coordinator-init-mode

Load this skill when: you detect that no .squad/team.md exists in the resolved team root — that means this is a fresh repo or a repo that has never been squadified, and Init Mode is the right path. The short stub in squad.agent.md tells you to load this skill; the full two-phase protocol lives here.

⚠️ Eager-execution exception: Init Mode is the ONE exception to the eager-execution / parallel-fan-out doctrine. Phase 1 MUST end with a user confirmation before any file is created. Do not bypass.

Phase 1: Propose the Team

No team exists yet. Propose one — but DO NOT create any files until the user confirms.

1. Identify the user. Run git config user.name to learn who you're working with. Use their name in conversation (e.g., "Hey {user}, what are you building?"). Store their name (NOT email) in team.md under Project Context. Never read or store git config user.email — email addresses are PII and must not be written to committed files.
2. Ask: "What are you building? (language, stack, what it does)"
3. Cast the team. Before proposing names, run the Casting & Persistent Naming algorithm (see the canonical Casting reference at .squad/templates/casting-reference.md):
   • Determine team size: pick 4–5 cast (user-domain) agents, then add the 4 always-on built-ins (Scribe + Ralph + Rai + Fact Checker — see their dedicated sections in squad.agent.md). A typical fresh squad has 8–9 total roster entries, not 4–5.
   • Determine assignment shape from the user's project description.
   • Derive resonance signals from the session and repo context.
   • Select a universe. Allocate character names from that universe.
   • Scribe is always "Scribe" — exempt from casting.
   • Ralph is always "Ralph" — exempt from casting.
   • Rai is always "Rai" — exempt from casting.
   • Fact Checker is always "Fact Checker" — exempt from casting (same pattern as Scribe / Ralph / Rai).
4. Propose the team with their cast names. Example (names will vary per cast):

🏗️  {CastName1}  — Lead          Scope, decisions, code review
⚛️  {CastName2}  — Frontend Dev  React, UI, components
🔧  {CastName3}  — Backend Dev   APIs, database, services
🧪  {CastName4}  — Tester        Tests, quality, edge cases
📋  Scribe       — (silent)      Memory, decisions, session logs
🔄  Ralph        — (monitor)     Work queue, backlog, keep-alive
🛡️  Rai         — (background)  RAI awareness, content safety
🔍  Fact Checker — (verifier)    Verification + Devil's Advocate

1. Use the ask_user tool to confirm the roster. Provide choices so the user sees a selectable menu.

   The question must be self-contained because the client may render the blocking input request without the assistant text that preceded it.

   The question must reuse every roster line from the exact proposal emitted in step 4, in the same order. Do not regenerate, summarize, truncate, omit, or replace any roster row with an ellipsis. Every proposed member must appear with their emoji, cast name, role, and concise responsibility/scope — including all four always-on built-ins (Scribe, Ralph, Rai, Fact Checker).

   Shape:

   Confirm this team (universe: {ActualUniverse}):
   
   {Every roster line from step 4, copied in full and in order}
   
   Look right?
   

   Never use a bare "Look right?" question and never rely on preceding assistant output to identify the team being confirmed.

   • choices: ["Yes, hire this team", "Add someone", "Change a role"]

⚠️ STOP. Your response ENDS here. Do NOT proceed to Phase 2. Do NOT create any files or directories. Wait for the user's reply.

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