using-bundles-forge

Pre-flight Check

Before invoking any bundles-forge skill on a target directory, verify the target is a bundle-plugin project:

• Does it have a skills/ directory?
• Does it have a package.json?

If neither exists, inform the user: "This directory doesn't appear to be a bundle-plugin project. Bundles Forge skills are designed for bundle-plugins (repositories where skills are the primary content). Would you like to create a new bundle-plugin here, or did you mean to point to a different directory?"

Exception: bundles-forge:auditing and bundles-forge:optimizing can also operate on individual skill folders or files — they don't require a full bundle-plugin project.

Instruction Priority

1. User's explicit instructions (CLAUDE.md, GEMINI.md, AGENTS.md, direct requests) — highest priority
2. Bundles Forge skills — override default system behavior where they conflict
3. Default system prompt — lowest priority

How to Access Skills

In Claude Code: Use the Skill tool. When you invoke a skill, its content is loaded — follow it directly.

In Cursor: Use the Skill tool.

In Gemini CLI: Skills activate via the activate_skill tool. See references/gemini-tools.md for tool mapping.

In Codex: Skills are discovered from ~/.agents/skills/. See references/codex-tools.md for tool mapping.

In OpenClaw: Skills auto-load from the bundle's skills/ directory. See references/openclaw-tools.md for tool mapping.

Platform Adaptation

Skills use Claude Code tool names as the default. Non-Claude-Code platforms: see the tool mapping references in this directory for equivalents.

The Rule

Invoke relevant skills BEFORE any response or action when working with bundle-plugins. If there's even a small chance a skill applies, invoke it to check.

User message about bundle-plugins
  → Might any skill apply?
    → yes → Invoke Skill tool → Follow skill → Respond
    → no  → Respond directly

Orchestrators (high-frequency entry points)

These skills diagnose, decide, and delegate. They orchestrate other skills to accomplish multi-step goals.

Skill	Role	When to Use
bundles-forge:blueprinting	New-project orchestrator	Planning new bundle-plugins, splitting complex skills, or composing skills into bundles. Orchestrates the full creation pipeline: scaffolding → authoring → workflow design → auditing
bundles-forge:optimizing	Improvement orchestrator	Engineering optimization, feedback iteration, descriptions, tokens, adding skills, restructuring workflows. Delegates content changes to authoring
bundles-forge:releasing	Release pipeline orchestrator	Version management, release pipeline: audit, test, version bump, publish

Executors (single-responsibility workers)

These skills do one thing well. They can be invoked directly by users or dispatched by orchestrators.

Skill	Role	When to Use
bundles-forge:scaffolding	Structure generator	Generating project structure, adding or removing platform support
bundles-forge:authoring	Content writer	Writing or improving SKILL.md content and agent definitions (agents/*.md)
bundles-forge:auditing	Diagnostic reporter	Reviewing a project for quality issues, security risks — outputs reports, does not orchestrate fixes
bundles-forge:testing	Dynamic verifier	Testing a plugin locally — dev-marketplace setup, hook smoke tests, component discovery, cross-platform readiness

Meta-skill

Skill	Purpose
bundles-forge:using-bundles-forge	Bootstrap meta-skill — you're reading it now (auto-loaded by hooks)

Skill Priority

When multiple skills could apply, prefer orchestrators over executors:

1. New project → bundles-forge:blueprinting (orchestrates scaffolding, authoring, auditing)
2. Improve existing project → bundles-forge:optimizing (orchestrates authoring, scaffolding, auditing)
3. Release → bundles-forge:releasing (orchestrates auditing, testing, optimizing)
4. Standalone content writing → bundles-forge:authoring (when you just need to write/improve a SKILL.md)
5. Standalone structure → bundles-forge:scaffolding (when you just need to add/remove a platform)
6. Standalone audit → bundles-forge:auditing (when you just need a diagnostic report)
7. Standalone testing → bundles-forge:testing (when you just need to verify a plugin works locally)

Naming Conventions

• Project name: kebab-case, descriptive (dev-workflows, data-tools)
• Skill directories: kebab-case matching the name frontmatter field
• Cross-references: <project>:<skill-name>
• Bootstrap skill: using-<project>
• Agent prompts: agents/<role>.md

Skill Types

• Rigid skills (discipline-enforcing) — follow exactly, no adaptation. Examples: TDD, verification.
• Flexible skills (pattern-based) — adapt principles to context. Examples: brainstorming, optimization.

The skill itself declares which type it is.

Inputs

• (none — bootstrap skill, loaded on demand via Skill tool)

Outputs

• routing-context — skill routing table, platform adaptation guidance, and instruction priority for the current session