Project Context
The project-context.md file is your project’s implementation guide for AI agents. Similar to a “constitution” in other development systems, it captures the rules, patterns, and preferences that ensure consistent code generation across all workflows.
What It Does
Section titled “What It Does”AI agents make implementation decisions constantly — which patterns to follow, how to structure code, what conventions to use. Without clear guidance, they may:
- Follow generic best practices that don’t match your codebase
- Make inconsistent decisions across different stories
- Miss project-specific requirements or constraints
The project-context.md file solves this by documenting what agents need to know in a concise, LLM-optimized format.
How It Works
Section titled “How It Works”Every implementation workflow automatically loads project-context.md if it exists. The architect workflow also loads it to respect your technical preferences when designing the architecture.
Loaded by these workflows:
wizz-create-architecture— respects technical preferences during solutioningwizz-create-story— informs story creation with project patternswizz-dev-story— guides implementation decisionswizz-code-review— validates against project standardswizz-quick-dev— applies patterns when implementing specswizz-sprint-planning,wizz-retrospective,wizz-correct-course— provides project-wide context
When to Create It
Section titled “When to Create It”The project-context.md file is useful at any stage of a project:
| Scenario | When to Create | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| New project, before architecture | Manually, before wizz-create-architecture | Document your technical preferences so the architect respects them |
| New project, after architecture | Via wizz-generate-project-context or manually | Capture architecture decisions for implementation agents |
| Existing project | Via wizz-generate-project-context | Discover existing patterns so agents follow established conventions |
| Quick Flow project | Before or during wizz-quick-dev | Ensure quick implementation respects your patterns |
What Goes In It
Section titled “What Goes In It”The file has two main sections:
Technology Stack & Versions
Section titled “Technology Stack & Versions”Documents the frameworks, languages, and tools your project uses with specific versions:
## Technology Stack & Versions
- Node.js 20.x, TypeScript 5.3, React 18.2- State: Zustand (not Redux)- Testing: Vitest, Playwright, MSW- Styling: Tailwind CSS with custom design tokensCritical Implementation Rules
Section titled “Critical Implementation Rules”Documents patterns and conventions that agents might otherwise miss:
## Critical Implementation Rules
**TypeScript Configuration:**- Strict mode enabled — no `any` types without explicit approval- Use `interface` for public APIs, `type` for unions/intersections
**Code Organization:**- Components in `/src/components/` with co-located `.test.tsx`- Utilities in `/src/lib/` for reusable pure functions- API calls use the `apiClient` singleton — never fetch directly
**Testing Patterns:**- Unit tests focus on business logic, not implementation details- Integration tests use MSW to mock API responses- E2E tests cover critical user journeys only
**Framework-Specific:**- All async operations use the `handleError` wrapper for consistent error handling- Feature flags accessed via `featureFlag()` from `@/lib/flags`- New routes follow the file-based routing pattern in `/src/app/`Focus on what’s unobvious — things agents might not infer from reading code snippets. Don’t document standard practices that apply universally.
Creating the File
Section titled “Creating the File”You have three options:
Manual Creation
Section titled “Manual Creation”Create the file at _wizz-output/project-context.md and add your rules:
# In your project rootmkdir -p _wizz-outputtouch _wizz-output/project-context.mdEdit it with your technology stack and implementation rules. The architect and implementation workflows will automatically find and load it.
Generate After Architecture
Section titled “Generate After Architecture”Run the wizz-generate-project-context workflow after completing your architecture:
wizz-generate-project-contextThis scans your architecture document and project files to generate a context file capturing the decisions made.
Generate for Existing Projects
Section titled “Generate for Existing Projects”For existing projects, run wizz-generate-project-context to discover existing patterns:
wizz-generate-project-contextThe workflow analyzes your codebase to identify conventions, then generates a context file you can review and refine.
Why It Matters
Section titled “Why It Matters”Without project-context.md, agents make assumptions that may not match your project:
| Without Context | With Context |
|---|---|
| Uses generic patterns | Follows your established conventions |
| Inconsistent style across stories | Consistent implementation |
| May miss project-specific constraints | Respects all technical requirements |
| Each agent decides independently | All agents align with same rules |
This is especially important for:
- Quick Flow — skips PRD and architecture, so context file fills the gap
- Team projects — ensures all agents follow the same standards
- Existing projects — prevents breaking established patterns
Editing and Updating
Section titled “Editing and Updating”The project-context.md file is a living document. Update it when:
- Architecture decisions change
- New conventions are established
- Patterns evolve during implementation
- You identify gaps from agent behavior
You can edit it manually at any time, or re-run wizz-generate-project-context to update it after significant changes.