project-setup

name

project-setup

description

Bootstrap a user's project directory for Rook by creating or merging a CLAUDE.md with Rook agent instructions, then initializing Claude Code project config. Use when user mentions: "project setup", "setup project", "init project", "bootstrap project", "add Rook to my project", "setup CLAUDE.md", "configure project for Rook", or when working in a directory that has no Rook context in its CLAUDE.md.

Project Setup

Bootstrap the current project directory so Claude Code has Rook context when working here. Two actions:

1. CLAUDE.md — Create or merge Rook agent instructions
2. /init — Initialize Claude Code project configuration

Prerequisites

• Rook must be installed (MCP server registered in ~/.claude.json)
• The current working directory should be the user's project folder, NOT the Rook install directory (%LOCALAPPDATA%\Rook)

Workflow

Step 0: Detect State

Check the current directory:

1. What is the current working directory? If it's the Rook install root (%LOCALAPPDATA%\Rook or the Rook source repo), warn the user: "You're already in the Rook directory — this skill is for setting up your own project folders. cd to your project first."

2. Does ./CLAUDE.md exist?

   • No → Step 1A (create from template)
   • Yes → check if it already contains Rook instructions (search for the marker <!-- rook-begin -->)
     • Marker found → tell user "Rook instructions already present in CLAUDE.md" and skip to Step 2
     • No marker → Step 1B (merge into existing)

Step 1A: Create CLAUDE.md (no existing file)

Read the Rook agent instruction template. The canonical source is the installed copy at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Rook\CLAUDE.md. If that doesn't exist, use the template from the Rook repo at installer/CLAUDE.md.

Write a new ./CLAUDE.md with this structure:

<!-- rook-begin -->
{contents of the Rook CLAUDE.md template}
<!-- rook-end -->

Tell the user: "Created CLAUDE.md with Rook agent instructions. You can add your own project-specific notes above or below the Rook section."

Step 1B: Merge into existing CLAUDE.md

The user already has a CLAUDE.md with their own content. Append the Rook section at the end:

{existing CLAUDE.md content unchanged}

<!-- rook-begin -->
{contents of the Rook CLAUDE.md template}
<!-- rook-end -->

Rules:

• NEVER modify the user's existing content
• Always append at the end, never prepend
• Use the <!-- rook-begin --> / <!-- rook-end --> markers so future updates can find and replace just the Rook section

Tell the user: "Appended Rook agent instructions to your existing CLAUDE.md. Your project-specific content is untouched."

Step 2: Initialize Claude Code config

Check if .claude/ directory exists in the project:

• If .claude/ does not exist: Tell the user to run /init in Claude Code to create the project configuration. This sets up the .claude/ directory with settings, allowed tools, etc.

• If .claude/ already exists: Skip this step — project config is already initialized.

Step 3: Confirm

Print a summary:

Project setup complete for {directory name}:
  [OK] CLAUDE.md — Rook agent instructions {created / merged}
  [OK] .claude/ — Project config {exists / run /init to create}

Next steps:
  1. Open a Rhino file from this project
  2. In Claude Code, type: rhino_ping
  3. You're connected — Rook knows your project context

Updating Rook Instructions

If the user runs /project-setup again in a directory that already has the Rook markers, replace the content between <!-- rook-begin --> and <!-- rook-end --> with the latest template. This lets users update their Rook instructions after a Rook upgrade without losing their own CLAUDE.md content.

Key Principles

• Never clobber user content. The markers isolate the Rook section. Everything outside the markers belongs to the user.
• Idempotent. Running the skill twice should produce the same result as running it once (update in place via markers).
• No Rhino dependency. This skill runs without Rhino — it's pure file operations. Don't call rhino_ping or any MCP tools.