| name | squirrel |
| description | Full-cycle AI coding skill: plans, builds, tests, lints, fixes bugs, and writes production-grade docs. Auto-detects project state and adapts its 8-phase pipeline. |
| category | development |
| risk | safe |
| source | community |
| source_repo | flyingsquirrel0419/squirrel-skill |
| source_type | community |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| license_source | https://github.com/flyingsquirrel0419/squirrel-skill/blob/main/LICENSE |
| date_added | 2026-04-29 |
| author | flying_squirrel__ |
| tags | ["development","testing","planning","code-review","documentation","ci-cd"] |
| tools | ["claude","cursor","codex","antigravity","gemini","windsurf","opencode","copilot"] |
Squirrel — Full-Cycle Software Development Skill
Overview
Squirrel is a full-cycle AI coding skill that works across 9 AI coding agents. It auto-detects project state (greenfield, in-progress, or mature) and adapts its 8-phase engineering pipeline accordingly. Instead of a one-size-fits-all workflow, it figures out where the project actually is and jumps in at exactly the right point.
When to Use This Skill
- Use when starting a new project from scratch (greenfield)
- Use when improving an existing codebase (in-progress or mature)
- Use when fixing bugs, adding features, or refactoring
- Use when adding tests, linting, or CI/CD to a project
- Use when writing production-grade documentation
- Use when the user says "build me", "fix this", "squirrel this project", or any multi-step development task
How It Works
Step 0: Detect Mode
Squirrel classifies the project directory:
| Signal | Mode | Entry Point |
|---|
| Empty directory | Greenfield | All 8 phases from scratch |
| Source files, no tests/docs | In-Progress | Audit first, then improve |
| Source + tests + CI + README | Mature | Targeted improvements |
| "fix this bug / add feature" | Targeted | Scoped work only |
The 8-Phase Pipeline
- Discover — Understand the project (audit existing code or gather requirements)
- Plan — Concrete task list with dependencies and done-criteria
- Build — Write or modify code (parallel sub-agents when supported)
- Test — Run existing tests, write new ones, 70%+ coverage target
- Bug Hunt — Static analysis + manual review
- Polish — Lint, format, type check, remove dead code
- Document — README + inline docs (update existing, don't overwrite)
- Ship — Final checklist: tests green, no secrets, CI configured
Failure Recovery (3-Strike Rule)
- Strike 1: Fix the specific error. Run tests. Move on.
- Strike 2: Re-read the code. Try a different approach.
- Strike 3: STOP. Revert. Document what failed. Ask the user.
