guides-update

name	Guides Update
description	Skill for adding or updating educational algorithm guides, ensuring consistent patterns and simple explanations suitable for an 8-year-old.

Guides Update Skill

This skill is invoked when adding a new concept guide (like "prefix sum", "recursion", etc.) to the pattern guides section.

Workflow Process

1. Identify and Structure

• When asked to add a new guide pattern, first check existing guides (e.g., src/data/guides/recursion.ts) to understand the layout and format.
• Ensure the guide data file is created in src/data/guides/ and exposes a content markdown string.
• Create a corresponding page in src/app/guides/patterns/<slug>/page.tsx.
• Register the new guide in src/data/guidesData.ts under the appropriate category or as a new category, ensuring the new category matches the id and structure of existing categories.
• CRITICAL: Add the new guide's id to the PATTERN_IDS array in src/config/sidebarNav.ts so it appears in the sidebar navigation!

2. Implementation Rules & Standards

When writing the content for the guide, rigidly follow these rules:

1. Simple Analogy First: Always start with a relatable, real-world analogy. The explanation MUST be simple enough for an 8-year-old to understand (e.g., using piggy banks, Russian nesting dolls, lines at a movie theater).
2. Engaging Formatting: Use emojis, bold text for key terms, and clear headings to make the guide visually appealing and easy to read.
3. Core Formula/Concept: Clearly outline the core formula, rules, or strategy of the pattern after the analogy.
4. Interactive Visualization Link: Always include a markdown link to the interactive simulator visualization for the pattern. Format: [Visualize <Topic> in the Interactive Simulator](viz:<slug>).
5. Multi-Language Code Examples: Provide complete, working code implementations in Python, Java, C++, and TypeScript. Use clear, educational variable names. Crucially, all code blocks (the solution viewer codes) must be well-commented at a moderate rate so the user can easily understand what each line or block does.
6. Problem Walkthroughs: Include at least one common problem walkthrough (e.g., Range Sum Query, Climbing Stairs) showing how to apply the pattern.
7. Common Mistakes: Add a section explicitly listing common pitfalls or errors to watch out for (e.g., infinite loops, off-by-one errors).
8. Practice Links: End the guide with a list of related practice problems linked to the platform.

3. Verification

• Verify that guidesData.ts has been correctly updated and has no syntax errors.
• Verify that the guide page route (page.tsx) correctly mounts GuidesClient with the metadata setup.
• Verify that the language uses plain English and avoids overly dense academic jargon.