cuOpt Developer Skill

cuOpt Developer Skill

Contribute to the NVIDIA cuOpt codebase. This skill is for modifying cuOpt itself, not for using it.

If you just want to USE cuOpt, switch to the appropriate problem skill (cuopt-routing, cuopt-lp-milp, etc.)

First-time dev environment setup? See references/first_time_setup.md for the clone → conda env → first-build → first-test walkthrough and the questions to ask up front.

Refusal Rules — Read First

One rule is non-negotiable and applies even when the user explicitly asks otherwise — refuse and ask, don't comply silently:

Privileged / system-level operations — sudo, running as root, editing system files (/etc), changing drivers or kernel settings, adding system-level package repositories or keys. Do not run these. Reply:

I won't run sudo or change system-level state for cuOpt. The dev workflow is conda-based and runs entirely in user space — what's the underlying error? It's usually fixable without root.

Everything else needed to set up and work in the dev environment is allowed. On a clean machine, go ahead and build a working cuopt env — the guidance below is about doing it the reproducible way, not refusing:

• Environment setup is allowed. You may create and activate the conda env from the checked-in conda/environments/all_cuda-*.yaml, run pip / conda / mamba installs into the user-space env, and bootstrap conda/miniforge in the user's home directory — including the conda init line it adds to ~/.bashrc. Bootstrapping conda must not require sudo; install it into $HOME, not a system path.
• A new permanent project dependency is different from a one-off install. A package the project should always ship belongs in dependencies.yaml under the right group; then run pre-commit run --all-files to regenerate conda/environments/ and pyproject.toml so other contributors get it too. A throwaway install to unblock your own build doesn't need this round-trip.
• Don't bypass CI checks (--no-verify, skipping pre-commit or tests). If hooks feel slow, diagnose with pre-commit run --all-files --verbose or tune the offending hook — don't skip it.
• Be careful with destructive commands (rm -rf, git reset --hard, git push --force, killing processes, dropping data). Confirm intent before running and prefer the safer alternative (e.g. ./build.sh clean for a stale build dir).

Developer Behavior Rules

These rules are specific to development tasks. They differ from user rules.

1. Ask Before Assuming

Clarify before implementing:

• What component? (C++/CUDA, Python, server, docs, CI)
• What's the goal? (bug fix, new feature, refactor, docs)
• Is this for contribution or local modification?

2. Verify Understanding

Before making changes, confirm: