| name | project-setup |
| description | Project configuration initialization. Use when: first-time setup, auto-detecting framework, replacing CLAUDE.md placeholders. Not for: ongoing config checks (use claude-health), skill creation (use skill-creator). Output: configured CLAUDE.md + project settings + rules + hooks. |
| allowed-tools | Read, Grep, Glob, Edit, Write, Bash(node:*), Bash(git:*), Bash(ls:*), Bash(mkdir:*), Bash(diff:*), Bash(chmod:*), Bash(jq:*), Bash(bash:*) |
Project Setup
Trigger
- Keywords: project setup, init, initialize, configure project, setup CLAUDE.md, customize placeholders
When NOT to Use
- CLAUDE.md placeholders are already fully replaced (no
{...} remaining)
- Non Node.js/TypeScript project without a recognized manifest file -- run with
--detect-only to see what can be auto-detected. Manual configuration may be needed for: {FRAMEWORK}, {CONFIG_FILE}, {BOOTSTRAP_FILE}. Script commands ({TEST_COMMAND}, etc.) can often be detected from manifest files
- Only want to modify a single placeholder -- just Edit CLAUDE.md directly
Workflow
Phase 1: Detect project environment
│
├─ Read package.json (dependencies, devDependencies, scripts)
├─ Detect lockfile (pnpm-lock.yaml / yarn.lock / package-lock.json)
├─ Detect entrypoints (glob src/)
└─ Compile results
│
Phase 2: Confirm detection results
│
├─ Present detection results table
└─ Wait for user confirmation or corrections
│
Phase 3: Write to .claude/CLAUDE.md (unless --detect-only)
│
├─ Read CLAUDE.template.md, filter ecosystem blocks
└─ Replace placeholders, write to .claude/CLAUDE.md
│
Phase 4: Verify CLAUDE.md
│
├─ Read .claude/CLAUDE.md to confirm no remaining placeholders
└─ Output placeholder summary
│
Phase 5: Install Rules + Backfill CLAUDE.md (unless --no-rules or --lite)
│
├─ Locate plugin rules dir (3-level fallback)
├─ mkdir -p .claude/rules/ → copy 11 managed rules + 1 override template
├─ Backfill: ensure .claude/CLAUDE.md has @rules/ references
└─ Output rules install report
│
Phase 6: Install Hooks (unless --no-hooks or --lite)
│
├─ Locate plugin hooks dir (3-level fallback)
├─ mkdir -p .claude/hooks/ → copy 5 hooks + chmod +x
├─ Merge hook definitions into .claude/settings.json
└─ Output hooks install report
│
Phase 6.5: Install Scripts (unless --lite or --detect-only)
│
├─ Locate plugin scripts dir (3-level fallback)
├─ mkdir -p .claude/scripts/lib → copy 3 scripts
├─ Update manifest .sd0x/install-state.json
└─ Output scripts install report
│
Phase 6.7: Configure Environment Variables (unless --detect-only or --lite)
│
├─ Detect model context size (1M → recommend auto-compact window)
├─ Build env var catalog (STOP_GUARD_MODE + model-aware vars)
├─ Present recommendations, wait for user confirmation
├─ Merge into .claude/settings.json env object
└─ Output env config report
│
Phase 7: Final Verification Report
│
├─ Summarize all phases
├─ Closed-loop check (CLAUDE.md + rules + hooks + env)
└─ Output next steps
Flag Short-Circuit Semantics
| Flag | Phase 1-2 | Phase 3-4 | Phase 5-6.5 | Phase 6.7 | Phase 7 |
|---|
| (none) | Execute | Execute | Execute | Execute | Full report |
--detect-only | Execute | Skip | Skip | Skip | Detection results only |
--lite | Execute | Execute | Skip | Skip | CLAUDE.md only |
--no-rules | Execute | Execute | Skip rules | Execute | Report |
--no-hooks | Execute | Execute | Skip hooks | Execute | Report |
--env-only | Skip | Skip | Skip | Execute | Env report only (skill-level directive) |
--guard-mode warn | Execute | Execute | Execute | Execute (STOP_GUARD_MODE=warn) | Report |
Phase 1: Detect Project Environment
Execute the following detections in order; see references/detection-rules.md for detailed rules:
Detection Steps
- Detect Ecosystem — Glob for manifest files (
package.json, pyproject.toml, Cargo.toml, go.mod, build.gradle, pom.xml, Gemfile). Priority order in references/detection-rules.md.
- Read manifest — Extract project name, dependencies, scripts (Node.js:
package.json; others: ecosystem manifest)
- Detect Package Manager — Lockfile detection (Node.js only):
pnpm-lock.yaml → pnpm, yarn.lock → yarn, else npm (priority order per references/detection-rules.md)
- Detect Framework — From dependencies. See
references/detection-rules.md#framework
- Detect Database — From dependencies. See
references/detection-rules.md#database
- Detect Entrypoints — Glob framework-specific candidates. See
references/detection-rules.md#entrypoints
- Detect Scripts — From manifest scripts field. See
references/detection-rules.md#scripts. Missing scripts → # N/A (no script found)
For non-Node.js ecosystems, skip Node-specific steps and use ecosystem-specific detection from references/detection-rules.md.
Phase 2: Confirm Detection Results
Present a table of all 9 auto-detected placeholders with | Placeholder | Detected Value | Source | columns. Additional manual placeholders ({TICKET_PATTERN}, {ISSUE_TRACKER_URL}, {TARGET_BRANCH}) may remain if not auto-detectable — these are acceptable and should be noted as "manual" in Phase 4 verification.
Wait for user confirmation before proceeding to Phase 3.
Phase 2.5: Select Ecosystem Blocks
Based on detected manifest (from Phase 1.0):
| Manifest | Ecosystem tag |
|---|
package.json | node-ts |
pyproject.toml | python |
go.mod | go |
Cargo.toml | rust |
Gemfile | ruby |
pom.xml / build.gradle | java |
Phase 3: Write to .claude/CLAUDE.md
Prerequisite: User has confirmed, and not in --detect-only mode.
- Read
CLAUDE.template.md (if not found, fallback to CLAUDE.md)
- Remove
<!-- block:X -->...<!-- /block --> sections NOT matching detected ecosystem
- Remove remaining block markers (
<!-- block:... -->, <!-- /block -->)
- Execute
Edit for each placeholder (using replace_all: true)
- Write to
.claude/CLAUDE.md (create directory if needed)
If .claude/CLAUDE.md does not exist, create it from the rendered template.
Phase 4: Verify CLAUDE.md
- Read
.claude/CLAUDE.md
Grep: \{[A-Z_]+\} — confirm no remaining auto-detected placeholders. Exclude ${...} shell variable matches (e.g., ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}) from the count — these are intentional env var references, not unfilled placeholders.
- Output summary table with all placeholder values and remaining count
If --detect-only or --lite, skip to Phase 7.
Phase 5: Install Rules + Backfill CLAUDE.md
Skip if: --no-rules or --lite or --detect-only.
5.1 Locate Plugin Rules Directory
Find the plugin's rules/ directory using this priority (short-circuit on first match):
-
Glob search — search known Claude plugin locations:
Glob: ~/.claude/plugins/**/sd0x-dev-flow/rules/auto-loop.md
Glob: ${REPO_ROOT}/node_modules/sd0x-dev-flow/rules/auto-loop.md
-
Plugin-relative fallback — try reading @rules/auto-loop.md to confirm accessibility. If readable, derive the rules directory.
-
Not found → hard error for this phase (do not silently skip). Output explicit failure with remediation steps:
⛔ Rule source not found. Auto-loop rules cannot be installed.
Remediation (choose one):
1. Install the plugin: /plugin marketplace add sd0xdev/sd0x-dev-flow && /plugin install sd0x-dev-flow@sd0xdev-marketplace
2. Copy rules manually from a machine that has the plugin installed
3. Re-run with --no-rules to skip (rules layer will be missing)
Then skip Phase 5 and continue to Phase 6. Phase 7 will report this as ⚠️ Partial.
5.2 Copy Rules
-
mkdir -p ${REPO_ROOT}/.claude/rules/
-
Copy all 11 managed rules:
| Rule | Purpose |
|---|
auto-loop.md | Auto review loop enforcement |
codex-invocation.md | Codex independent research requirement |
fix-all-issues.md | Zero tolerance for unfixed issues |
framework.md | Framework conventions |
testing.md | Test structure and requirements |
security.md | OWASP security checklist |
git-workflow.md | Git branch and commit conventions |
logging.md | Structured logging standards |
docs-writing.md | Documentation writing conventions |
docs-numbering.md | Document numbering scheme |
self-improvement.md | Self-improvement loop |
-
Create override template (unmanaged, not manifest-tracked):
auto-loop-project.md — user-owned override template (see Phase 3.6 in /install-rules)
-
Conflict strategy:
| Scenario | Action |
|---|
| File does not exist | Install |
| File exists, content identical | Skip |
| File exists, content differs | Skip + warn as conflict |
-
After copying, collect hashes and write manifest:
- Compute
git hash-object --no-filters for each managed rule (installed + already-identical skipped)
- Read
.sd0x/install-state.json (create {} if not exists)
- Update
schema_version: 1, installed_at, plugin_version (source priority: .claude-plugin/plugin.json → package.json → "unknown"), rules key — hash for each file in managed state (both newly installed and already-identical). Structure: rules[filename] = { "hash": "<sha1>" }
- Preserve ALL other top-level keys from existing manifest (e.g.
hook_scripts, scripts, sd0x_version, agents_md_hash, hooks_installed — do NOT drop unknown keys)
- Write updated manifest via
Write tool
Note: /project-setup uses fresh-install semantics (install new / skip identical / warn on conflict; no smart merge).
For smart merge (section merge, legacy migration, --legacy-strategy), run /install-rules directly.
After rule installation, /install-rules automatically creates auto-loop-project.md (user-owned override template) if it doesn't exist. See skills/install-rules/SKILL.md.
5.3 Backfill CLAUDE.md (Closed-Loop Guarantee)
Ensure .claude/CLAUDE.md contains @rules/ references so the auto-loop engine can activate:
- Grep
.claude/CLAUDE.md for @rules/auto-loop.md
- Found → check if
@rules/auto-loop-project.md also present:
- Both present → skip (fully configured)
auto-loop.md present, auto-loop-project.md missing → insert - @rules/auto-loop-project.md -- Project-specific auto-loop overrides (user-owned) after auto-loop.md line
- Not found but file exists → append
## Rules block at end of file (12 @rules/ references (11 managed + 1 override template) from CLAUDE.template.md ## Rules section)
- File does not exist (edge case: Phase 3 was skipped) → extract from
CLAUDE.template.md: ## Required Checks through ### Auto-Loop Rule sections + ## Rules section → create minimal .claude/CLAUDE.md
When extracting from template, remove ecosystem block markers and leave unresolved placeholders as {PLACEHOLDER}.
5.4 Output Rules Report
## Rules Install Report
**Source**: <plugin-rules-path>
**Target**: <repo-root>/.claude/rules/
| Rule | Status |
|------|--------|
| auto-loop.md | ✅ Installed |
| ... | ... |
**Installed**: N / **Skipped**: M / **Conflicts**: K
**Manifest**: .sd0x/install-state.json
**CLAUDE.md backfill**: ✅ @rules/ references present
Phase 6: Install Hooks
Skip if: --no-hooks or --lite or --detect-only.
6.1 Locate Plugin Hooks Directory
Same 3-level fallback as Phase 5.1, but search for hooks/pre-edit-guard.sh:
-
Glob: ~/.claude/plugins/**/sd0x-dev-flow/hooks/pre-edit-guard.sh
-
Glob: ${REPO_ROOT}/node_modules/sd0x-dev-flow/hooks/pre-edit-guard.sh
-
Plugin-relative fallback: @hooks/pre-edit-guard.sh
-
Not found → hard error for this phase (do not silently skip). Output explicit failure with remediation steps:
⛔ Hook source not found. Auto-loop enforcement layer cannot be installed.
Remediation (choose one):
1. Install the plugin: /plugin marketplace add sd0xdev/sd0x-dev-flow && /plugin install sd0x-dev-flow@sd0xdev-marketplace
2. Copy hooks manually from a machine that has the plugin installed
3. Re-run with --no-hooks to skip (enforcement layer will be missing)
Then skip Phase 6 and continue to Phase 7. Phase 7 will report this as ⚠️ Partial.
6.2 Copy Hook Scripts
-
mkdir -p ${REPO_ROOT}/.claude/hooks/
-
Copy 5 hooks (exclude namespace-hint.sh — plugin-only):
| Hook | Event | Matcher | Purpose |
|---|
pre-edit-guard.sh | PreToolUse | Edit|Write | Block editing .env/.git |
post-edit-format.sh | PostToolUse | Edit|Write | Auto-format + track changes |
post-tool-review-state.sh | PostToolUse | Bash|mcp__codex__codex|mcp__codex__codex-reply | Parse review results |
stop-guard.sh | Stop | — | Check review + precommit completed |
post-compact-auto-loop.sh | SessionStart | compact | Re-inject auto-loop rules after compaction |
-
chmod +x each installed script.
-
Conflict strategy: same as Phase 5.2.
6.3 Merge Hook Definitions into Settings
Target: ${REPO_ROOT}/.claude/settings.json
Hook definition mapping (uses $CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR for portability):
{
"hooks": {
"PreToolUse": [
{"matcher": "Edit|Write", "hooks": [{"type": "command", "command": "\"$CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR\"/.claude/hooks/pre-edit-guard.sh"}]}
],
"PostToolUse": [
{"matcher": "Edit|Write", "hooks": [{"type": "command", "command": "\"$CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR\"/.claude/hooks/post-edit-format.sh"}]},
{"matcher": "Bash|mcp__codex__codex|mcp__codex__codex-reply", "hooks": [{"type": "command", "command": "\"$CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR\"/.claude/hooks/post-tool-review-state.sh"}]}
],
"Stop": [
{"matcher": "", "hooks": [{"type": "command", "command": "\"$CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR\"/.claude/hooks/stop-guard.sh"}]}
],
"SessionStart": [
{"matcher": "compact", "hooks": [{"type": "command", "command": "\"$CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR\"/.claude/hooks/post-compact-auto-loop.sh"}]}
]
}
}
Note: Environment variables (including STOP_GUARD_MODE) are now configured in Phase 6.7 (independent of hook installation). Phase 6.3 only handles hook definition merging.
Merge strategy:
- Read existing settings file (create
{} if not exists)
- Legacy migration: scan for bare
.claude/hooks/<name>.sh paths → upgrade to "$CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR"/.claude/hooks/<name>.sh
- For each event: append-only merge (skip if same command path exists)
- Coexistence detection: if
hooks/hooks.json exists at repo root (= plugin source repo), warn that plugin hooks and installed hooks may coexist. Runtime arbitration handles dedup automatically
- Write updated settings back (hook definitions only — env vars deferred to Phase 6.7)
6.4 Output Hooks Report
## Hooks Install Report
**Source**: <plugin-hooks-path>
**Scripts**: <repo-root>/.claude/hooks/
**Settings**: <repo-root>/.claude/settings.json
| Hook | Script | Settings | Status |
|------|--------|----------|--------|
| pre-edit-guard.sh | ✅ Copied | ✅ Added | Installed |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |
**Installed**: N / **Skipped**: M / **Conflicts**: K
Phase 6.5: Install Scripts
Skip if: --lite or --detect-only.
6.5.1 Locate Plugin Scripts Directory
Same 3-level fallback as Phase 5.1, but search for scripts/precommit-runner.js:
Glob: ~/.claude/plugins/**/sd0x-dev-flow/scripts/precommit-runner.js
Glob: ${REPO_ROOT}/node_modules/sd0x-dev-flow/scripts/precommit-runner.js
- Plugin-relative fallback:
@scripts/precommit-runner.js
Not found → warn + skip Phase 6.5. Phase 7 will report ⚠️ Partial.
6.5.2 Copy Scripts
mkdir -p ${REPO_ROOT}/.claude/scripts/lib
- Copy 3 scripts:
| Script | Purpose | Dependencies |
|---|
precommit-runner.js | Precommit runner for /precommit, /precommit-fast | lib/utils.js |
verify-runner.js | Verify runner for /verify | lib/utils.js |
lib/utils.js | Shared utilities | None |
- Conflict strategy: same as Phase 5.2.
| Scenario | Action |
|---|
| File does not exist | Install |
| File exists, content identical | Skip |
| File exists, content differs | Skip + warn as conflict |
6.5.3 Update Manifest
- Read
.sd0x/install-state.json (create {} if not exists)
- Read plugin version from
.claude-plugin/plugin.json or package.json
- Update:
schema_version: 1, installed_at, plugin_version, scripts key
- Compute hash per file:
git hash-object --no-filters .claude/scripts/<name>
- Preserve all existing top-level keys (e.g.
rules, hook_scripts, and any unknown keys)
- Write back to
.sd0x/install-state.json
6.5.4 Output Scripts Report
## Scripts Install Report
**Source**: <plugin-scripts-path>
**Target**: <repo-root>/.claude/scripts/
| Script | Status |
|--------|--------|
| precommit-runner.js | Installed/Skipped/Conflict |
| verify-runner.js | Installed/Skipped/Conflict |
| lib/utils.js | Installed/Skipped/Conflict |
**Installed**: N / **Skipped**: M / **Conflicts**: K
Phase 6.7: Configure Environment Variables
Skip if: --detect-only or --lite.
Run exclusively with: --env-only (skip all other phases, jump directly to 6.7 → 7).
Purpose: Write recommended environment variables to .claude/settings.json env object, independent of hook installation. This phase runs even when --no-hooks is specified.
6.7.1 Env Var Catalog
| Variable | Default | Condition | Description |
|---|
STOP_GUARD_MODE | strict | Always (override: --guard-mode warn) | Stop-guard enforcement mode |
CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_COMPACT_WINDOW | 320000 | 1M context model detected | Auto-compact window size (tokens) — delays compaction to preserve more context |
Legacy Recommendations (auto-upgrade prompt)
When an existing setting matches a previously recommended value (not the current one), flag it as Upgrade in the interactive table so the user can explicitly confirm the change. Never rewrite silently.
| Variable | Legacy value(s) | Current recommended | Retired on |
|---|
CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_COMPACT_WINDOW | 456000 | 320000 | 2026-04-17 |
6.7.2 Large Context Model Detection
Determine whether CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_COMPACT_WINDOW should be recommended:
- Self-awareness check: Claude can inspect its own system environment description for "1M context" indicators (e.g. model description includes "1M context" or "(with 1M context)")
- Detected → include
CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_COMPACT_WINDOW: "320000" in recommendations with note: "1M context model detected"
- Not detected or uncertain → ask user: "Are you using a 1M context model? (e.g. Claude Opus 4.6 1M)" — include in recommendations only on confirmation
- User declines → omit
CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_COMPACT_WINDOW from recommendations
6.7.3 Interactive Flow
-
Read existing env values from both .claude/settings.local.json and .claude/settings.json (create {} if not exists). Runtime precedence: settings.local.json > settings.json
-
Build recommendations table showing effective current value:
## Environment Variables
Only one row per variable appears at a time; the examples below are **alternatives** for the same variable, selected by its current state.
Example A — first-time install (variable not yet set):
| Variable | Current (effective) | Source | Recommended | Action |
|----------|---------------------|--------|-------------|--------|
| STOP_GUARD_MODE | warn | settings.json | strict | Update |
| CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_COMPACT_WINDOW | (not set) | — | 320000 | Add (1M model) |
Example B — upgrade path (variable already set to a legacy value):
| Variable | Current (effective) | Source | Recommended | Action |
|----------|---------------------|--------|-------------|--------|
| CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_COMPACT_WINDOW | 456000 | settings.json | 320000 | **Upgrade** (legacy value, retired 2026-04-17) |
-
Present to user for confirmation — user may accept all, modify values, or skip specific vars. For rows marked Upgrade, display the retirement date and reason so the user can make an informed decision.
-
Apply confirmed changes to .claude/settings.json (default) or .claude/settings.local.json (with --local)
6.7.4 Merge Strategy
- Read existing settings file (create
{} if not exists)
- Merge env vars into
env object:
- If key does not exist → Add
- If key exists and value matches current recommended → Skip
- If key exists and value matches a Legacy value listed in 6.7.1 → Upgrade (surface retirement date + reason; apply only after user confirmation, never silently overwrite)
- If key exists and value is user-custom (neither current nor legacy) → Update (only after user confirmation; default to preserving)
- Preserve all existing
env keys not in the catalog (do not drop unknown keys)
- Preserve all non-
env keys in settings (hooks, etc.)
- Write updated settings back
Note: Runtime mode resolution for STOP_GUARD_MODE follows: env var > settings.local.json > settings.json > default warn. See hooks/stop-guard.sh for canonical precedence.
6.7.5 Interaction with Phase 6.3 and /install-hooks
- Phase 6.3 (within
/project-setup) defers env writes to Phase 6.7
/install-hooks (standalone command) retains its own env.STOP_GUARD_MODE write — it operates independently
- When both run in the same session, Phase 6.7 runs after Phase 6 and writes to the same target file
--no-hooks skips Phase 6 but Phase 6.7 still runs → env vars are always configured
6.7.6 Output Env Config Report
## Environment Config Report
**Target**: <repo-root>/.claude/settings.json (or settings.local.json with --local)
| Variable | Value | Effective Source | Status |
|----------|-------|-----------------|--------|
| STOP_GUARD_MODE | strict | settings.json | ✅ Updated |
| CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_COMPACT_WINDOW | 320000 | settings.json | ✅ Added (1M model) — or ✅ Upgraded (456000 → 320000, legacy retired 2026-04-17) when upgrading |
**Model**: Opus 4.6 (1M context) → auto-compact window recommended
**Precedence note**: Runtime resolves env > settings.local.json > settings.json > default
Phase 7: Final Verification Report
Summarize all phases and perform closed-loop check:
Closed-Loop Check
| Condition | Check | Required |
|---|
| CLAUDE.md behavior text | Required Checks section exists | ✅ |
@rules/ references | @rules/auto-loop.md in .claude/CLAUDE.md | ✅ |
| Rule files | .claude/rules/auto-loop.md exists | ✅ |
| Hook enforcement | stop-guard in .claude/settings.json | ✅ |
| Script runners | .claude/scripts/precommit-runner.js exists | ✅ (unless --lite or --detect-only) |
| Guard mode | env.STOP_GUARD_MODE = strict in target settings file | ✅ (unless --guard-mode warn) |
| Auto-compact window | env.CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_COMPACT_WINDOW in target settings file | ✅ (1M model only) |
Output
## Project Setup Complete
| Phase | Status |
|-------|--------|
| Detection | ✅ Framework: X, PM: Y, DB: Z |
| CLAUDE.md | ✅ Configured (0 remaining placeholders) |
| Rules | ✅ 11/11 managed rules + 1 override template |
| Hooks | ✅ 5/5 installed + settings merged |
| Scripts | ✅ 3/3 runner scripts installed |
| Env Config | ✅ STOP_GUARD_MODE=strict, AUTO_COMPACT_WINDOW=320000 (1M) |
### Closed-Loop Status
✅ Auto-loop engine fully configured (strict mode)
(or ⚠️ Auto-loop engine configured (warn mode — stop-guard will not block))
(or ⚠️ Partial — missing: hooks (enforcement layer inactive))
(or ⚠️ Partial — missing: rules)
(or ⚠️ Partial — missing: scripts (runner not installed))
(or ℹ️ Auto-compact window not set — standard context model detected)
### Next Steps
- Run `/repo-intake` for a full project scan
- Use `HOOK_BYPASS=1` as emergency escape hatch
- Use `/install-rules --force` to upgrade rules later
Verification
References
See detection rules: detection-rules.md