| name | prd-v06-environment-setup |
| description | Document development environment requirements for team consistency and AI agent understanding during PRD v0.6 Architecture. Triggers on requests to define environment setup, document tooling, create dev setup guide, or when user asks "what tools do I need?", "environment setup", "dev environment", "CLI requirements", "project setup", "onboarding setup". Consumes TECH- (stack selections), ARC- (architecture decisions). Outputs ENV- entries for development, CI/CD, and infrastructure environments. Feeds v0.7 Build Execution. |
Environment Setup
Position in workflow: v0.6 Architecture Design / Technical Specification → v0.6 Environment Setup → v0.7 Build Execution
Environment setup documents the tools, packages, and configurations developers need to work on the project. This eliminates environment drift and speeds up onboarding.
Environment Types
| Type | What It Defines | When Required |
|---|
| ENV-001 | Development environment (local setup) | Always |
| ENV-002 | CI/CD pipeline configuration | When using automated testing/deployment |
| ENV-003 | Production infrastructure | When deploying to production |
Rule: ENV-001 (Development Environment) is required for every project. ENV-002 and ENV-003 are optional based on project needs.
Design Principles
1. Prefer CLIs Over MCPs
Rule: Use CLIs for operations, MCPs only when CLIs are insufficient.
| Factor | CLI | MCP |
|---|
| Works in CI/CD | Yes | No |
| Works locally | Yes | Yes (limited contexts) |
| Structured output | JSON, exit codes | Varies |
| Debugging | Standard tools | Harder |
Decision: Default to CLI. Only document MCPs for operations where CLIs don't exist.
2. Per-Project Over Global
Rule: Language-specific packages installed per-project, not globally.
Global (OK):
- Version managers (mise, asdf, nvm)
- System tools (jq, ripgrep)
- Platform CLIs (gh, aws-cli)
Per-Project (Required):
- Linters/formatters (eslint, prettier)
- Type checkers (typescript)
- Testing frameworks (jest, pytest)
3. Structured Over Prose
Rule: ENV- specs use structured data (tables, code blocks), not narrative.
Why:
- AI agents can parse and execute
- Humans can scan quickly
- Diff-friendly in version control
4. Verification Required
Rule: Every ENV- spec includes verification commands.
Why:
- Confirms setup succeeded
- Debugging aid
- Onboarding confidence
Setup Process
- Pull TECH- decisions — What technologies are we using?
- Pull ARC- decisions — What architecture patterns apply?
- Inventory tooling needs — What do developers need installed?
- Categorize by scope — Global vs per-project
- Define configuration files — What configs are needed?
- Create verification steps — How to confirm setup works?
- Document in ENV- entries — Record in SoT.TECHNICAL_DECISIONS.md
ENV-001 Output Template (Development Environment)
ENV-001: Development Environment
Category: Development Setup
Status: Approved | Date: YYYY-MM-DD
Owner: {Team/Person}
Purpose:
Document local development requirements for team consistency.
CLIs (Global):
- {tool}: {purpose} — {install command}
Packages (Per-Project):
- {package}: {purpose}
Configuration Files:
| File | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| {file} | {purpose} |
Scripts:
{
"validate": "{quality check command}",
"fix": "{auto-fix command}",
"test": "{test command}"
}
Verification:
# 1. Check tools
{tool} --version
# 2. Check packages
{package manager list command}
# 3. Run validation
npm run validate
Related IDs: TECH-XXX, ARC-XXX
ENV-002 Output Template (CI/CD Pipeline)
ENV-002: CI/CD Pipeline
Category: Automation
Status: Approved | Date: YYYY-MM-DD
Purpose:
Document automated testing and deployment configuration.
Workflow Files:
- {path}: {purpose}
Required Secrets:
| Secret | Purpose | Where to Set |
|--------|---------|--------------|
| {name} | {purpose} | {location} |
Pipeline Stages:
1. {Stage}: {What happens}
2. {Stage}: {What happens}
Related IDs: ENV-001, DEP-XXX
ENV-003 Output Template (Production Infrastructure)
ENV-003: Production Infrastructure
Category: Infrastructure
Status: Approved | Date: YYYY-MM-DD
Purpose:
Document production hosting and services configuration.
Hosting Platform:
{Platform and configuration details}
Environment Variables:
| Variable | Purpose | Required |
|----------|---------|----------|
| {name} | {purpose} | {yes/no} |
Services:
| Service | Purpose | Connection |
|---------|---------|------------|
| {service} | {purpose} | {how connected} |
Related IDs: DEP-XXX, MON-XXX
Common Tool Categories
Version/Environment Managers
mise, asdf, nvm, pyenv, rbenv- Purpose: Manage language versions per-project
Code Quality
- JavaScript/TypeScript:
eslint, prettier, biome
- Python:
ruff, black, pylint
- Go:
golangci-lint
Type Checking
- JavaScript/TypeScript:
typescript
- Python:
mypy, pyright
Data Processing
API Testing
Git Workflows
gh (GitHub CLI), glab (GitLab CLI)
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
| Anti-Pattern | Signal | Fix |
|---|
| Global package pollution | npm install -g for project packages | Use devDependencies |
| Missing verification | No way to confirm setup | Add verification commands |
| Prose instead of structure | Long paragraphs describing setup | Use tables and code blocks |
| MCP over CLI | Using MCP when CLI exists | Prefer CLI for portability |
| Undocumented config | Config files without explanation | Document purpose of each file |
| Implicit dependencies | Setup fails without warning | List all dependencies explicitly |
Quality Gates
Before proceeding to Build Execution:
Downstream Connections
ENV- entries feed into:
| Consumer | What It Uses | Example |
|---|
| v0.7 Build Execution | ENV-001 defines dev setup | Developer follows ENV-001 to set up |
| Onboarding | ENV-001 as setup guide | New dev uses ENV-001 for first day |
| CI/CD | ENV-002 defines pipeline | GitHub Actions mirrors ENV-002 |
| Deployment | ENV-003 defines infrastructure | DEP- references ENV-003 |
Detailed References
- ENV- entry template: See
assets/env.md
- Environment examples: See
references/examples.md
