Setting up a project — dispatcher
SkillDev toolsUse whenever asked to set up, onboard, initialize, or spec a project — the front door when the workspace has no spec graph yet (brand-new or an existing codebase); also seeded by the app's Set-up-project card (/skill:setting-up-a-project). Not for feature work in an already-specced project — use the brainstorming skill.
Available today. Use it from your connected AI after setup.
No other account needed.
Connect ahel once, and every AI you use reads what you have installed.
Then ask your AI: use the Setting up a project — dispatcher skill
What this skill tells your AI
The instructions your AI receives, as published by jetbrains/thinkrail in packages/pi-thinkrail-workflow/skills/setting-up-a-project/SKILL.md and read by ahel’s review.
The single entry point for turning a project into a spec graph. Figure out which situation you're in, then follow the matching skill — don't improvise the flow yourself.
1. Detect
Look at the workspace and use the spec tools (spec_grep / spec_graph):
- Is there already a spec graph (a
goal-and-requirements.mdor anySPEC.md)? - Is there real source code, or is the repo empty / near-empty (just a README or scaffolding)?
2. Route
| Situation | Follow |
|---|---|
| Already has specs | Don't redo it. Briefly offer to review/extend the graph (fill obvious gaps — a missing architecture.md, un-specced modules) or point at the brainstorming skill for feature work. Declined → stop. Accepted → Graph extension below. |
| No specs · empty / near-empty repo | The starting-a-new-project skill — interview the user to turn the idea into goal-and-requirements.md. |
| No specs · real source code | The importing-a-codebase skill — analyze the code + agent files and draft the first spec graph, asking only for intent the code can't reveal. |
Read and follow that skill's steps.
Graph extension (no dedicated skill)
No skill covers extending an existing graph. If the offer is accepted: say so in one line, then align and adapt to the user's request with your own judgment, holding the writing-specs bar.
Handoff
Ends by naming exactly one of: starting-a-new-project, importing-a-codebase, or — when specs already exist — the review/extend offer above (declined → stop; accepted → graph extension: a one-line note that no skill covers it, then judgment against the writing-specs bar).
Signals
- GitHub stars
- 459
- Forks
- 36
- Last commit
- Sep 2026
Advanced
- Catalog kind
- skill
- Gateway key
setting-up-a-project- Source
- github.com/jetbrains/thinkrail