Skill: Project Setup

Scaffold a new project: create the folder structure, initialize git, connect to GitHub, and get it to a state where real work can begin.

Gather Requirements First

Before creating anything, ask:

1. What is the project name? (used for the folder and repo name — use hyphens, no spaces)
2. What type of project? (Python script / web app / content workspace / data / other)
3. Public or private GitHub repo?
4. Any specific folders or files needed beyond the defaults?

Don't start creating files until you have answers to 1 and 3. You can infer the rest.

Default Structure

Create this structure under the user's specified base directory:

[project-name]/
├── CLAUDE.md          ← project context (copy from core/CLAUDE.md.template)
├── .gitignore         ← appropriate for the project type
└── README.md          ← one paragraph: what this is and why it exists

For Python projects, also add:

├── src/               ← source code goes here
└── requirements.txt   ← empty, ready to fill

Git + GitHub Steps

cd [project-path]
git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial project scaffold"
gh repo create [project-name] --[public|private] --source=. --remote=origin --push

Confirm the repo visibility (public/private) with the user before creating. Default is private unless they say otherwise.

CLAUDE.md

Copy core/CLAUDE.md.template into the new project and fill in:

• Project name and one-line description
• Working directory path
• Any external services or tools involved

Leave the bracketed placeholders for the user to fill in — note which ones need their input.

Confirm and Hand Off

Report back:

• Folder created at: [path]
• GitHub repo live at: [URL]
• Files created: [list]
• What the user needs to fill in: [list of placeholders in CLAUDE.md]

End with: "Ready to start building?"

Before Creating a Public Repo

Always confirm: "I'm about to create a public GitHub repo at github.com/[username]/[name]. Is that right, or should it be private?"

Don't skip this even if they said public earlier. One extra confirmation prevents a hard-to-fix mistake.