journey-preflight

name	journey-preflight
description	Use before any Butterbase platform-touching action (or when journey-preflight is invoked directly) to verify the user has a Butterbase account, the MCP server is connected, BUTTERBASE_API_KEY is set, and an app_id exists for this project. Re-run automatically if docs/butterbase/03-preflight.md is older than 24h or any required value is null.

Butterbase Preflight

Gate that ensures the user can actually talk to the Butterbase platform before any stage tries to. Writes results to docs/butterbase/03-preflight.md and stamps app_id + api_base into 00-state.md.

When to use

• Automatically as the first step of any journey-* build stage when 03-preflight.md is missing, older than 24 hours, or 00-state.md's app_id is null.
• Directly via /butterbase-skills:journey-preflight when the user wants to re-verify.

Procedure

For each check, write a one-line result to 03-preflight.md (<check> ✓/✗ <note>). Ask the user to fix any ✗ before continuing — do not auto-skip failures.

1. Butterbase account. Call mcp__butterbase__list_regions (cheapest call). Success → ✓. Auth error → ✗ with "Sign up at https://butterbase.ai and create an API key, then export BUTTERBASE_API_KEY.". If MCP tool is not visible at all, jump to step 2.

2. MCP server connected. Check whether mcp__butterbase__* tools are listed in the agent's available tools. Absent → ✗ with "Install/enable the Butterbase MCP server. See https://butterbase.ai/docs/mcp.". Present → ✓.

3. API key set. Run echo "${BUTTERBASE_API_KEY:-MISSING}" via Bash. If MISSING or empty → ✗ with "Export BUTTERBASE_API_KEY (starts with bb_sk_) in your shell or .env.". Otherwise → ✓ (do not echo the key value to the user).

4. App provisioned. Read 00-state.md front-matter for app_id.

   • Non-null and mcp__butterbase__manage_app (action get_config) succeeds → ✓.
   • Null → ask the user: "No app yet. Create one now? (yes/no — if no, you can paste an existing app_id)". On yes, call mcp__butterbase__init_app (ask for app name and region — recommend us-east-1 as default). Capture app_id and api_base from the response. Update 00-state.md front-matter.
   • User-provided app_id → verify with manage_app get_config; on success update 00-state.md.

5. CLI installed. Run butterbase --version. If "command not found":

   • Read the Toolchain section of 02-plan.md. If CLI usage: yes (default), prompt: "Install @butterbase/cli globally now? (yes / skip)". On yes, run npm install -g @butterbase/cli. On skip, note in 03-preflight.md that the CLI is not installed and which workflows will require dashboard fallback.
   • If CLI usage: no, skip this check.

03-preflight.md format

# Preflight — <ISO date>

- account        ✓
- mcp_connected  ✓
- api_key        ✓
- app_provisioned ✓  app_id=app_abc123 region=us-east-1

Re-run with /butterbase-skills:journey-preflight.

Outputs

• Writes/overwrites docs/butterbase/03-preflight.md.
• Updates 00-state.md front-matter app_id, api_base, last_updated, and ticks - [x] preflight.

Anti-patterns

• ❌ Echoing the API key value back to the user.
• ❌ Skipping a failed check ("I'll just try anyway"). Stop and ask the user to fix it.
• ❌ Calling init_app without confirming with the user — apps cost money on paid plans.