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+# BeatScratch for Flutter
+
+Always reference these instructions first and fallback to search or bash commands only when you encounter unexpected information that does not match the info here.
+
+BeatScratch is a cross-platform music app combining readable musical notation with looping features. It supports Android, iOS, web, and macOS platforms using Flutter with platform-specific audio backends (FluidSynth on Android, AudioKit on iOS/macOS, MIDI.js for web).
+
+## Working Effectively
+
+### Prerequisites and Setup
+- Install Flutter SDK: Use the official Flutter installation guide for your OS or `snap install flutter --classic` on Linux
+- Install Protobuf 3: `sudo apt-get install protobuf-compiler` on Ubuntu/Debian
+- **CRITICAL EXTERNAL DEPENDENCY**: Clone FlutterMidiCommand to `../FlutterMidiCommand` relative to this repo. The build will fail without this local dependency.
+- Install platform-specific tools:
+  - Android: Android Studio and SDK
+  - iOS/macOS: Xcode and command line tools
+  - Web: Chrome for testing
+
+### Initial Setup Commands
+```bash
+# Install protobuf (Ubuntu/Debian)
+sudo apt-get install protobuf-compiler
+
+# Get the required external dependency (CRITICAL - build fails without this)
+cd .. && git clone https://github.com/InvisibleWrench/FlutterMidiCommand.git
+
+# Return to project and get dependencies
+cd BeatFlutter
+flutter pub get
+```
+
+### Validation Commands
+```bash
+# Verify all build scripts are executable
+ls -la build-release*
+# Should show: build-release, build-release-all, build-release-android, 
+#              build-release-ios, build-release-macos, build-release-web
+
+# Verify protobuf files exist (should show ~2800 total lines)
+wc -l lib/generated/protos/*.dart
+
+# Verify external dependency is available
+ls -la ../FlutterMidiCommand/
+```
+
+### Build and Test Process
+
+#### Core Development Commands
+- `flutter pub get` - Install dependencies
+- `flutter analyze` - Run static analysis (ALWAYS run before committing)
+- `flutter test --coverage` - Run unit tests and generate coverage
+- `flutter test` - Run unit tests only
+
+#### Protobuf Generation (Optional)
+- `./build-protos` - Generate Dart/Swift/JS protobuf classes
+- **NOTE**: Generated protobuf files are already committed. Only run if proto files change or protobuf tools are installed.
+- Requires: `protoc-gen-dart`, `protoc-gen-swift`, and `protoc-gen-js` plugins
+
+#### Platform-Specific Builds
+
+**NEVER CANCEL builds - they can take 15-45 minutes. ALWAYS set timeouts to 60+ minutes.**
+
+##### Development/Debug Builds
+- `flutter run` - Run on connected device/emulator
+- `flutter run -d chrome` - Run web version in Chrome
+- `flutter run -d macos` - Run macOS desktop version
+
+##### Release Builds (Platform-Specific Flutter Channels)
+The project uses different Flutter channels for optimal platform support:
+
+**Android** (stable channel):
+```bash
+flutter channel stable && flutter upgrade
+./build-release-android
+# Builds app bundle - takes 15-30 minutes. NEVER CANCEL.
+# Output: build/app/outputs/bundle/release/
+```
+
+**iOS** (stable channel):
+```bash
+flutter channel stable && flutter upgrade  
+./build-release-ios
+# Builds, archives, and uploads - takes 30-45 minutes. NEVER CANCEL.
+# Requires Apple Developer certificates
+```
+
+**Web** (beta channel):
+```bash
+flutter channel beta && flutter upgrade
+./build-release-web
+# Builds web app with CanvasKit renderer - takes 10-20 minutes. NEVER CANCEL.
+# Copies to ../beatscratch-page/app-staging if exists
+```
+
+**macOS** (dev channel):
+```bash
+flutter channel dev && flutter upgrade
+./build-release-macos  
+# Builds, signs, and compresses - takes 20-35 minutes. NEVER CANCEL.
+# Requires macOS codesigning certificate EC73E3C309C841E94640BBA80B3FE67508A10A95
+```
+
+**All Platforms**:
+```bash
+./build-release-all
+# Builds for all platforms sequentially - takes 60-120 minutes. NEVER CANCEL.
+# Switches Flutter channels automatically
+```
+
+## Validation and Testing
+
+### Always Run Before Committing
+```bash
+flutter analyze              # Static analysis - fails CI if issues found
+flutter test                 # Unit tests - takes 2-5 minutes
+flutter test --coverage      # With coverage report
+```
+
+**CRITICAL**: Always run these validation commands after setup:
+```bash
+# Ensure external dependency is present
+test -d ../FlutterMidiCommand && echo "✓ FlutterMidiCommand found" || echo "✗ Missing FlutterMidiCommand - clone it first!"
+
+# Verify protobuf files exist  
+test -f lib/generated/protos/music.pb.dart && echo "✓ Protobuf files found" || echo "✗ Missing protobuf files"
+
+# Check build script permissions
+test -x build-release-all && echo "✓ Build scripts executable" || chmod +x build-release*
+```
+
+### Manual Testing Scenarios
+After making changes, ALWAYS test these scenarios:
+1. **App Launch**: Verify the app starts without crashes
+2. **Basic Navigation**: Test main menu navigation and core features  
+3. **Platform-Specific**: Test audio functionality if modifying audio code
+4. **Web**: Test in Chrome with `flutter run -d chrome`
+
+**Note**: If Flutter is not available in environment, focus on static analysis of build scripts and file structure validation using the commands above.
+
+### CI/CD Validation
+- GitHub Actions run on all pushes/PRs
+- Tests must pass: `flutter analyze` and `flutter test`
+- Integration tests run on Android API 21/29 and iOS simulators
+- Build artifacts are generated for releases
+
+## Common Tasks and Troubleshooting
+
+### Repository Structure
+```
+BeatFlutter/
+├── lib/                    # Main Dart code
+│   ├── generated/protos/   # Generated protobuf classes (committed)
+│   └── main.dart          # App entry point
+├── protos/                # Protobuf definitions
+├── android/               # Android platform code
+├── ios/                   # iOS platform code  
+├── macos/                 # macOS platform code
+├── web/                   # Web platform code and assets
+├── test/                  # Unit tests
+├── build-release*         # Platform-specific build scripts
+└── build-protos          # Protobuf generation script
+```
+
+### Key Files to Know
+- `lib/main.dart` - Main application entry point
+- `pubspec.yaml` - Dependencies and project config
+- `analysis_options.yaml` - Linting rules
+- `lib/generated/protos/` - Generated protobuf message classes
+- `build-release-*` scripts - Platform-specific build automation
+
+### Common Issues
+- **Missing FlutterMidiCommand**: Clone to `../FlutterMidiCommand` - build fails without it
+- **Protobuf generation fails**: Install protobuf plugins or use committed generated files
+- **Channel conflicts**: Use correct Flutter channel per platform (see build commands above)
+- **Long build times**: Normal - iOS builds can take 45+ minutes, never cancel
+- **macOS signing**: Requires specific developer certificate for release builds
+
+### Build Time Expectations
+- **Unit tests**: 2-5 minutes - NEVER CANCEL, timeout: 10+ minutes
+- **Flutter analyze**: 30-60 seconds  
+- **Android release build**: 15-30 minutes - NEVER CANCEL, timeout: 45+ minutes
+- **iOS release build**: 30-45 minutes - NEVER CANCEL, timeout: 60+ minutes  
+- **Web release build**: 10-20 minutes - NEVER CANCEL, timeout: 30+ minutes
+- **macOS release build**: 20-35 minutes - NEVER CANCEL, timeout: 45+ minutes
+- **Full release build (all platforms)**: 60-120 minutes - NEVER CANCEL, timeout: 150+ minutes
+
+### Development Workflow
+1. Make changes to code
+2. Run `flutter analyze` to check for issues
+3. Run `flutter test` to verify tests pass
+4. Test manually with `flutter run` on target platform
+5. For releases, use appropriate `build-release-*` script with correct Flutter channel
+6. Always wait for builds to complete - they take significant time but work reliably
+
+## Architecture Notes
+- Uses protobuf for cross-platform message serialization
+- Platform channels delegate audio to native implementations
+- Redux-style state management (beatscratch_flutter_redux)
+- Multi-platform UI with platform-specific optimizations
+- External MIDI support via FlutterMidiCommand plugin
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