# NextJS Boilerplate - TODO & Improvements

This directory contains comprehensive checklists for improving the NextJS boilerplate across different areas. Each checklist is designed to be actionable with clear priorities and implementation guidance.

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## 📁 Available Checklists

### 🚀 [Performance Optimization](./PERFORMANCE_OPTIMIZATION.md)

**Priority**: 🔴 Critical  
**Current Issue**: LCP 2.6s (needs to be < 1.2s)  
**Key Focus**: Remove blocking startup checks, implement Redis caching, optimize auth context

**Major Issues**:

- Blocking database checks delay page rendering by ~1.5s
- Every page load hits MongoDB for user data (~0.5s)
- Auth context makes unnecessary API calls (~0.25s)

**Expected Improvement**: 2.6s → 0.4s LCP (80% improvement)

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### 🔐 [Security Improvements](./SECURITY_IMPROVEMENTS.md)

**Priority**: 🟡 Medium  
**Focus**: Production-ready security standards  
**Key Areas**: Rate limiting, password policies, email verification, security headers

**Major Gaps**:

- No rate limiting on authentication endpoints
- Weak password requirements (6 chars minimum)
- No email verification system
- Missing security headers and monitoring

**Target**: OWASP Top 10 compliance + industry security standards

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### 🏗️ [Code Quality Improvements](./CODE_QUALITY_IMPROVEMENTS.md)

**Priority**: 🟢 Low-Medium  
**Focus**: Maintainability and developer experience  
**Key Areas**: Error handling, type safety, documentation, accessibility

**Improvement Areas**:

- Standardize error handling patterns
- Improve TypeScript strict mode usage
- Add comprehensive API documentation
- Enhance accessibility compliance

**Target**: Production-ready code quality standards

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## 🎯 Implementation Strategy

### Phase 1: Critical Performance Issues (Week 1)

```
Priority: 🔴 CRITICAL - Blocks good user experience
Target: Fix LCP from 2.6s to < 1.2s

✅ Immediate Actions:
1. Remove blocking startup checks from layout
2. Implement Redis caching for /me endpoint
3. Optimize auth context with localStorage
4. Move database connections to background

Expected Result: ~2s improvement in page load time
```

### Phase 2: Security Hardening (Week 2-3)

```
Priority: 🟡 MEDIUM - Required for production

✅ Essential Security:
1. Add rate limiting to auth endpoints
2. Strengthen password requirements
3. Implement basic security headers
4. Add environment variable validation

Expected Result: Production-ready security baseline
```

### Phase 3: Code Quality & Long-term (Month 2+)

```
Priority: 🟢 LOW-MEDIUM - Important for maintenance

✅ Quality Improvements:
1. Standardize error handling
2. Improve type safety
3. Add API documentation
4. Enhance accessibility

Expected Result: Better maintainability and developer experience
```

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## 📊 Success Metrics

### Performance Targets

| Metric          | Current | Target    | Priority    |
| --------------- | ------- | --------- | ----------- |
| **LCP**         | 2.6s    | < 1.2s    | 🔴 Critical |
| **FID**         | TBD     | < 100ms   | 🟡 Medium   |
| **CLS**         | TBD     | < 0.1     | 🟡 Medium   |
| **Bundle Size** | TBD     | Optimized | 🟢 Low      |

### Security Targets

- ✅ Rate limiting on all auth endpoints
- ✅ Strong password policies
- ✅ Security headers implementation
- ✅ Vulnerability scanning setup

### Quality Targets

- ✅ Standardized error handling
- ✅ Comprehensive type safety
- ✅ API documentation coverage
- ✅ Accessibility compliance (WCAG 2.1 AA)

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## 🛠️ Usage Instructions

### For Developers

1. **Review relevant checklist** based on your focus area
2. **Pick items matching your sprint capacity**
3. **Check off completed items** as you implement them
4. **Update progress** in team standups
5. **Test changes** against success metrics

### For Project Managers

1. **Use checklists for sprint planning**
2. **Prioritize based on color coding** (🔴 🟡 🟢)
3. **Track completion percentage** for each area
4. **Schedule regular reviews** of progress
5. **Coordinate dependencies** between improvements

### For QA/Review

1. **Use checklists as acceptance criteria**
2. **Verify implementation** matches requirements
3. **Test performance improvements** with real metrics
4. **Validate security enhancements** with appropriate tools
5. **Check code quality** against standards

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## 📈 Progress Tracking

### Current Status

- **Performance**: ❌ Critical issues identified
- **Security**: ⚠️ Basic implementation, gaps exist
- **Code Quality**: ✅ Good foundation, improvements available

### Next Review Date

- **Performance**: After critical fixes (Week 1)
- **Security**: After basic hardening (Week 3)
- **Code Quality**: Monthly review cycle

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## 🤝 Contributing

When working on improvements:

1. **Check off items** as you complete them in the relevant checklist
2. **Add notes or modifications** if implementation differs from suggestions
3. **Update this README** if you add new checklists or change priorities
4. **Test your changes** against the defined success metrics
5. **Document any new issues** discovered during implementation

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## 🔄 Maintenance

These checklists should be:

- **Reviewed quarterly** for relevance and completeness
- **Updated** when new issues are discovered
- **Archived or consolidated** when items become outdated
- **Enhanced** based on team feedback and industry best practices

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**Last Updated**: Current  
**Owner**: Development Team  
**Review Cycle**: Monthly for active items, quarterly for completed sections