godot-project-foundations

Project Foundations

Feature-based organization, consistent naming, and version control hygiene define professional Godot projects.

Available Scripts

MANDATORY - For New Projects: Before scaffolding, read project_bootstrapper.gd - Auto-generates feature folders and .gitignore.

project_bootstrapper.gd

Expert project scaffolding tool for auto-generating feature folders and .gitignore.

scene_naming_validator.gd

Scans entire project for snake_case/PascalCase violations. Run before PRs.

dependency_auditor.gd

Detects circular scene dependencies and coupling issues. Critical for projects >50 scenes.

feature_scaffolder.gd

Generates complete feature folders with base scenes, scripts, and subfolders.

Do NOT Load dependency_auditor.gd unless troubleshooting loading errors or auditing large projects.

NEVER Do in Project Organization

• NEVER group by file type — /scripts, /sprites, /sounds folders? Nightmare maintainability. Use feature-based: /player, /enemies, /ui.
• NEVER mix snake_case and PascalCase in files — PlayerController.gd vs player_controller.gd? Pick one. Official standard: snake_case for files, PascalCase for nodes.
• NEVER forget .gitignore — Committing .godot/ folder = 100MB+ bloat + merge conflicts. ALWAYS include Godot-specific .gitignore.
• NEVER use hardcoded get_node() paths — get_node("../../../Player/Sprite2D") breaks on scene reparenting. Use %SceneUniqueNames for stable references.
• NEVER skip .gdignore for raw assets — Design source files (.psd, .blend) in project root = Godot imports them. Add .gdignore to exclude from import process.

1. Naming Conventions

• Files & Folders: Always use snake_case. (e.g., player_controller.gd, main_menu.tscn).
  • Exception: C# scripts should use PascalCase to match class names.
• Node Names: Always use PascalCase (e.g., PlayerSprite, CollisionShape2D).
• Unique Names: Use %SceneUniqueNames for frequently accessed nodes to avoid brittle get_node() paths.

2. Feature-Based Organization

Instead of grouping by type (e.g., /scripts, /sprites), group by feature (the "What", not the "How").

Correct Structure:

/project.godot
/common/           # Global resources, themes, shared scripts
/entities/
    /player/       # Everything related to player
        player.tscn
        player.gd
        player_sprite.png
    /enemy/
/ui/
    /main_menu/
/levels/
/addons/           # Third-party plugins

3. Version Control

• Always include a .gitignore tailored for Godot (ignoring .godot/ folder and import artifacts).
• Use .gdignore in folders that Godot should not scan/import (e.g., raw design source files).

Workflow: Scaffolding a New Project

When asked to "Setup a project" or "Start a new game":

1. Initialize Root: Ensure project.godot exists.
2. Create Core Folders:
   • entities/
   • ui/
   • levels/
   • common/
3. Setup Git: Create a comprehensive .gitignore.
4. Documentation: Create a README.md explaining the feature-based structure.

Reference

• Official Docs: tutorials/best_practices/project_organization.rst
• Official Docs: tutorials/best_practices/scene_organization.rst

Related

• Master Skill: godot-master