Hve Core Installer

HVE-Core Installer Skill

Decision-driven installer for HVE-Core with environment detection, 6 clone-based installation methods, extension quick-install, validation, MCP configuration, and agent customization workflows.

Role Definition

Operate as two collaborating personas:

• The Installer persona detects the environment, guides method selection, and executes installation steps
• The Validator persona verifies installation success by checking paths, settings, and agent accessibility

The Installer persona handles all detection and execution. After installation completes, switch to the Validator persona to verify success before reporting completion.

Re-run Behavior: Running the installer again validates an existing installation or offers upgrade. Safe to re-run anytime.

Required Phases

| Phase | Name | Purpose | |-------|-----------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1 | Environment Detection | Obtain consent and detect user's environment | | 2 | Installation Path Selection | Choose between Extension (quick) or Clone-based installation | | 3 | Environment Detection & Decision Matrix | For clone path: detect environment and recommend method | | 4 | Installation Methods | Execute the selected installation method | | 5 | Validation | Verify installation success and configure settings | | 6 | Post-Installation Setup | Configure gitignore and present MCP guidance | | 7 | Agent Customization | Optional: copy agents for local customization (clone-based only) |

Flow paths:

• Extension path: Phase 1 → Phase 2 → Phase 6 → Complete
• Clone-based path: Phase 1 → Phase 2 → Phase 3 → Phase 4 → Phase 5 → Phase 6 → Phase 7 → Complete

Phase 1: Environment Detection

Before presenting options, detect the user's environment to filter applicable installation methods.

Checkpoint 1: Initial Consent

Present the following and await explicit consent:

🚀 HVE-Core Installer

I'll help you install HVE-Core agents, prompts, instructions and skills.

Available content:
• 25+ specialized agents (task-researcher, task-planner, etc.)
• Reusable prompt templates for common workflows
• Technology-specific coding instructions (bash, python, markdown, etc.)
• Domain-specific skills (pr-reference, etc.)

I'll ask 2-3 questions to recommend the best installation method for your setup.

Would you like to proceed?

If user declines, respond: "Installation cancelled. You can invoke this skill anytime to restart."

Upon consent, proceed to Phase 2 to offer the installation path choice.

Phase 2: Installation Path Selection

Present the installation path choice before environment detection. Extension installation does not require shell selection or environment detection.

Checkpoint 2: Installation Path Choice

Present the following choice:

🚀 Choose Your Installation Path

**Option 1: Quick Install (Recommended)**
Install the HVE Core extension from VS Code Marketplace.
• ⏱️ Takes about 10 seconds
• 🔄 Automatic updates
• ✅ No configuration needed

**Option 2: Clone-Based Installation**
Clone HVE-Core repository for customization.
• 🎨 Full customization support
• 📁 Files visible in your workspace
• 🤝 Team version control options

Which would you prefer? (1/2 or quick/clone)

User input handling:

• "1", "quick", "extension", "marketplace" → Execute Extension Installation
• "2", "clone", "custom", "team" → Continue to Phase 3 (Environment Detection)
• Unclear response → Ask for clarification

If user selects Option 1 (Quick Install):

1. Execute extension installation (see Extension Installation Execution below)
2. Validate installation success
3. Display success report or offer fallback options

If user selects Option 2 (Clone-Based):

• Ask: "Which shell would you prefer? (powershell/bash)"
• Shell detection rules:
• "powershell", "pwsh", "ps1", "ps" → PowerShell
• "bash", "sh", "zsh" → Bash
• Unclear response → Windows = PowerShell, macOS/Linux = Bash
• Continue to Prerequisites Check, then Environment Detection Script and Phase 3 workflow

When to choose Clone over Extension:

• Need to customize agents, prompts, instructions, or skills
• Team requires version-controlled HVE-Core
• Offline or air-gapped environment

Prerequisites Check

Before clone-based installation, verify git is available:

• Run: git --version
• If fails: "Git is required for clone-based installation. Install git or choose Extension Quick Install."

Extension Installation Execution

When user selects Quick Install, first ask which VS Code variant they are using:

Which VS Code variant are you using?

  [1] VS Code (stable)
  [2] VS Code Insiders

Your choice? (1/2)

User input handling:

• "1", "code", "stable" → Use code CLI
• "2", "insiders", "code-insiders" → Use code-insiders CLI
• Unclear response → Ask for clarification

Store the user's choice as the code_cli variable for use in validation scripts.

Display progress message:

📥 Installing HVE Core extension from marketplace...

Note: You may see a trust confirmation dialog if this is your first extension from this publisher.

Execute VS Code CLI command:

 --install-extension ise-hve-essentials.hve-core

After command execution, proceed to Extension Validation.

Extension Validation

Run the appropriate validation script based on the detected platform (Windows = PowerShell, macOS/Linux = Bash). Use the code_cli value from the user's earlier choice (code or code-insiders).

PowerShell: Run [scripts/validate-extension.ps1](scripts/validate-extension.ps1) with the code_cli variable set.

Bash: Run [scripts/validate-extension.sh](scripts/validate-extension.sh) with the code_cli variable set.

Extension Success Report

Upon successful validation, display:

✅ Extension Installation Complete!

The HVE Core extension has been installed from the VS Code Marketplace.

📦 Extension: ise-hve-essentials.hve-core
📌 Version: [detected version]
🔗 Marketplace: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ise-hve-essentials.hve-core

🧪 Available Agents:
• task-researcher, task-planner, task-implementor, task-reviewer
• github-backlog-manager, adr-creation, doc-ops, pr-review
• prompt-builder, memory, and more!

🪝 Hooks (manual step): The Marketplace extension is declarative and does not
   write chat.hookFilesLocations. To enable bundled hooks (e.g. telemetry), add
   each collection's hook folder to that setting yourself, or use a clone-based
   or CLI-plugin install which documents this configuration.

📋 Configuring optional settings...

After displaying the extension success report, proceed to Phase 6: Post-Installation Setup for gitignore and MCP configuration options.

Extension Error Recovery

If extension installation fails, provide targeted guidance:

| Error Scenario | User Message | Recovery Action | |---------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------| | Trust dialog declined | "Installation was cancelled. You may have declined the publisher trust prompt." | Offer retry or switch to clone method | | Network failure | "Unable to connect to VS Code Marketplace. Check your network connection." | Offer retry or CLI alternative | | Organization policy block | "Extension installation may be restricted by your organization's policies." | Provide CLI command for manual installation | | Unknown failure | "Extension installation failed unexpectedly." | Offer clone-based installation as fallback |

Flow Control After Failure:

If extension installation fails and user cannot resolve:

• Offer: "Would you like to try a clone-based installation method instead? (yes/no)"
• If yes: Continue to Environment Detection Script and Phase 3 workflow
• If no: End session with manual installation instructions

Environment Detection Script

Run the appropriate detection script based on the user's shell:

PowerShell: Run [scripts/detect-environment.ps1](scripts/detect-environment.ps1)

Bash: Run [scripts/detect-environment.sh](scripts/detect-environment.sh)

Phase 3: Environment Detection & Decision Matrix

Based on detected environment, ask the following questions to determine the recommended method.

Question 1: Environment Confirmation

Present options filtered by detection results:

### Question 1: What's your development environment?

Based on my detection, you appear to be in: [DETECTED_ENV_TYPE]

Please confirm or correct:

| Option | Description                               |
|--------|-------------------------------------------|
| **A**  | 💻 Local VS Code (no devcontainer)        |
| **B**  | 🐳 Local devcontainer (Docker Desktop)    |
| **C**  | ☁️ GitHub Codespaces only                 |
| **D**  | 🔄 Both local devcontainer AND Codespaces |

Which best describes your setup? (A/B/C/D)

Question 2: Team or Solo

### Question 2: Team or solo development?

| Option   | Description                                                   |
|----------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
| **Solo** | Solo developer - no need for version control of HVE-Core      |
| **Team** | Multiple people - need reproducible, version-controlled setup |

Are you working solo or with a team? (solo/team)

Question 3: Update Preference

Ask this question only when multiple methods match the environment + team answers:

### Question 3: Update preference?

| Option         | Description                                   |
|----------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| **Auto**       | Always get latest HVE-Core on rebuild/startup |
| **Controlled** | Pin to specific version, update explicitly    |

How would you like to receive updates? (auto/controlled)

Decision Matrix

Use this matrix to determine the recommended method:

| Environment | Team | Updates | Recommended Method | |----------------------------|------|------------|---------------------------------------------------------| | Any (simplest) | Any | - | Extension Quick Install (works in all environments) | | Local (no container) | Solo | - | Method 1: Peer Clone | | Local (no container) | Team | Controlled | Method 6: Submodule | | Local devcontainer | Solo | Auto | Method 2: Git-Ignored | | Local devcontainer | Team | Controlled | Method 6: Submodule | | Codespaces only | Solo | Auto | Method 4: Codespaces | | Codespaces only | Team | Controlled | Method 6: Submodule | | Both local + Codespaces | Any | Any | Method 5: Multi-Root Workspace | | HVE-Core repo (Codespaces) | - | - | Method 4: Codespaces (already configured) |

Method Selection Logic

After gathering answers:

1. Match answers to decision matrix
2. Present recommendation with rationale
3. Offer alternative if user prefers different approach

## 📋 Your Recommended Setup

Based on your answers:
* **Environment**: [answer]
* **Team**: [answer]
* **Updates**: [answer]

### ✅ Recommended: Method [N] - [Name]

**Why this fits your needs:**
* [Benefit 1 matching their requirements]
* [Benefit 2 matching their requirements]
* [Benefit 3 matching their requirements]

Would you like to proceed with this method, or see alternatives?

Phase 4: Installation Methods

Execute the installation workflow based on the method selected via the decision matrix. For detailed documentation, see the installation methods documentation.

Method Configuration

| Method | Documentation | Target Location | Settings Path Prefix | Best For | |----------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------------------| | 1. Peer Clone | peer-clone.md | ../hve-core | ../hve-core | Local VS Code, solo developers | | 2. Git-Ignored | git-ignored.md | .hve-core/ | .hve-core | Devcontainer, isolation | | 3. Mounted* | mounted.md | /workspaces/hve-core | /workspaces/hve-core | Devcontainer + host clone | | 4. Codespaces | codespaces.md | /workspaces/hve-core | /workspaces/hve-core | Codespaces | | 5. Multi-Root | multi-root.md | Per workspace file | Actual clone path | Local VS Code, best IDE integration | | 6. Submodule | submodule.md | lib/hve-core | lib/hve-core | Team version control |

*Method 3 (Mounted) is for advanced scenarios where host already has hve-core cloned. Most devcontainer users should use Method 2.

Common Clone Operation

Generate a script for the user's shell (PowerShell or Bash) that:

1. Determines workspace root via git rev-parse --show-toplevel
2. Calculates target path based on method from table
3. Checks if target already exists
4. Clones if missing: git clone https://github.com/microsoft/hve-core.git
5. Reports success with ✅ or skip with ⏭️

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$hveCoreDir = ""  # Replace per method

if (-not (Test-Path $hveCoreDir)) {
    git clone https://github.com/microsoft/hve-core.git $hveCoreDir
    Write-Host "✅ Cloned HVE-Core to $hveCoreDir"
} else {
    Write-Host "⏭️ HVE-Core already exists at $hveCoreDir"
}

For Bash: Use set -euo pipefail, test -d for existence checks, and echo for output.

Settings Configuration

After cloning, update .vscode/settings.json with entries for each collection subdirectory. Replace ` with the settings path prefix from the method table. Do not use ** glob patterns in paths because chat.*Locations` settings do not support them.

Enumerate each collection subdirectory under .github/agents/, .github/prompts/, .github/instructions/, and .github/hooks/ from the cloned HVE-Core directory. Create one entry per subdirectory. For .github/agents/, also check each collection folder for a subagents/ subfolder and include it when present (e.g., hve-core/subagents). For .github/skills/, list only the collection-level folders di

…

Source & license

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

• Author: microsoft
• Source: microsoft/hve-core
• License: MIT

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