| name | vanilla-rails-work-breakdown |
| description | Use when planning Rails features or breaking down work into PRs - enforces 2-5 file PRs, bug fix separation, and one-sentence scope test |
Vanilla Rails Work Breakdown
Core Rule
Each PR = one sentence. Target 2-5 files, max 7-8.
If you can't describe the PR in one sentence, split it.
CRITICAL: If your PR description uses "and", STOP and split it.
Bundle Together
- Model + tests (but NOT scopes/sorting)
- Controller + view + tests
- Migration + model using it
- Routes + controller they configure
Tests go with the functional change, never with styling.
Keep Separate (ALWAYS)
Each of these MUST be its own PR:
- Bug fixes
- Refactoring
- Styling/CSS (even one line)
- Filters (even simple params)
- Sort options (including scopes like
pinned_first)
Example: Card Pinning
Wrong (3 PRs):
- "Add pinning to cards with sorting" (model + sorting scope + tests)
- "Add UI for pinning" (controller + views + tests)
- "Add filtering and styling" (filter + CSS)
Right (5 PRs):
- "Add pinning to cards" (migration + model methods + tests, 3 files)
- "Add UI for pinning cards" (controller + view + tests, 4 files)
- "Sort pinned cards first" (scope + tests, 2 files)
- "Add filter for pinned cards" (controller param + view + tests, 3 files)
- "Style pinned cards" (CSS, 1 file)
Commit Messages
Present tense, no prefixes:
Add hotkeys for triaging cards
Fix HTML injection in webhook titles
Expose card ID on comments
Not: feat:, fix:, WIP:
Red Flags
Stop and split if:
- More than 7-8 files
- PR title has "and"
- Mixing refactoring with features
- Bug fix included with feature
Bug During Feature Work
- Branch from main for bug fix
- Fix + test in separate PR
- Return to feature branch
- Rebase after bug fix merges
Never bundle bug fixes with feature PRs.
One Sentence Test
✅ "This PR adds pinning to cards" ❌ "This PR adds pinning, styling, and filters"
If you use "and", split the PR.
Common Rationalizations (STOP)
| Excuse | Reality |
|---|---|
| "Sorting is part of the model concern" | No. Sorting is a feature that ships separately. Core pinning works without sorting. |
| "Styling and filtering touch the same view" | Different concerns. Filtering is functional, styling is visual. Separate PRs. |
| "More efficient to bundle them" | 37signals values small PRs over efficiency. 2-5 files is the target. |
| "They're logically grouped" | "Logical grouping" is not the test. One sentence without "and" is the test. |
| "Just a few lines of CSS" | Styling ALWAYS separate. Even one line. |
| "Just a tiny partial" | View code goes with controller, not model. Size irrelevant. |
| "It's related functionality" | Each feature = one PR. Even if related. One sentence test applies. |
| "The change is trivial" | Size doesn't matter. Separate concerns = separate PRs. |