/new-project

<objective>

Initialize a new project through comprehensive context gathering.

This is the most leveraged moment in any project. Deep questioning here means better changes, better execution, better outcomes.

Creates .planning/ with PROJECT.md and config.json.

</objective>

<execution_context>

@${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/.claude/cat/references/principles.md @${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/.claude/cat/references/questioning.md @${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/.claude/cat/templates/project.md @${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/.claude/cat/templates/config.json

</execution_context>

<process> <step name="setup">

MANDATORY FIRST STEP — Execute these checks before ANY user interaction:

1. Abort if project exists:

   [ -f .planning/PROJECT.md ] && echo "ERROR: Project already initialized. Use /cat:progress" && exit 1
   

2. Initialize git repo in THIS directory (required even if inside a parent repo):

   # Check if THIS directory is already a git repo root (handles .git file for worktrees too)
   if [ -d .git ] || [ -f .git ]; then
       echo "Git repo exists in current directory"
   else
       git init
       echo "Initialized new git repo"
   fi
   

3. Detect existing code (brownfield detection):

   # Check for existing code files
   CODE_FILES=$(find . -name "*.ts" -o -name "*.js" -o -name "*.py" -o -name "*.go" -o -name "*.rs" -o -name "*.swift" -o -name "*.java" 2>/dev/null | grep -v node_modules | grep -v .git | head -20)
   HAS_PACKAGE=$([ -f package.json ] || [ -f requirements.txt ] || [ -f Cargo.toml ] || [ -f go.mod ] || [ -f Package.swift ] && echo "yes")
   HAS_CODEBASE_MAP=$([ -d .planning/codebase ] && echo "yes")
   

   You MUST run all bash commands above using the Bash tool before proceeding.

</step> <step name="brownfield_offer">

If existing code detected and .planning/codebase/ doesn't exist:

Check the results from setup step:

• If CODE_FILES is non-empty OR HAS_PACKAGE is "yes"
• AND HAS_CODEBASE_MAP is NOT "yes"

Use AskUserQuestion:

• header: "Existing Code"
• question: "I detected existing code in this directory. Would you like to map the codebase first?"
• options:
  • "Map codebase first" — Run /cat:map-codebase to understand existing architecture (Recommended)
  • "Skip mapping" — Proceed with project initialization

If "Map codebase first":

Run `/cat:map-codebase` first, then return to `/cat:new-project`

Exit command.

If "Skip mapping": Continue to question step.

If no existing code detected OR codebase already mapped: Continue to question step.

</step> <step name="question">

1. Open (FREEFORM — do NOT use AskUserQuestion):

Ask inline: "What do you want to build?"

Wait for their freeform response. This gives you the context needed to ask intelligent follow-up questions.

2. Follow the thread (NOW use AskUserQuestion):

Based on their response, use AskUserQuestion with options that probe what they mentioned:

• header: "[Topic they mentioned]"
• question: "You mentioned [X] — what would that look like?"
• options: 2-3 interpretations + "Something else"

3. Sharpen the core:

Use AskUserQuestion:

• header: "Core"
• question: "If you could only nail one thing, what would it be?"
• options: Key aspects they've mentioned + "All equally important" + "Something else"

4. Find boundaries:

Use AskUserQuestion:

• header: "Scope"
• question: "What's explicitly NOT in v1?"
• options: Things that might be tempting + "Nothing specific" + "Let me list them"

5. Ground in reality:

Use AskUserQuestion:

• header: "Constraints"
• question: "Any hard constraints?"
• options: Relevant constraint types + "None" + "Yes, let me explain"

6. Decision gate:

Use AskUserQuestion:

• header: "Ready?"
• question: "Ready to create PROJECT.md, or explore more?"
• options (ALL THREE REQUIRED):
  • "Create PROJECT.md" — Finalize and continue
  • "Ask more questions" — I'll dig deeper
  • "Let me add context" — You have more to share

If "Ask more questions" → check coverage gaps from questioning.md → return to step 2. If "Let me add context" → receive input via their response → return to step 2. Loop until "Create PROJECT.md" selected.

</step> <step name="project">

Synthesize all context into .planning/PROJECT.md using the template from templates/project.md.

For greenfield projects:

Initialize requirements as hypotheses:

## Requirements

### Validated

(None yet — ship to validate)

### Active

- [ ] [Requirement 1]
- [ ] [Requirement 2]
- [ ] [Requirement 3]

### Out of Scope

- [Exclusion 1] — [why]
- [Exclusion 2] — [why]

All Active requirements are hypotheses until shipped and validated.

For brownfield projects (codebase map exists):

Infer Validated requirements from existing code:

1. Read .planning/codebase/ARCHITECTURE.md and STACK.md
2. Identify what the codebase already does
3. These become the initial Validated set

## Requirements

### Validated

- ✓ [Existing capability 1] — existing
- ✓ [Existing capability 2] — existing
- ✓ [Existing capability 3] — existing

### Active

- [ ] [New requirement 1]
- [ ] [New requirement 2]

### Out of Scope

- [Exclusion 1] — [why]

Key Decisions:

Initialize with any decisions made during questioning:

## Key Decisions

| Decision | Rationale | Outcome |
|----------|-----------|---------|
| [Choice from questioning] | [Why] | — Pending |

Last updated footer:

---
*Last updated: [date] after initialization*

Do not compress. Capture everything gathered.

</step> <step name="mode">

Ask workflow mode preference:

Use AskUserQuestion:

• header: "Mode"
• question: "How do you want to work?"
• options:
  • "Interactive" — Confirm at each step
  • "YOLO" — Auto-approve, just execute

</step> <step name="depth">

Ask planning depth preference:

Use AskUserQuestion:

• header: "Depth"
• question: "How thorough should planning be?"
• options:
  • "Quick" — Ship fast, minimal releases/changes (3-5 releases, 1-3 changes each)
  • "Standard" — Balanced scope and speed (5-8 releases, 3-5 changes each)
  • "Comprehensive" — Thorough coverage, more releases/changes (8-12 releases, 5-10 changes each)

Depth controls compression tolerance, not artificial inflation. All depths use 2-3 tasks per change. Comprehensive means "don't compress complex work"—it doesn't mean "pad simple work to hit a number."

Create .planning/config.json with chosen mode and depth using templates/config.json structure.

</step> <step name="commit">

git add .planning/PROJECT.md .planning/config.json
git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
docs: initialize [project-name]

[One-liner from PROJECT.md]

Creates PROJECT.md with requirements and constraints.
EOF
)"

</step> <step name="done">

Present completion with next steps (see ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/.claude/cat/references/continuation-format.md):

Project initialized:

- Project: .planning/PROJECT.md
- Config: .planning/config.json (mode: [chosen mode])
[If .planning/codebase/ exists:] - Codebase: .planning/codebase/ (7 documents)

---

## ▶ Next Up

**[Project Name]** — create roadmap

`/cat:create-roadmap`

<sub>`/clear` first → fresh context window</sub>

---

</step> </process> <output>

• .planning/PROJECT.md
• .planning/config.json

</output>

<success_criteria>

• Deep questioning completed (not rushed)
• PROJECT.md captures full context with evolutionary structure
• Requirements initialized as hypotheses (greenfield) or with inferred Validated (brownfield)
• Key Decisions table initialized
• config.json has workflow mode
• All committed to git

</success_criteria>