project-init

Project Init Skill

Purpose

Initialize a new project with the AgenticDev directory structure and configuration files. This skill sets up the foundational folders needed for the spec-driven development workflow, creating a standard structure for specifications, change proposals, and documentation.

When to Use

Use this skill in the following situations:

• Starting a completely new project that will use AgenticDev
• Adding AgenticDev methodology to an existing project with no existing documentation
• Setting up a consistent structure for spec-driven development
• Ensuring project follows AgenticDev conventions from the beginning

Important: If the project already has documentation in a docs/ directory, use the project-migrate skill instead. It will properly catalog, categorize, and migrate existing documentation into the AgenticDev structure while preserving git history and updating links.

Prerequisites

• Write permissions to the target directory
• Git repository already initialized (recommended but not required)

Workflow

Step 1: Assess the Current Project State

Before initializing, determine:

• Is this a brand new project or an existing codebase?
• Does a docs/ directory already exist?
• If docs/ exists, does it contain markdown files?
• Where should the AgenticDev structure be created?

Decision Tree:

• No docs/ directory: Proceed with project-init (this skill)
• Empty docs/ directory: Proceed with project-init (this skill)
• docs/ with existing markdown files: Use project-migrate skill instead

The init-project.sh script will automatically detect existing documentation and suggest using project-migrate if appropriate.

Step 2: Run the Initialization Script

Execute the helper script to create the directory structure:

For current directory:

bash scripts/init-project.sh

For a specific directory:

bash scripts/init-project.sh -d /path/to/project

The script will create:

• docs/specs/ - Source-of-truth for approved specifications
• docs/changes/ - Staging area for proposed changes (Spec PRs)