Knit Initialization

This page covers common errors and issues you might encounter when working with the Knit framework in SuperbulletAI, along with their solutions.

How to Wait Until Server is Loaded

⚠️ Important: This waiting pattern is specifically for regular Script or LocalScript instances that are NOT KnitService or KnitController components.

If you're creating a standalone script that needs to access Knit services, you must wait for Knit to be initialized first. KnitService and KnitController components have their own initialization lifecycle and don't need this pattern.

When to Use This Pattern

Use this pattern when:

Creating a regular Script or LocalScript instance
The script needs to access Knit services but is not a KnitService/KnitController itself
Working with utility scripts or standalone functionality

Server Side (for Script instances)

local KnitModule = ReplicatedStorage:WaitForChild("Packages"):WaitForChild("Knit")
 
-- Use this for server scripts (not KnitServices)
repeat task.wait(1) until KnitModule:GetAttribute("KnitServer_Initialized", true)
 
-- Now you can safely use Knit services
local MyService = Knit.GetService("MyService")

Client Side (for LocalScript instances)

local KnitModule = ReplicatedStorage:WaitForChild("Packages"):WaitForChild("Knit")
 
-- Use this for client scripts (not KnitControllers)
repeat task.wait() until KnitModule:GetAttribute("KnitClient_Initialized", true)
 
-- Now you can safely access controllers
local MyController = Knit.GetController("MyController")

What NOT to Use This For

❌ Don't use this pattern in:

KnitService components (they have KnitInit/KnitStart lifecycle)
KnitController components (they have KnitInit/KnitStart lifecycle)
Any script inside a service's Components folder

Errors with `:KnitInit()`

No Knit Service Created Warning

Problem: A warning appears stating that no Knit service was created, which causes server scripts to not run.

Solution:

Copy and paste the warning logs - AI can often identify the specific issue from error messages
Read the error yourself - Since AI can hallucinate, use best practices for prompt engineering:
- Use the file explorer to search for the mentioned Knit service
- Manually verify the service structure and files
- Cross-reference the error with your actual code

Common Error Example:

ReplicatedStorage.Packages._Index.sleitnick_comm@1.0.1.comm.Client.ClientComm:54:
Could not find namespace for ClientComm in parent: WaveService

Likely cause: AI forgot to add Client = {} in the CreateService() definition, causing this error.

Fix:

local WaveService = Knit.CreateService({
    Name = "WaveService",
    Client = {} -- ✅ Make sure this is included for client communication
})

General Troubleshooting Steps:

Ensure you have created at least one Knit service in your project
Verify that your services are properly structured with the Components subfolder pattern
Check that your service files are located in the correct directories
Verify all required properties are included in service definitions

Correct Service Structure:

ServiceName/
├── init.lua
└── Components/
    ├── Get().lua
    ├── Set().lua
    └── Others/

Yielding Problems with `:KnitInit()` for Controllers

Controllers Yielding Forever

Problem: On the client side, scripts yield indefinitely waiting for Knit services that don't exist.

Solution:

Ensure that corresponding services exist on the server before trying to access them from controllers
Use proper error handling when getting services:

local MyService = Knit.GetService("MyService")
if not MyService then
    warn("MyService not found!")
    return
end

Verify that services are properly registered before controllers attempt to access them

Game Taking Time to Load (5+ Seconds)

Cyclical Dependencies

Problem: Your game takes 5+ seconds to load, especially after making major operations outside of :KnitStart().

Causes:

Cyclical dependencies between services
Operations in :KnitInit() instead of following the proper :KnitStart() → :KnitInit() pattern
Services trying to access each other before initialization is complete

Solutions:

Use proper :KnitStart() and :KnitInit() pattern:

---- Knit Services
local DataService
 
function MyService:KnitStart()
    -- All operations go here (runs first)
    self.Data = {}
    self:LoadPlayerData()
    self:SetupConnections()
end
 
function MyService:KnitInit()
    -- Only service references (runs second)
    DataService = Knit.GetService("DataService")
end

Avoid cyclical dependencies:
- Use events to communicate between services instead of direct dependencies
- Consider using a mediator pattern for complex service interactions
Check dependency order:
- Ensure services are loaded in the correct order
- Use proper service architecture to avoid circular references

`:KnitStart()` and `:KnitInit()` Best Practices

Execution Order

Important: :KnitStart() runs before :KnitInit() in the Knit lifecycle.

`:KnitStart()` - Main Operations

Use :KnitStart() for:

All major operations and game logic
Setting up connections and events
Loading data from datastores
Creating GUI elements
Establishing remote connections
Any operations that could yield
Heavy computational tasks
Network requests

`:KnitInit()` - Service/Controller References Only

Use :KnitInit() ONLY for:

Getting references to other services/controllers
Nothing else!

Correct Pattern for Services

local MyService = Knit.CreateService({
    Name = "MyService"
})
 
---- Knit Services
local DataService, PlayerService
 
function MyService:KnitStart()
    -- ✅ All main operations go here (runs first)
    self.Players = {}
    self.Config = require(script.Config)
    self:ConnectEvents()
    self:LoadDatastore()
    self:SetupRemotes()
end
 
function MyService:KnitInit()
    -- ✅ Only get service references (runs second)
    DataService = Knit.GetService("DataService")
    PlayerService = Knit.GetService("PlayerService")
end

Correct Pattern for Controllers

local MyController = Knit.CreateController({
    Name = "MyController"
})
 
---- Knit Controllers
local UIController, InputController
 
function MyController:KnitStart()
    -- ✅ All main operations go here (runs first)
    self:SetupUI()
    self:ConnectEvents()
    self:InitializeData()
end
 
function MyController:KnitInit()
    -- ✅ Only get controller references (runs second)
    UIController = Knit.GetController("UIController")
    InputController = Knit.GetController("InputController")
end

Why This Matters

:KnitStart() runs first and handles all your main logic
:KnitInit() runs after all services are started and is only for getting references to other services/controllers
This ensures all services exist before you try to reference them

Debugging Tips

Check the output console for Knit initialization warnings
Use print statements to track service loading order
Monitor attributes on the Knit module to verify initialization status
Test in single-player mode first to isolate server/client issues
Use Developer Console to check for script errors during initialization

Common Anti-Patterns to Avoid

❌ Don't do this:

function MyService:KnitInit()
    -- Never put operations in KnitInit!
    self.DataStore = DataStoreService:GetDataStore("PlayerData")
    local data = self.DataStore:GetAsync("PlayerData")
    self.Players = {}
    task.wait(5)
end

✅ Do this instead:

---- Knit Services
local PlayerService, DataService
 
function MyService:KnitStart()
    -- All operations go in KnitStart (runs first)
    self.DataStore = DataStoreService:GetDataStore("PlayerData")
    local data = self.DataStore:GetAsync("PlayerData")
    self.Players = {}
end
 
function MyService:KnitInit()
    -- Only service references in KnitInit (runs second)
    PlayerService = Knit.GetService("PlayerService")
    DataService = Knit.GetService("DataService")
end

d. Adding Features f. Making User Interface