# Validation Checklist (Template Engine Repository)

Use this checklist before considering Copier/Jinja template work complete.

## A. Copier configuration

- [ ] `.copier/copier.yaml` exists and is valid YAML.
- [ ] `_template_suffix` is set to `.jinja`.
- [ ] `_answers_file` is explicitly configured.
- [ ] `_exclude` blocks repo-internal operational files (`.copier`, `.scripts`, env/lock files as needed).
- [ ] Questionnaire is loaded via `!include .copier/questionnaire/*.yml`.

## B. Input schema and answers

- [ ] `copier-answers.example.yaml` reflects real expected shape.
- [ ] Required keys used in templates are documented in the example answers.
- [ ] `{{ _copier_conf.answers_file }}.jinja` renders `_copier_answers|to_nice_yaml`.

## C. Wrapper runtime surface

- [ ] Root `Taskfile.yml` includes copier module Taskfile.
- [ ] `.scripts/copier/Taskfile.yml` has an operator-friendly `bootstrap-one` task.
- [ ] API wrapper (`api/bootstrap-one.sh`) creates and enters a sibling `tmp-<template-folder>` copy before sourcing libs and rendering.
- [ ] API wrapper returns to the live template repo after the temp-copy render completes.
- [ ] ENV variable prefix is explicitly confirmed/proposed and consistently applied across wrapper libs.
- [ ] Lib layer parses CLI args for:
- [ ] Lib layer parses CLI args for **both** forms: `--arg value` and `--arg=value`.
  - [ ] `--copier-target-dir`
  - [ ] `--copier-force-copy`
  - [ ] `--copier-params-file`

## D. Answers merge behavior

- [ ] `copier-answers-new.yml` is created if missing.
- [ ] Existing target answers are imported when present.
- [ ] Params file is merged into working answers file.
- [ ] Render uses `--data-file` pointing to merged answers file.
- [ ] Local bootstrap render runs from the sanitized temp copy, not directly from the live Git-backed template folder.
- [ ] Temp copy removes `.git`, `.devbox`, and `.venv` before `copier copy` to avoid Copier/Git interference.
- [ ] If Copier config lives under `.copier/copier.yaml`, temp-copy bootstrap copies it to root `copier.yaml` before rendering.
- [ ] No Git tags are created merely to suppress Copier local render warnings.

## E. Templating behavior

- [ ] Conditional folder names render correctly (e.g. `{{ 'dev' if ... }}`).
- [ ] **All optional resources** are path-wrapped with Jinja conditions (folder and/or file names), not only guarded in file bodies.
- [ ] Conditional Jinja blocks in files match folder-level conditions.
- [ ] Safe/normalized names are provided by context-hook or resolver variables (e.g. `flat.project_safe`), not repeated inline filter chains.
- [ ] Template paths and file bodies do not duplicate complex expressions like `lower | replace(...) | trim` for identifiers used in more than one place.
- [ ] Any generated temporary filenames (e.g. `.tmp-gitlab-ci.yml`) are renamed correctly post-render.

## F. Extensions (if used)

- [ ] All custom extensions are registered in `_jinja_extensions`.
- [ ] Resolver helpers are deterministic and side-effect free.
- [ ] Context hook logic is idempotent on repeated runs.
- [ ] Context hook exposes stable safe variables for reusable identifiers before templates consume them.
- [ ] `[INDEX]` expansion creates concrete instance directories and removes placeholder template dir.

## G. End-to-end runs

- [ ] Fresh render into empty target directory succeeds.
- [ ] Re-render into existing target with prior answers succeeds.
- [ ] `--copier-force-copy true` path works.
- [ ] Default/non-force path works.

## H. Documentation quality

- [ ] README explains local setup and one canonical bootstrap command.
- [ ] Skill/instructions mention architecture and anti-patterns.
- [ ] Examples use realistic paths and argument names.

## Exit criteria

You are done when all checklist sections pass and rendering is reproducible in both fresh and update scenarios.