# Best Practices Applied to Implementation Documents
**Date**: 2024-11-16
**Based on**: [Claude Code Best Practices](../../../claude/docs/ANTHROPIC_BEST_PRACTICES.md)
---
## Summary of Improvements
This document explains how Anthropic's best practices for AI agent development have been applied to the Gazebo MCP implementation plan and phase documents.
---
## 1. Progressive Disclosure (3-Level Hierarchy)
### Applied Pattern
**Level 1: Metadata** (Always loaded)
- Quick Reference sections at top of each phase
- At-a-Glance summary in main plan
- Clear status indicators (✅🔵🔴)
**Level 2: Core Content** (Loaded when working on phase)
- Overview and objectives
- Task breakdowns with checklists
- Code examples
- Success criteria
**Level 3: Supplementary** (Loaded as needed)
- Detailed architecture docs
- Related best practices
- Extended examples
### Example from PHASE_2:
```markdown
## Quick Reference
**What you'll build**: Core server infrastructure
**Tasks**: 15 across 3 modules
**Success criteria**: Server starts, connects to ROS2
**Verification**: `pytest tests/ -v --cov=gazebo_mcp`
```
---
## 2. Context Engineering
### Smallest Set of High-Signal Tokens
**Before**: Long detailed task lists immediately visible
**After**: Grouped high-level modules with progressive detail
```markdown
# Before (overwhelming)
- [ ] Create server.py
- [ ] Add init method
- [ ] Add shutdown method
- [ ] Add tool registration
- [ ] Add request validation
... (15 more items)
# After (high-signal)
**Module 2.1: Base Utilities** (5 tasks)
- Exception handling
- Logging system
- Validators
- Converters
- Geometry utilities
[Click to see detailed tasks in phase document]
```
### Clear Sections with Headers
All documents now use:
- Markdown headers for structure
- Clear sections (Overview, Tasks, Success Criteria)
- Code blocks for examples
- Blockquotes for important notes
---
## 3. Gather → Act → Verify → Repeat Loop
### Embedded in Workflow
**IMPORTANT**: Core feedback loop explicitly documented in IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md:
```markdown
1. **Gather Context**
- Read phase document section
- Review existing patterns
- Check tests and docs
2. **Act (Implement)**
- Write tests FIRST
- Implement feature
- Add types and docs
3. **Verify (Critical)**
- Run tests
- Type check
- Lint
- Manual test
4. **Repeat**
- Iterate until green
- Commit and proceed
```
### Applied to Each Phase
Every phase document now includes:
- Learning objectives (gather)
- Implementation tasks (act)
- Success criteria (verify)
- Next steps (repeat/proceed)
---
## 4. Test-Driven Development
### Emphasis Added
**CRITICAL markers** throughout:
- "Write tests FIRST (TDD approach)"
- Test tasks in every module
- Coverage requirements (>80%)
- Verification scripts
### Example from Phase 2:
```markdown
**CRITICAL**: Follow these patterns:
1. **Write Tests First** (TDD)
- Write failing test → Implement → Verify → Refactor
- Every function needs corresponding test
- Aim for >80% coverage
```
### Verification Scripts
Created `verify_phase2.sh` (and similar for other phases):
```bash
pytest tests/ --cov-fail-under=80
mypy src/ --strict
ruff check src/
black src/ --check
```
---
## 5. Actionable Error Messages
### Applied to Code Examples
**Before**:
```python
raise Exception("Error")
```
**After**:
```python
return OperationResult(
success=False,
error="Parameter 'user_id' must be valid UUID. "
"Received: 'abc123'. "
"Use search_users() to find valid IDs.",
error_code="VALIDATION_ERROR"
)
```
All code examples now show:
- Specific error types
- Clear error messages
- Suggested fixes
- Error codes
---
## 6. Type Hints & Documentation
### Non-Negotiable Standards
Added "Code Quality Standards" section:
**CRITICAL**: All code must meet these before committing:
- ✅ Type Hints: Every function fully typed
- ✅ Docstrings: All public functions documented
- ✅ Tests: >80% coverage
- ✅ Linting: Passes ruff and black
- ✅ Type Checking: Passes mypy
### Examples Show Best Practices
```python
def operation(
user_id: str, # ✅ Typed
response_format: str = "concise", # ✅ Default
limit: int = 100 # ✅ Pagination
) -> OperationResult:
"""Clear description.""" # ✅ Docstring
...
```
---
## 7. Verification Emphasis
### Success Criteria Enhanced
Each phase now has:
**Automated Verification**:
```bash
./verify_phaseN.sh # One command to verify everything
```
**Manual Verification Checklist**:
- [ ] Specific testable criteria
- [ ] Integration test steps
- [ ] Performance checks
**Code Review Checklist**:
- [ ] Quality standards met
- [ ] Patterns followed
- [ ] Documentation complete
---
## 8. Clear Naming & Descriptions
### Tool/Module Organization
**Before**: Generic names
**After**: Specific, purpose-driven names
```markdown
# Before
- utils.py
- helpers.py
- stuff.py
# After
- validators.py - Input validation utilities
- converters.py - ROS2 ↔ Python message conversion
- geometry.py - Quaternion and transformation utilities
```
### Unambiguous Parameters
All examples use:
```python
# ✅ Good
def spawn_model(
model_name: str, # Clear
model_type: str, # Unambiguous
x: float, # Explicit
y: float,
z: float
)
# ❌ Bad
def spawn(name, type, pos)
```
---
## 9. Educational Focus
### Learning Objectives Added
Each phase includes:
```markdown
### Learning Objectives
By completing this phase, you will understand:
1. How MCP servers initialize
2. How to manage ROS2 lifecycle
3. How to implement connection management
4. How to structure error handling
5. How to write maintainable code
```
### Best Practices Sections
DO ✅ / DON'T ❌ lists added:
```markdown
**DO** ✅:
- Read docs completely before coding
- Write tests before implementation
- Verify each task
- Commit frequently
**DON'T** ❌:
- Skip ahead to "interesting" parts
- Write code without tests
- Ignore failing tests
- Rush through verification
```
---
## 10. Context Management
### Just-in-Time Loading
Documents structured to:
- Show summary first (metadata)
- Link to details (core content)
- Reference supplementary docs (additional)
### File References
Instead of inline everything:
```markdown
# Before: All details inline (overwhelming)
[50 lines of detailed tasks]
# After: Progressive disclosure
**Module 2.1**: Base Utilities (5 tasks)
See detailed tasks below ↓
[Later in doc, when ready to implement]
#### Task 2.1.1: Create Exception Classes
[Detailed implementation guide]
```
---
## Key Improvements Summary
| Principle | Before | After |
|-----------|--------|-------|
| **Structure** | Flat, overwhelming | 3-level progressive disclosure |
| **Workflow** | Implicit | Explicit Gather→Act→Verify loop |
| **Testing** | Mentioned | Emphasized with TDD, scripts |
| **Verification** | Manual | Automated + manual checklists |
| **Code Quality** | Suggested | Non-negotiable standards |
| **Learning** | Task-focused | Educational objectives included |
| **Context** | All upfront | Just-in-time loading |
| **Errors** | Generic | Actionable with examples |
---
## References
Applied principles from:
1. [Effective Context Engineering](https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/effective-context-engineering-for-ai-agents)
2. [Agent Skills Best Practices](https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/equipping-agents-for-the-real-world-with-agent-skills)
3. [Writing Tools for Agents](https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/writing-tools-for-agents)
4. [Claude Code Best Practices](https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/claude-code-best-practices)
5. [Building with Claude SDK](https://www.anthropic.com/engineering/building-agents-with-the-claude-agent-sdk)
---
**Result**: Implementation documents now follow Anthropic's best practices for creating effective, maintainable, and educational AI agent development guides.
