repo-copier

name	repo-copier
description	Use this skill when the user is working with the `copier` CLI tool specifically — generating a project from a copier template (`copier copy`), updating a copier-managed project (`copier update`), authoring a copier template (i.e. a Git repo with `copier.yml`), or configuring `copier.yml`. Also trigger for questions about `.copier-answers.yml`, `_tasks`, `_exclude`, or other copier-specific settings. Do NOT trigger for general Jinja2 templating, Flask/Django/Ansible templates, or other tools that happen to use Jinja.
license	PolyForm Internal Use License 1.0.0
compatibility	Designed for Claude Code (and compatible)
metadata	{"author":"github.com/thesmart","version":"1.0.2"}

Copier is a CLI tool for rendering project templates and keeping generated projects in sync with those templates over time. Templates are Git repos; generated projects record their answers in .copier-answers.yml to enable future updates.

Reference Files

Read these on demand — don't load all of them upfront:

File	When to read
reference/creating.md	Authoring templates: file handling, variables, yield loops
reference/configuring.md	copier.yml questions, conditional files, tasks, answers file
reference/settings-reference.md	Full list of all _ settings with CLI flags and defaults
reference/generating.md	copier copy options, version selection, flags
reference/updating.md	copier update, conflict handling, check-update
reference/user-settings.md	Global user defaults, trusted repos
reference/faq.md	Computed values, context hooks, credentials, dirty changes

---

Core Operations

Generate a project from a template

copier copy <template> <destination>

Template sources:

copier copy ./my-local-template ./my-project
copier copy gh:owner/repo ./my-project        # GitHub shorthand
copier copy gl:owner/repo ./my-project        # GitLab shorthand
copier copy git+https://github.com/owner/repo.git ./my-project

Common flags:

copier copy -d project_name="Acme API" gh:org/template ./dest   # pre-answer a question
copier copy --defaults gh:org/template ./dest                    # use all defaults, no prompts
copier copy --vcs-ref v2.0.0 gh:org/template ./dest             # pin to a specific version
copier copy --vcs-ref HEAD ./local-template ./dest              # include uncommitted changes
copier copy --trust gh:org/template ./dest                      # required for templates with tasks/migrations/extensions
copier copy --pretend gh:org/template ./dest                    # dry run

Use --trust (or --UNSAFE) whenever a template defines _tasks, _migrations, or _jinja_extensions. Without it, copier exits with code 4.

Update a project

cd my-project
copier update

Prerequisites for a clean update:

1. Project has a .copier-answers.yml (created at copier copy time)
2. Template has Git tags (copier picks the latest PEP 440 tag)
3. Project has a clean git status

Common update flags:

copier update --defaults                          # reuse all previous answers silently
copier update --defaults --data author="New Name" # override one answer
copier update --vcs-ref v3.0.0                    # update to a specific version
copier update --vcs-ref=:current:                 # re-answer questions without changing version
copier update --skip-answered                     # skip questions that already have answers
copier update --conflict rej                      # write .rej files instead of inline markers

Check if an update is available:

copier check-update
copier check-update --output-format json   # machine-readable

Abort an update that went wrong:

git reset && git checkout . && git clean -d -i

Check for updates

copier check-update                            # human-readable
copier check-update --output-format json       # {"update_available": true, ...}
copier check-update --quiet                    # exit 0 = up to date, exit 2 = update available

---

Creating a Template

A template is a directory (usually the root of a Git repo) containing copier.yml and template files.

Minimal structure

• my-template/ — template root directory
• my-template/copier.yml — questions + settings
• my-template/{{ _copier_conf.answers_file }}.jinja — always include for update support
• my-template/{{ project_name }}/ — project root folder (templated name)
• my-template/{{ project_name }}/{{ module_name }}.py.jinja — rendered Python module

Always include the answers file template — without it, copier update won't work:

# {{ _copier_conf.answers_file }}.jinja
# Changes here will be overwritten by Copier; NEVER EDIT MANUALLY
{{ _copier_answers|to_nice_yaml -}}

File rendering rules

• Files ending in .jinja → rendered by Jinja2, output without the .jinja suffix
• All other files → copied as-is
• File and directory names can contain {{ jinja_expressions }} — they're evaluated to produce the actual name
• If both README.md and README.md.jinja exist, the .jinja version wins

copier.yml quick reference

Simple format:

project_name: my-project # string question, default provided
port: 8080 # int detected automatically

Full format (any key can use these fields):

project_name:
  type: str # bool | float | int | json | path | str | yaml
  help: What is your project name?
  default: my-project
  placeholder: acme-service
  validator: >-
    {% if not (project_name | regex_search('^[a-z][a-z0-9\-]+$')) %} Must be lowercase letters,
    digits, or dashes. {% endif %}

use_docker:
  type: bool
  default: yes

python_versions:
  type: str
  multiselect: true
  choices: ["3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
  default: '["3.12"]'

license:
  type: str
  when: "{{ not proprietary }}" # skip question when condition is false

Computed values (never asked, not stored in answers):

next_year:
  type: int
  default: "{{ current_year + 1 }}"
  when: false

Common settings in copier.yml

_tasks:
  - "git init"
  - command: "pip install -e ."
    when: "{{ _copier_operation == 'copy' }}"

_exclude:
  - "*.pyc"
  - "__pycache__"

_skip_if_exists:
  - .env
  - secrets.yml

_min_copier_version: "9.0.0"

_message_after_copy: |
  Project "{{ project_name }}" created!
  Next: cd {{ _copier_conf.dst_path }} && make install

_exclude in copier.yml replaces the default list. CLI --exclude extends it. Tasks require --trust from the user running copier copy/copier update.

Global template variables

Always available in Jinja templates:

Variable	Description
_copier_answers	All answers (minus secrets) — use in answers file template
_copier_conf.answers_file	Path for the answers file
_copier_conf.dst_path	Destination directory
_copier_conf.src_path	Template source directory
_copier_conf.os	"linux", "macos", "windows", or None
_copier_operation	"copy" or "update"
_copier_phase	"prompt", "render", "tasks", or "migrate"
_folder_name	Name of the project root directory
_copier_python	Python interpreter running Copier (useful in _tasks)

---

Common Pitfalls

• Don't edit .copier-answers.yml manually — use copier update --defaults --data key=value instead
• Template not found / template uses old version — copier uses the latest Git tag by default; use --vcs-ref HEAD to test local uncommitted changes
• copier update fails — if the old template used a removed Jinja extension, fall back to copier recopy (bypasses the diff algorithm; you'll need to manually recover customizations from git diff)
• Credentials in URLs — don't put credentials in the template URL (they end up in .copier-answers.yml); use SSH or a credential helper instead
• High CPU/memory — caused by shallow clones; fix with git clone --no-shallow

---

Applying Multiple Templates to One Project

Use a different answers file per template:

copier copy -a .copier-answers.main.yml gh:org/main-template .
copier copy -a .copier-answers.ci.yml gh:org/ci-template .

# Update each independently
copier update -a .copier-answers.main.yml
copier update -a .copier-answers.ci.yml

Each template's copier.yml should set _answers_file to match:

_answers_file: .copier-answers.ci.yml