harness-from-profile

name	harness-from-profile
description	Bootstrap a reusable agent-first Harness for a monorepo from a filled `HARNESS_PROFILE.md`. Use when a team has documented project purpose, repo map, workflows, boundaries, and quality priorities and wants Codex/Pi to generate the Harness structure, docs, plans system, and stable operating files around those facts.

Harness From Profile

Overview

Use this skill when the target repository should get a full first-pass Harness from a filled profile document instead of from product-specific chat memory.

The skill should keep three layers separate:

• project facts live in HARNESS_PROFILE.md
• reusable operating logic lives in this skill
• stable file roles live in the scaffold template

Required Input

• a filled HARNESS_PROFILE.md or equivalent profile document
• the target repository path

If the profile is missing key facts, ask only for the smallest useful clarifications. Prefer TODO markers over fabricated certainty.

Workflow

1. Read the profile completely.
   • Then read references/harness-profile-schema.md if the profile needs interpretation help.
2. Read the output map.
   • Use references/output-map.md to translate profile sections into generated files.
3. Scaffold the stable structure.
   • Preferred: run python3 scripts/bootstrap_harness_scaffold.py --template monorepo --target <path> --project-name <name>.
   • If the target already has part of the structure, merge carefully instead of blindly overwriting.
4. Translate profile facts into repo docs.
   • Fill AGENTS.md, ARCHITECTURE.md, docs/design-docs/, docs/product-specs/, and the top-level principle docs.
   • Set up docs/exec-plans/ for future work tracking.
5. Preserve uncertainty honestly.
   • If a workflow, boundary, or ownership line is still unclear, write a concrete TODO or question in the generated docs instead of guessing.
6. Validate the result.
   • Check that every file referenced by AGENTS.md actually exists.
   • Check that the generated structure matches the intended roles in references/output-map.md.

Output Contract

A strong first pass should include at least:

• AGENTS.md
• ARCHITECTURE.md
• docs/design-docs/index.md
• docs/design-docs/core-beliefs.md
• docs/exec-plans/index.md
• docs/exec-plans/active/index.md
• docs/exec-plans/completed/index.md
• docs/exec-plans/tech-debt-tracker.md
• docs/generated/harness-profile-template.md
• docs/product-specs/index.md
• docs/references/index.md
• DESIGN.md
• PLANS.md
• PRODUCT_SENSE.md
• QUALITY_SCORE.md
• RELIABILITY.md
• SECURITY.md

Trigger Examples

• Use $harness-from-profile to bootstrap this monorepo from HARNESS_PROFILE.md.
• Use $harness-from-profile to create AGENTS.md, ARCHITECTURE.md, and docs/ from this project profile.
• Use $harness-from-profile to turn this project profile into a repo-local Harness system.

Resources

• references/harness-profile-schema.md - required profile sections and how to read them
• references/bootstrap-flow.md - the step-by-step build flow
• references/output-map.md - which profile facts go into which generated files
• scripts/bootstrap_harness_scaffold.py - deterministic scaffold copier
• assets/templates/monorepo/ - stable file skeleton for the first draft