Best practices

Overview

This public intake copy packages

packages/skills-catalog/skills/(quality)/web-best-practices

https://github.com/tech-leads-club/agent-skills

Use it when the operator needs the upstream workflow, support files, and repository context to stay intact while the public validator and private enhancer continue their normal downstream flow.

This intake keeps the copied upstream files intact and uses

metadata.json

ORIGIN.md

Best practices Modern web development standards based on Lighthouse best practices audits. Covers security, browser compatibility, and code quality patterns.

Imported source sections that did not map cleanly to the public headings are still preserved below or in the support files. Notable imported sections: Security, Browser compatibility, Deprecated APIs, Console & errors, Source maps, Performance best practices.

When to Use This Skill

Use this section as the trigger filter. It should make the activation boundary explicit before the operator loads files, runs commands, or opens a pull request.

• Use when the request clearly matches the imported source intent: Apply modern web development best practices for security, compatibility, and code quality. Use when asked to "apply best practices", "security audit", "modernize code", "code quality review", or "check for....
• Use when the operator should preserve upstream workflow detail instead of rewriting the process from scratch.
• Use when provenance needs to stay visible in the answer, PR, or review packet.
• Use when copied upstream references, examples, or scripts materially improve the answer.
• Use when the workflow should remain reviewable in the public intake repo before the private enhancer takes over.

Operating Table

metadata.json

ORIGIN.md

SKILL.md

SKILL.md

## Related Skills

Workflow

This workflow is intentionally editorial and operational at the same time. It keeps the imported source useful to the operator while still satisfying the public intake standards that feed the downstream enhancer flow.

1. Confirm the user goal, the scope of the imported workflow, and whether this skill is still the right router for the task.
2. Read the overview and provenance files before loading any copied upstream support files.
3. Load only the references, examples, prompts, or scripts that materially change the outcome for the current request.
4. Execute the upstream workflow while keeping provenance and source boundaries explicit in the working notes.
5. Validate the result against the upstream expectations and the evidence you can point to in the copied files.
6. Escalate or hand off to a related skill when the work moves out of this imported workflow's center of gravity.
7. Before merge or closure, record what was used, what changed, and what the reviewer still needs to verify.

Imported Workflow Notes

Imported: Security

HTTPS everywhere

Enforce HTTPS:

<!-- ❌ Mixed content -->
<img src="http://example.com/image.jpg" />
<script src="http://cdn.example.com/script.js"></script>

<!-- ✅ HTTPS only -->
<img src="https://example.com/image.jpg" />
<script src="https://cdn.example.com/script.js"></script>

<!-- ✅ Protocol-relative (will use page's protocol) -->
<img src="//example.com/image.jpg" />

HSTS Header:

Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload

Content Security Policy (CSP)

<!-- Basic CSP via meta tag -->
<meta
  http-equiv="Content-Security-Policy"
  content="default-src 'self'; 
               script-src 'self' https://trusted-cdn.com; 
               style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline';
               img-src 'self' data: https:;
               connect-src 'self' https://api.example.com;"
/>

<!-- Better: HTTP header -->

CSP Header (recommended):

Content-Security-Policy:
  default-src 'self';
  script-src 'self' 'nonce-abc123' https://trusted.com;
  style-src 'self' 'nonce-abc123';
  img-src 'self' data: https:;
  connect-src 'self' https://api.example.com;
  frame-ancestors 'self';
  base-uri 'self';
  form-action 'self';

Using nonces for inline scripts:

<script nonce="abc123">
  // This inline script is allowed
</script>

Security headers

# Prevent clickjacking
X-Frame-Options: DENY

# Prevent MIME type sniffing
X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff

# Enable XSS filter (legacy browsers)
X-XSS-Protection: 1; mode=block

# Control referrer information
Referrer-Policy: strict-origin-when-cross-origin

# Permissions policy (formerly Feature-Policy)
Permissions-Policy: geolocation=(), microphone=(), camera=()

No vulnerable libraries

# Check for vulnerabilities
npm audit
yarn audit

# Auto-fix when possible
npm audit fix

# Check specific package
npm ls lodash

Keep dependencies updated:

// package.json
{
  "scripts": {
    "audit": "npm audit --audit-level=moderate",
    "update": "npm update && npm audit fix"
  }
}

Known vulnerable patterns to avoid:

// ❌ Prototype pollution vulnerable patterns
Object.assign(target, userInput)
_.merge(target, userInput)

// ✅ Safer alternatives
const safeData = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(userInput))

Input sanitization

// ❌ XSS vulnerable
element.innerHTML = userInput
document.write(userInput)

// ✅ Safe text content
element.textContent = userInput

// ✅ If HTML needed, sanitize
import DOMPurify from 'dompurify'
element.innerHTML = DOMPurify.sanitize(userInput)

Secure cookies

// ❌ Insecure cookie
document.cookie = "session=abc123";

// ✅ Secure cookie (server-side)
Set-Cookie: session=abc123; Secure; HttpOnly; SameSite=Strict; Path=/

Examples

Example 1: Ask for the upstream workflow directly

Use @best-practices to handle <task>. Start from the copied upstream workflow, load only the files that change the outcome, and keep provenance visible in the answer.

Explanation: This is the safest starting point when the operator needs the imported workflow, but not the entire repository.

Example 2: Ask for a provenance-grounded review

Review @best-practices against metadata.json and ORIGIN.md, then explain which copied upstream files you would load first and why.

Explanation: Use this before review or troubleshooting when you need a precise, auditable explanation of origin and file selection.

Example 3: Narrow the copied support files before execution

Use @best-practices for <task>. Load only the copied references, examples, or scripts that change the outcome, and name the files explicitly before proceeding.

Explanation: This keeps the skill aligned with progressive disclosure instead of loading the whole copied package by default.

Example 4: Build a reviewer packet

Review @best-practices using the copied upstream files plus provenance, then summarize any gaps before merge.

Explanation: This is useful when the PR is waiting for human review and you want a repeatable audit packet.

Best Practices

Treat the generated public skill as a reviewable packaging layer around the upstream repository. The goal is to keep provenance explicit and load only the copied source material that materially improves execution.

• Keep the imported skill grounded in the upstream repository; do not invent steps that the source material cannot support.
• Prefer the smallest useful set of support files so the workflow stays auditable and fast to review.
• Keep provenance, source commit, and imported file paths visible in notes and PR descriptions.
• Point directly at the copied upstream files that justify the workflow instead of relying on generic review boilerplate.
• Treat generated examples as scaffolding; adapt them to the concrete task before execution.
• Route to a stronger native skill when architecture, debugging, design, or security concerns become dominant.

Troubleshooting

Problem: The operator skipped the imported context and answered too generically

Symptoms: The result ignores the upstream workflow in

packages/skills-catalog/skills/(quality)/web-best-practices

metadata.json

ORIGIN.md

Problem: The imported workflow feels incomplete during review

Symptoms: Reviewers can see the generated

SKILL.md

Problem: The task drifted into a different specialization

Symptoms: The imported skill starts in the right place, but the work turns into debugging, architecture, design, security, or release orchestration that a native skill handles better. Solution: Use the related skills section to hand off deliberately. Keep the imported provenance visible so the next skill inherits the right context instead of starting blind.

Related Skills

• @accessibility

  - Use when the work is better handled by that native specialization after this imported skill establishes context.

• @ai-cold-outreach

  - Use when the work is better handled by that native specialization after this imported skill establishes context.

• @ai-pricing

  - Use when the work is better handled by that native specialization after this imported skill establishes context.

• @ai-sdr

  - Use when the work is better handled by that native specialization after this imported skill establishes context.

Additional Resources

Use this support matrix and the linked files below as the operator packet for this imported skill. They should reflect real copied source material, not generic scaffolding.

references

references/n/a

examples

examples/n/a

scripts

scripts/n/a

agents

agents/n/a

assets

assets/n/a

Imported Reference Notes

Imported: References

• MDN Web Security
• OWASP Top 10
• Web Quality Audit

Imported: Browser compatibility

Doctype declaration

<!-- ❌ Missing or invalid doctype -->
<html>
  <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN">

  <!-- ✅ HTML5 doctype -->
  <!DOCTYPE html>
  <html lang="en"></html>
</html>

Character encoding

<!-- ❌ Missing or late charset -->
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Page</title>
    <meta charset="UTF-8" />
  </head>

  <!-- ✅ Charset as first element in head -->
  <html>
    <head>
      <meta charset="UTF-8" />
      <title>Page</title>
    </head>
  </html>
</html>

Viewport meta tag

<!-- ❌ Missing viewport -->
<head>
  <title>Page</title>
</head>

<!-- ✅ Responsive viewport -->
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8" />
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
  <title>Page</title>
</head>

Feature detection

// ❌ Browser detection (brittle)
if (navigator.userAgent.includes('Chrome')) {
  // Chrome-specific code
}

// ✅ Feature detection
if ('IntersectionObserver' in window) {
  // Use IntersectionObserver
} else {
  // Fallback
}

// ✅ Using @supports in CSS
@supports (display: grid) {
  .container {
    display: grid;
  }
}

@supports not (display: grid) {
  .container {
    display: flex;
  }
}

Polyfills (when needed)

<!-- Load polyfills conditionally -->
<script>
  if (!('fetch' in window)) {
    document.write('<script src="/polyfills/fetch.js"><\/script>')
  }
</script>

<!-- Or use polyfill.io -->
<script src="https://polyfill.io/v3/polyfill.min.js?features=fetch,IntersectionObserver"></script>

Imported: Deprecated APIs

Avoid these

// ❌ document.write (blocks parsing)
document.write('<script src="..."></script>');

// ✅ Dynamic script loading
const script = document.createElement('script');
script.src = '...';
document.head.appendChild(script);

// ❌ Synchronous XHR (blocks main thread)
const xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
xhr.open('GET', url, false); // false = synchronous

// ✅ Async fetch
const response = await fetch(url);

// ❌ Application Cache (deprecated)
<html manifest="cache.manifest">

// ✅ Service Workers
if ('serviceWorker' in navigator) {
  navigator.serviceWorker.register('/sw.js');
}

Event listener passive

// ❌ Non-passive touch/wheel (may block scrolling)
element.addEventListener('touchstart', handler)
element.addEventListener('wheel', handler)

// ✅ Passive listeners (allows smooth scrolling)
element.addEventListener('touchstart', handler, { passive: true })
element.addEventListener('wheel', handler, { passive: true })

// ✅ If you need preventDefault, be explicit
element.addEventListener('touchstart', handler, { passive: false })

Imported: Console & errors

No console errors

// ❌ Errors in production
console.log('Debug info') // Remove in production
throw new Error('Unhandled') // Catch all errors

// ✅ Proper error handling
try {
  riskyOperation()
} catch (error) {
  // Log to error tracking service
  errorTracker.captureException(error)
  // Show user-friendly message
  showErrorMessage('Something went wrong. Please try again.')
}

Error boundaries (React)

class ErrorBoundary extends React.Component {
  state = { hasError: false }

  static getDerivedStateFromError(error) {
    return { hasError: true }
  }

  componentDidCatch(error, info) {
    errorTracker.captureException(error, { extra: info })
  }

  render() {
    if (this.state.hasError) {
      return <FallbackUI />
    }
    return this.props.children
  }
}

// Usage
;<ErrorBoundary>
  <App />
</ErrorBoundary>

Global error handler

// Catch unhandled errors
window.addEventListener('error', (event) => {
  errorTracker.captureException(event.error)
})

// Catch unhandled promise rejections
window.addEventListener('unhandledrejection', (event) => {
  errorTracker.captureException(event.reason)
})

Imported: Source maps

Production configuration

// ❌ Source maps exposed in production
// webpack.config.js
module.exports = {
  devtool: 'source-map', // Exposes source code
}

// ✅ Hidden source maps (uploaded to error tracker)
module.exports = {
  devtool: 'hidden-source-map',
}

// ✅ Or no source maps in production
module.exports = {
  devtool: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production' ? false : 'source-map',
}

Imported: Performance best practices

Avoid blocking patterns

// ❌ Blocking script
<script src="heavy-library.js"></script>

// ✅ Deferred script
<script defer src="heavy-library.js"></script>

// ❌ Blocking CSS import
@import url('other-styles.css');

// ✅ Link tags (parallel loading)
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="other-styles.css">

Efficient event handlers

// ❌ Handler on every element
items.forEach((item) => {
  item.addEventListener('click', handleClick)
})

// ✅ Event delegation
container.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
  if (e.target.matches('.item')) {
    handleClick(e)
  }
})

Memory management

// ❌ Memory leak (never removed)
const handler = () => {
  /* ... */
}
window.addEventListener('resize', handler)

// ✅ Cleanup when done
const handler = () => {
  /* ... */
}
window.addEventListener('resize', handler)

// Later, when component unmounts:
window.removeEventListener('resize', handler)

// ✅ Using AbortController
const controller = new AbortController()
window.addEventListener('resize', handler, { signal: controller.signal })

// Cleanup:
controller.abort()

Imported: Code quality

Valid HTML

<!-- ❌ Invalid HTML -->
<div id="header">
  <div id="header">
    <!-- Duplicate ID -->

    <ul>
      <div>Item</div>
      <!-- Invalid child -->
    </ul>

    <a href="/"><button>Click</button></a>
    <!-- Invalid nesting -->

    <!-- ✅ Valid HTML -->
    <header id="site-header"></header>

    <ul>
      <li>Item</li>
    </ul>

    <a href="/" class="button">Click</a>
  </div>
</div>

Semantic HTML

<!-- ❌ Non-semantic -->
<div class="header">
  <div class="nav">
    <div class="nav-item">Home</div>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="main">
  <div class="article">
    <div class="title">Headline</div>
  </div>
</div>

<!-- ✅ Semantic HTML5 -->
<header>
  <nav>
    <a href="/">Home</a>
  </nav>
</header>
<main>
  <article>
    <h1>Headline</h1>
  </article>
</main>

Image aspect ratios

<!-- ❌ Distorted images -->
<img src="photo.jpg" width="300" height="100" />
<!-- If actual ratio is 4:3, this squishes the image -->

<!-- ✅ Preserve aspect ratio -->
<img src="photo.jpg" width="300" height="225" />
<!-- Actual 4:3 dimensions -->

<!-- ✅ CSS object-fit for flexibility -->
<img src="photo.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 200px; object-fit: cover;" />

Imported: Permissions & privacy

Request permissions properly

// ❌ Request on page load (bad UX, often denied)
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(success, error)

// ✅ Request in context, after user action
findNearbyButton.addEventListener('click', async () => {
  // Explain why you need it
  if (await showPermissionExplanation()) {
    navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(success, error)
  }
})

Permissions policy

<!-- Restrict powerful features -->
<meta http-equiv="Permissions-Policy" content="geolocation=(), camera=(), microphone=()" />

<!-- Or allow for specific origins -->
<meta http-equiv="Permissions-Policy" content="geolocation=(self 'https://maps.example.com')" />

Imported: Audit checklist

Security (critical)

• HTTPS enabled, no mixed content
• No vulnerable dependencies (

  npm audit

  )
• CSP headers configured
• Security headers present
• No exposed source maps

Compatibility

• Valid HTML5 doctype
• Charset declared first in head
• Viewport meta tag present
• No deprecated APIs used
• Passive event listeners for scroll/touch

Code quality

• No console errors
• Valid HTML (no duplicate IDs)
• Semantic HTML elements used
• Proper error handling
• Memory cleanup in components

UX

• No intrusive interstitials
• Permission requests in context
• Clear error messages
• Appropriate image aspect ratios

Imported: Tools

npm audit