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Add comprehensive GitHub Copilot instructions for WLED development
Co-authored-by: netmindz <[email protected]>
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‎.github/copilot-instructions.md

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# WLED - ESP32/ESP8266 LED Controller Firmware
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WLED is a fast and feature-rich implementation of an ESP32 and ESP8266 webserver to control NeoPixel (WS2812B, WS2811, SK6812) LEDs and SPI-based chipsets. The project consists of C++ firmware for microcontrollers and a modern web interface.
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Always reference these instructions first and fallback to search or bash commands only when you encounter unexpected information that does not match the info here.
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## Working Effectively
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### Initial Setup
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- Install Node.js 20+ (specified in `.nvmrc`): Check your version with `node --version`
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- Install dependencies: `npm install` (takes ~5 seconds)
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- Install PlatformIO for hardware builds: `pip install -r requirements.txt` (takes ~60 seconds)
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### Build and Test Workflow
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- **ALWAYS build web UI first**: `npm run build` -- takes 3 seconds. NEVER CANCEL.
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- **Run tests**: `npm test` -- takes 40 seconds. NEVER CANCEL. Set timeout to 2+ minutes.
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- **Development mode**: `npm run dev` -- monitors file changes and auto-rebuilds web UI
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- **Hardware firmware build**: `pio run -e [environment]` -- takes 15+ minutes. NEVER CANCEL. Set timeout to 30+ minutes.
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### Build Process Details
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The build has two main phases:
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1. **Web UI Generation** (`npm run build`):
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- Processes files in `wled00/data/` (HTML, CSS, JS)
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- Minifies and compresses web content
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- Generates `wled00/html_*.h` files with embedded web content
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- **CRITICAL**: Must be done before any hardware build
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2. **Hardware Compilation** (`pio run`):
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- Compiles C++ firmware for various ESP32/ESP8266 targets
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- Common environments: `nodemcuv2`, `esp32dev`, `esp8266_2m`
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- List all targets: `pio run --list-targets`
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## Validation and Testing
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### Web UI Testing
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- **ALWAYS validate web UI changes manually**:
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- Start local server: `cd wled00/data && python3 -m http.server 8080`
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- Open `http://localhost:8080/index.htm` in browser
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- Test basic functionality: color picker, effects, settings pages
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- **Check for JavaScript errors** in browser console
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### Code Validation
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- **No automated linting configured** - follow existing code style in files you edit
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- **Code style**: Use tabs for web files (.html/.css/.js), spaces (2 per level) for C++ files
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- **C++ formatting available**: `clang-format` is installed but not in CI
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- **Always run tests before finishing**: `npm test`
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### Manual Testing Scenarios
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After making changes to web UI, always test:
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- **Load main interface**: Verify index.htm loads without errors
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- **Navigation**: Test switching between main page and settings pages
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- **Color controls**: Verify color picker and brightness controls work
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- **Effects**: Test effect selection and parameter changes
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- **Settings**: Test form submission and validation
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## Common Tasks
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### Repository Structure
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```
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wled00/ # Main firmware source (C++)
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├── data/ # Web interface files
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│ ├── index.htm # Main UI
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│ ├── settings*.htm # Settings pages
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│ └── *.js/*.css # Frontend resources
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├── *.cpp/*.h # Firmware source files
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└── html_*.h # Generated embedded web files (DO NOT EDIT)
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tools/ # Build tools (Node.js)
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├── cdata.js # Web UI build script
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└── cdata-test.js # Test suite
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platformio.ini # Hardware build configuration
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package.json # Node.js dependencies and scripts
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.github/workflows/ # CI/CD pipelines
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```
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### Key Files and Their Purpose
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- `wled00/data/index.htm` - Main web interface
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- `wled00/data/settings*.htm` - Configuration pages
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- `tools/cdata.js` - Converts web files to C++ headers
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- `wled00/wled.h` - Main firmware configuration
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- `platformio.ini` - Hardware build targets and settings
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### Development Workflow
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1. **For web UI changes**:
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- Edit files in `wled00/data/`
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- Run `npm run build` to regenerate headers
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- Test with local HTTP server
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- Run `npm test` to validate build system
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2. **For firmware changes**:
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- Edit files in `wled00/` (but NOT `html_*.h` files)
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- Ensure web UI is built first (`npm run build`)
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- Build firmware: `pio run -e [target]`
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- Flash to device: `pio run -e [target] --target upload`
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3. **For both web and firmware**:
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- Always build web UI first
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- Test web interface manually
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- Build and test firmware if making firmware changes
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## Build Timing and Timeouts
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- **Web UI build**: 3 seconds - Set timeout to 30 seconds minimum
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- **Test suite**: 40 seconds - Set timeout to 2 minutes minimum
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- **Hardware builds**: 15+ minutes - Set timeout to 30+ minutes minimum
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- **NEVER CANCEL long-running builds** - PlatformIO downloads and compilation can take significant time
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## Troubleshooting
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### Common Issues
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- **Build fails with missing html_*.h**: Run `npm run build` first
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- **Web UI looks broken**: Check browser console for JavaScript errors
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- **PlatformIO network errors**: Try again, downloads can be flaky
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- **Node.js version issues**: Ensure Node.js 20+ is installed (check `.nvmrc`)
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### When Things Go Wrong
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- **Clear generated files**: `rm -f wled00/html_*.h` then rebuild
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- **Force web UI rebuild**: `npm run build -- --force` or `npm run build -- -f`
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- **Clean PlatformIO cache**: `pio run --target clean`
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- **Reinstall dependencies**: `rm -rf node_modules && npm install`
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## Important Notes
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- **DO NOT edit `wled00/html_*.h` files** - they are auto-generated
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- **Always commit both source files AND generated html_*.h files**
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- **Web UI must be built before firmware compilation**
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- **Test web interface manually after any web UI changes**
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- **Use VS Code with PlatformIO extension for best development experience**
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- **Hardware builds require appropriate ESP32/ESP8266 development board**
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## CI/CD Pipeline
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The GitHub Actions workflow:
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1. Installs Node.js and Python dependencies
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2. Runs `npm test` to validate build system
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3. Builds web UI with `npm run build`
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4. Compiles firmware for multiple hardware targets
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5. Uploads build artifacts
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Match this workflow in your local development to ensure CI success.

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