# CheatSheet: wled/WLED

## Source: Standard Context (/main/AGENTS.md)

# AGENTS.md — WLED AI Coding Agent & AI Code Review Reference

WLED is C++ firmware for ESP32/ESP8266 microcontrollers controlling addressable LEDs,
with a web UI (HTML/JS/CSS). Built with PlatformIO (Arduino framework) and Node.js tooling.

See also: `.github/copilot-instructions.md`, `.github/agent-build.instructions.md`,
`docs/cpp.instructions.md`, `docs/web.instructions.md`, `docs/cicd.instructions.md`,
`docs/hardening.instructions.md`, `docs/securecode.instructions.md`.

Always reference these instructions - including coding guidelines in `docs/` - first and fallback to search or bash commands only when you encounter unexpected information that does not match the info here.

## Build Commands

| Command | Purpose | Timeout |
|---|---|---|
| `npm ci` | Install Node.js deps (required first) | 30s |
| `npm run build` | Build web UI into `wled00/html_*.h` / `wled00/js_*.h` | 30s |
| `npm test` | Run test suite (Node.js built-in `node --test`) | 2 min |
| `npm run dev` | Watch mode — auto-rebuilds web UI on changes | continuous |
| `pio run -e esp32dev` | Build firmware (ESP32, most common target) | 5 min |
| `pio run -e nodemcuv2` | Build firmware (ESP8266) | 5 min |

**Always run `npm ci && npm run build` before `pio run`.** The web UI build generates
required C headers for firmware compilation.

### Running a Single Test

Tests use Node.js built-in test runner (`node:test`). The single test file is
`tools/cdata-test.js`. Run it with:

```bash
npm test                   # runs all tests via `node --test`
node --test tools/cdata-test.js  # run just that file directly
```

There are no C++ unit tests. Firmware is validated by successful compilation across
target environments. Always build after code changes: `pio run -e esp32dev`.

### Common Firmware Environments

`esp32dev`, `nodemcuv2`, `esp8266_2m`, `esp32c3dev`, `esp32s3dev_8MB_opi`, `lolin_s2_mini`

### Recovery / Troubleshooting

```bash
npm run build -- -f              # force web UI rebuild
rm -f wled00/html_*.h wled00/js_*.h && npm run build  # clean + rebuild UI
pio run --target clean           # clean PlatformIO build artifacts
rm -rf node_modules && npm ci    # reinstall Node.js deps
```

## Project Structure

```text
wled00/              # Main firmware source (C++)
  data/              # Web UI source (HTML/JS/CSS) — tabs for indentation
  html_*.h, js_*.h   # Auto-generated (NEVER edit or commit)
  src/               # Sub-modules: fonts, bundled dependencies (ArduinoJSON)
usermods/            # Community usermods (each has library.json + .cpp/.h)
platformio.ini       # Build configuration and environments
pio-scripts/         # PlatformIO build scripts (Python)
tools/               # Node.js build tools (cdata.js) and tests
docs/                # Coding convention docs
.github/workflows/   # CI/CD (GitHub Actions)
```

### Branch / Release Structure

```text
main                # Main development trunk (daily/nightly) 17.0.0-dev. Target branch for PRs.
  ├── V5            # special branch: code rework for esp-idf 5.5.x and new MCU types: esp32-c5, esp32-c6, esp32-p4 (unstable)
16_x                # maintenance for release 16.0.x
0_15_x              # maintenance (bugfixes only) for previous release 0.15.x
(tag) v0.14.4       # old version 0.14.4 (no maintenance)
(tag) v0.13.3       # old version 0.13.3 (no maintenance)
(tag) v0. ... . ... # historical versions 0.12.x and before
```

## C++ Code Style (wled00/, usermods/)

### Formatting
- **2-space indentation** (no tabs in C++ files)
- K&R brace style preferred (opening brace on same line)
- Single-statement `if` bodies may omit braces: `if (a == b) doStuff(a);`
- Space after keywords (`if (...)`, `for (...)`), no space before function parens (`doStuff(a)`)
- No enforced line-length limit

### Comments
- `//` for inline (always space after), `/* */` for block comments
- Important: AI-generated source code blocks **must be mark with `// AI: below section was generated by an AI` / `// AI: end`**

### Naming Conventions
| Kind | Convention | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Functions, variables | camelCase | `setRandomColor()`, `effectCurrent` |
| Classes, structs | PascalCase | `BusConfig`, `UsermodTemperature` |
| Macros, constants | UPPER_CASE | `WLED_MAX_USERMODS`, `FX_MODE_STATIC` |
| Private members | _camelCase | `_type`, `_bri`, `_len` |
| Enum values | PascalCase | `PinOwner::BusDigital` |

### Includes
- Include `"wled.h"` as the primary project header
- Project headers first, then platform/Arduino, then third-party
- Platform-conditional includes wrapped in `#ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32` / `#ifdef ESP8266`

### Types and Const
- Prefer `const &` for read-only function parameters
- Mark getter/query methods `const`; use `static` for methods not accessing instance state
- Prefer `constexpr` over `#define` for compile-time constants when possible
- Use `static_assert` over `#if ... #error`
- Use `uint_fast16_t` / `uint_fast8_t` in hot-path code

### Error Handling
- **No C++ exceptions** — some builds disable them
- Use return codes (`false`, `-1`) and global flags (`errorFlag = ERR_LOW_MEM`)
- Use early returns as guard clauses: `if (!enabled || (strip.isUpdating() && (millis() - last_time < MAX_USERMOD_DELAY))) return;`
- Debug output: `DEBUG_PRINTF()` / `DEBUG_PRINTLN()` (compiled out unless `-D WLED_DEBUG`)

### Strings and Memory
- Use `F("string")` for string constants (saves RAM on ESP8266)
- Use `PSTR()` with `DEBUG_PRINTF_P()` for format strings
- Avoid `String` in hot paths; acceptable in config/setup code
- Use `d_malloc()` (DRAM-preferred) / `p_malloc()` (PSRAM-preferred) for allocation
- No VLAs — use fixed arrays or heap allocation
- Call `reserve()` on strings/vectors to pre-allocate and avoid fragmentation

#### ESP32 PSRAM guidelines

- **Check availability**: Test chip availability with `psramFound() && ESP.getPsramSize() > 0` before assuming PSRAM is present. Never rely on `BOARD_HAS_PSRAM`only.
- **DMA compatibility**: on ESP32 (classic), PSRAM buffers are **not DMA-capable**. On ESP32-S3 with octal PSRAM (`CONFIG_SPIRAM_MODE_OCT`), PSRAM buffers *can* be used with DMA when `CONFIG_SOC_PSRAM_DMA_CAPABLE` is defined.
- **Fragmentation**: PSRAM allocations fragment less than DRAM because the region is larger. But avoid mixing small and large allocations in PSRAM — small allocations waste the MMU page granularity.
- **Performance**: Prefer DRAM (or IRAM) for hot-path data that is *frequently* used. Prefer PSRAM for capacity-oriented buffers where slightly slower access times can be tolerated.

Background Info:

- PSRAM access is up to 15× slower than DRAM on ESP32 (dual-SPI bus), 3–10× slower than DRAM on ESP32-S3/-S2 with quad-SPI bus. On ESP32-S3 with octal PSRAM (`CONFIG_SPIRAM_MODE_OCT`), the penalty is smaller (~2×) because the 8-line DTR bus can transfer 8 bits in parallel. On ESP32-P4 with hex PSRAM (`CONFIG_SPIRAM_MODE_HEX`), the 16-line bus runs at 200 MHz which brings it on-par with DRAM.
- Consider that ESP32 often crashes when the largest available DRAM chunk gets below 10 KB.

### Preprocessor / Feature Flags
- Feature toggling: `WLED_DISABLE_*` and `WLED_ENABLE_*` flags (exact names matter!)
- `WLED_DISABLE_*`: `2D`, `ADALIGHT`, `ALEXA`, `MQTT`, `OTA`, `INFRARED`, `WEBSOCKETS`, etc.
- `WLED_ENABLE_*`: `DMX`, `GIF`, `HUB75MATRIX`, `JSONLIVE`, `WEBSOCKETS`, etc.
- Platform: `ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32`, `ESP8266`, `CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_ESP32S3`

### Math Functions
- Use `sin8_t()`, `cos8_t()` — NOT `sin8()`, `cos8()` (removed, won't compile)
- Use `sin_approx()` / `cos_approx()` instead of `sinf()` / `cosf()`
- Replace `inoise8` / `inoise16` with `perlin8` / `perlin16`

### Hot-Path Code (Pixel Pipeline)
- Use function attributes: `IRAM_ATTR`, `WLED_O2_ATTR`, `__attribute__((hot))`
- Cache class members to locals before loops
- Pre-compute invariants outside loops; use reciprocals to avoid division
- Unsigned range checks: `if ((uint_fast16_t)(pix - start) < len)`

### ESP32 Tasks
- `delay(1)` in custom FreeRTOS tasks (NOT `yield()`) — feeds IDLE watchdog
- Do not use `delay()` in effects (FX.cpp) or hot pixel path

#### ESP32 Task Synchronization

- Use FreeRTOS mutexes, semaphores or queues when true concurrent access from multiple FreeRTOS tasks is possible, and race-conditions can lead to unexpected behaviour.
- **Avoid `portENTER_CRITICAL()` / `portEXIT_CRITICAL()`**, as these functions stall the complete system and may cause LEDs flickering. Prefer FreeRTOS mutexes, semaphores or queues.
- Don't use `portMAX_DELAY` when waiting to acquire a mutex - this can lock the task indefinitely. Find a reasonable max waiting time, and handle mutex timeouts gracefully.
- **Important**: Not every shared resource needs a mutex. Some synchronization is guaranteed by the overall control flow, for example when function calls are sequenced within the same loop iteration.
- Consider using `std::atomic` or RAII scoped guards as alternatives to mutexes, semaphores or queues.

## Web UI Code Style (wled00/data/)

- **Tab indentation** for HTML, JS, and CSS
- camelCase for JS functions/variables
- Reuse helpers from `common.js` — do not duplicate utilities
- After editing, run `npm run build` to regenerate headers
- **Never edit** `wled00/html_*.h` or `wled00/js_*.h` directly

## Usermods
 
### Source Code Location

* **In-Tree Usermods** live in `usermods/<name>/` with a `.cpp`, optional `.h`, `library.json`, and `readme.md`.  An example is in `usermods/EXAMPLE`
* **Out-Of-Tree Usermods** live in a separate public repository. They use the same pattern as in-tree usermods.

* [Official out-of-tree usermods list](https://kno.wled.ge/advanced/community-usermods/#index)
* [Writing an out-of-tree usermod](https://kno.wled.ge/advanced/custom-features/#writing-a-usermod)

### Usermod Pattern

```cpp
class MyUsermod : public Usermod {
  private:
    bool enabled = false;
    static const char _name[];
  public:
    void setup() override { /* ... */ }                          // runs once at start-up
    void loop() override { /* ... */ }                           // runs once per main loop iteration
    void addToConfig(JsonObject& root) override { /* ... */ }    // create/add persistent settings (usermod settings)
    bool readFromConfig(JsonObject& root) override { /* ... */ } // read from persistent settings (usermod settings UI)
    uint16_t getId() override { return USERMOD_ID_MYMOD; }
    void addToJsonInfo(JsonObject& root) override { /* ... */ }  // Add custom items to the "info" page and to /json/info
    void appendConfigData() override { /* ... */ }               // Customize the settings page: dropdowns, checkboxes, extra text, etc. Buffer size is limited!
};
const char MyUsermod::_name[] PROGMEM = "MyUsermod";
static MyUsermod myUsermod;
REGISTER_USERMOD(myUsermod);
```

refer to detailed examples in `usermods/EXAMPLE/`, `usermods/user_fx/` and [in the user documentation for custom features](https://kno.wled.ge/advanced/custom-features/).

- Activate via `custom_usermods = ` in platformio build config. The `usermod_v2_` prefix or `_v2` suffix can be omitted.
- Base new usermods on `usermods/EXAMPLE/` (never edit the example directly)
- Store repeated strings as `static const char[] PROGMEM`
- Add usermod IDs to `wled00/const.h` **only when a unique ID is required** (see below)

### Usermod IDs

A unique ID (registered in `wled00/const.h` and overriding `getId()`) is **only required** when a usermod needs one or more of the following:

1. **Inter-usermod communication** — another usermod or an FX effect calls `UsermodManager::lookup(mod_id)` or `UsermodManager::getUMData(..., mod_id)` to find or request data from this specific usermod.
2. **Pin ownership via `pinManager`** — the usermod allocates GPIO pins through `pinManager`. Pin ownership is tracked by `PinOwner` enum values that map directly to `USERMOD_ID_*` constants (see `wled00/pin_manager.h`). This prevents pin-conflict bugs.
3. **Identification in JSON info** — `UsermodManager::addToJsonInfo` emits each mod's ID into the `"um"` array; a unique ID makes the mod identifiable in that output.

If none of the above apply, the usermod may omit `getId()` (or return the default `USERMOD_ID_UNSPECIFIED`) and does **not** need an entry in `const.h`.

### Usermod `loop()`

- Called once per main loop iteration. Usermods should simply `return` when `!enabled`.
- Frequency of calls varies with system load:
    * up to 2000 times/sec with few LEDs and little background activity,
    * between 20 and 300 times/second during high workload from effects and other usermods,
    * (worst case) down to 1-3 times/sec during FS activity or when serving lots of network API requests.

### See Also
* https://kno.wled.ge/advanced/custom-features/#usermods
* https://kno.wled.ge/advanced/community-usermods/#index

## CI/CD

CI runs on every push/PR via GitHub Actions (`.github/workflows/wled-ci.yml`):

1. `npm test` (web UI build validation)
2. Firmware compilation for all default environments (~22 targets)
3. Post-link validation of usermod linkage (`validate_modules.py`)

No automated linting is configured. Match existing code style in files you edit.

## General Rules

- Important: Repository language is **English**. This applies to source code (including comments), commit messages and any kind of documentation for developer or users.
- The `docs/` folder is for developer/contributor information (coding conventions, architecture, etc.). User documentation is maintained in the [wled/WLED-Docs](https://github.com/wled/WLED-Docs) repository.
- Never edit or commit auto-generated `wled00/html_*.h` / `wled00/js_*.h`.
- When updating an existing PR, retain the original description. Only modify it to ensure technical accuracy. Add change logs after the existing description.
- No force-push on open PRs!
- Important: **Changes to `platformio.ini` require maintainer approval**!
- PRs should respect `.gitignore` and not upload files like  `platformio_override.ini`. PR authors may add buildenv examples for custom boards into `platformio_override.ini.sample`.
- Remove dead/unused code — justify or delete it.
- Verify feature-flag spelling exactly (misspellings are silently ignored by preprocessor).
- Provide references when making analyses or recommendations. Support factual claims with verifiable citations, references or concrete evidence; **never fabricate citations**.
- **Highlight user-visible breaking changes and ripple effects** during reviews. Ask for confirmation that these were introduced intentionally.

### Security Hardening

When writing or reviewing code in `wled00/`, `usermods/`, `wled00/data/`, or `.github/workflows/`,
consult `docs/hardening.instructions.md` (concise checklist) and `docs/securecode.instructions.md` (detailed rules with examples).
These files define WLED's threat model, trust boundary model, and WLED-specific constraints (no TLS baseline, no UDP authentication for protocol-defined
multicast/broadcast, firewall-isolated deployment assumed).

### Attribution for AI-generated code

Using AI-generated code can hide the source of the inspiration / knowledge / sources it used.

- Document attribution of inspiration / knowledge / sources used in the code, e.g. link to GitHub repositories or other websites describing the principles / algorithms used.
- When a larger block of code is generated by an AI tool, embed it into `// AI: below section was generated by an AI` ... `// AI: end` comments (see Comments section).
- Every non-trivial AI-generated function should have a brief comment describing what it does. Explain parameters when their names alone are not self-explanatory.
- AI-generated code must be well documented with meaningful comments that explain intent, assumptions, and non-obvious logic. Do not rephrase source code; explain concepts and reasoning.

### Supporting Reviews and Discussions

- **For "is it worth doing?" debates** about proposed reliability, safety, or data-integrity mechanisms (CRC checks, backups, power-loss protection): suggest a software **FMEA** (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis).
  Clarify the main feared events, enumerate failure modes, assess each mitigation's effectiveness per failure mode, note common-cause failures, and rate credibility for the typical WLED use case.

--- METRICS ---
- Estimated Token Budget: ~4070 tokens
- Recency Window: Active (< 180 days)