Onboarding Helper Skill

Generate comprehensive onboarding documentation and guides for new developers joining your team or project.

Instructions

You are an onboarding and developer experience expert. When invoked:

1. Assess Onboarding Needs:

- Project complexity and technology stack - Team size and structure - Development workflow and processes - Domain knowledge requirements - Common onboarding challenges

1. Create Onboarding Materials:

- Welcome documentation - Development environment setup guides - Codebase architecture overview - First-task tutorials - Team processes and conventions

1. Organize Learning Path:

- Day 1, Week 1, Month 1 goals - Progressive complexity - Hands-on exercises - Checkpoint milestones - Resources and references

1. Document Team Culture:

- Communication channels - Meeting schedules - Code review practices - Decision-making processes - Team values and norms

1. Enable Self-Service:

- FAQ sections - Troubleshooting guides - Links to resources - Who to ask for what - Common gotchas

Onboarding Documentation Structure

Complete Onboarding Guide Template

# Welcome to [Project Name]! 👋

Welcome! We're excited to have you on the team. This guide will help you get up to speed quickly and smoothly.

## Table of Contents
1. [Overview](#overview)
2. [Day 1: Getting Started](#day-1-getting-started)
3. [Week 1: Core Concepts](#week-1-core-concepts)
4. [Month 1: Making Impact](#month-1-making-impact)
5. [Team & Processes](#team--processes)
6. [Resources](#resources)
7. [FAQ](#faq)

---

## Overview

### What We're Building
We're building a modern e-commerce platform that helps small businesses sell online. Our platform handles:
- Product catalog management
- Shopping cart and checkout
- Payment processing (Stripe integration)
- Order fulfillment and tracking
- Customer relationship management

**Our Mission**: Make e-commerce accessible to businesses of all sizes.

**Our Users**: Small to medium business owners with 10-1000 products.

### Technology Stack

**Frontend**:
- React 18 with TypeScript
- Redux Toolkit for state management
- Material-UI component library
- React Query for API calls
- Vite for build tooling

**Backend**:
- Node.js with Express
- PostgreSQL database
- Redis for caching
- Stripe for payments
- AWS S3 for file storage

**Infrastructure**:
- Docker for local development
- Kubernetes for production
- GitHub Actions for CI/CD
- AWS (EC2, RDS, S3, CloudFront)
- DataDog for monitoring

### Project Statistics
- **Started**: January 2023
- **Team Size**: 12 engineers (4 frontend, 5 backend, 3 full-stack)
- **Codebase**: ~150K lines of code
- **Active Users**: 5,000+ businesses
- **Monthly Transactions**: $2M+

---

## Day 1: Getting Started

### Your First Day Checklist

- [ ] Complete HR onboarding
- [ ] Get added to communication channels
- [ ] Set up development environment
- [ ] Clone the repository
- [ ] Run the application locally
- [ ] Deploy to your personal dev environment
- [ ] Introduce yourself to the team
- [ ] Schedule 1:1s with your manager and buddy

### Access & Accounts

**Required Accounts**:
1. **GitHub** - Source code ([github.com/company/project](https://github.com))
   - Request access from @engineering-manager
2. **Slack** - Team communication
   - Channels: #engineering, #frontend, #backend, #general
3. **Jira** - Project management ([company.atlassian.net](https://company.atlassian.net))
4. **Figma** - Design files
5. **AWS Console** - Production access (read-only initially)
6. **DataDog** - Monitoring and logs

**Development Tools**:
- Docker Desktop
- Node.js 18+ (use nvm)
- PostgreSQL client (psql or pgAdmin)
- Postman or Insomnia (API testing)
- VS Code (recommended, see extensions below)

### Environment Setup

#### 1. Install Prerequisites

**macOS**:

Install Homebrew

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)";

Install Node.js via nvm

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash nvm install 18 nvm use 18

Install Docker Desktop

brew install --cask docker

Install PostgreSQL client

brew install postgresql@14

**Windows**:

Install using Chocolatey

choco install nodejs-lts docker-desktop postgresql14

#### 2. Clone Repository

Clone the repo

git clone [email protected]:company/ecommerce-platform.git cd ecommerce-platform

Install dependencies

npm install

Copy environment variables

cp .env.example .env.local

#### 3. Configure Environment Variables

Edit `.env.local`:

Database (local Docker)

DATABASEURL=postgresql://postgres:password@localhost:5432/ecommercedev

Redis

REDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6379

Stripe (use test keys)

STRIPESECRETKEY=sktest... # Get from @backend-lead STRIPEPUBLISHABLEKEY=pktest...

AWS S3 (dev bucket)

AWSACCESSKEYID=... # Get from @devops AWSSECRETACCESSKEY=... AWSS3BUCKET=ecommerce-dev-uploads

Session

SESSION_SECRET=your-random-secret-here

**Where to get credentials**:
- Stripe test keys: 1Password vault "Development Secrets"
- AWS credentials: Request from @devops in #engineering
- Session secret: Generate with `openssl rand -base64 32`

#### 4. Start Development Environment

Start Docker services (PostgreSQL, Redis)

docker-compose up -d

Run database migrations

npm run db:migrate

Seed database with sample data

npm run db:seed

Start development server

npm run dev

**Expected output**:

✔ Database migrated successfully ✔ Seeded 100 products, 50 users ✔ Server running on http://localhost:3000 ✔ API available at http://localhost:3000/api

#### 5. Verify Installation

Open your browser to http://localhost:3000

You should see the application home page with sample products.

**Test credentials**:
- Email: `[email protected]`
- Password: `password123`

**Troubleshooting**:
- **Port 3000 in use**: Kill the process with `lsof -ti:3000 | xargs kill -9`
- **Database connection failed**: Check Docker is running with `docker ps`
- **Module not found**: Delete `node_modules` and run `npm install` again

See [Troubleshooting Guide](docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md) for more help.

### VS Code Setup

**Recommended Extensions**:

{ "recommendations": [ "dbaeumer.vscode-eslint", "esbenp.prettier-vscode", "bradlc.vscode-tailwindcss", "ms-azuretools.vscode-docker", "eamodio.gitlens", "orta.vscode-jest", "prisma.prisma" ] }

**Settings** (`.vscode/settings.json`):

{ "editor.formatOnSave": true, "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode", "editor.codeActionsOnSave": { "source.fixAll.eslint": true }, "typescript.tsdk": "node_modules/typescript/lib" }

### Your First Commit

Let's make a simple change to verify your setup:

1. **Create a branch**:
   ```bash
   git checkout -b test/your-name-setup
   ```

2. **Add your name to the team page**:
   Edit `src/pages/About.tsx`:
   ```typescript
   const teamMembers = [
     // ... existing members
     { name: 'Your Name', role: 'Software Engineer', joinedDate: '2024-01-15' }
   ];
   ```

3. **Test your change**:
   ```bash
   npm run test
   npm run lint
   ```

4. **Commit and push**:
   ```bash
   git add .
   git commit -m "docs: Add [Your Name] to team page"
   git push origin test/your-name-setup
   ```

5. **Create a PR**:
   - Go to GitHub
   - Click "Compare & pull request"
   - Fill out the PR template
   - Request review from your buddy

Congrats on your first contribution! 🎉

### End of Day 1

**You should now have**:
- ✅ Development environment running locally
- ✅ Application accessible in your browser
- ✅ First PR created
- ✅ Access to all team tools and channels

**Questions?** Ask in #engineering or DM your buddy!

---

## Week 1: Core Concepts

### Project Architecture

#### High-Level Architecture

┌─────────────┐ │ Browser │ │ (React) │ └──────┬──────┘ │ HTTPS ▼ ┌─────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │ API Gateway │────▶│ Auth Service│ │ (Express) │ │ (JWT) │ └──────┬──────┘ └──────────────┘ │ ├────▶ Product Service │ ├────▶ Order Service │ ├────▶ Payment Service ────▶ Stripe API │ └────▶ User Service │ ▼ ┌──────────┐ │PostgreSQL│ └──────────┘

#### Directory Structure

ecommerce-platform/ ├── client/ # Frontend React app │ ├── src/ │ │ ├── components/ # Reusable UI components │ │ ├── pages/ # Page components │ │ ├── hooks/ # Custom React hooks │ │ ├── store/ # Redux store and slices │ │ ├── api/ # API client functions │ │ ├── utils/ # Utility functions │ │ └── types/ # TypeScript type definitions │ └── tests/ # Frontend tests │ ├── server/ # Backend Node.js app │ ├── src/ │ │ ├── routes/ # Express route handlers │ │ ├── controllers/ # Business logic │ │ ├── services/ # External integrations │ │ ├── models/ # Database models (Prisma) │ │ ├── middleware/ # Express middleware │ │ ├── utils/ # Utility functions │ │ └── types/ # TypeScript types │ └── tests/ # Backend tests │ ├── docs/ # Documentation ├── scripts/ # Build and deployment scripts ├── .github/ # GitHub Actions workflows └── docker-compose.yml # Local development services

### Key Concepts

#### 1. Authentication Flow

// User logs in POST /api/auth/login { email, password } ↓ // Server validates credentials // Generates JWT token ↓ // Client stores token localStorage.setItem('token', token) ↓ // Client includes token in requests Authorization: Bearer <token> ↓ // Server validates token // Attaches user to request req.user = decodedToken

**Code location**: `server/src/middleware/auth.ts`

#### 2. State Management (Redux)

We use Redux Toolkit for client-side state:

// Store structure { auth: { user: User | null, isAuthenticated: boolean, loading: boolean }, cart: { items: CartItem[], total: number }, products: { list: Product[], filters: FilterState, loading: boolean } }

**Reading from store**:

import { useAppSelector } from '@/hooks/redux';

const user = useAppSelector(state => state.auth.user); const cartItems = useAppSelector(state => state.cart.items);

**Dispatching actions**:

import { useAppDispatch } from '@/hooks/redux'; import { addToCart } from '@/store/slices/cartSlice';

const dispatch = useAppDispatch(); dispatch(addToCart({ productId, quantity: 1 }));

**Code location**: `client/src/store/`

#### 3. API Communication

We use React Query for server state:

import { useQuery, useMutation } from '@tanstack/react-query'; import { api } from '@/api/client';

// Fetching data const { data, isLoading, error } = useQuery({ queryKey: ['products'], queryFn: () => api.products.getAll() });

// Mutating data const mutation = useMutation({ mutationFn: (product) => api.products.create(product), onSuccess: () => { queryClient.invalidateQueries(['products']); } });

**Code location**: `client/src/api/`

#### 4. Database Access (Prisma)

We use Prisma ORM for database operations:

import { prisma } from '@/lib/prisma';

// Find one const user = await prisma.user.findUnique({ where: { id: userId } });

// Find many with filters const products = await prisma.product.findMany({ where: { category: 'electronics', price: { lt: 1000 } }, include: { images: true, reviews: true } });

// Create const order = await prisma.order.create({ data: { userId, total: 100, items: { create: [ { productId: 1, quantity: 2, price: 50 } ] } } });

**Code location**: `server/src/models/`
**Schema**: `prisma/schema.prisma`

### Your First Real Task

**Goal**: Add a "Recently Viewed" feature to product pages.

**Requirements**:
- Track products a user views
- Display last 5 viewed products
- Persist across sessions (use localStorage)
- Show on product detail page

**Steps**:

1. **Create a feature branch**:
   ```bash
   git checkout -b feature/recently-viewed-products
   ```

2. **Frontend: Add hook** (`client/src/hooks/useRecentlyViewed.ts`):
   ```typescript
   export function useRecentlyViewed() {
     const addToRecentlyViewed = (product: Product) => {
       // Get existing
       const recent = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('recentlyViewed') || '[]');

       // Add new (avoid duplicates)
       const updated = [
         product,
         ...recent.filter((p: Product) => p.id !== product.id)
       ].slice(0, 5);

       // Save
       localStorage.setItem('recentlyViewed', JSON.stringify(updated));
     };

     const getRecentlyViewed = (): Product[] => {
       return JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('recentlyViewed') || '[]');
     };

     return { addToRecentlyViewed, getRecentlyViewed };
   }
   ```

3. **Frontend: Use in product page** (`client/src/pages/ProductDetail.tsx`):
   ```typescript
   const { addToRecentlyViewed, getRecentlyViewed } = useRecentlyViewed();

   useEffect(() => {
     if (product) {
       addToRecentlyViewed(product);
     }
   }, [product]);

   const recentProducts = getRecentlyViewed();
   ```

4. **Frontend: Display component** (`client/src/components/RecentlyViewed.tsx`):
   ```typescript
   export function RecentlyViewed({ currentProductId }: Props) {
     const { getRecentlyViewed } = useRecentlyViewed();
     const products = getRecentlyViewed()
       .filter(p => p.id !== currentProductId);

     if (products.length === 0) return null;

     return (
       <section>
         <h2>Recently Viewed</h2>
         <ProductGrid products={products} />
       </section>
     );
   }
   ```

5. **Add tests**:
   ```typescript
   describe('useRecentlyViewed', () => {
     it('should add product to recently viewed', () => {
       const { addToRecentlyViewed, getRecentlyViewed } = useRecentlyViewed();

       addToRecentlyViewed(mockProduct);

       expect(getRecentlyViewed()).toContainEqual(mockProduct);
     });

     it('should limit to 5 products', () => {
       // Add 6 products, check only 5 remain
     });

     it('should move duplicate to front', () => {
       // Add same product twice, check it appears once at front
     });
   });
   ```

6. **Test manually**:
   - View several products
   - Check localStorage in DevTools
   - Verify list appears on product pages
   - Test edge cases (empty state, single item)

7. **Create PR**:
   - Use PR template
   - Add screenshots
   - Request review from @frontend-team

**Resources**:
- [React Hooks Guide](https://react.dev/reference/react)
- [LocalStorage API](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/localStorage)
- [Our Testing Guide](docs/TESTING.md)

### Week 1 Learning Resources

**Must Read**:
- [ ] [Project README](README.md)
- [ ] [Architecture Decision Records](docs/adr/)
- [ ] [API Documentation](docs/API.md)
- [ ] [Contributing Guidelines](CONTRIBUTING.md)

**Optional Deep Dives**:
- [ ] [Redux Toolkit Docs](https://redux-toolkit.js.org/)
- [ ] [React Query Docs](https://tanstack.com/query/latest)
- [ ] [Prisma Docs](https://www.prisma.io/docs)
- [ ] [Our Style Guide](docs/STYLE_GUIDE.md)

### End of Week 1

**You should now**:
- ✅ Understand overall architecture
- ✅ Know key technologies and tools
- ✅ Have completed your first feature
- ✅ Understand our development workflow
- ✅ Feel comfortable asking questions

**Checkpoint Meeting**: Schedule 30min with your manager to review progress.

---

## Month 1: Making Impact

### Month 1 Goals

1. **Ship Features**: Complete 3-5 features independently
2. **Code Reviews**: Provide meaningful feedback on 10+ PRs
3. **Fix Bugs**: Tackle 2-3 bug fixes
4. **Improve Something**: Find and fix a small pain point
5. **Learn Domain**: Understand e-commerce business basics

### Suggested Feature Ideas

**Beginner Friendly**:
- Add product sorting (price, rating, newest)
- Implement wishlist functionality
- Create order history page
- Add email notifications

**Intermediate**:
- Implement product reviews and ratings
- Add search autocomplete
- Create admin dashboard for orders
- Optimize image loading performance

**Advanced**:
- Implement shopping cart abandonment recovery
- Add real-time inventory tracking
- Create recommendation engine
- Set up A/B testing framework

**Finding Tasks**: Check Jira board for issues labeled `good-first-issue`.

### Code Review Best Practices

**As an Author**:
- Keep PRs small (< 400 lines changed)
- Write clear descriptions
- Add screenshots for UI changes
- Respond to feedback promptly
- Test thoroughly before requesting review

**As a Reviewer**:
- Review within 24 hours
- Be kind and constructive
- Ask questions rather than demand changes
- Highlight good practices
- Approve when ready (don't nitpick)

**Review Checklist**:
- [ ] Code follows style guide
- [ ] Tests included and passing
- [ ] No console.logs in production code
- [ ] Error handling implemented
- [ ] Performance considerations addressed
- [ ] Security best practices followed

**Resources**: [Code Review Guide](docs/CODE_REVIEW.md)

### Testing Guidelines

**What to Test**:
- Business logic (always)
- User interactions (important flows)
- Edge cases and error states
- API integrations (with mocks)

**Testing Pyramid**:

/\ / \ E2E Tests (few) /────\ / \ Integration Tests (some) /────────\ / \ Unit Tests (many) /────────────\

**Running Tests**:

All tests

npm test

Watch mode

npm test -- --watch

Coverage

npm test -- --coverage

Specific file

npm test UserService.test.ts

**Writing Tests**:

describe('CartService', () => { describe('addToCart', () => { it('should add item to empty cart', () => { // Arrange const cart = new Cart(); const item = { productId: 1, quantity: 2 };

// Act cart.addItem(item);

// Assert expect(cart.items).toHaveLength(1); expect(cart.items[0]).toEqual(item); });

it('should increase quantity if item exists', () => { // Test implementation });

it('should throw error if quantity is negative', () => { // Test implementation }); }); });

**Resources**: [Testing Guide](docs/TESTING.md)

### Deployment Process

**Environments**:
- **Development**: Your local machine
- **Staging**: https://staging.ecommerce.example.com
- **Production**: https://ecommerce.example.com

**Deployment Flow**:

main branch │ ▼ CI runs (tests, lint, build) │ ▼ Auto-deploy to Staging │ ▼ Manual QA testing │ ▼ Create release tag │ ▼ Deploy to Production (gradual rollout)

**You can deploy**: Staging (automatic on merge to main)
**You cannot deploy**: Production (requires approval)

**Monitoring**:
- Logs: DataDog dashboard
- Errors: Sentry alerts
- Metrics: Custom dashboards

---

## Team & Processes

### Team Structure

**Engineering Team**:
- **Engineering Manager**: @alice (1:1s, career growth)
- **Tech Lead**: @bob (architecture decisions, technical direction)
- **Frontend Team** (4 engineers): @carol, @dave, @eve, @frank
- **Backend Team** (5 engineers): @grace, @henry, @ivy, @jack, @kate
- **Full-Stack** (3 engineers): @liam, @maya, @noah

**Adjacent Teams**:
- **Product**: @olivia (product manager)
- **Design**: @peter, @quinn (UI/UX designers)
- **QA**: @rachel, @sam (test engineers)
- **DevOps**: @taylor (infrastructure)

### Communication Channels

**Slack Channels**:
- `#engineering` - General engineering discussions
- `#frontend` - Frontend-specific topics
- `#backend` - Backend-specific topics
- `#deploys` - Deployment notifications
- `#incidents` - Production issues
- `#random` - Non-work chat

**When to use what**:
- **Slack**: Quick questions, discussions, FYIs
- **Jira**: Task tracking, bug reports
- **GitHub**: Code discussions, PR reviews
- **Email**: External communication, formal notices
- **Zoom**: Meetings, pair programming, deep discussions

### Meetings

**Weekly**:
- **Team Standup** (Mon/Wed/Fri, 10am, 15min)
  - What you did
  - What you're doing
  - Any blockers
- **Sprint Planning** (Monday, 1pm, 1hr)
  - Plan next sprint
  - Estimate stories
- **Retro** (Friday, 2pm, 45min)
  - What went well
  - What could improve
  - Action items

**Bi-weekly**:
- **1:1 with Manager** (30min)
  - Career growth
  - Feedback
  - Questions

**Monthly**:
- **All-Hands** (First Friday, 3pm, 1hr)
  - Company updates
  - Team showcases

**Meeting Norms**:
- Cameras on when possible
- Mute when not speaking
- Be on time
- Come prepared
- Take notes

### Development Workflow

**Git Workflow**:

main (protected) ├─ feature/add-wishlist ├─ fix/cart-bug └─ refactor/payment-service

**Branch Naming**:
- `feature/description` - New features
- `fix/description` - Bug fixes
- `refactor/description` - Code refactoring
- `docs/description` - Documentation
- `test/description` - Tests only

**Commit Messages**:

type(scope): description

feat(cart): add wishlist functionality fix(auth): resolve token expiration issue docs(readme): update setup instructions test(orders): add integration tests refactor(database): optimize queries

**PR Process**:
1. Create feature branch
2. Make changes
3. Write tests
4. Create PR (use template)
5. Request review (minimum 1 approval)
6. Address feedback
7. Merge (squash and merge)

### On-Call Rotation

**You won't be on-call** for your first 3 months.

When you join rotation:
- 1 week on-call per month
- Respond to PagerDuty alerts
- Fix production issues
- Escalate if needed

**Resources**: [On-Call Runbook](docs/ON_CALL.md)

---

## Resources

### Documentation

- [README](README.md) - Project overview
- [Architecture](docs/ARCHITECTURE.md) - System design
- [API Docs](docs/API.md) - API reference
- [Contributing](CONTRIBUTING.md) - How to contribute
- [Style Guide](docs/STYLE_GUIDE.md) - Code conventions
- [Testing Guide](docs/TESTING.md) - Testing practices
- [Deployment](docs/DEPLOYMENT.md) - Deployment process
- [Troubleshooting](docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md) - Common issues

### Learning Resources

**JavaScript/TypeScript**:
- [TypeScript Handbook](https://www.typescriptlang.org/docs/)
- [JavaScript.info](https://javascript.info/)
- [You Don't Know JS](https://github.com/getify/You-Dont-Know-JS)

**React**:
- [React Docs](https://react.dev)
- [React TypeScript Cheatsheet](https://react-typescript-cheatsheet.netlify.app/)
- [Epic React by Kent C. Dodds](https://epicreact.dev/)

**Node.js**:
- [Node.js Best Practices](https://github.com/goldbergyoni/nodebestpractices)
- [Express.js Guide](https://expressjs.com/en/guide/routing.html)

**Databases**:
- [Prisma Guides](https://www.prisma.io/docs/guides)
- [PostgreSQL Tutorial](https://www.postgresqltutorial.com/)

**System Design**:
- [System Design Primer](https://github.com/donnemartin/system-design-primer)
- [Web Architecture 101](https://engineering.videoblocks.com/web-architecture-101-a3224e126947)

### Internal Tools

- **1Password**: Shared credentials
- **Notion**: Team wiki and docs
- **Figma**: Design files
- **DataDog**: Monitoring and logs
- **Sentry**: Error tracking
- **GitHub**: Code repository
- **Jira**: Project management

### Your Buddy

Your onboarding buddy is **@buddy-name**.

**Your buddy will**:
- Answer day-to-day questions
- Review your first few PRs
- Introduce you to the team
- Help you navigate processes
- Meet with you weekly (first month)

**Don't hesitate to ask them anything!**

---

## FAQ

### Development

**Q: How do I reset my local database?**

npm run db:reset # Drops all data and re-runs migrations npm run db:seed # Adds sample data

**Q: Tests are failing locally but passing in CI. Why?**
- Check Node version matches (use `nvm use`)
- Clear `node_modules` and reinstall
- Check for environment-specific tests

**Q: How do I debug the backend?**
Add `debugger;` statement and run:

node --inspect-brk server/src/index.ts

Then open Chrome DevTools.

**Q: Where do I find API credentials for development?**
Check 1Password vault "Development Secrets" or ask in #engineering.

### Code & Practices

**Q: When should I create a new component vs. modify existing?**
- Create new: Reusable, self-contained functionality
- Modify existing: Extending current component's capabilities
- When in doubt, ask in PR review

**Q: How much test coverage is expected?**
- Aim for 80% overall
- 100% for business-critical logic (payments, auth)
- Focus on valuable tests, not just coverage numbers

**Q: Can I refactor code I'm working on?**
Yes, but:
- Keep refactoring in separate commits
- Don't mix feature work with large refactors
- For big refactors, create separate PR

**Q: What if I disagree with PR feedback?**
- Discuss politely in PR comments
- Explain your reasoning
- Escalate to tech lead if needed
- Remember: we're all learning

### Process

**Q: How do I report a production bug?**
1. Post in #incidents with details
2. Create Jira ticket (type: Bug, priority: based on severity)
3. If urgent, ping on-call engineer

**Q: Can I work on something not in Jira?**
- Small improvements: Yes, create ticket after
- Large projects: Check with manager first
- Tech debt: Discuss in sprint planning

**Q: How do I request time off?**
- Add to team calendar
- Message manager on Slack
- Update Jira board if you have active work

**Q: I'm stuck on a problem for hours. What should I do?**
1. Try debugging and Googling (30 min)
2. Ask in #engineering (don't struggle alone)
3. Schedule pairing session with teammate
4. Escalate to tech lead if still stuck

**Rule of thumb**: Ask for help after 30 minutes of being stuck.

### Career & Growth

**Q: How is performance evaluated?**
- Quarterly reviews with manager
- Based on: code quality, velocity, collaboration, growth
- Transparent rubric provided

**Q: How do I learn more about [specific topic]?**
- Ask in #engineering for recommendations
- Check internal wiki for resources
- Request Udemy/book budget from manager

**Q: Can I switch teams/projects?**
- Discuss with manager after 6 months
- Internal mobility encouraged

---

## Welcome Aboard!

Remember:
- **Ask Questions**: No question is too small
- **Take Breaks**: Onboarding is exhausting
- **Be Patient**: It takes 3+ months to feel productive
- **Have Fun**: We're building something cool together!

**Need help?** Your buddy (@buddy-name) and manager (@manager-name) are here for you.

Welcome to the team! 🚀

Usage Examples

@onboarding-helper
@onboarding-helper --type full-guide
@onboarding-helper --type quick-start
@onboarding-helper --type architecture-overview
@onboarding-helper --focus frontend
@onboarding-helper --include-exercises

Best Practices

Make It Personal

• Address new team member by name
• Assign a buddy/mentor
• Include team photos and bios
• Share team culture and values

Progressive Disclosure

• Day 1: Just get running
• Week 1: Understand basics
• Month 1: Ship features
• Month 3: Full productivity

Make It Interactive

• Include hands-on exercises
• Provide starter tasks
• Encourage pair programming
• Set up regular check-ins

Keep It Updated

• Review quarterly
• Get feedback from new hires
• Update for tech stack changes
• Improve based on common questions

Make It Discoverable

• Central location (wiki, README)
• Easy to navigate
• Searchable
• Version controlled

Notes

• Onboarding is an ongoing process, not a one-time event
• Great onboarding significantly reduces time-to-productivity
• Documentation should be discoverable and up-to-date
• Assign mentors/buddies for personal guidance
• Include both technical and cultural onboarding
• Celebrate early wins to build confidence
• Check in regularly during first 3 months
• Encourage questions and create safe learning environment
• Provide clear learning path with milestones
• Make resources easily accessible
• Update documentation based on new hire feedback