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