auto-dot-claude

name	auto-dot-claude
description	Use when a project needs a standard .claude workspace initialized or repaired incrementally. This skill audits the existing .claude folder, adds missing files and directories without overwriting existing rules/skills/settings, and can optionally evolve the structure over time for the current project.

auto-dot-claude

auto-dot-claude incrementally initializes a project-local .claude/ workspace.

It is not a destructive bootstrapper. It should merge, scaffold, and fill gaps. It should not overwrite project-specific files that already exist.

When to use

Use this skill when the user wants any of these:

• initialize a new .claude/ directory in a repo
• normalize a messy .claude/ layout into a standard shape
• add missing skills / plans / logs / rules / settings structure
• backfill starter files such as CLAUDE.md, settings.json, or naming docs
• keep a repo's .claude/ workspace evolving incrementally over time

Non-destructive rule

Default behavior is always:

• create missing directories
• create missing files
• append or merge when safe
• preserve existing project content

Never:

• replace existing rules just because a template exists
• rewrite an existing skill folder wholesale
• wipe user/project local settings
• silently delete unknown custom files

If a file already exists, prefer:

1. keep as-is
2. add a sibling example/template file
3. append a clearly delimited missing section
4. stop and report a conflict when merging would be ambiguous

Standard target shape

Use references/standard-dot-claude-layout.md as the default target layout.

The high-level structure has two layers:

• official-first:
  • CLAUDE.md
  • optional CLAUDE.local.md
  • .claude/settings.json
  • .claude/settings.local.json
  • .claude/commands/
  • .claude/agents/
• project-recommended:
  • .claude/rules/
  • .claude/skills/
  • .claude/plans/
  • .claude/logs/
  • .claude/memory/

Not every project needs every directory on day one. Initialize the smallest useful subset.

Workflow

1. Audit first

Before creating anything, inspect:

• whether .claude/ already exists
• which standard directories already exist
• which files are clearly project-specific and should be preserved
• whether the repo already has CLAUDE.md or similar guidance files

2. Compare against the standard shape

Compute:

• present directories
• missing directories
• present files
• missing files
• risky collisions

3. Apply incrementally

Create only what is missing.

Typical order:

1. top-level guidance file(s)
2. .claude/settings.json example or stub
3. .claude/agents/ or .claude/commands/
4. project-recommended extensions such as .claude/rules/
5. .claude/skills/
6. .claude/plans/
7. .claude/logs/

4. Preserve custom work

When the repo already contains:

• custom rules
• custom skills
• custom settings
• local naming conventions

do not replace them.

Instead:

• keep them
• add missing complementary files
• optionally add a NAMING.md or layout note if the repo lacks one

5. Optional evolution mode

If the user wants ongoing improvement, this skill may also:

• add new recommended .claude/ subdirectories later
• tighten naming conventions
• add starter templates for plans/logs
• record what was initialized and what remains manual

This should still be non-destructive.

6. Optional download mode

Download/external fetch behavior is optional, not default.

Only use it when the user explicitly wants:

• a starter template fetched from another repo
• a shared team standard synced in
• a reference file copied from an approved source

Even then:

• fetch into a temporary or clearly named destination
• review before merging
• never overwrite project files blindly

Recommended outputs

When this skill runs, it should leave behind:

• the created directories/files
• a short summary of what already existed
• a short summary of what was added
• a short summary of what was intentionally not changed

If useful, also create:

• .claude/NAMING.md
• .claude/plans/<skill>/...
• .claude/logs/<skill>/...

Good defaults

For this repo style, a good default is:

• keep reusable skill definitions in .claude/skills/
• keep project planning material in .claude/plans/
• keep raw logs in .claude/logs/

Example invocation

请使用 auto-dot-claude，为当前项目增量初始化标准 .claude 结构。
先审计现有内容，不要覆盖已有 rules/skills/settings；
只补齐缺失目录与模板，并总结哪些内容保留不动。