Initialize User-Level KERNEL

Create the universal foundation layer at ~/.claude/. This is the always-present base layer that applies to ALL projects.

Architecture

PRECEDENCE: Project > User > Plugin defaults

~/.claude/           <-- UNIVERSAL (this command)
├── CLAUDE.md        Always loaded in Claude Code
├── rules/           User rules (always loaded)
└── changelog.md     Track evolution

./CLAUDE.md          <-- PROJECT-SPECIFIC (kernel-init)
└── kernel/          Project methodology

Step 1: Locate CODING-PROMPT-BANK

Search for the bank in order:

1. Plugin location: kernel/banks/CODING-PROMPT-BANK.md
2. User override: ~/.claude/CODING-PROMPT-BANK.md

Read the entire bank. This is the substrate for building user config.

Extract sections tagged [USER-LEVEL]:

• CORE PHILOSOPHY
• GIT WORKFLOW: WORKTREE-BASED DEVELOPMENT
• DEFAULTS
• QUICK REFERENCE

Step 2: Check Existing Installation

ls -la ~/.claude/ 2>/dev/null || echo "NOT_FOUND"

If ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md exists:

Ask user:

• "Update" - Backup current and regenerate
• "View" - Show current content
• "Cancel" - Exit without changes

If NOT_FOUND: Proceed to create fresh installation.

Step 3: Gather User Preferences (Optional)

Ask user if they want to customize preferences now or later:

If now, ask about:

1. Verbosity: How detailed should responses be?

   • Concise (terse, code-focused)
   • Balanced (explanations when helpful)
   • Detailed (thorough explanations)

2. Platform: Primary development environment?

   • macOS
   • Linux
   • Windows
   • Mixed

3. Editor/IDE: Primary tool?

   • VS Code
   • Terminal (vim/nvim/emacs)
   • JetBrains
   • Other

Store preferences for inclusion in generated CLAUDE.md.

If later: Use defaults, user can edit ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md directly.

Step 4: Backup (If Updating)

If updating existing installation:

1. Create backup directory:

   mkdir -p ~/.claude/backup
   

2. Backup current file with timestamp:

   cp ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md ~/.claude/backup/CLAUDE-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S).md
   

3. Append to changelog.

Step 5: Create Directory Structure

mkdir -p ~/.claude/rules
mkdir -p ~/.claude/backup

Step 6: Generate User CLAUDE.md

Build ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md by extracting from CODING-PROMPT-BANK:

# Universal Development Principles

These principles apply to ALL projects, regardless of stack or domain.

---

[INSERT: CORE PHILOSOPHY section from bank]

---

[INSERT: GIT WORKFLOW section from bank]

---

[INSERT: DEFAULTS section from bank]

---

## Response Preferences

[INSERT: User preferences from Step 3, or placeholder template]

---

## KERNEL Integration

When KERNEL is initialized in a project (`/kernel:init`), project-level config takes precedence over these user defaults.

**Layer hierarchy:**
1. Project `.claude/CLAUDE.md` + `kernel/` (highest priority)
2. User `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md` + `~/.claude/rules/` (this file)
3. Plugin defaults (lowest priority)

Project-specific rules (tier, stack, domain, constraints) belong in project config.
Universal principles (philosophy, git workflow, defaults) live here.

---

Generated by KERNEL `/kernel:user-init`
Source: CODING-PROMPT-BANK v1.1
Last updated: {TIMESTAMP}

Replace {TIMESTAMP} with current UTC timestamp.

Step 7: Create/Update Changelog

Write to ~/.claude/changelog.md:

# KERNEL User Configuration Changelog

---

## {DATE} {TIME} (UTC)
**Action:** [Initial installation | Update] via /kernel:user-init
**Source:** CODING-PROMPT-BANK v1.1
**Files:** ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md, ~/.claude/rules/, ~/.claude/changelog.md
**Preferences:** [Customized | Defaults]

Step 8: Report

Output summary:

KERNEL User Foundations Installed

Location: ~/.claude/

Created:
  ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md      - Universal principles (always loaded)
  ~/.claude/rules/         - User rules directory
  ~/.claude/changelog.md   - Change tracking

Content extracted from CODING-PROMPT-BANK:
  - Core Philosophy (CORRECTNESS > SPEED, etc.)
  - Git Workflow (worktree-based isolated development)
  - Defaults (clarity, explicit, existing patterns)
  - Quick Reference (checklists)

Git Workflow Summary:
  Create worktrees for isolated work (never work directly on main):

  git worktree add -b feat/my-feature ../project-feat-my-feature
  open -a Terminal ../project-feat-my-feature

Next steps:
  1. Customize ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md response preferences
  2. Add user rules to ~/.claude/rules/ as patterns emerge
  3. Run /kernel:init in projects to add project-specific config

Note: These foundations apply to ALL Claude Code sessions.
Project-level config (when present) takes precedence.

Dynamic Generation Rules

When extracting from CODING-PROMPT-BANK:

1. Preserve formatting: Keep code blocks and structure
2. Adapt platform: If user specified macOS/Linux/Windows, adjust commands
3. Remove project-specific: Don't include COMPLEXITY TIERS, PROJECT TEMPLATE, etc.
4. Keep universal: Only sections that apply regardless of project

Behavior Notes

• Bank-driven: Content comes from CODING-PROMPT-BANK, not hardcoded
• Preference-aware: Can customize based on user input
• Backup before mutation: Always preserves existing config
• Changelog tracking: Documents all changes for auditability
• Idempotent: Safe to run multiple times (will offer update option)