social-app/apps/AGENTS.md

Flutter Mobile Development Constraints

This document defines hard constraints for Flutter mobile development. Treat all items as non-negotiable unless explicitly overridden.

0) Scope and Precedence (MUST)

• This file applies to all changes under apps/**.
• It extends root routing rules in AGENTS.md and workspace global runtime rules.
• It also incorporates the visual design language from apps/rules/visual_design_language.md as a binding constraint.
• If rules conflict, apply the stricter requirement.
• Keep Flutter-specific constraints in this file; avoid duplicating them in root AGENTS.md.

1) Design Tokens (MUST)

• MUST use design tokens from apps/lib/core/theme/design_tokens.dart:
  • Colors: AppColors.*
  • Spacing: AppSpacing.*
  • Radius: AppRadius.*
• MUST NOT hardcode any visual values.
• Design tokens are the single source of truth for all visual values. Any missing visual semantics should be added to tokens, not approximated locally.
• This ensures consistency with the visual design language defined in apps/rules/visual_design_language.md.

2) Component Architecture (MUST)

• SHOULD extract repeated UI patterns into reusable components.
• SHOULD prefer existing shared components before creating new ones.
• SHOULD place reusable components in apps/lib/shared/widgets/ following existing naming conventions.
• MUST NOT introduce parallel UI systems (e.g., custom button styles, custom loading indicators) that duplicate existing shared components.
• When creating new UI components, ensure they follow the design tokens and visual design language.

3) Layout Mapping & Alignment (MUST)

• MUST explicitly set crossAxisAlignment for every Row / Column (do not rely on defaults).
• MUST preserve layout semantics from root to leaf:
  • alignment/justification intent must be explicitly represented in Flutter widgets.
• MUST NOT skip necessary container layers if doing so loses layout meaning or makes mapping non-traceable.

4) Centering & Visual Balance (MUST)

• MUST evaluate centering within SafeArea usable bounds (not full-screen bounds).
• MUST NOT rely on Spacer / proportional flex as the only centering mechanism for critical content.
• If persistent header/footer regions exist, MUST center primary content within the remaining usable region.
• MUST prioritize visual centering over purely geometric centering when they differ.

5) Testing Strategy (MUST)

Follow lightweight testing strategy - prioritize value over coverage:

Write tests for:

• Model / DTO parsing (json → model)
• Service layer logic (business rules, API call handling)
• Complex custom widgets with rich interactions

Skip for:

• Simple UI pages, regular buttons, basic layouts

6) UI Feedback System (MUST)

• All user-facing feedback MUST use the Toast system.
  • Transient notifications: Toast.show(...)
  • Persistent inline form errors: AppBanner
• MUST NOT create custom SnackBar/Dialog/Banner feedback components.
• MUST NOT use raw ScaffoldMessenger for feedback messaging.

6.1) Loading Indicator System (MUST)

• All loading spinners MUST use AppLoadingIndicator from apps/lib/shared/widgets/app_loading_indicator.dart.
• MUST NOT use raw CircularProgressIndicator directly in feature/page code.
• Use variants consistently:
  • page/surface loading: AppLoadingVariant.surface
  • inline small loading (list/search/section): AppLoadingVariant.inline
  • button loading: AppLoadingVariant.button
• If visual semantics are missing, extend AppLoadingIndicator variant mapping first; do not create ad-hoc loading styles in feature files.

7) Agent Chat (AG-UI Protocol) (MUST)

Agent chat functionality MUST follow the AG-UI protocol. Use the ag-ui skill for protocol reference and implementation guidance.

• MUST use Server-Sent Events (SSE) for streaming.
• MUST emit required lifecycle events:
  • RUN_STARTED is required for every run
  • End with exactly one of: RUN_FINISHED or RUN_ERROR
• MUST follow standard text streaming flow:
  • TEXT_MESSAGE_START → TEXT_MESSAGE_CONTENT (delta) → TEXT_MESSAGE_END
• MUST support the standard AG-UI event type set as defined in the spec.
• MUST NOT return non-streaming responses for agent chat.
• MUST NOT omit required lifecycle events.
• MUST NOT use non-AG-UI event formats (except where the spec explicitly allows).

8) Visual Design Language (MUST)

All UI/UX work MUST follow the visual design language defined in apps/rules/visual_design_language.md.

• MUST ensure screens feel like a premium personal assistant product, not a wireframe, admin console, or document page.
• MUST apply the surface-based design system (background, primary, secondary, interactive surfaces).
• MUST follow the motion and interaction feel guidelines (soft, responsive, premium).
• MUST achieve visual hierarchy through spacing, surface grouping, radius, depth, density, contrast, scale, and motion—not color alone.
• MUST follow the screen-level decision rules:
  1. What is the primary focus?
  2. What is the surface hierarchy?
  3. What needs strongest emphasis?
  4. What should be grouped?
  5. What should be lightweight/secondary?
  6. Where should motion reinforce understanding?
  7. How can the result feel more like a premium assistant app and less like a document page?
• MUST NOT create UIs that match the anti-patterns listed in the visual design language document:
  • plain document page, white slab with blue buttons, spreadsheet-like admin panel
  • low-fidelity wireframe, default Flutter demo app, generic template marketplace screen
  • full-screen flat white blocks, arbitrary shadow usage, inconsistent card treatments
  • raw container stacking without surface semantics

Before finalizing any UI, mentally verify:

• Does this feel like a product, not a page?
• Is there clear hierarchy?
• Do surfaces feel intentional?
• Does the screen feel calm and premium?
• Is the assistant identity visually present?
• Would this look plausible in a polished shipping app?