The local loop is part of the starter

A starter repo is judged by the first hour and the hundredth change. Installation matters, but so does the confidence to keep moving after the scaffolding stops being new.

The loop is a feature

Developer experience is not a layer of polish around the repository. It is part of the product. For a small team—or one person working with an agent—slow feedback quietly compounds into fewer experiments and more abandoned ideas.

The default loop should be:

1. Start the owning package.
2. Make one focused change.
3. Run the smallest relevant check.
4. Use the root gate before handoff.

That sequence keeps iteration fast without confusing fast with unchecked.

Focus first, root gate last

During implementation, run the narrow command that owns the behavior:

pnpm --filter web typecheck
pnpm --filter web test

Before the work leaves your hands, run the complete contract:

pnpm turbo typecheck lint build test

This pattern is especially useful for coding agents. The repository communicates both where to work and how to prove the result.

Make failure actionable

The best command is not merely one that exits non-zero. It tells the next person what failed, where it failed, and which smaller command will reproduce it.

Typed boundaries, local fixtures, and executable checks beat tribal knowledge. A short README command is useful; a script that verifies the claim is better.

World-class local DX means the next correct action is obvious—even when the first attempt fails.

That is why Starter treats AGENTS.md, package scripts, and the root gate as product surfaces. They are how the repository teaches every new fork to move with confidence.