| name | create_launcher |
| description | Generates robust, cross-platform launcher scripts (Windows .bat, Unix .sh, Mac .sh) with dependency checking, .env handling, and graceful shutdown logic. |
Create Launcher (Web & Scripts)
Use this skill to generate professional-grade entry point scripts for applications.
Inputs
- App Name: Name of the application (for display).
- Entry Point: Main script to run (e.g.,
main.py, index.js).
Tooling Strategy
- Use
write_to_file to create the scripts.
- Use
run_command with pwsh (Windows) or bash (Unix) to verify dependency checks if needed.
Workflow
1. Requirements Gathering
- Target OS: Windows, macOS, Linux (default to creating for ALL).
- Environment: Does it need
.env variables?
- Dependencies: What needs to run? (npm, python, node, docker).
2. Script Generation Rules
Common Features
- Single Click Launch: Scripts must run without user argument input (or have defaults).
- Pre-flight Checks:
- Check if required tools (node, python) are in PATH.
- Check if
node_modules or venv exists.
- Check for
.env file presence.
Windows (.bat / .cmd)
- Use
@echo off.
- Title the window.
- Handle
Ctrl+C gracefully if possible.
Unix (.sh for Mac/Linux)
- Shebang:
#!/bin/bash.
- Permission: Remind user to
chmod +x.
- Trap Signals: Implement
trap 'kill 0' SIGINT or similar to clean up subprocesses on exit.
3. Graceful Shutdown (The "No Orphan" Rule)
- Ensure that killing the launcher kills the spawned processes.
- For python scripts, consider wrapping in try-finally blocks.
4. Output
- Generate the scripts in the project root.
- Provide a quick Markdown snippet on how to run them.
Advanced Launcher Patterns
When generating launchers, consider these enterprise patterns:
- Environment Portability: Ensure the script runs correctly regardless of the current working directory by resolving paths relative to the script itself (
cd "%~dp0" on Windows, cd "$(dirname "$0")" on Unix).
- Daemonization & Logging: Offer the option to run the application in the background and pipe stdout/stderr to a dedicated
logs/ directory with timestamped files.
- Health Checks: After starting the process, optionally ping an endpoint or check a port to confirm the app is actually running before exiting the launcher.
