Skip to content

Getting Started with ALDC v3.2.0

Welcome to the AL Development Collection (ALDC Core v1.1). This guide helps you start developing Business Central extensions with structured, contract-driven, TDD-orchestrated workflows.

What was installed

Your workspace now has the ALDC toolkit in .github/:

.github/
  agents/          4 public agents + 3 internal subagents
  instructions/    9 auto-applied coding standards
  prompts/         6 workflows
  skills/          11 composable skills (7 required + 4 recommended)
  plans/
    memory.md      Global memory (append-only, cross-session context)
  docs/
    schema/        aldc.schema.json (configuration schema)
    templates/     7 document templates (spec, architecture, test-plan, etc.)
  tools/
    aldc-validate/ Compliance validator
aldc.yaml          Configuration file (workspace root)

Validate your installation

Run the ALDC validator to confirm everything is in place:

cd your-workspace
node .github/tools/aldc-validate/index.js --config aldc.yaml

Expected output: ALDC Core v1.1 COMPLIANT (0 warning(s))

Your first requirement

Step 1: Create a spec

@workspace use al-spec.create

"I need to add a Loyalty Points field to the Customer table,
incremented on each posted sales order."

This generates {req_name}.spec.md in .github/plans/.

Step 2: Choose your path

LOW complexity (simple field, single table extension):

@AL Implementation Specialist implement the spec

MEDIUM/HIGH complexity (multi-table, events, business logic):

@AL Architecture & Design Specialist design the architecture first

Then:

@AL Development Conductor orchestrate TDD implementation

Step 3: Follow the flow

LOW:      al-spec.create -> @AL Implementation Specialist
MED/HIGH: @AL Architecture & Design Specialist -> al-spec.create -> @AL Development Conductor

The conductor enforces TDD through subagents:

  1. Planning subagent researches context
  2. You approve the plan (HITL gate)
  3. Implement subagent: tests FIRST, code SECOND (RED-GREEN-REFACTOR)
  4. Review subagent validates against spec + architecture
  5. You approve each phase (HITL gate)

Available agents

Agent What it does
@AL Architecture & Design Specialist Designs solutions, decomposes requirements, creates architecture docs
@AL Implementation Specialist Implements code, debugs, makes quick adjustments
@AL Development Conductor Orchestrates multi-phase TDD with subagents
@AL Pre-Sales & Project Estimation Specialist Estimates effort, scopes projects

Available workflows

Workflow Invoke with
Create spec @workspace use al-spec.create
Build/deploy @workspace use al-build
Prepare PR @workspace use al-pr-prepare
Update memory @workspace use al-memory.create
Generate context @workspace use al-context.create
Initialize project @workspace use al-initialize

Composable skills

Skills are domain knowledge loaded on demand by agents. They provide AL-specific patterns and rules:

  • skill-api: API pages, OData, custom endpoints
  • skill-copilot: Copilot capability, PromptDialog
  • skill-debug: Diagnosis, CPU profiling, telemetry
  • skill-performance: SetLoadFields, early filtering
  • skill-events: Event subscribers/publishers
  • skill-permissions: Permission sets, GDPR
  • skill-testing: AL-Go tests, Library Assert
  • skill-migrate: BC version upgrades
  • skill-pages: Page Designer, UX patterns
  • skill-translate: XLF translation
  • skill-estimation: Effort estimation

Contracts and memory

Each requirement generates a contract set in .github/plans/:

  • {req_name}.spec.md - Technical blueprint
  • {req_name}.architecture.md - Solution design
  • {req_name}.test-plan.md - Test strategy
  • memory.md - Global context (append-only, shared across sessions)

Need help?