exited prototype mode. Repaying debt:" followed by the checklist. Then resume full AGENTS.md §2 rigor.

Do not silently drop the ledger. If the user wants to abandon the prototype entirely, confirm before deleting the marker without repaying.