project-setup

name	project-setup
description	Initialize new ADLC project with standard directory structure, documentation templates, and git branch
version	1.0.0

Project Setup Skill

Automates the initialization of new ADLC projects following standard conventions.

Purpose

Reduce 10-15 minutes of manual setup to 30 seconds by:

• Creating standard project directory structure
• Generating README, spec.md, context.md from templates
• Creating feature branch with proper naming
• Initializing task tracking structure

Usage

This skill is invoked when starting a new project via /start command or when explicitly requested.

Trigger phrases:

• "Set up new project for [name]"
• "Initialize project structure"
• "Create new ADLC project"

Workflow Steps

1. Gather Project Information

Required inputs:

• project_name: Project identifier (lowercase-hyphenated)
• project_title: Human-readable title
• project_type: Type (feature, fix, research, refactor)
• description: Brief 1-2 sentence description
• issue_number: (optional) GitHub issue number if from /start [issue#]

Ask user if not provided:

I need some information to set up your project:
- Project name (lowercase-hyphenated):
- Project title:
- Type (feature/fix/research/refactor):
- Brief description:

2. Create Directory Structure

Execute:

mkdir -p projects/active/{project_name}
mkdir -p projects/active/{project_name}/tasks

Structure created:

projects/active/{project_name}/
├── README.md           # Navigation hub
├── spec.md            # Project specification
├── context.md         # Working context
└── tasks/             # Agent coordination
    └── current-task.md

3. Generate README.md

Use template: .claude/skills/project-setup/templates/README.template.md

Populate with:

• {project_title}
• {description}
• {issue_number} (if exists, link to GitHub issue)
• Current date
• Project structure overview
• Quick links section (placeholder)

Create file: projects/active/{project_name}/README.md

4. Generate spec.md

Use template: .claude/skills/project-setup/templates/spec.template.md

Populate with:

• {project_title}
• {description}
• {project_type}
• Standard sections: Goals, Requirements, Implementation Plan, Success Criteria

Create file: projects/active/{project_name}/spec.md

5. Generate context.md

Use template: .claude/skills/project-setup/templates/context.template.md

Populate with:

• {project_name}
• Current date
• Git branch (will be created in next step)
• Status: "Planning"
• Empty sections for: Current Focus, Blockers, Decisions

Create file: projects/active/{project_name}/context.md

6. Generate current-task.md

Use template: .claude/skills/project-setup/templates/current-task.template.md

Populate with:

• {project_name}
• Current date
• Empty task assignments

Create file: projects/active/{project_name}/tasks/current-task.md

7. Create Git Branch

Branch naming convention:

• Feature: feature/{project_name}
• Fix: fix/{project_name}
• Research: research/{project_name}
• Refactor: refactor/{project_name}

Execute:

git checkout -b {branch_type}/{project_name}

Verify:

git status

8. Update context.md with Branch

Edit projects/active/{project_name}/context.md:

• Add branch name to Git Branch field
• Confirm status

9. Output Summary

Display to user:

✅ Project initialized: {project_title}

📁 Location: projects/active/{project_name}/
🌿 Branch: {branch_type}/{project_name}

📝 Next steps:
1. Review and update spec.md with detailed requirements
2. Update context.md with current focus
3. Begin implementation following ADLC workflow

Files created:
- README.md (navigation hub)
- spec.md (requirements and goals)
- context.md (working state tracking)
- tasks/current-task.md (agent coordination)

Use /switch to navigate between projects.

Error Handling

Project Already Exists

Check: projects/active/{project_name} directory exists Action: Ask user to choose different name or confirm overwrite

Git Branch Already Exists

Check: Branch {branch_type}/{project_name} exists Action: Suggest alternative name or confirm checkout existing branch

Template Missing

Check: Required templates exist Action: Use inline fallback templates (minimal versions)

Quality Standards

Every project setup must:

• ✅ Create all 4 core files (README, spec, context, current-task)
• ✅ Use consistent naming conventions
• ✅ Create valid git branch
• ✅ Populate templates with provided information
• ✅ Verify all files created successfully

Integration with ADLC Workflow

Called by /start command

/start [issue#] → Fetches issue details → Invokes project-setup skill → Project ready

Called manually

User: "Set up project for dashboard-optimization"
→ Invokes project-setup skill
→ Asks for missing details
→ Creates structure

Template Locations

• README.template.md: Navigation hub template
• spec.template.md: Project specification template
• context.template.md: Working context template
• current-task.template.md: Task tracking template

Templates use {variable} syntax for substitution.

Success Metrics

Time savings: 10-15 minutes manual → 30 seconds automated Consistency: 100% projects follow standard structure Error reduction: Eliminate missing files, inconsistent naming

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Version: 1.0.0 Last Updated: 2025-10-21 Maintainer: ADLC Platform Team