resource-curator

name	resource-curator
description	Find, evaluate, and maintain high-quality external resources for JavaScript concept documentation, including auditing for broken and outdated links

Skill: Resource Curator for Concept Pages

Use this skill to find, evaluate, add, and maintain high-quality external resources (articles, videos, courses) for concept documentation pages. This includes auditing existing resources for broken links and outdated content.

When to Use

• Adding resources to a new concept page
• Refreshing resources on existing pages
• Auditing for broken or outdated links
• Reviewing community-contributed resources
• Periodic link maintenance

Resource Curation Methodology

Follow these five phases for comprehensive resource curation.

Phase 1: Audit Existing Resources

Before adding new resources, audit what's already there:

1. Check link accessibility — Does each link return 200?
2. Verify content accuracy — Is the content still correct?
3. Check publication dates — Is it too old for the topic?
4. Identify outdated content — Does it use old syntax/patterns?
5. Review descriptions — Are they specific or generic?

Phase 2: Identify Resource Gaps

Compare current resources against targets:

Section	Target Count	Icon
Reference	2-4 MDN links	book
Articles	4-6 articles	newspaper
Videos	3-4 videos	video
Courses	1-3 (optional)	graduation-cap
Books	1-2 (optional)	book

Ask:

• Are there enough resources for beginners AND advanced learners?
• Is there visual content (diagrams, animations)?
• Are official references (MDN) included?
• Is there diversity in teaching styles?

Phase 3: Find New Resources

Search trusted sources using targeted queries:

For Articles:

[concept] javascript tutorial site:javascript.info
[concept] javascript explained site:freecodecamp.org
[concept] javascript site:dev.to
[concept] javascript deep dive site:2ality.com
[concept] javascript guide site:css-tricks.com

For Videos:

YouTube: [concept] javascript explained
YouTube: [concept] javascript tutorial
YouTube: jsconf [concept]
YouTube: [concept] javascript fireship
YouTube: [concept] javascript web dev simplified

For MDN:

[concept] site:developer.mozilla.org
[API name] MDN

Phase 4: Write Descriptions

Every resource needs a specific, valuable description:

Formula:

Sentence 1: What makes this resource unique OR what it specifically covers
Sentence 2: Why reader should click (what they'll gain, who it's best for)

Phase 5: Format and Organize

• Use correct Card syntax with proper icons
• Order resources logically (foundational first, advanced later)
• Ensure consistent formatting

---

Trusted Sources

Reference Sources (Priority Order)

Priority	Source	URL	Best For
1	MDN Web Docs	developer.mozilla.org	API docs, guides, compatibility
2	ECMAScript Spec	tc39.es/ecma262	Authoritative behavior
3	Node.js Docs	nodejs.org/docs	Node-specific APIs
4	Web.dev	web.dev	Performance, best practices
5	Can I Use	caniuse.com	Browser compatibility

Article Sources (Priority Order)

Priority	Source	Why Trusted
1	javascript.info	Comprehensive, exercises, well-maintained
2	MDN Guides	Official, accurate, regularly updated
3	freeCodeCamp	Beginner-friendly, practical
4	2ality (Dr. Axel)	Deep technical dives, spec-focused
5	CSS-Tricks	DOM, visual topics, well-written
6	dev.to (Lydia Hallie)	Visual explanations, animations
7	LogRocket Blog	Practical tutorials, real-world
8	Smashing Magazine	In-depth, well-researched
9	Digital Ocean	Clear tutorials, examples
10	Kent C. Dodds	Testing, React, best practices

Video Creators (Priority Order)

Priority	Creator	Style	Best For
1	Fireship	Fast, modern, entertaining	Quick overviews, modern JS
2	Web Dev Simplified	Clear, beginner-friendly	Beginners, fundamentals
3	Fun Fun Function	Deep-dives, personality	Understanding "why"
4	Traversy Media	Comprehensive crash courses	Full topic coverage
5	JSConf/dotJS	Expert conference talks	Advanced, in-depth
6	Academind	Thorough explanations	Complete understanding
7	The Coding Train	Creative, visual	Visual learners
8	Wes Bos	Practical, real-world	Applied learning
9	The Net Ninja	Step-by-step tutorials	Following along
10	Programming with Mosh	Professional, clear	Career-focused

Course Sources

Source	Type	Notes
javascript.info	Free	Comprehensive, exercises
Piccalilli	Free	Well-written, modern
freeCodeCamp	Free	Project-based
Frontend Masters	Paid	Expert instructors
Egghead.io	Paid	Short, focused lessons
Udemy (top-rated)	Paid	Check reviews carefully
Codecademy	Freemium	Interactive

---

Quality Criteria

Must Have (Required)

• Link works — Returns 200 (not 404, 301, 5xx)
• JavaScript-focused — Not primarily about C#, Python, Java, etc.
• Technically accurate — No factual errors or anti-patterns
• Accessible — Free or has meaningful free preview

Should Have (Preferred)

• Recent enough — See publication date guidelines below
• Reputable source — From trusted sources list or well-known creator
• Unique perspective — Not duplicate of existing resources
• Appropriate depth — Matches concept complexity
• Good engagement — Positive comments, high views (for videos)

Red Flags (Reject)

Red Flag	Why It Matters
Uses var everywhere	Outdated for ES6+ topics
Teaches anti-patterns	Harmful to learners
Primarily other languages	Wrong focus
Hard paywall (no preview)	Inaccessible
Pre-2015 for modern topics	Likely outdated
Low quality comments	Often indicates issues
Factual errors	Spreads misinformation
Clickbait title, thin content	Wastes reader time

---

Publication Date Guidelines

Topic Category	Minimum Year	Reasoning
ES6+ Features	2015+	ES6 released June 2015
Promises	2015+	Native Promises in ES6
async/await	2017+	ES2017 feature
ES Modules	2018+	Stable browser support
Optional chaining (?.)	2020+	ES2020 feature
Nullish coalescing (??)	2020+	ES2020 feature
Top-level await	2022+	ES2022 feature
Fundamentals (closures, scope, this)	Any	Core concepts don't change
DOM manipulation	2018+	Modern APIs preferred
Fetch API	2017+	Widespread support

Rule of thumb: For time-sensitive topics, prefer content from the last 3-5 years. For fundamentals, older classic content is often excellent.

---

Description Writing Guide

The Formula

Sentence 1: What makes this resource unique OR what it specifically covers
Sentence 2: Why reader should click (what they'll gain, who it's best for)

Good Examples

<Card title="JavaScript Visualized: Promises & Async/Await — Lydia Hallie" icon="newspaper" href="https://dev.to/lydiahallie/javascript-visualized-promises-async-await-5gke">
  Animated GIFs showing the call stack, microtask queue, and event loop in action. 
  The visuals make Promise execution order finally click for visual learners.
</Card>

<Card title="What the heck is the event loop anyway? — Philip Roberts" icon="video" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aGhZQkoFbQ">
  The legendary JSConf talk that made the event loop click for millions of developers. 
  Philip Roberts' live visualizations are the gold standard — a must-watch.
</Card>

<Card title="You Don't Know JS: Scope & Closures — Kyle Simpson" icon="book" href="https://github.com/getify/You-Dont-Know-JS/blob/2nd-ed/scope-closures/README.md">
  Kyle Simpson's deep dive into JavaScript's scope mechanics and closure behavior. 
  Goes beyond the basics into edge cases and mental models for truly understanding scope.
</Card>

<Card title="JavaScript Promises in 10 Minutes — Web Dev Simplified" icon="video" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHvZLI7Db8E">
  Quick, clear explanation covering Promise creation, chaining, and error handling. 
  Perfect starting point if you're new to async JavaScript.
</Card>

<Card title="How to Escape Async/Await Hell — Aditya Agarwal" icon="newspaper" href="https://medium.com/free-code-camp/avoiding-the-async-await-hell-c77a0fb71c4c">
  The pizza-and-drinks ordering analogy makes parallel vs sequential execution crystal clear. 
  Essential reading once you know async/await basics but want to write faster code.
</Card>

Bad Examples (Avoid)

<!-- TOO GENERIC -->
<Card title="Promises Tutorial" icon="newspaper" href="...">
  A comprehensive guide to Promises in JavaScript.
</Card>

<!-- NO VALUE PROPOSITION -->
<Card title="Learn Closures" icon="video" href="...">
  This video explains closures in JavaScript.
</Card>

<!-- VAGUE, NO SPECIFICS -->
<Card title="JavaScript Guide" icon="newspaper" href="...">
  Everything you need to know about JavaScript.
</Card>

<!-- JUST RESTATING THE TITLE -->
<Card title="Understanding the Event Loop" icon="video" href="...">
  A video about understanding the event loop.
</Card>

Words and Phrases to Avoid

Avoid	Why	Use Instead
"comprehensive guide to..."	Vague, overused	Specify what's covered
"learn all about..."	Generic	What specifically will they learn?
"everything you need to know..."	Hyperbolic	Be specific
"great tutorial on..."	Subjective filler	Why is it great?
"explains X"	Too basic	How does it explain? What's unique?
"in-depth look at..."	Vague	What depth? What aspect?

Words and Phrases That Work

Good Phrase	Example
"step-by-step walkthrough"	"Step-by-step walkthrough of building a Promise from scratch"
"visual explanation"	"Visual explanation with animated diagrams"
"deep dive into"	"Deep dive into V8's optimization strategies"
"practical examples of"	"Practical examples of closures in React hooks"
"the go-to reference for"	"The go-to reference for array method signatures"
"finally makes X click"	"Finally makes prototype chains click"
"perfect for beginners"	"Perfect for beginners new to async code"
"covers X, Y, and Z"	"Covers creation, chaining, and error handling"

---

Link Audit Process

Step 1: Check Each Link

For each resource in the concept page:

1. Click the link — Does it load?
2. Note the HTTP status:

Status	Meaning	Action
200	OK	Keep, continue to content check
301/302	Redirect	Update to final URL
404	Not Found	Remove or find replacement
403	Forbidden	Check manually, may be geo-blocked
5xx	Server Error	Retry later, may be temporary

Step 2: Content Verification

For each accessible link:

1. Skim the content — Is it still accurate?
2. Check the date — When was it published/updated?
3. Verify JavaScript focus — Is it primarily about JS?
4. Look for red flags — Anti-patterns, errors, outdated syntax

Step 3: Description Review

For each resource:

1. Read current description — Is it specific?
2. Compare to actual content — Does it match?
3. Check for generic phrases — "comprehensive guide", etc.
4. Identify improvements — How can it be more specific?

Step 4: Gap Analysis

After auditing all resources:

1. Count by section — Do we meet targets?
2. Check diversity — Beginner AND advanced? Visual AND text?
3. Identify missing types — No MDN? No videos?
4. Note recommendations — What should we add?

---

Resource Section Templates

Reference Section

## Reference

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="[Main Topic] — MDN" icon="book" href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/...">
    Official MDN documentation covering [specific aspects]. 
    The authoritative reference for [what it's best for].
  </Card>
  <Card title="[Related API/Concept] — MDN" icon="book" href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/...">
    [What this reference covers]. 
    Essential reading for understanding [specific aspect].
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

Articles Section

## Articles

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="[Article Title]" icon="newspaper" href="...">
    [What makes it unique/what it covers]. 
    [Why read this one/who it's for].
  </Card>
  <Card title="[Article Title]" icon="newspaper" href="...">
    [Specific coverage]. 
    [Value proposition].
  </Card>
  <Card title="[Article Title]" icon="newspaper" href="...">
    [Unique angle]. 
    [Why it's worth reading].
  </Card>
  <Card title="[Article Title]" icon="newspaper" href="...">
    [What it covers]. 
    [Best for whom].
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

Videos Section

## Videos

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="[Video Title] — [Creator]" icon="video" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...">
    [What it covers/unique approach]. 
    [Why watch/who it's for].
  </Card>
  <Card title="[Video Title] — [Creator]" icon="video" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...">
    [Specific focus]. 
    [What makes it stand out].
  </Card>
  <Card title="[Video Title] — [Creator]" icon="video" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...">
    [Coverage]. 
    [Value].
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

Books Section (Optional)

<Card title="[Book Title] — [Author]" icon="book" href="...">
  [What the book covers and its approach]. 
  [Who should read it and what they'll gain].
</Card>

Courses Section (Optional)

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="[Course Title] — [Platform]" icon="graduation-cap" href="...">
    [What the course covers]. 
    [Format and who it's best for].
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

---

Resource Audit Report Template

Use this template to document audit findings.

# Resource Audit Report: [Concept Name]

**File:** `/docs/concepts/[slug].mdx`
**Date:** YYYY-MM-DD
**Auditor:** [Name/Claude]

---

## Summary

| Metric | Count |
|--------|-------|
| Total Resources | XX |
| Working Links (200) | XX |
| Broken Links (404) | XX |
| Redirects (301/302) | XX |
| Outdated Content | XX |
| Generic Descriptions | XX |

## Resource Count vs Targets

| Section | Current | Target | Status |
|---------|---------|--------|--------|
| Reference (MDN) | X | 2-4 | ✅/⚠️/❌ |
| Articles | X | 4-6 | ✅/⚠️/❌ |
| Videos | X | 3-4 | ✅/⚠️/❌ |
| Courses | X | 0-3 | ✅/⚠️/❌ |

---

## Broken Links (Remove or Replace)

| Resource | Line | URL | Status | Action |
|----------|------|-----|--------|--------|
| [Title] | XX | [URL] | 404 | Remove |
| [Title] | XX | [URL] | 404 | Replace with [alternative] |

---

## Redirects (Update URLs)

| Resource | Line | Old URL | New URL |
|----------|------|---------|---------|
| [Title] | XX | [old] | [new] |

---

## Outdated Resources (Consider Replacing)

| Resource | Line | Issue | Recommendation |
|----------|------|-------|----------------|
| [Title] | XX | Published 2014, uses var throughout | Replace with [modern alternative] |
| [Title] | XX | Pre-ES6, no mention of let/const | Find updated version or replace |

---

## Description Improvements Needed

| Resource | Line | Current | Suggested |
|----------|------|---------|-----------|
| [Title] | XX | "A guide to closures" | "[Specific description with value prop]" |
| [Title] | XX | "Learn about promises" | "[What makes it unique]. [Why read it]." |

---

## Missing Resources (Recommendations)

| Type | Gap | Suggested Resource | URL |
|------|-----|-------------------|-----|
| Reference | No main MDN link | [Topic] — MDN | [URL] |
| Article | No beginner guide | [Title] — javascript.info | [URL] |
| Video | No visual explanation | [Title] — [Creator] | [URL] |
| Article | No advanced deep-dive | [Title] — 2ality | [URL] |

---

## Non-JavaScript Resources (Remove)

| Resource | Line | Issue |
|----------|------|-------|
| [Title] | XX | Primarily about C#, not JavaScript |

---

## Action Items

### High Priority (Do First)
1. **Remove broken link:** [Title] (line XX)
2. **Add missing MDN reference:** [Topic]
3. **Replace outdated resource:** [Title] with [alternative]

### Medium Priority
1. **Update redirect URL:** [Title] (line XX)
2. **Improve description:** [Title] (line XX)
3. **Add beginner-friendly article**

### Low Priority
1. **Add additional video resource**
2. **Consider adding course section**

---

## Verification Checklist

After making changes:

- [ ] All broken links removed or replaced
- [ ] All redirect URLs updated
- [ ] Outdated resources replaced
- [ ] Generic descriptions rewritten
- [ ] Missing resource types added
- [ ] Resource counts meet targets
- [ ] All new links verified working
- [ ] All descriptions are specific and valuable

---

Quick Reference

Icon Reference

Content Type	Icon Value
MDN/Official docs	book
Articles/Blog posts	newspaper
Videos	video
Courses	graduation-cap
Books	book
Related concepts	Context-appropriate

Character Guidelines

Element	Guideline
Card title	Keep concise, include creator for videos
Description sentence 1	What it covers / what's unique
Description sentence 2	Why read/watch / who it's for

Resource Ordering

Within each section, order resources:

1. Most foundational/beginner-friendly first
2. Official references before community content
3. Most highly recommended prominently placed
4. Advanced/niche content last

---

Quality Checklist

Link Verification

• All links return 200 (not 404, 301)
• No redirect chains
• No hard paywalls without notice
• All URLs are HTTPS where available

Content Quality

• All resources are JavaScript-focused
• No resources teaching anti-patterns
• Publication dates appropriate for topic
• Mix of beginner and advanced content
• Visual and text resources included

Description Quality

• All descriptions are specific (not generic)
• Descriptions explain unique value
• No "comprehensive guide to..." phrases
• Each description is 2 sentences
• Descriptions match actual content

Completeness

• 2-4 MDN/official references
• 4-6 quality articles
• 3-4 quality videos
• Resources ordered logically
• Diversity in teaching styles

---

Summary

When curating resources for a concept page:

1. Audit first — Check all existing links and content
2. Identify gaps — Compare against targets (2-4 refs, 4-6 articles, 3-4 videos)
3. Find quality resources — Search trusted sources
4. Write specific descriptions — What's unique + why read/watch
5. Format correctly — Proper Card syntax, icons, ordering
6. Document changes — Use the audit report template

Remember: Resources should enhance learning, not pad the page. Every link should offer genuine value. Quality over quantity — a few excellent resources beat many mediocre ones.