name	project-onboarding
description	Use when starting work on an unfamiliar repository to produce a concise orientation. Reads README, CLAUDE.md, package manifests, and top-level structure to summarize language, framework, entry points, and conventions before any code is written.

Project onboarding

Run this skill when you start work on a repository you haven't seen before. The goal is a one-screen orientation, not a full audit.

Steps

Read the obvious docs in parallel. Issue these reads concurrently:
- README.md (or README.*)
- CLAUDE.md — project conventions Claude must follow
- AGENTS.md if present
- The package manifest for whatever language the repo uses:
  - JS/TS → package.json
  - Python → pyproject.toml, fall back to requirements.txt
  - Rust → Cargo.toml
  - Go → go.mod
  - Ruby → Gemfile
  - Java/Kotlin → build.gradle* or pom.xml
Map the top level. List the repo root and note which directories exist (src/, app/, tests/, docs/, scripts/, etc.).
Identify entry points from the manifest:
- npm/yarn/pnpm/bun scripts
- bin entries
- Python [project.scripts]
- Go cmd/ main packages
Skim one source file. Pick the most likely entry point and read just enough to confirm the framework (Next.js vs plain React, FastAPI vs Django, etc.).

Output

Produce exactly six lines. No headers, no preamble:

Language / runtime — e.g., TypeScript on Bun, Python 3.12 on uv
Framework — e.g., Next.js 15 App Router, FastAPI + SQLAlchemy
Entry points — the one to three commands a developer actually runs
Layout — four-to-six word description of the directory shape
Key convention — the single most important thing CLAUDE.md / AGENTS.md says
Unclear — one thing you would ask the user to clarify before changing code

Stop there. Don't propose work, don't audit quality, don't enumerate dependencies. The user will direct from here.

When NOT to use this skill

You've already worked in this repo earlier in the session.
The user gave you a specific file path and a specific task — just do the task.
The repo is a single file.

Project onboarding

Run this skill when you start work on a repository you haven't seen before. The goal is a one-screen orientation, not a full audit.

Steps

Read the obvious docs in parallel. Issue these reads concurrently:

README.md (or README.*)
CLAUDE.md — project conventions Claude must follow
AGENTS.md if present
The package manifest for whatever language the repo uses:
- JS/TS → package.json
- Python → pyproject.toml, fall back to requirements.txt
- Rust → Cargo.toml
- Go → go.mod
- Ruby → Gemfile
- Java/Kotlin → build.gradle* or pom.xml

Map the top level. List the repo root and note which directories exist (src/, app/, tests/, docs/, scripts/, etc.).

Identify entry points from the manifest:

npm/yarn/pnpm/bun scripts
bin entries
Python [project.scripts]
Go cmd/ main packages

Skim one source file. Pick the most likely entry point and read just enough to confirm the framework (Next.js vs plain React, FastAPI vs Django, etc.).

Output

Produce exactly six lines. No headers, no preamble:

Language / runtime — e.g., TypeScript on Bun, Python 3.12 on uv

Framework — e.g., Next.js 15 App Router, FastAPI + SQLAlchemy

Entry points — the one to three commands a developer actually runs

Layout — four-to-six word description of the directory shape

Key convention — the single most important thing CLAUDE.md / AGENTS.md says

Unclear — one thing you would ask the user to clarify before changing code

Stop there. Don't propose work, don't audit quality, don't enumerate dependencies. The user will direct from here.

When NOT to use this skill

You've already worked in this repo earlier in the session.

The user gave you a specific file path and a specific task — just do the task.

The repo is a single file.

project-onboarding