apps/web/content/handbook/teams/1.engineering.mdx
Engineers at Char own the full picture — not just the code, but the product and the user experience. You should understand why something is being built, not just how.
Open source by default — Our codebase is public. Write code you'd be proud to show the world.
Rust + TypeScript — Rust for the backend and core systems (Tauri), TypeScript and React for the frontend. This stack gives us performance, safety, and developer ergonomics.
Ship fast, iterate — Don't over-engineer. The right amount of complexity is the minimum needed for the current task. Three similar lines of code is better than a premature abstraction.
AI-augmented — We use Devin, Claude Code, and Cursor as daily tools. Treat AI like a capable colleague — delegate routine work, review the output.
All changes go through PRs. Reviews should be fast and focused — don't block on style preferences, focus on correctness and clarity. If you're waiting on a review for more than a few hours, ping on Slack.
Engineers should talk to users, read feedback in GitHub Discussions, and understand the product roadmap. The best technical decisions come from understanding the problem, not just the implementation.