resource-curator by leonardomso

---
name: resource-curator
description: Find, evaluate, and maintain high-quality external resources for JavaScript concept documentation, including auditing for broken and outdated links
---

# Skill: Resource Curator for Concept Pages

Use this skill to find, evaluate, add, and maintain high-quality external resources (articles, videos, courses) for concept documentation pages. This includes auditing existing resources for broken links and outdated content.

## When to Use

- Adding resources to a new concept page
- Refreshing resources on existing pages
- Auditing for broken or outdated links
- Reviewing community-contributed resources
- Periodic link maintenance

## Resource Curation Methodology

Follow these five phases for comprehensive resource curation.

### Phase 1: Audit Existing Resources

Before adding new resources, audit what's already there:

1. **Check link accessibility** — Does each link return 200?
2. **Verify content accuracy** — Is the content still correct?
3. **Check publication dates** — Is it too old for the topic?
4. **Identify outdated content** — Does it use old syntax/patterns?
5. **Review descriptions** — Are they specific or generic?

### Phase 2: Identify Resource Gaps

Compare current resources against targets:

| Section | Target Count | Icon |
|---------|--------------|------|
| Reference | 2-4 MDN links | `book` |
| Articles | 4-6 articles | `newspaper` |
| Videos | 3-4 videos | `video` |
| Courses | 1-3 (optional) | `graduation-cap` |
| Books | 1-2 (optional) | `book` |

Ask:
- Are there enough resources for beginners AND advanced learners?
- Is there visual content (diagrams, animations)?
- Are official references (MDN) included?
- Is there diversity in teaching styles?

### Phase 3: Find New Resources

Search trusted sources using targeted queries:

**For Articles:**
```
[concept] javascript tutorial site:javascript.info
[concept] javascript explained site:freecodecamp.org
[concept] javascript site:dev.to
[concept] javascript deep dive site:2ality.com
[concept] javascript guide site:css-tricks.com
```

**For Videos:**
```
YouTube: [concept] javascript explained
YouTube: [concept] javascript tutorial
YouTube: jsconf [concept]
YouTube: [concept] javascript fireship
YouTube: [concept] javascript web dev simplified
```

**For MDN:**
```
[concept] site:developer.mozilla.org
[API name] MDN
```

### Phase 4: Write Descriptions

Every resource needs a specific, valuable description:

**Formula:**
```
Sentence 1: What makes this resource unique OR what it specifically covers
Sentence 2: Why reader should click (what they'll gain, who it's best for)
```

### Phase 5: Format and Organize

- Use correct Card syntax with proper icons
- Order resources logically (foundational first, advanced later)
- Ensure consistent formatting

---

## Trusted Sources

### Reference Sources (Priority Order)

| Priority | Source | URL | Best For |
|----------|--------|-----|----------|
| 1 | MDN Web Docs | developer.mozilla.org | API docs, guides, compatibility |
| 2 | ECMAScript Spec | tc39.es/ecma262 | Authoritative behavior |
| 3 | Node.js Docs | nodejs.org/docs | Node-specific APIs |
| 4 | Web.dev | web.dev | Performance, best practices |
| 5 | Can I Use | caniuse.com | Browser compatibility |

### Article Sources (Priority Order)

| Priority | Source | Why Trusted |
|----------|--------|-------------|
| 1 | javascript.info | Comprehensive, exercises, well-maintained |
| 2 | MDN Guides | Official, accurate, regularly updated |
| 3 | freeCodeCamp | Beginner-friendly, practical |
| 4 | 2ality (Dr. Axel) | Deep technical dives, spec-focused |
| 5 | CSS-Tricks | DOM, visual topics, well-written |
| 6 | dev.to (Lydia Hallie) | Visual explanations, animations |
| 7 | LogRocket Blog | Practical tutorials, real-world |
| 8 | Smashing Magazine | In-depth, well-researched |
| 9 | Digital Ocean | Clear tutorials, examples |
| 10 | Kent C. Dodds | Testing, React, best practices |

### Video Creators (Priority Order)

| Priority | Creator | Style | Best For |
|----------|---------|-------|----------|
| 1 | Fireship | Fast, modern, entertaining | Quick overviews, modern JS |
| 2 | Web Dev Simplified | Clear, beginner-friendly | Beginners, fundamentals |
| 3 | Fun Fun Function | Deep-dives, personality | Understanding "why" |
| 4 | Traversy Media | Comprehensive crash courses | Full topic coverage |
| 5 | JSConf/dotJS | Expert conference talks | Advanced, in-depth |
| 6 | Academind | Thorough explanations | Complete understanding |
| 7 | The Coding Train | Creative, visual | Visual learners |
| 8 | Wes Bos | Practical, real-world | Applied learning |
| 9 | The Net Ninja | Step-by-step tutorials | Following along |
| 10 | Programming with Mosh | Professional, clear | Career-focused |

### Course Sources

| Source | Type | Notes |
|--------|------|-------|
| javascript.info | Free | Comprehensive, exercises |
| Piccalilli | Free | Well-written, modern |
| freeCodeCamp | Free | Project-based |
| Frontend Masters | Paid | Expert instructors |
| Egghead.io | Paid | Short, focused lessons |
| Udemy (top-rated) | Paid | Check reviews carefully |
| Codecademy | Freemium | Interactive |

---

## Quality Criteria

### Must Have (Required)

- [ ] **Link works** — Returns 200 (not 404, 301, 5xx)
- [ ] **JavaScript-focused** — Not primarily about C#, Python, Java, etc.
- [ ] **Technically accurate** — No factual errors or anti-patterns
- [ ] **Accessible** — Free or has meaningful free preview

### Should Have (Preferred)

- [ ] **Recent enough** — See publication date guidelines below
- [ ] **Reputable source** — From trusted sources list or well-known creator
- [ ] **Unique perspective** — Not duplicate of existing resources
- [ ] **Appropriate depth** — Matches concept complexity
- [ ] **Good engagement** — Positive comments, high views (for videos)

### Red Flags (Reject)

| Red Flag | Why It Matters |
|----------|----------------|
| Uses `var` everywhere | Outdated for ES6+ topics |
| Teaches anti-patterns | Harmful to learners |
| Primarily other languages | Wrong focus |
| Hard paywall (no preview) | Inaccessible |
| Pre-2015 for modern topics | Likely outdated |
| Low quality comments | Often indicates issues |
| Factual errors | Spreads misinformation |
| Clickbait title, thin content | Wastes reader time |

---

## Publication Date Guidelines

| Topic Category | Minimum Year | Reasoning |
|----------------|--------------|-----------|
| **ES6+ Features** | 2015+ | ES6 released June 2015 |
| **Promises** | 2015+ | Native Promises in ES6 |
| **async/await** | 2017+ | ES2017 feature |
| **ES Modules** | 2018+ | Stable browser support |
| **Optional chaining (?.)** | 2020+ | ES2020 feature |
| **Nullish coalescing (??)** | 2020+ | ES2020 feature |
| **Top-level await** | 2022+ | ES2022 feature |
| **Fundamentals** (closures, scope, this) | Any | Core concepts don't change |
| **DOM manipulation** | 2018+ | Modern APIs preferred |
| **Fetch API** | 2017+ | Widespread support |

**Rule of thumb:** For time-sensitive topics, prefer content from the last 3-5 years. For fundamentals, older classic content is often excellent.

---

## Description Writing Guide

### The Formula

```
Sentence 1: What makes this resource unique OR what it specifically covers
Sentence 2: Why reader should click (what they'll gain, who it's best for)
```

### Good Examples

```markdown
<Card title="JavaScript Visualized: Promises & Async/Await — Lydia Hallie" icon="newspaper" href="https://dev.to/lydiahallie/javascript-visualized-promises-async-await-5gke">
  Animated GIFs showing the call stack, microtask queue, and event loop in action. 
  The visuals make Promise execution order finally click for visual learners.
</Card>

<Card title="What the heck is the event loop anyway? — Philip Roberts" icon="video" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aGhZQkoFbQ">
  The legendary JSConf talk that made the event loop click for millions of developers. 
  Philip Roberts' live visualizations are the gold standard — a must-watch.
</Card>

<Card title="You Don't Know JS: Scope & Closures — Kyle Simpson" icon="book" href="https://github.com/getify/You-Dont-Know-JS/blob/2nd-ed/scope-closures/README.md">
  Kyle Simpson's deep dive into JavaScript's scope mechanics and closure behavior. 
  Goes beyond the basics into edge cases and mental models for truly understanding scope.
</Card>

<Card title="JavaScript Promises in 10 Minutes — Web Dev Simplified" icon="video" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHvZLI7Db8E">
  Quick, clear explanation covering Promise creation, chaining, and error handling. 
  Perfect starting point if you're new to async JavaScript.
</Card>

<Card title="How to Escape Async/Await Hell — Aditya Agarwal" icon="newspaper" href="https://medium.com/free-code-camp/avoiding-the-async-await-hell-c77a0fb71c4c">
  The pizza-and-drinks ordering analogy makes parallel vs sequential execution crystal clear. 
  Essential reading once you know async/await basics but want to write faster code.
</Card>
```

### Bad Examples (Avoid)

```markdown
<!-- TOO GENERIC -->
<Card title="Promises Tutorial" icon="newspaper" href="...">
  A comprehensive guide to Promises in JavaScript.
</Card>

<!-- NO VALUE PROPOSITION -->
<Card title="Learn Closures" icon="video" href="...">
  This video explains closures in JavaScript.
</Card>

<!-- VAGUE, NO SPECIFICS -->
<Card title="JavaScript Guide" icon="newspaper" href="...">
  Everything you need to know about JavaScript.
</Card>

<!-- JUST RESTATING THE TITLE -->
<Card title="Understanding the Event Loop" icon="video" href="...">
  A video about understanding the event loop.
</Card>
```

### Words and Phrases to Avoid

| Avoid | Why | Use Instead |
|-------|-----|-------------|
| "comprehensive guide to..." | Vague, overused | Specify what's covered |
| "learn all about..." | Generic | What specifically will they learn? |
| "everything you need to know..." | Hyperbolic | Be specific |
| "great tutorial on..." | Subjective filler | Why is it great? |
| "explains X" | Too basic | How does it explain? What's unique? |
| "in-depth look at..." | Vague | What depth? What aspect? |

### Words and Phrases That Work

| Good Phrase | Example |
|-------------|---------|
| "step-by-step walkthrough" | "Step-by-step walkthrough of building a Promise from scratch" |
| "visual explanation" | "Visual explanation with animated diagrams" |
| "deep dive into" | "Deep dive into V8's optimization strategies" |
| "practical examples of" | "Practical examples of closures in React hooks" |
| "the go-to reference for" | "The go-to reference for array method signatures" |
| "finally makes X click" | "Finally makes prototype chains click" |
| "perfect for beginners" | "Perfect for beginners new to async code" |
| "covers X, Y, and Z" | "Covers creation, chaining, and error handling" |

---

## Link Audit Process

### Step 1: Check Each Link

For each resource in the concept page:

1. **Click the link** — Does it load?
2. **Note the HTTP status:**

| Status | Meaning | Action |
|--------|---------|--------|
| 200 | OK | Keep, continue to content check |
| 301/302 | Redirect | Update to final URL |
| 404 | Not Found | Remove or find replacement |
| 403 | Forbidden | Check manually, may be geo-blocked |
| 5xx | Server Error | Retry later, may be temporary |

### Step 2: Content Verification

For each accessible link:

1. **Skim the content** — Is it still accurate?
2. **Check the date** — When was it published/updated?
3. **Verify JavaScript focus** — Is it primarily about JS?
4. **Look for red flags** — Anti-patterns, errors, outdated syntax

### Step 3: Description Review

For each resource:

1. **Read current description** — Is it specific?
2. **Compare to actual content** — Does it match?
3. **Check for generic phrases** — "comprehensive guide", etc.
4. **Identify improvements** — How can it be more specific?

### Step 4: Gap Analysis

After auditing all resources:

1. **Count by section** — Do we meet targets?
2. **Check diversity** — Beginner AND advanced? Visual AND text?
3. **Identify missing types** — No MDN? No videos?
4. **Note recommendations** — What should we add?

---

## Resource Section Templates

### Reference Section

```markdown
## Reference

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="[Main Topic] — MDN" icon="book" href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/...">
    Official MDN documentation covering [specific aspects]. 
    The authoritative reference for [what it's best for].
  </Card>
  <Card title="[Related API/Concept] — MDN" icon="book" href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/...">
    [What this reference covers]. 
    Essential reading for understanding [specific aspect].
  </Card>
</CardGroup>
```

### Articles Section

```markdown
## Articles

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="[Article Title]" icon="newspaper" href="...">
    [What makes it unique/what it covers]. 
    [Why read this one/who it's for].
  </Card>
  <Card title="[Article Title]" icon="newspaper" href="...">
    [Specific coverage]. 
    [Value proposition].
  </Card>
  <Card title="[Article Title]" icon="newspaper" href="...">
    [Unique angle]. 
    [Why it's worth reading].
  </Card>
  <Card title="[Article Title]" icon="newspaper" href="...">
    [What it covers]. 
    [Best for whom].
  </Card>
</CardGroup>
```

### Videos Section

```markdown
## Videos

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="[Video Title] — [Creator]" icon="video" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...">
    [What it covers/unique approach]. 
    [Why watch/who it's for].
  </Card>
  <Card title="[Video Title] — [Creator]" icon="video" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...">
    [Specific focus]. 
    [What makes it stand out].
  </Card>
  <Card title="[Video Title] — [Creator]" icon="video" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...">
    [Coverage]. 
    [Value].
  </Card>
</CardGroup>
```

### Books Section (Optional)

```markdown
<Card title="[Book Title] — [Author]" icon="book" href="...">
  [What the book covers and its approach]. 
  [Who should read it and what they'll gain].
</Card>
```

### Courses Section (Optional)

```markdown
<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="[Course Title] — [Platform]" icon="graduation-cap" href="...">
    [What the course covers]. 
    [Format and who it's best for].
  </Card>
</CardGroup>
```

---

## Resource Audit Report Template

Use this template to document audit findings.

```markdown
# Resource Audit Report: [Concept Name]

**File:** `/docs/concepts/[slug].mdx`
**Date:** YYYY-MM-DD
**Auditor:** [Name/Claude]

---

## Summary

| Metric | Count |
|--------|-------|
| Total Resources | XX |
| Working Links (200) | XX |
| Broken Links (404) | XX |
| Redirects (301/302) | XX |
| Outdated Content | XX |
| Generic Descriptions | XX |

## Resource Count vs Targets

| Section | Current | Target | Status |
|---------|---------|--------|--------|
| Reference (MDN) | X | 2-4 | ✅/⚠️/❌ |
| Articles | X | 4-6 | ✅/⚠️/❌ |
| Videos | X | 3-4 | ✅/⚠️/❌ |
| Courses | X | 0-3 | ✅/⚠️/❌ |

---

## Broken Links (Remove or Replace)

| Resource | Line | URL | Status | Action |
|----------|------|-----|--------|--------|
| [Title] | XX | [URL] | 404 | Remove |
| [Title] | XX | [URL] | 404 | Replace with [alternative] |

---

## Redirects (Update URLs)

| Resource | Line | Old URL | New URL |
|----------|------|---------|---------|
| [Title] | XX | [old] | [new] |

---

## Outdated Resources (Consider Replacing)

| Resource | Line | Issue | Recommendation |
|----------|------|-------|----------------|
| [Title] | XX | Published 2014, uses var throughout | Replace with [modern alternative] |
| [Title] | XX | Pre-ES6, no mention of let/const | Find updated version or replace |

---

## Description Improvements Needed

| Resource | Line | Current | Suggested |
|----------|------|---------|-----------|
| [Title] | XX | "A guide to closures" | "[Specific description with value prop]" |
| [Title] | XX | "Learn about promises" | "[What makes it unique]. [Why read it]." |

---

## Missing Resources (Recommendations)

| Type | Gap | Suggested Resource | URL |
|------|-----|-------------------|-----|
| Reference | No main MDN link | [Topic] — MDN | [URL] |
| Article | No beginner guide | [Title] — javascript.info | [URL] |
| Video | No visual explanation | [Title] — [Creator] | [URL] |
| Article | No advanced deep-dive | [Title] — 2ality | [URL] |

---

## Non-JavaScript Resources (Remove)

| Resource | Line | Issue |
|----------|------|-------|
| [Title] | XX | Primarily about C#, not JavaScript |

---

## Action Items

### High Priority (Do First)
1. **Remove broken link:** [Title] (line XX)
2. **Add missing MDN reference:** [Topic]
3. **Replace outdated resource:** [Title] with [alternative]

### Medium Priority
1. **Update redirect URL:** [Title] (line XX)
2. **Improve description:** [Title] (line XX)
3. **Add beginner-friendly article**

### Low Priority
1. **Add additional video resource**
2. **Consider adding course section**

---

## Verification Checklist

After making changes:

- [ ] All broken links removed or replaced
- [ ] All redirect URLs updated
- [ ] Outdated resources replaced
- [ ] Generic descriptions rewritten
- [ ] Missing resource types added
- [ ] Resource counts meet targets
- [ ] All new links verified working
- [ ] All descriptions are specific and valuable
```

---

## Quick Reference

### Icon Reference

| Content Type | Icon Value |
|--------------|------------|
| MDN/Official docs | `book` |
| Articles/Blog posts | `newspaper` |
| Videos | `video` |
| Courses | `graduation-cap` |
| Books | `book` |
| Related concepts | Context-appropriate |

### Character Guidelines

| Element | Guideline |
|---------|-----------|
| Card title | Keep concise, include creator for videos |
| Description sentence 1 | What it covers / what's unique |
| Description sentence 2 | Why read/watch / who it's for |

### Resource Ordering

Within each section, order resources:
1. **Most foundational/beginner-friendly first**
2. **Official references before community content**
3. **Most highly recommended prominently placed**
4. **Advanced/niche content last**

---

## Quality Checklist

### Link Verification
- [ ] All links return 200 (not 404, 301)
- [ ] No redirect chains
- [ ] No hard paywalls without notice
- [ ] All URLs are HTTPS where available

### Content Quality
- [ ] All resources are JavaScript-focused
- [ ] No resources teaching anti-patterns
- [ ] Publication dates appropriate for topic
- [ ] Mix of beginner and advanced content
- [ ] Visual and text resources included

### Description Quality
- [ ] All descriptions are specific (not generic)
- [ ] Descriptions explain unique value
- [ ] No "comprehensive guide to..." phrases
- [ ] Each description is 2 sentences
- [ ] Descriptions match actual content

### Completeness
- [ ] 2-4 MDN/official references
- [ ] 4-6 quality articles
- [ ] 3-4 quality videos
- [ ] Resources ordered logically
- [ ] Diversity in teaching styles

---

## Summary

When curating resources for a concept page:

1. **Audit first** — Check all existing links and content
2. **Identify gaps** — Compare against targets (2-4 refs, 4-6 articles, 3-4 videos)
3. **Find quality resources** — Search trusted sources
4. **Write specific descriptions** — What's unique + why read/watch
5. **Format correctly** — Proper Card syntax, icons, ordering
6. **Document changes** — Use the audit report template

**Remember:** Resources should enhance learning, not pad the page. Every link should offer genuine value. Quality over quantity — a few excellent resources beat many mediocre ones.