matstudylab-bootstrap

Runs automatically as Step 0 of /accept, /explain, /build, /new, and /modify. End users never invoke this skill directly. Not a user-facing slash command; harness-agnostic (no Cursor-only rule).

English is the default for all agent UX strings here. Localize only when LORE.md or a /build language choice says so.

Step 1 — Run bootstrap script

From the repository root, run:

./scripts/bootstrap-skills.sh

The script chooses the branch (setup vs update vs skip). Do not pick the branch yourself.

Completion criterion: the script finished and you captured its stdout/stderr (including any bootstrap: lines and exit status).

Step 2 — Interpret outcome

Match every bootstrap: line the script printed. Outcomes (in addition to a final bootstrap: OK on success paths):

On SYNC_FAILED_CONTINUE / NODE_MISSING, the script still exits 0 after bootstrap: OK — treat those as warnings for non-/build commands, not hard stops. NAME_GUARD_FAIL is the hard stop (exit ≠ 0).

Completion criterion: you named exactly which outcome branch ran (including NAME_GUARD_FAIL if exit ≠ 0) and know whether Step 3 requires a user warning or /build HITL.

Step 3 — Parent-command policy

/new, /modify, /accept, /explain

On NODE_MISSING or SYNC_FAILED_CONTINUE, warn the user in English (default) and continue with vendored skills in .agents/skills/:

• Node missing:

  Warning: Node/`npx` missing — could not check for skill updates.
  Using vendored `.agents/skills/`. (Use /build to open setup or set local-only.)
  Continuing with the command…

• Sync failed:

  Warning: skills sync failed; using vendored `.agents/skills/`.
  Continuing with the command…

Do not open a HITL menu on these commands.

/build

Do not use the warn+continue strings above. After this skill finishes, /build must run its own Step 1 — Skills HITL in .agents/skills/build/SKILL.md:

• SKIPPED_LOCAL_ONLY → short notice + optional re-enable (auto)
• NODE_MISSING, SYNC_FAILED_CONTINUE, or incomplete setup → three-option menu (continue session / save local-only / open setup)
• Quiet success (SETUP_OK / UPDATE_OK) → one-line notice, no menu; script sets mode: auto and stamps last_synced_at
• Quiet skip (SKIPPED_FRESH) → one-line notice, no menu; does not refresh last_synced_at (real sync only)

Completion criterion: for non-/build parents, any required English warning was shown (or no warn was needed); for /build, bootstrap outcome is captured so Step 1 HITL can run (or quiet success continues); NAME_GUARD_FAIL never continues.

Step 4 — Continue workflow

Proceed with the parent command only after Steps 1–3. Do not re-run bootstrap in this session unless the user explicitly asks or /build HITL triggers another setup/update.

Completion criterion: bootstrap is complete; parent command may start its next step.

Reference

Setup vs update (script decides)

• Setup — catalog missing / incomplete: adds full Pocock catalog plus matlab and matlab-performance-optimizer (copy into .agents/skills/).
• Update — lock present and previously synced OK but stale: project-scoped npx skills@latest update -p -y (never pass a repo id as update positional).
• Owned project skills (matstudylab-bootstrap, accept, build, new, modify, explain) are name-guarded and not updated by the catalog CLI.

Preference sidecar

Path: .matstudylab/skills-pref.json (gitignored; absence ⇒ auto and never synced).

{ "mode": "auto" | "local-only", "last_synced_at": "<ISO-8601 or null>" }

• Freshness uses last_synced_at (24h), not a lockfile last_checked field.
• mode: local-only → SKIPPED_LOCAL_ONLY (no Node/network probe).
• Successful setup/update stamps last_synced_at and forces mode: auto. SKIPPED_FRESH does not slide the timestamp.

Pointers

• Step 0 contract for new command skills: docs/agents/command-skill-step-0.md
• Spec: docs/spec.md — Skills layout
• Canonical English HITL copy: .scratch/skills-auto-provisioning-v2/assets/prototype-node-gate-messages.md
• OS install checklists: docs/agents/skills-node-os-checklist.md
• Manual HITL verification: docs/agents/build-skills-hitl-checklist.md