sidequest-core

name	sidequest-core
description	Knowledge skill for SideQuest core utilities. Injected into Builder and Validator agents during engage to provide context about available utilities, patterns, and anti-patterns. Not user-invocable.
user-invocable	false

Knowledge: SideQuest Core Utilities

This knowledge skill provides context about the @side-quest/core package and shared utilities. Injected into Builder (Scotty) and Validator (McCoy) agents during engage.

Core Package Structure

core/
  src/
    spawn/          -- Process spawning and collection
    validation/     -- Input validation helpers
    test-utils/     -- Test utilities and helpers
    types/          -- Shared type definitions
    index.ts        -- Public API barrel export

Key Utilities

Spawn (core/spawn)

spawnAndCollect(command, args, options) -- Spawn a process and collect stdout/stderr.

• Returns { stdout, stderr, exitCode }
• Handles timeout, signal forwarding, and cleanup
• Use this instead of raw Bun.spawn or child_process

spawnStreaming(command, args, options) -- Spawn with real-time output streaming.

• Returns an async iterator of output lines
• Use for long-running processes where you need incremental output

Validation (core/validation)

validatePath(path) -- Validate and normalize a file path.

• Returns normalized absolute path or throws
• Handles relative paths, ~, and symlinks

validateJson(input, schema) -- Validate JSON against a schema.

• Returns parsed object or throws with descriptive error
• Use for CLI argument parsing and config validation

validateRequired(value, name) -- Assert a value is defined.

• Throws with "{name} is required" if undefined/null

Test Utilities (core/test-utils)

createTempDir() -- Create an isolated temporary directory.

• Returns { path, cleanup } -- ALWAYS call cleanup in afterEach
• Isolated per test -- no cross-test pollution

mockStdio() -- Mock stdin/stdout/stderr for testing CLI tools.

• Returns { stdin, stdout, stderr, restore } -- ALWAYS call restore

withTimeout(fn, ms) -- Wrap a test function with a timeout.

• Prevents hanging tests from blocking the suite

What Builders Need

• Use existing utilities -- do not roll your own spawn, validation, or temp dir helpers
• Import from barrel -- import { spawnAndCollect, validatePath } from '@side-quest/core'
• Follow existing patterns -- look at how other plugins use these utilities before implementing
• Error handling -- core utilities throw descriptive errors; catch and wrap, do not swallow

What Validators Should Flag

• Rolling custom spawn logic instead of using spawnAndCollect
• Rolling custom validation instead of using validatePath/validateRequired
• Not using createTempDir for test isolation
• Not calling cleanup/restore in afterEach
• Importing internal paths instead of the barrel export
• Swallowing errors from core utilities without re-throwing