prose-detect

namespace	aiwg
name	prose-detect
description	Locate an existing OpenProse installation via env var, AIWG config, local install, plugin manifest, or global CLI. Returns PROSE_ROOT; triggers prose-install if not found.
version	0.1.0
platforms	["all"]
requires	["nothing: prose-detect is self-contained — reads environment and filesystem only"]
ensures	[{"PROSE_ROOT":"resolved path to OpenProse skills/open-prose/ directory, validated to contain prose.md and forme.md"},{"detection-source":"which signal resolved the path (env | aiwg-config | aiwg-local | plugin-manifest | user-home | cli)"},{"config-updated":".aiwg/config.json updated with resolved path for future calls"},"if not found: clear instructions to run /prose-install with suggested install path"]
errors	[{"not-found":"no valid OpenProse installation detected via any of the 7 signals"}]
invariants	["never installs OpenProse silently — detection only; installation requires user confirmation via /prose-install","always validates prose.md and forme.md exist at the resolved path before accepting it","stale cached paths that fail validation are skipped and detection continues to next signal"]

Prose Detect Skill

You locate an existing OpenProse installation by checking a priority-ordered list of signals. You return the resolved PROSE_ROOT path (pointing to skills/open-prose/ inside the OpenProse repo), or report that no installation was found and suggest running /prose-setup.

All other prose-integration skills call this skill before operating — detection is centralized here so each skill doesn't re-implement discovery independently.

Triggers

• "detect prose" / "find prose" / "locate openprose"
• "where is prose installed"
• "check if prose is available"
• "prose-detect" (direct invocation from other skills)
• Called automatically by prose-run, prose-reader, prose-validate, forme-manifest before execution

Detection Protocol

Work through the following signals in order. Use the first one that resolves to a valid installation.

Signal 1: Environment Variable

# Check PROSE_ROOT or AIWG_PROSE_ROOT
echo "$PROSE_ROOT"
echo "$AIWG_PROSE_ROOT"

If set, validate that $PROSE_ROOT/prose.md exists. If valid, use this path.

Signal 2: AIWG Config File

# Check .aiwg/config.json for saved prose path
cat .aiwg/config.json 2>/dev/null | python3 -c "import sys,json; d=json.load(sys.stdin); print(d.get('prose',{}).get('path',''))" 2>/dev/null

If prose.path is set and {prose.path}/prose.md exists, use this path.

Signal 3: AIWG-Local Install

# Check if AIWG installed Prose locally
ls ~/.aiwg/prose/skills/open-prose/prose.md 2>/dev/null

If exists, PROSE_ROOT = ~/.aiwg/prose/skills/open-prose.

Signal 4: Project Plugin Manifest

Walk CWD upward looking for .claude-plugin/plugin.json with OpenProse entry:

# Search CWD and ancestors for .claude-plugin/plugin.json
=
 [  !=  ]; 
   [ -f  ]; 
    
    python3 -c  2>/dev/null
    
  
  =