Software Project Best Practices

Status: draft / active reference
Module: Standards And Decisions
Source: ../intake/2026-06-07-new-1-software-project-best-practices.txt
Related: ../planning/content-preservation-manifest.md, ../planning/rsystem-planner-os-overview-for-ai.md, ../planning/rsystem-system-builder-os-ia.md

Purpose

This standard describes how RSYSTEM should build complex, multi-stage, multi-topic software systems from idea to production and maintenance.

It is meant to keep the work lightweight, modular, observable and AI-assisted without pretending that one large build can solve everything at once.

Core Principle

Work in small, independent modules with clear gates:

discovery -> requirements -> architecture -> implementation -> testing -> release -> maintenance

Each stage should produce visible artifacts, not just conversation.

Operating Model

RSYSTEM should treat large systems as a portfolio of modules, each with:

• owner,
• backlog,
• success criteria,
• risks,
• release path,
• maintenance path.

The right rhythm is short iterations with continuous validation, not one giant delivery phase.

Recommended Tool Split

• Perplexity: research, comparisons, variants, synthesis.
• Claude Code: logic, core system design, deeper implementation reasoning.
• Codex: web UI, supporting tooling, faster delivery of specific fragments.
• GitHub: history, review, PR discipline, traceability.
• Notion: operating memory for decisions, backlog, handoffs, checklists.
• n8n: automation, webhook flows, orchestration, notifications, reports.

Recommended Project Phases

1. Discovery

Clarify the problem, constraints, non-goals, risks and success criteria.

2. Requirements

Translate the idea into functional, technical and operational expectations with acceptance criteria.

3. Architecture

Define module boundaries, data model, interfaces, security assumptions and dependencies.

4. Development

Build in small increments with frequent integration and review.

5. Testing

Test continuously, not only at the end.

6. Release

Release in stages with rollback ability and monitoring in place.

7. Maintenance

Track feedback, logs, errors, operational metrics and technical debt.

Quality Gates

Every meaningful change should pass:

• clear acceptance criteria,
• automated or repeatable tests,
• review or verification,
• rollback consideration for user-facing changes,
• monitoring or observability plan.

Webhook Rule

Incoming webhooks should be handled as:

verify -> enqueue -> acknowledge

Processing should be asynchronous when possible, with retries and dead-letter handling for failures.

Reporting Rule

Reports should come from the pipeline itself, not from manual status rewriting.

Useful reporting layers:

• sprint / iteration report,
• release report,
• operational report after deployment.

Maintenance Rule

Every project should keep at least these living artifacts:

• brief,
• roadmap,
• risk notes,
• release checklist,
• backlog,
• handoff,
• monitoring / reporting notes.

Why This Matters

This standard is a reusable operating pattern for RSYSTEM.

It makes the work:

• modular,
• reviewable,
• automatable,
• observable,
• easier to resume after pauses.

Next Actions

• Compare this standard with any project-specific operating docs.
• Use it to shape the upcoming website stack and automation documents.
• Link it from the planner as a reference standard.