What is Intent Guard?

Intent Guard is an architectural validation tool for AI-assisted coding. It validates AI-generated code against rules you define, preventing violations before they reach your codebase.

The Problem

AI coding assistants (Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf) don't understand your project's architecture. They:

• Import database code into UI components
• Modify protected payment logic
• Violate layer boundaries
• Add banned dependencies

The Solution

Intent Guard validates AI-generated code against architectural rules. If AI breaks your architecture, validation fails and the AI self-corrects.

How It Works

┌─────────────────┐
│  You Define     │
│  Architecture   │──┐
│  Rules (YAML)   │  │
└─────────────────┘  │
                     │
┌─────────────────┐  │    ┌──────────────────┐
│  AI Generates   │  │    │  Intent Guard    │
│  Code           │──┼───▶│  Validates       │
└─────────────────┘  │    └──────────────────┘
                     │              │
┌─────────────────┐  │              ▼
│  AI Reads       │  │    ┌──────────────────┐
│  Rules (JITC)   │◀─┘    │  ✅ Pass / ❌ Fail│
└─────────────────┘       └──────────────────┘

Flow:

1. You define architectural rules in .intentguard/intent.config.yaml
2. AI generates code
3. Intent Guard validates the code against your rules
4. If violations exist, AI sees the error and self-corrects

Framework & Tool Compatibility

Works with ANY JavaScript/TypeScript Project! ✅

Intent Guard is 100% framework-agnostic. It analyzes your source code structure (imports, exports, dependencies) - not framework-specific features.

✅ Frontend Frameworks

React • Next.js • Vue.js • Nuxt.js • Angular • Svelte • SvelteKit • Solid.js • Remix • Astro • Qwik • Preact • Vanilla JS/TS

✅ Backend Frameworks

Express.js • Fastify • Nest.js • Koa • Hapi • Adonis.js • Serverless Functions • AWS Lambda • Node.js

✅ Build Tools

Webpack • Vite • Rollup • esbuild • Turbopack • Parcel • SWC • Babel

✅ Monorepo Tools

Turborepo • Nx • Lerna • pnpm Workspaces • Yarn Workspaces • npm Workspaces

How Does It Work?

Intent Guard validates source code structure, not runtime behavior:

✅ Checks: import/export statements, module dependencies, file organization
❌ Doesn't check: Component props, API responses, business logic

Example: Whether you use React hooks, Vue composables, or Express middleware - Intent Guard ensures they import from the correct architectural layers.

Monorepo Support

Define architectural rules:

• Per package (each package has its own .intentguard/ folder)
• Globally (one .intentguard/ at monorepo root)
• Mixed (global rules + package-specific overrides)

What Intent Guard Does

✅ DOES:

• Enforces layer boundaries (e.g., "Domain layer cannot import Infrastructure")
• Protects critical code from AI modification (file-level or block-level)
• Blocks banned dependencies from entering your codebase
• Detects architectural drift (new violations appearing over time)
• Validates only changed files (--diff mode for speed)
• Provides AI-readable feedback via rules-for command

❌ DOES NOT:

• Generate or write code
• Replace ESLint, Prettier, or TypeScript
• Run tests or validate business logic
• Require a specific framework (works with any Node.js project)
• Need a build step or compilation

When to Use Intent Guard

Use Intent Guard if:

• ✅ You use AI coding assistants (Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf)
• ✅ Your project has defined architectural layers
• ✅ You need to prevent AI from violating boundaries

Don't use if:

• ❌ Small scripts (< 100 lines of code)
• ❌ One-off projects (throwaway code)
• ❌ Projects without clear architecture

Comparison with Alternatives

Tool	Purpose	What It Validates
ESLint	Code style	Syntax, formatting, best practices
TypeScript	Type safety	Types, interfaces, null safety
Intent Guard	Architecture	Layer boundaries, protected code

Best Practice: Use Intent Guard together with ESLint and TypeScript. They solve different problems.