catalyst-basics

⚠️ PRE-FLIGHT CHECK: Before creating any project files, confirm that .catalystrc and catalyst.json already exist in the project directory. If they don't, STOP — do not create files, do not scaffold. Tell the user to run catalyst init in their terminal first. catalyst.json, .catalystrc, and functions/ are auto-generated by the CLI and cannot be created manually.

How It Works

1. MCP check first — Before reading any local files, look for CatalystbyZoho_* tools. If available, use MCP to get org ID, project ID, and all resource IDs instead of asking the user.
2. New to Catalyst? — If the user is setting up Catalyst for the first time or asking "how do I start", load references/quick-start.md for the full walkthrough.
3. Console navigation — If the user asks how to find IDs, create tables, set permissions, or configure CORS in the console, load references/console-ui-guide.md.
4. Pre-flight — Confirm .catalystrc and catalyst.json exist. If missing, stop and direct the user to run catalyst login then catalyst init.
5. Project structure — Load references/project-basics.md for directory layout, catalyst.json, IDs, and dev-to-prod checklist.
6. CLI questions — Load references/cli.md for the exact command, flags, and safety rules.
7. Answer — Provide the specific ID path or CLI command needed. Never ask the user to manually look up IDs when MCP is connected.

Triggers

Use this skill for: "how do I start a Catalyst project", "what is .catalystrc", "where do I find my Table ID / ZAID / Segment ID / Project ID", "difference between Development and Production", "Catalyst project structure", "catalyst.json explained", catalyst init, catalyst deploy, catalyst serve, catalyst login, "how do I set up Catalyst with Claude", "how do I use Catalyst in Cursor", "how do I use Catalyst with GitHub Copilot", "which service should I use", "what Catalyst service for X", or any question about Catalyst IDs, environments, organizations, IDE setup, architecture decisions, or CLI subcommands.

🔌 MCP Connection Check (Do This Before Anything Else)

Before reading .catalystrc, asking the user for IDs, or doing anything project-related — check whether Zoho MCP tools are available in your tool list.

Look for tools prefixed with CatalystbyZoho_ (e.g., CatalystbyZoho_List_All_Projects, CatalystbyZoho_List_All_Tables).

If MCP tools ARE available:

• Use CatalystbyZoho_List_All_Organizations to get the org ID
• Use CatalystbyZoho_List_All_Projects to get the project ID
• Use MCP tools to fetch table names, bucket names, ZAIDs, and all other project details directly — do NOT ask the user to copy-paste IDs from the console

If MCP tools are NOT available:

• Prompt the user to connect Zoho MCP before proceeding
• Guide them to: VS Code → Settings → MCP (or Claude Desktop claude_desktop_config.json) and add the Catalyst MCP server
• Fall back to reading .catalystrc and catalyst.json from the local project directory only as a last resort

Never ask the user to manually look up IDs from the console if MCP is connected. Every project detail — org ID, project ID, table IDs, ZAIDs, bucket names — is retrievable via MCP tools. Asking the user to hunt for IDs when MCP is available wastes time and introduces copy-paste errors.

References

Load the relevant reference file for detailed information:

Reference	Contents
references/quick-start.md	First-time setup — install CLI, catalyst init, find org/project IDs, add a function, serve locally, deploy, create a Data Store table, configure CORS/Authorized Domains
references/console-ui-guide.md	Console navigation — finding Project ID/ZAID/Table ID, creating tables with typed columns, enabling App User permissions (Scopes and Permissions), Authorized Domains + CORS toggle
references/project-basics.md	Project directory structure, catalyst.json, .catalystrc, catalyst-config.json, environments, dev-to-prod checklist, all Catalyst IDs (Project ID, ZAID, Table ID, Segment ID, etc.)
references/cli.md	Full CLI command reference — all subcommands with flags, Slate/AppSail non-interactive setup, catalyst serve port behavior, deploy scoping, safety rules, resource-first development order
references/architecture.md	Service selection guide — which Catalyst service to use for which pattern, typical stack combinations, DC availability table for regionally restricted services
references/setup/claude-code.md	Installing skills and connecting Zoho MCP in Claude Code (Claude Desktop)
references/setup/cursor.md	Installing skills and connecting Zoho MCP in Cursor
references/setup/github-copilot.md	Installing skills and connecting Zoho MCP in GitHub Copilot (VS Code)