server-standards

name	server-standards
description	This skill focuses on backend architecture (Controller/Service/Repository), Prisma interaction, and standardized error/response middleware. Use it when building or modifying backend routes, controllers, or services.

Server Standards Skill

🎯 Purpose

This skill focuses on delivering a robust, scalable, and secure backend using the "Gold Standard" architecture.

🏗️ Core Responsibilities

• Pattern Adherence: Enforce the Controller-Service-Repository pattern.
• API Predictability: Ensure all responses use the ApiResponse utility and asyncHandler.
• Database integrity: Manage Prisma schemas, migrations, and repository-level data access.
• Security First: Implement rigorous validation (Zod), auth guards, and rate limiting.

📜 Key References

• Server Architecture

🛡️ Backend Gold Standards

• Security First:
  • Use helmet for security headers.
  • Implement rigorous CORS policies.
  • Validate all inputs using Zod (Schema Validation).
  • Prevent raw Prisma errors from leaking; use errorMiddleware.
• API Design:
  • Follow RESTful principles (standard HTTP verbs, status codes).
  • Always return the unified ApiResponse format.
  • Use asyncHandler to keep controllers clean and boilerplate-free.
• Architecture:
  • Strict adherence to Controller-Service-Repository pattern.
  • Use HttpException for predictive, status-aware error throwing.
  • Ensure all logic lives in Services, keeping Controllers and Repositories thin.
• Data Processing (Pagination & Filtering):
  • ALWAYS implement server-side pagination (offset/cursor), filtering (WHERE clauses), and sorting (ORDER BY) for list endpoints.
  • NEVER return raw, unfiltered data dumps for the frontend to format. Validate and sanitize pagination parameters (page, limit) using Zod.
• API Documentation:
  • ALWAYS write Swagger JSDoc annotations (/** @openapi ... */) above new Routes/Controllers to ensure the /api/docs endpoint is automatically updated.
• Testing:
  • ALWAYS write API integration tests in server/tests/ using Supertest.
  • Ensure new endpoints return the correct ApiResponse structure and status codes.
  • Mock expensive dependencies (like Prisma) for unit tests where appropriate using vitest-mock-extended.
• Industry Standards:
  • Follow SOLID and DRY principles.
  • Maintain structured logging for observability.
  • Ensure all code is strictly typed with TypeScript.