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+# AngleSharp.Diffing - HTML Comparison Library
+
+AngleSharp.Diffing is a .NET library for comparing AngleSharp control nodes and test nodes to identify differences between HTML DOM trees. This library targets .NET Standard 2.0 and provides a fluent API for HTML comparison and diffing.
+
+**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
+
+### Prerequisites and Setup
+- Install .NET 8.0+ SDK (already available in GitHub Actions environments)
+- Mono is NOT required for standard development (only for legacy Cake build system)
+
+### Bootstrap, Build, and Test
+Execute these commands in order from the repository root:
+
+```bash
+cd src
+dotnet restore                 # ~11 seconds - restores NuGet packages
+dotnet build                   # ~15 seconds - compiles library and tests  
+dotnet test                    # ~5 seconds - runs 521 tests. NEVER CANCEL.
+```
+
+**CRITICAL TIMING EXPECTATIONS:**
+- `dotnet restore`: 11 seconds - NEVER CANCEL. Set timeout to 60+ seconds minimum.
+- `dotnet build`: 15 seconds - NEVER CANCEL. Set timeout to 60+ seconds minimum.
+- `dotnet test`: 5 seconds - runs 521 tests. NEVER CANCEL. Set timeout to 30+ seconds minimum.
+- Complete clean rebuild: ~20 seconds - NEVER CANCEL. Set timeout to 60+ seconds minimum.
+
+### Alternative Build Methods
+**PRIMARY METHOD (Recommended):** Use dotnet CLI commands as shown above.
+
+**LEGACY METHOD (Not Recommended):** The repository includes Cake build scripts (`build.sh`/`build.ps1`) but they require Mono and may fail. Only use if specifically needed:
+```bash
+# Install Mono first (if needed)
+sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y mono-complete
+./build.sh  # May fail - use dotnet commands instead
+```
+
+### Release Builds and Packaging
+```bash
+cd src
+dotnet build --configuration Release          # ~15 seconds
+dotnet pack --configuration Release           # ~8 seconds - creates NuGet packages
+```
+
+**Package Output:** Creates `.nupkg` and `.snupkg` files in `src/AngleSharp.Diffing/bin/Release/`
+
+## Validation and Testing
+
+### Manual Validation Requirements
+**ALWAYS** validate changes by creating and running a test program to exercise the library:
+
+```csharp
+using AngleSharp.Diffing;
+
+// Test basic HTML diffing functionality
+var control = @"<p attr=""foo"">hello <em>world</em></p>";
+var test = @"<p attr=""bar"">hello <strong>world</strong></p>";
+
+var diffs = DiffBuilder
+    .Compare(control)
+    .WithTest(test)
+    .Build()
+    .ToList();
+
+Console.WriteLine($"Found {diffs.Count} differences:");
+foreach (var diff in diffs)
+{
+    Console.WriteLine($"- {diff.GetType().Name}: {diff.Result} {diff.Target}");
+}
+```
+
+### Code Quality and Standards
+- **Code Analysis:** Project has strict analysis rules enabled (`EnforceCodeStyleInBuild=true`)
+- **EditorConfig:** Follow the existing `.editorconfig` settings (4-space indentation, CRLF line endings)
+- **Nullable References:** Enabled - handle null values appropriately
+- **Build Warnings:** Zero warnings expected - treat warnings as errors for critical types
+
+### Test Suite Information
+- **Test Framework:** xUnit with Shouldly assertions
+- **Test Count:** 521 tests covering core diffing functionality
+- **Test Runtime:** ~5 seconds total
+- **Test Files Location:** `src/AngleSharp.Diffing.Tests/`
+
+## Navigation and Architecture
+
+### Key Directories and Files
+```
+src/
+├── AngleSharp.Diffing/              # Main library project
+│   ├── Core/                        # Core diffing engine and interfaces
+│   ├── Extensions/                  # Extension methods
+│   ├── Strategies/                  # Diffing strategy implementations
+│   └── DiffBuilder.cs              # Main fluent API entry point
+├── AngleSharp.Diffing.Tests/        # Test project
+│   ├── Core/                        # Core functionality tests
+│   └── Strategies/                  # Strategy-specific tests
+└── AngleSharp.Diffing.sln          # Solution file
+```
+
+### Important Classes and APIs
+- **`DiffBuilder`**: Main entry point with fluent API (`DiffBuilder.Compare(control).WithTest(test).Build()`)
+- **`IDiff`**: Base interface for all difference types
+- **`HtmlDifferenceEngine`**: Core comparison engine
+- **Diff Types**: `AttrDiff`, `NodeDiff`, `MissingNodeDiff`, `UnexpectedNodeDiff`, etc.
+
+### Dependencies
+- **AngleSharp 1.1.2**: Core HTML parsing library
+- **AngleSharp.Css 1.0.0-beta.144**: CSS support
+- **Target Framework**: .NET Standard 2.0 (library), .NET 8.0 (tests)
+
+## Common Development Tasks
+
+### Making Code Changes
+1. **Always build and test first** to establish baseline: `dotnet build && dotnet test`
+2. Make your changes to source files in `src/AngleSharp.Diffing/`
+3. **Immediately test after changes**: `dotnet build && dotnet test`
+4. **Manual validation**: Create a test program to exercise your changes
+5. **Pre-commit validation**: Ensure no build warnings or test failures
+
+### Debugging and Investigation
+- **Test filtering**: `dotnet test --filter "TestMethodName"` to run specific tests
+- **Verbose builds**: `dotnet build --verbosity normal` to see detailed output
+- **Key test files**: `DiffBuilderTest.cs` shows basic API usage patterns
+
+### CI/Build Requirements
+- **GitHub Actions**: Runs on both Linux and Windows
+- **Zero warnings policy**: Build must complete without warnings
+- **All tests must pass**: 521/521 tests required
+- **Code formatting**: Enforced via EditorConfig and analyzers
+
+## Getting Started Examples
+
+### Basic HTML Comparison
+```csharp
+var control = "<p>Expected content</p>";
+var test = "<p>Actual content</p>";
+
+var diffs = DiffBuilder
+    .Compare(control)
+    .WithTest(test)
+    .Build();
+```
+
+### Advanced Configuration
+```csharp
+var diffs = DiffBuilder
+    .Compare(control)
+    .WithTest(test)
+    .WithOptions(options => {
+        // Configure diffing strategies
+    })
+    .Build();
+```
+
+### Working with Results
+```csharp
+foreach (var diff in diffs)
+{
+    switch (diff.Result)
+    {
+        case DiffResult.Different:
+        case DiffResult.Missing:
+        case DiffResult.Unexpected:
+            // Handle different types of differences
+            break;
+    }
+}
+```
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Common Issues
+- **Build failures**: Ensure you're in the `src/` directory
+- **Cake build failures**: Use `dotnet` commands instead of `build.sh`/`build.ps1`
+- **Test failures**: Check for environment-specific issues or recent changes
+- **Package restore issues**: Clear NuGet caches with `dotnet nuget locals all --clear`
+
+### Quick Reset Commands
+```bash
+# Clean and rebuild everything
+cd src
+dotnet clean
+rm -rf */bin */obj
+dotnet restore
+dotnet build
+dotnet test
+```
+
+## Performance Expectations
+- **Development builds**: ~15 seconds
+- **Test execution**: ~5 seconds for full suite
+- **Package creation**: ~8 seconds
+- **CI builds**: Allow 60+ seconds timeout minimum for each step
+
+**CRITICAL**: NEVER CANCEL builds or tests that appear slow. Wait at least 60 seconds for builds and 30 seconds for tests before considering alternatives.
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