trellis-meta

name	trellis-meta
description	Understand and customize the local Trellis architecture inside a user project. Use when modifying .trellis plus platform hooks, settings, agents, skills, commands, prompts, or workflows generated by trellis init.

Trellis Meta

This skill is for local Trellis users who have already run trellis init in a project. After reading it, an AI should understand the Trellis architecture, operating model, and customization entry points inside that user project, then modify the generated .trellis/ and platform directory files according to the user's request.

The default operating scope is local files in the user project:

• .trellis/: workflow, config, tasks, spec, workspace, scripts, and runtime state.
• Platform directories: .claude/, .codex/, .cursor/, .opencode/, .kiro/, .gemini/, .qoder/, .codebuddy/, .github/, .factory/, .pi/, .kilocode/, .agent/, .windsurf/, and similar directories.
• Shared skill layer: .agents/skills/.

Do not assume the user has the Trellis source repository. Do not default to modifying the global npm install directory or node_modules.

How To Use

1. Read references/local-architecture/overview.md first to establish the local Trellis system model.
2. If the request involves a specific AI tool, read references/platform-files/platform-map.md and the relevant platform file notes.
3. If the user wants to change behavior, read references/customize-local/overview.md, then open the specific customization topic.
4. Before editing, read the actual files in the user project and treat local content as authoritative.

References

Local Architecture

• references/local-architecture/overview.md: The three-layer local Trellis architecture and customization principles.
• references/local-architecture/generated-files.md: Files generated by trellis init and their customization boundaries.
• references/local-architecture/workflow.md: Phases, routing, and workflow-state blocks in .trellis/workflow.md.
• references/local-architecture/task-system.md: Task directories, active tasks, JSONL context, and task runtime.
• references/local-architecture/spec-system.md: How .trellis/spec/ is organized and injected.
• references/local-architecture/workspace-memory.md: .trellis/workspace/, journals, and cross-session memory.
• references/local-architecture/context-injection.md: Hooks, sub-agent preludes, and context injection paths.

Platform Files

• references/platform-files/overview.md: How shared .trellis/ files relate to platform directories.
• references/platform-files/platform-map.md: Platform directories and paths for skills, agents, hooks, and extensions.
• references/platform-files/hooks-and-settings.md: How settings/config files, hooks, plugins, and extensions connect to Trellis.
• references/platform-files/agents.md: Local file responsibilities for trellis-research, trellis-implement, and trellis-check.
• references/platform-files/skills-and-commands.md: Differences between skills, commands, prompts, and workflows, plus how to change them.

Local Customization

• references/customize-local/overview.md: Choose the right local customization entry point for the user's request.
• references/customize-local/change-workflow.md: Change phases, routing, next actions, and workflow-state.
• references/customize-local/change-task-lifecycle.md: Change task creation, status, archive behavior, and hooks.
• references/customize-local/change-context-loading.md: Change how tasks, specs, journals, and hook context are loaded.
• references/customize-local/change-hooks.md: Change platform hooks, settings, and shell session bridges.
• references/customize-local/change-agents.md: Change research, implement, and check agent behavior.
• references/customize-local/change-skills-or-commands.md: Add or modify local skills, commands, prompts, and workflows.
• references/customize-local/change-spec-structure.md: Adjust the project spec structure under .trellis/spec/.
• references/customize-local/add-project-local-conventions.md: Put team rules into project-local specs or local skills.

Current Rules

• .trellis/workflow.md is the local workflow source of truth.
• .trellis/config.yaml is the project-level Trellis configuration and task hook configuration entry point.
• .trellis/spec/ stores the user's project-specific coding conventions and design constraints.
• .trellis/tasks/ stores task PRDs, technical notes, research files, and JSONL context.
• .trellis/workspace/ stores developer journals and cross-session memory.
• Platform settings/config files decide which hooks, agents, skills, commands, prompts, and workflows actually run.
• .trellis/.template-hashes.json and .trellis/.runtime/ are management/runtime state files. Confirm necessity before editing them.

Do Not

• Do not treat Trellis upstream source code as the default target for local customization.
• Do not modify the global npm install directory or node_modules/@mindfoldhq/trellis to implement project needs.
• Do not overwrite user-modified local files with default templates.
• Do not put team-private project rules into the public trellis-meta; put project rules in .trellis/spec/ or a project-local skill.
• Do not describe removed historical mechanisms as current Trellis behavior.