Init

Initialize the project

Announce: "I'm using init to turn the approved project context into a working development environment."

1. Establish context

Read the approved charter in agent_docs/briefs/ and inspect the repository for existing code, package manifests, and Git state. Do not overwrite an existing stack or working command without explaining the conflict.

If neither a charter nor equivalent explicit project context exists, stop and recommend $discover.

2. Resolve only missing choices

Ask only for decisions that cannot be inferred safely:

• language, framework, data store, and deploy target;
• whether an existing remote/repository must be preserved;
• whether the project needs external documentation or system context through MCP;
• any version or platform constraints.

When the user has no preference, recommend the smallest stack that fits the charter and explain the tradeoff briefly. Use $architecture-review if the choice is expensive to reverse.

3. Configure the repository

• Fill project identity in AGENTS.md, README.md, and relevant agent_docs/ files.
• Confirm the project's actual licensing policy and replace the generic template copyright holder in LICENSE with the chosen owner when appropriate.
• Replace the template reporting guidance in SECURITY.md with the project's real private vulnerability route and accountable response owner before public or production use.
• Complete the applicable boundaries and owners in agent_docs/security.md and agent_docs/operations.md; remove irrelevant template prompts rather than claiming they pass.
• Create the actual stack skeleton and package metadata; remove template-only code that conflicts with it.
• Replace scripts/setup.sh, dev.sh, lint.sh, and test.sh with real commands. Replace deploy.sh only when deployment is in scope.
• Preserve scripts/security.sh and scripts/security.ps1 as equivalent gates. Add ecosystem dependency, image, or infrastructure audits when applicable; do not remove the built-in credential scan without an equal or stronger local replacement.
• Support the developer platforms named in the charter. For native Windows projects, add equivalent .ps1 wrappers or document platform-neutral commands; each path must run the same underlying checks.
• Preserve the lint/test verification receipt contract: call .codex/hooks/codex_hook.py emit-success lint|test only after the underlying check succeeds. If the project removes that contract, update the hooks, tests, and docs/codex.md together.
• Replace the template validation workflow in .github/workflows/ci.yml with CI that installs the selected stack and runs the same canonical lint, test, and security scripts.
• Create .env.example with names and comments only when environment variables are needed. Never create or read a real credential file.
• Leave MCP absent unless the project needs external context. When needed, start from the commented project pattern, review the server and tool schemas, keep it disabled until the user trusts it, prefer read-only tools and scoped credentials, and record the trust boundary in agent_docs/security.md.
• Update .gitignore for generated outputs and local state.
• Initialize Git only when no repository exists and the user chose a fresh local repository. Do not commit, add a remote, push, or open a PR unless separately requested.
• When Git is enabled, inspect any existing hooks configuration before running scripts/install-git-hooks.sh or .ps1. Preserve or deliberately integrate existing hooks; never silently overwrite a different hooks path.

Commands must fail when unconfigured or when their underlying check fails. Never leave success-printing stubs.

4. Verify

Run the configured commands, in order, through the platform path used by the project:

./scripts/setup.sh
./scripts/lint.sh
./scripts/test.sh
./scripts/security.sh

Use the equivalent .ps1 commands on native Windows when those are the configured platform path.

Start the development command long enough to confirm it launches when practical, then stop it cleanly.

After the project is trusted in Codex, use /hooks and the live smoke checklist in docs/codex.md. Report hook enforcement as unverified until that surface-specific check succeeds.

5. Report

Summarize the selected stack, security/operations baseline, files created or replaced, exact verification results, Git/hook status, and any remaining manual setup. Offer $brainstorm, $spec, or $quick for the first slice.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: bnet47
• Source: bnet47/codexicon
• License: MIT
• Homepage: https://bnet47.github.io/codexicon/repo-template-playbook.html

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.