| name | on-project-start |
| description | Use on first entry to a new repository to run environment scanning and ask targeted boundary questions before implementation. |
On Project Start
Use this skill only when entering a repository for the first time in a session or when project boundaries are still unclear.
Goal
Convert unknown project boundaries into explicit, confirmed constraints before implementation starts.
Protocol
-
Scan repository signals
- Inspect top-level files and dependency manifests (e.g.,
package.json, pom.xml, go.mod, requirements.txt, Cargo.toml, Gemfile).
- Detect likely stack and runtime (for example Spring Boot, Django, React, Terraform, CDK).
- Detect validation commands from CI config (
.github/workflows/, Makefile, Justfile, scripts).
- Check for existing conventions docs (
CONVENTIONS.md, ARCHITECTURE.md, .editorconfig).
-
Ask targeted boundary questions
- Ask only high-value questions that can change implementation decisions.
- Prefer either/or questions when possible.
- Skip questions whose answers are already documented in existing project files.
- Examples:
- "I detected Spring Boot. Is there a package naming standard I must follow?"
- "I detected AWS IaC files. Should infrastructure changes use Terraform or CDK?"
- "I see no test framework configured. Which testing approach should I use?"
-
Confirm and persist
- Summarize confirmed boundaries in concise bullets.
- Add or update
project/project-manifest.md with the confirmed constraints.
- If a new durable architectural constraint is discovered, append to
DECISIONS.md.
-
Continue with normal workflow
- Run
repo-exploration then demand-triage.
- Do not start implementation until initialization questions are resolved or explicitly deferred by user instruction.
Output format
Initialization summary:
- Detected stack:
- Boundary questions asked:
- User confirmations:
- Constraints recorded in project manifest:
- Open items (if any):
Conformance self-check
