Compound Engineering Setup

Interaction Method

Ask each question below using the platform's blocking question tool: AskUserQuestion in Claude Code (call ToolSearch with select:AskUserQuestion first if its schema isn't loaded), request_user_input in Codex, ask_question in Antigravity CLI (agy), ask_user in Pi (requires the pi-ask-user extension). Fall back to a numbered list in chat only when no blocking tool exists in the harness or the call errors. Never silently skip or auto-configure.

ce-setup is a lightweight health check and repo-local config helper. It does not bulk-install every optional dependency. Missing tools are reported as optional capabilities so the user can install only the workflows they use.

Phase 1: Diagnose

Step 1: Determine Plugin Version

Detect the installed compound-engineering plugin version by reading the plugin metadata or manifest when the platform exposes it. If the version cannot be determined, skip this step.

If a version is found, pass it to the check script via --version. Otherwise omit the flag.

Step 2: Run the Health Check

Before running the script, display:

text

Compound Engineering -- checking your environment...

Run the bundled check script. Set SKILL_DIR to the absolute directory you loaded this ce-setup SKILL.md from — the Bash tool's CWD is the user's project, not the skill dir, so a bare scripts/ path will not resolve:

bash

SKILL_DIR="<absolute path of the directory containing this SKILL.md>"
if [ -f "$SKILL_DIR/scripts/check-health" ]; then
  bash "$SKILL_DIR/scripts/check-health" --version VERSION
else
  echo "Bundled health script not found at $SKILL_DIR/scripts/check-health; run the inline checks from ce-setup instead."
fi

Use the same command without --version VERSION if Step 1 could not determine a version.

If the script is unavailable, perform the inline equivalent:

Check optional tools with command -v: agent-browser, gh, jq, ast-grep, ffmpeg.
If inside a git repo, resolve the repo root with git rev-parse --show-toplevel.
Check for obsolete compound-engineering.local.md at the repo root.
Check whether .compound-engineering/config.local.yaml exists and, if it does, whether git check-ignore -q .compound-engineering/config.local.yaml succeeds.
Compare .compound-engineering/config.local.example.yaml with references/config-template.yaml when the template is readable; otherwise report that the example refresh must be done manually.

Display the diagnostic output to the user. Missing optional tools are not setup failures.

Step 3: Decide Whether Fixes Are Needed

Proceed to Phase 2 only if one or more repo-local project issues exist:

obsolete compound-engineering.local.md
.compound-engineering/config.local.yaml exists but is not safely gitignored
.compound-engineering/config.local.example.yaml is missing or outdated

If no project issues exist, report:

text

✅ Compound Engineering setup complete

Project config: ✅
Optional capabilities: see diagnostic report above

Run /ce-setup anytime to re-check.

If optional tools are missing, do not offer a bulk install. The diagnostic already printed the relevant install command or project URL. Say: "Install optional tools only for the workflows you use."

Phase 2: Fix Repo-Local Issues

Resolve the repository root (git rev-parse --show-toplevel). All paths below are relative to the repo root, not the current working directory.

Step 4: Remove Obsolete Local Config

If compound-engineering.local.md exists at the repo root, explain that it is obsolete because review-agent selection is automatic and surviving machine-local settings now live in .compound-engineering/config.local.yaml.

Ask whether to delete it now. Delete only if the user approves.

Step 5: Refresh Example Config

Copy references/config-template.yaml to <repo-root>/.compound-engineering/config.local.example.yaml, creating the directory if needed. This file is committed to the repo and should always reflect the latest available settings.

If the bundled template cannot be located by the current platform, print the source template path that failed and tell the user the example config could not be refreshed automatically.

Step 6: Create Local Config If Wanted

If .compound-engineering/config.local.yaml does not exist, ask:

text

Set up a local config file for this project?
This saves optional Compound Engineering preferences such as output formats, product pulse settings, and Codex delegation defaults.
Everything starts commented out -- you only enable what you need.

1. Yes, create it
2. No thanks

If the user approves, copy references/config-template.yaml to <repo-root>/.compound-engineering/config.local.yaml.

Step 7: Ensure Local Config Is Gitignored

If .compound-engineering/config.local.yaml exists and is not covered by .gitignore, offer to add:

text

.compound-engineering/*.local.yaml

Append the entry to the repo-root .gitignore only if the user approves. Do not overwrite unrelated .gitignore content.

Phase 3: Summary

Display a brief summary:

text

✅ Compound Engineering setup complete

Fixed:     <repo-local fixes applied, or none>
Skipped:   <repo-local fixes declined, or none>
Optional:  <missing optional tools, or all available>

Run /ce-setup anytime to re-check.