# Why I Wrote 25 Engineering Rules Before Writing O-AI

> Source: <https://dev.to/shriisoot/why-i-wrote-25-engineering-rules-before-writing-o-ai-3091>
> Published: 2026-06-27 19:12:34+00:00

Most AI projects start with code.

I started with documentation.

Before implementing O-AI, I spent weeks writing a complete engineering handbook covering architecture, memory systems, multi-agent design, security, testing, deployment, debugging, governance, and long-term maintainability.

Why?

Because AI projects grow fast—and without clear engineering principles they become impossible to maintain.

Writing code is easy.

Designing a system that can still evolve years later is much harder.

The implementation begins now, but the blueprint comes first.

I'm building O-AI in public and documenting the journey along the way.

I'd love to hear how other developers approach large AI projects.