From 8e9b6b6a151eb3c903753eb3fcdaf7abdbe9c4ac Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: pacnpal <183241239+pacnpal@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:09:18 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] Enhance static files management guidelines: clarify directory
 structure, file management rules, and benefits of separation for better
 adherence to Django best practices

---
 .clinerules                   | 15 ++++++++++++++-
 memory-bank/systemPatterns.md | 17 +++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 31 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/.clinerules b/.clinerules
index 50331b6e..1b6b0e1f 100644
--- a/.clinerules
+++ b/.clinerules
@@ -27,4 +27,17 @@ This applies to all management commands including but not limited to:
 - Creating superuser: `uv run manage.py createsuperuser`
 - Starting shell: `uv run manage.py shell`
 
-NEVER use `python manage.py` or `uv run python manage.py`. Always use `uv run manage.py` directly.
\ No newline at end of file
+NEVER use `python manage.py` or `uv run python manage.py`. Always use `uv run manage.py` directly.
+
+## Static Files Management
+IMPORTANT: All static files must be placed in the `static/` directory, not `staticfiles/`. The `staticfiles/` directory is reserved for Django's collectstatic command output and should not be used directly.
+
+This consolidation:
+1. Follows Django best practices of separating source static files from collected files
+2. Prevents confusion between development and production static file locations
+3. Makes it clear which static files are part of the source code (static/) versus compiled/collected (staticfiles/)
+
+When adding new static files:
+- Add them to `static/` directory
+- Use Django's `static` template tag to reference them
+- Run `uv run manage.py collectstatic` when deploying
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/memory-bank/systemPatterns.md b/memory-bank/systemPatterns.md
index 6e023f1f..7d56ce76 100644
--- a/memory-bank/systemPatterns.md
+++ b/memory-bank/systemPatterns.md
@@ -21,6 +21,23 @@
    - Implement component-based structure
    - Follow progressive enhancement
 
+### Static Files Organization
+1. Directory Structure
+   - `static/` - Source static files (CSS, JS, images, etc.)
+   - `staticfiles/` - Collected files (generated by collectstatic)
+
+2. File Management Rules
+   - Place all source static files in `static/` directory
+   - Never directly modify `staticfiles/` directory
+   - Use Django's `static` template tag for references
+   - Run collectstatic before deployment
+
+3. Benefits of Separation
+   - Clear distinction between source and compiled files
+   - Prevents confusion in development vs production
+   - Follows Django best practices
+   - Simplifies deployment process
+
 ## Design Patterns
 
 ### Data Access