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+# django-tree-queries
+Django package for tree queries using adjacency lists and recursive CTEs. Supports PostgreSQL, SQLite 3.8.3+, MariaDB 10.2.2+, and MySQL 8.0+.
+
+**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.**
+
+## Working Effectively
+
+### Repository Setup and Installation
+- **NEVER CANCEL: Dependencies installation takes 5-10 minutes depending on network. Set timeout to 15+ minutes.**
+- `pip install -e .` - Install core package in development mode (no admin features)
+- `pip install -e .[admin]` - Install with admin functionality (includes django-js-asset)
+- `pip install -e .[tests]` - Install with all testing dependencies (includes pytest, coverage, django-js-asset)
+- `pip install tox` - Install tox for comprehensive testing across Python/Django combinations
+
+### Build and Test Commands
+- **NEVER CANCEL: tox full test suite takes 20-45 minutes across all combinations. Set timeout to 60+ minutes.**
+- `tox` - Run complete test suite across all supported Python/Django/database combinations
+- `tox -e py312-dj52-sqlite` - Run tests for specific Python/Django combination (fastest, ~2-5 minutes)
+- `tox -e py312-dj52-postgresql` - Run with PostgreSQL (requires service setup)
+- `tox -e py312-dj52-mysql` - Run with MySQL/MariaDB (requires service setup)
+- **Alternative testing without tox (faster for development):**
+  - `pip install Django>=5.0 pytest pytest-django` - Install minimal test dependencies
+  - `cd tests && python -m pytest testapp/test_admin.py -v --override-ini addopts=""` - Run admin tests (~4 seconds for 12 tests)
+  - `cd tests && python -m pytest testapp/test_queries.py -v --override-ini addopts=""` - Run core tests (~1 second for 55 tests)
+  - `cd tests && python -m pytest testapp/test_templatetags.py -v --override-ini addopts=""` - Run template tag tests
+
+### Code Quality and Linting
+- **NEVER CANCEL: pre-commit takes 2-3 minutes on first run. Set timeout to 5+ minutes.**
+- `pip install ruff` - Install Python linter/formatter
+- `pre-commit install` - Install git hooks for automated checks
+- `pre-commit run --all-files` - Run all linting and formatting checks manually
+- `ruff check .` - Run Python linting (~0.02 seconds, very fast)
+- `ruff format .` - Format Python code (part of pre-commit)
+- `biome check .` - Check JavaScript/CSS files (part of pre-commit, requires Node.js)
+
+## Validation Scenarios
+
+### Core Functionality Testing
+Always test these scenarios after making changes to core tree functionality:
+1. **Tree Structure Operations**: Create nodes with parent-child relationships, verify `with_tree_fields()` adds `tree_depth`, `tree_path`, `tree_ordering`
+2. **Query Methods**: Test `ancestors()`, `descendants()`, `order_siblings_by()` methods
+3. **Performance Filters**: Test `tree_filter()` and `tree_exclude()` with large datasets
+
+### Admin Interface Testing
+When modifying admin functionality, always test:
+1. **TreeAdmin Display**: Navigate to Django admin, verify tree structure shows with indentation and collapse/expand
+2. **Node Moving**: Test cut/paste workflow - click "Cut" button, select destination from dropdown, verify move operations
+3. **Position Field Handling**: Test both positioned models (with `position_field`) and unpositioned models
+4. **Validation**: Test move validation (preventing loops, invalid positions)
+
+### Manual Validation Commands
+```bash
+# Start test Django admin server (requires Django and ALLOWED_HOSTS configuration)
+cd tests
+python manage.py migrate
+python -c "
+import os
+os.environ.setdefault('DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE', 'testapp.settings')
+import django
+from django.conf import settings
+settings.DEBUG = True
+settings.ALLOWED_HOSTS = ['127.0.0.1', 'localhost']
+django.setup()
+from django.core.management import execute_from_command_line
+execute_from_command_line(['manage.py', 'runserver', '127.0.0.1:8000', '--noreload'])
+"
+
+# Server starts in ~5 seconds, then navigate to:
+# http://127.0.0.1:8000/admin/testapp/model/ (positioned trees)
+# http://127.0.0.1:8000/admin/testapp/unorderedmodel/ (unpositioned trees)
+
+# Test complete workflows:
+# 1. Create tree structure with 3+ levels
+# 2. Use collapse/expand buttons
+# 3. Cut a node and move it to different positions
+# 4. Verify tree structure integrity after moves
+```
+
+## Repository Structure
+
+### Core Package (`tree_queries/`)
+- `models.py` - TreeNode abstract model class with parent ForeignKey
+- `query.py` - TreeQuerySet with CTE-based tree methods
+- `admin.py` - TreeAdmin class and MoveNodeForm for Django admin
+- `fields.py` - TreeNodeForeignKey and form fields
+- `forms.py` - TreeNodeChoiceField and TreeNodeMultipleChoiceField
+- `compiler.py` - Custom SQL compiler for tree queries
+- `templatetags/tree_queries.py` - Template tags (tree_info, recursetree)
+- `static/tree_queries/` - CSS and JavaScript for admin interface
+
+### Test Suite (`tests/`)
+- `testapp/models.py` - Test models (Model, UnorderedModel, StringOrderedModel)
+- `testapp/admin.py` - Example admin classes for testing
+- `testapp/test_admin.py` - 12 comprehensive admin test cases
+- `testapp/test_queries.py` - Core tree query functionality tests
+- `testapp/test_templatetags.py` - Template tag tests
+- `manage.py` - Django management script for test project
+
+### Configuration Files
+- `pyproject.toml` - Package configuration with optional dependencies
+- `tox.ini` - Test environment configuration for multiple Python/Django versions
+- `.pre-commit-config.yaml` - Code quality hooks (ruff, biome, django-upgrade)
+- `biome.json` - JavaScript/CSS linting configuration
+
+## Common Tasks
+
+### Running Admin Demo
+```bash
+cd tests
+python manage.py migrate
+python manage.py createsuperuser  # Create admin user
+python manage.py runserver
+# Visit http://localhost:8000/admin/
+```
+
+### Database Backends
+```bash
+# SQLite (default, fastest)
+DB_BACKEND=sqlite3 DB_NAME=":memory:" tox -e py312-dj52-sqlite
+
+# PostgreSQL (requires service)
+DB_BACKEND=postgresql DB_HOST=localhost DB_PORT=5432 tox -e py312-dj52-postgresql
+
+# MySQL/MariaDB (requires service)
+DB_BACKEND=mysql DB_HOST=localhost DB_PORT=3306 tox -e py312-dj52-mysql
+```
+
+### Tree Query Examples
+```python
+# Basic tree operations
+nodes = Node.objects.with_tree_fields()  # Adds tree_depth, tree_path, tree_ordering
+ancestors = node.ancestors()  # All ancestors from root
+descendants = node.descendants(include_self=True)  # All descendants including self
+
+# Performance optimizations for large trees
+filtered_tree = Node.objects.with_tree_fields().tree_filter(category="products")
+nodes_with_names = Node.objects.with_tree_fields().tree_fields(tree_names="name")
+```
+
+### Admin Configuration Examples
+```python
+# Positioned tree (controllable sibling ordering)
+@admin.register(Category)
+class CategoryAdmin(TreeAdmin):
+    list_display = [*TreeAdmin.list_display, "name", "is_active"]
+    position_field = "order"  # Field used for sibling positioning
+
+# Unpositioned tree (ordering by other criteria)
+@admin.register(Department)
+class DepartmentAdmin(TreeAdmin):
+    list_display = [*TreeAdmin.list_display, "name"]
+    # position_field = None (default) - uses direct root moves
+```
+
+## Performance and Timing Expectations
+
+- **Package Installation**: 5-10 minutes (network dependent)
+- **Full tox Test Suite**: 20-45 minutes (all Python/Django/DB combinations)
+- **Single Environment Tests**: 2-5 minutes (e.g., py312-dj52-sqlite)
+- **Direct pytest Tests**: 1-4 seconds (individual test files without tox)
+- **Pre-commit Hooks**: 2-3 minutes (first run with downloads)
+- **Admin Server Startup**: 5 seconds
+- **Python Linting (ruff)**: 0.02 seconds (extremely fast)
+
+### Validated Test Timings
+- Admin tests: 4.19 seconds (12 tests)
+- Core query tests: 0.52 seconds (55 tests)
+- Single test case: 0.57 seconds
+
+## Critical Notes
+
+- **Tree Path Limitations**: Max 50 levels on MySQL/MariaDB due to array length constraints
+- **Parent Field Name**: Must be named `"parent"` (not configurable)
+- **Update Queries**: `node.descendants().update()` doesn't work - use `Model.objects.filter(pk__in=node.descendants()).update()` instead
+- **Admin Dependencies**: TreeAdmin requires `django-js-asset` (included in `[admin]` extra)
+- **Loop Prevention**: TreeNode.clean() validates against tree loops, but CTE doesn't protect against them for performance
+- **Database Support**: PostgreSQL, SQLite 3.8.3+, MariaDB 10.2.2+, MySQL 8.0+ (without ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY)
+
+## Always Run Before Committing
+```bash
+# Fast development validation (recommended for quick checks)
+ruff check .  # Python linting - 0.02 seconds
+cd tests && python -m pytest testapp/test_admin.py --override-ini addopts=""  # Admin tests - 4 seconds
+cd tests && python -m pytest testapp/test_queries.py --override-ini addopts=""  # Core tests - 1 second
+
+# Full validation (before final commit)
+pre-commit run --all-files  # NEVER CANCEL: Takes 2-3 minutes
+tox -e py312-dj52-sqlite  # Full single-env test suite - 2-5 minutes
+```
+
+The CI will fail if pre-commit checks don't pass or if any tests fail across the supported Python/Django matrix.