# Imgflip API Library Development Plan

## Project Overview
Build a maintainable, type-safe Python library wrapping the Imgflip API with intelligent handling of authentication and premium features.

## Package Name
**Selected**: `pymgflip`

## Development Tasks

### Phase 1: Foundation
- [ ] **Design library structure and choose a unique package name**
  - Decide on package name (avoiding existing "imgflip" on PyPI)
  - Plan module organization (client, models, exceptions, utils)
  - Design API interface for ease of use

- [ ] **Set up project structure with pyproject.toml and proper packaging**
  - Configure pyproject.toml with modern Python packaging standards
  - Set up dependencies (httpx, pydantic/dataclasses, typing)
  - Configure development dependencies (pytest, mypy, black, ruff)

### Phase 2: Core Implementation
- [ ] **Create base client class with authentication handling**
  - HTTP client wrapper using httpx
  - Session management for connection pooling
  - Authentication credential storage (username/password)
  - Automatic premium account detection from API responses

- [ ] **Define type-safe models/dataclasses for API responses**
  - Meme template model
  - Caption response model
  - Error response models
  - Request parameter models with validation

### Phase 3: API Endpoints
- [ ] **Implement free API endpoints (get_memes, caption_image)**
  - GET /get_memes with response parsing
  - POST /caption_image with parameter validation
  - Handle authentication for caption_image

- [ ] **Implement premium API endpoints with proper access control**
  - caption_gif with premium check
  - search_memes with query parameters
  - automeme with text input
  - ai_meme with model selection
  - Raise informative errors for premium-only features when not available

### Phase 4: Robustness
- [ ] **Add comprehensive error handling and custom exceptions**
  - Network errors (timeout, connection)
  - API errors (rate limiting, invalid credentials)
  - Premium feature access errors
  - Validation errors for parameters

### Phase 5: Testing
- [ ] **Write unit tests with mocked API responses**
  - Test all endpoints with mock responses
  - Test error handling scenarios
  - Test parameter validation
  - Test authentication flows
  - Mock premium vs non-premium account responses

- [ ] **Add limited integration tests**
  - Test GET /get_memes (no auth required - only truly free endpoint)
  - Optional: Test caption_image if test credentials provided via env vars
  - Skip auth-required tests when credentials not available
  - Note: Premium features can only be tested with real premium account

### Phase 6: Documentation & Examples
- [ ] **Create usage examples and documentation**
  - Quick start guide
  - API reference documentation
  - Example scripts for common use cases
  - Premium vs free feature comparison

### Phase 7: CI/CD & Distribution
- [ ] **Set up CI/CD with GitHub Actions**
  - Run tests on push/PR
  - Type checking with mypy
  - Linting with ruff
  - Code formatting with black

- [ ] **Prepare for PyPI publication**
  - Build configuration
  - Version management
  - Release workflow
  - PyPI test publication first

## Technical Decisions

### Dependencies
- `httpx` - Modern async/sync HTTP client
- `pydantic` or `dataclasses` - Type-safe data models
- `python-dotenv` - Environment variable management (optional)

### Development Tools
- `pytest` - Testing framework
- `pytest-httpx` - Mock httpx requests
- `mypy` - Static type checking
- `black` - Code formatting
- `ruff` - Fast Python linter

### API Design Principles
1. **Progressive disclosure**: Simple methods for common tasks, advanced options available
2. **Type safety**: Full typing support with mypy compatibility
3. **Graceful degradation**: Clear errors for premium features when not available
4. **Zero config**: Works with minimal setup, credentials can be passed or env vars
5. **Async support**: Both sync and async clients available

## Example Usage Vision

```python
from pymgflip import Client

# Basic usage - no auth required
client = Client()
memes = client.get_memes()

# With authentication
client = Client(username="user", password="pass")
result = client.caption_image(
    template_id=memes[0].id,
    text0="Top text",
    text1="Bottom text"
)
print(result.url)

# Premium features (automatically detected from account)
client = Client(username="premium_user", password="pass")
# Client detects premium status from API responses
ai_meme = client.ai_meme(prefix_text="When you realize")
```

## Success Criteria
- [ ] Full API coverage with type safety
- [ ] 90%+ test coverage (via mocked tests)
- [ ] Comprehensive documentation
- [ ] Published to PyPI
- [ ] Works with Python 3.8+
- [ ] Intelligent handling of premium features
- [ ] Clear error messages for premium/auth requirements