Production Implementation Guardrail
Goal
Ensure that new or modified code in a Python RAG system is implemented in a production-ready way from the start, not retrofitted later.
This skill is used during active development, not post-hoc review.
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when the user is:
- •Implementing a new component
- •Modifying core RAG logic
- •Adding integrations (LLM, embeddings, DB, cache)
- •Unsure how to implement something safely for production
Instructions
- •Assume the user is actively writing or modifying code.
- •Identify the component being implemented (e.g., retriever, embedder, API handler).
- •Provide implementation-level guidance, not a backlog.
- •Enforce production defaults.
- •Be opinionated.
Required Production Checks
For the component under implementation, explicitly address:
1. Interface & Responsibility
- •What does this component own?
- •What must it NOT do?
- •What are its inputs and outputs?
2. Error Handling
- •What failures are expected?
- •Which are retriable?
- •Which must fail fast?
- •What is logged vs returned?
3. Configuration & Secrets
- •What must be configurable?
- •What must NOT be hardcoded?
- •How are secrets injected?
4. Observability
- •What must be logged?
- •What metrics should be emitted?
- •What trace spans should exist?
5. Performance & Cost
- •What are the default limits?
- •What guardrails exist (timeouts, batch sizes)?
- •What prevents runaway cost?
6. Testing (Non-Optional)
- •What unit tests are required?
- •What integration tests must exist?
- •What failure paths must be tested?
Constraints
- •❌ Do not suggest “add later”
- •❌ Do not hand-wave production concerns
- •❌ Do not provide generic best practices
- •✅ Tie guidance directly to code being written
- •✅ Prefer explicit patterns over flexibility
Output Format
Produce a concise implementation checklist and code-level guidance tailored to the specific component. When needed, update one or more of the EXISTING documents :
- •docs/RAG_ARCHITECTURE.md
- •docs/IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md
- •docs/Progress_Tracker.md Do NOT produce:
- •Large backlogs
- •Multi-category tables
- •Architecture reviews
Expected Outcome
The user can implement the code once, correctly, without needing a later hardening pass.