Getting Started

Getting Started with Agent-Init

Welcome to agent-init! This guide will help you set up your development environment for AI-assisted development with Claude.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed:

• Git (2.0 or higher)
• Your preferred text editor with syntax highlighting
• Basic familiarity with command-line operations

Installation

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/agent-init.git
cd agent-init

2. Initialize Your Project

Run the initialization script to set up your project with agent-init templates:

./init.sh your-project-name

This will:

• Create essential configuration files
• Set up development workflows
• Initialize git with proper .gitignore
• Create documentation templates

Project Structure

After initialization, your project will have the following structure:

your-project/
├── CLAUDE.md          # AI assistant instructions
├── CHANGELOG.md       # Project changelog
├── Makefile          # Automation commands
├── README.md         # Project documentation
├── .gitignore        # Git ignore patterns
├── external/         # External dependencies (git submodules)
└── src/              # Your source code

Key Components

CLAUDE.md

The CLAUDE.md file contains instructions for AI assistants. It includes:

• Project overview and context
• Development standards and conventions
• Session tracking information
• Quality assurance checklists

See the development best practices for more details on maintaining this file.

Makefile

The Makefile provides automation for common tasks:

make dev              # Start development environment
make test             # Run tests
make lint             # Run linters
make session-start    # Begin a new development session
make session-end      # End current session

External Dependencies

All external repositories should be added as git submodules in the external/ directory:

git submodule add https://github.com/example/repo.git external/repo
git submodule update --init --recursive

Your First Session

1. Start a Development Session

make session-start

This will:

• Create a session entry in CLAUDE.md
• Prompt for session goals
• Set up your development environment

2. Create an Issue

Before writing code, create an issue to track your work:

make issue

3. Work on Your Feature

Follow the issue-driven development workflow:

1. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature/issue-number-description
2. Make your changes
3. Run quality checks: make lint test
4. Commit with meaningful messages

4. End Your Session

make session-end

This will:

• Update session tracking
• Run final quality checks
• Create a session summary

Next Steps

• Read the API Reference to understand available commands
• Review Development Best Practices
• Explore the example templates included with agent-init

Getting Help

If you encounter issues:

1. Check the troubleshooting section in the README
2. Review the session history in CLAUDE.md
3. Create an issue with detailed context

Additional Resources

• Semantic Versioning Guide
• Keep a Changelog Format
• Git Submodules Documentation