dld-init

name	dld-init
description	Bootstrap DLD (Decision-Linked Development) in a repository. Creates dld.config.yaml, the decisions/ directory, and INDEX.md. Run once per project.
compatibility	Requires bash. Scripts use BASH_SOURCE for path resolution.

/dld-init — Bootstrap DLD

You are initializing Decision-Linked Development (DLD) in this repository. This is an interactive setup process that runs once per project.

Interaction style

Use the AskUserQuestion tool for all questions and prompts. This provides a structured input experience for the user rather than waiting for freeform replies.

Script Paths

Skill-specific scripts:

scripts/create-config.sh
scripts/create-directories.sh
scripts/create-empty-index.sh

Prerequisites

• This must be a git repository
• dld.config.yaml must NOT already exist at the repo root (if it does, tell the user DLD is already initialized and suggest /dld-status instead)

Steps

1. Ask about project structure

Ask the user:

Is this a flat project (all decisions in one directory) or a namespaced project (decisions organized by component/domain, e.g., for a monorepo)?

• Flat is the default and right for most projects
• Namespaced is for monorepos or projects with distinct domains (billing, auth, etc.)

If namespaced, ask for the initial namespace list. Suggest they can add more later.

2. Create dld.config.yaml

Run the create-config script:

bash scripts/create-config.sh <mode> [namespace1 namespace2 ...]

Example flat:

bash scripts/create-config.sh flat

Example namespaced:

bash scripts/create-config.sh namespaced billing auth shared

3. Create directory structure

bash scripts/create-directories.sh

This reads mode and namespaces from dld.config.yaml (created in step 2).

4. Create initial INDEX.md

bash scripts/create-empty-index.sh

This reads mode from dld.config.yaml.

5. Offer to create a practices manifest

Ask the user:

Would you like to create a development practices manifest? This is an optional document (decisions/PRACTICES.md) that captures your project's development conventions (testing approach, code style, error handling patterns, etc.). The AI agent reads this when making and implementing decisions.

You can skip this now and add it later at any time.

If they accept, help them fill it out by asking about:

• Testing practices (TDD? coverage targets? integration test requirements?)
• Code style preferences (error handling patterns, validation approach)
• Architecture conventions (dependency injection, repository pattern, etc.)

If the repository already has application code, scan it first and suggest conventions you observe (e.g., "I see you're using Result types for error handling and Zod for validation — should I include those?"). This saves the user from having to recall everything from scratch.

Write decisions/PRACTICES.md with their answers in simple markdown format:

# Development Practices

## Testing
- ...

## Code Style
- ...

## Architecture
- ...

For namespaced projects, this is the root-level shared practices. Mention they can create namespace-specific practices later at decisions/records/<namespace>/PRACTICES.md.

6. Add DLD instructions to CLAUDE.md

Note: If DLD was installed via Tessl, the rules/dld-workflow.md steering file already provides these instructions automatically and this step can be skipped.

Append the following block to CLAUDE.md at the repo root (create the file if it doesn't exist). If the file exists, add the block at the end, preserving existing content.

## DLD (Decision-Linked Development)

This project uses Decision-Linked Development. Decision records (DL-*.md) live in `decisions/records/`. High-level docs (INDEX.md, OVERVIEW.md, SNAPSHOT.md) live in `decisions/`.

### Rules

- When you encounter `@decision(DL-XXX)` annotations in code, use `/dld-lookup DL-XXX` to read the referenced decision BEFORE modifying the annotated code.
- ALWAYS look up and verify related decisions before modifying annotated code. Do not skip this step.
- NEVER modify code in a way that contradicts an existing decision without first confirming with the user. If the change requires breaking a previous decision, a new decision must be recorded (via `/dld-decide`) that explicitly supersedes the old one.
- Use `/dld-decide` to record new decisions
- Use `/dld-plan` to break down a feature into multiple grouped decisions
- Use `/dld-implement` to implement proposed decisions
- Use `/dld-lookup` to query decisions by ID, tag, or code path
- Use `/dld-audit` to scan for drift between decisions and code
- Use `/dld-snapshot` to regenerate SNAPSHOT.md and OVERVIEW.md from the decision log
- Use `/dld-status` for a quick overview of the decision log state
- Use `/dld-retrofit` to generate decisions from an existing codebase

7. Suggest next steps

Tell the user:

DLD is initialized. Here's what you can do next:

If the repository already has application code:

• /dld-retrofit — generate initial decisions from your existing codebase
• Edit decisions/PRACTICES.md to refine your development practices (if created)

If this is a new/empty project:

• /dld-decide — record your first decision
• /dld-plan — break down a feature into multiple decisions
• Edit decisions/PRACTICES.md to refine your development practices (if created)