| name | trellis-meta |
| description | Understand and customize the local Trellis architecture inside a user project. Use when modifying .trellis plus platform hooks, settings, agents, skills, commands, prompts, or workflows generated by trellis init. |
Trellis Meta
This skill is for local Trellis users who have already run trellis init in a project. After reading it, an AI should understand the Trellis architecture, operating model, and customization entry points inside that user project, then modify the generated .trellis/ and platform directory files according to the user's request.
The default operating scope is local files in the user project:
.trellis/: workflow, config, tasks, spec, workspace, scripts, and runtime state.- Platform directories:
.claude/, .codex/, .cursor/, .opencode/, .kiro/, .gemini/, .qoder/, .codebuddy/, .github/, .factory/, .pi/, .kilocode/, .agent/, .windsurf/, and similar directories.
- Shared skill layer:
.agents/skills/.
Do not assume the user has the Trellis source repository. Do not default to modifying the global npm install directory or node_modules.
How To Use
- Read
references/local-architecture/overview.md first to establish the local Trellis system model.
- If the request involves a specific AI tool, read
references/platform-files/platform-map.md and the relevant platform file notes.
- If the user wants to change behavior, read
references/customize-local/overview.md, then open the specific customization topic.
- Before editing, read the actual files in the user project and treat local content as authoritative.
References
Local Architecture
references/local-architecture/overview.md: The three-layer local Trellis architecture and customization principles.references/local-architecture/generated-files.md: Files generated by trellis init and their customization boundaries.references/local-architecture/workflow.md: Phases, routing, and workflow-state blocks in .trellis/workflow.md.references/local-architecture/task-system.md: Task directories, active tasks, JSONL context, and task runtime.references/local-architecture/spec-system.md: How .trellis/spec/ is organized and injected.references/local-architecture/workspace-memory.md: .trellis/workspace/, journals, and cross-session memory.references/local-architecture/context-injection.md: Hooks, sub-agent preludes, and context injection paths.
Platform Files
references/platform-files/overview.md: How shared .trellis/ files relate to platform directories.references/platform-files/platform-map.md: Platform directories and paths for skills, agents, hooks, and extensions.references/platform-files/hooks-and-settings.md: How settings/config files, hooks, plugins, and extensions connect to Trellis.references/platform-files/agents.md: Local file responsibilities for trellis-research, trellis-implement, and trellis-check.references/platform-files/skills-and-commands.md: Differences between skills, commands, prompts, and workflows, plus how to change them.
Local Customization
references/customize-local/overview.md: Choose the right local customization entry point for the user's request.references/customize-local/change-workflow.md: Change phases, routing, next actions, and workflow-state.references/customize-local/change-task-lifecycle.md: Change task creation, status, archive behavior, and hooks.references/customize-local/change-context-loading.md: Change how tasks, specs, journals, and hook context are loaded.references/customize-local/change-hooks.md: Change platform hooks, settings, and shell session bridges.references/customize-local/change-agents.md: Change research, implement, and check agent behavior.references/customize-local/change-skills-or-commands.md: Add or modify local skills, commands, prompts, and workflows.references/customize-local/change-spec-structure.md: Adjust the project spec structure under .trellis/spec/.references/customize-local/add-project-local-conventions.md: Put team rules into project-local specs or local skills.
Current Rules
.trellis/workflow.md is the local workflow source of truth..trellis/config.yaml is the project-level Trellis configuration and task hook configuration entry point..trellis/spec/ stores the user's project-specific coding conventions and design constraints..trellis/tasks/ stores task PRDs, technical notes, research files, and JSONL context..trellis/workspace/ stores developer journals and cross-session memory.- Platform settings/config files decide which hooks, agents, skills, commands, prompts, and workflows actually run.
.trellis/.template-hashes.json and .trellis/.runtime/ are management/runtime state files. Confirm necessity before editing them.
Do Not
- Do not treat Trellis upstream source code as the default target for local customization.
- Do not modify the global npm install directory or
node_modules/@mindfoldhq/trellis to implement project needs.
- Do not overwrite user-modified local files with default templates.
- Do not put team-private project rules into the public
trellis-meta; put project rules in .trellis/spec/ or a project-local skill.
- Do not describe removed historical mechanisms as current Trellis behavior.
