Ghostmind System Skill

This skill should be used when working with the Ghostmind development system, which uses meta.json as a central configuration for Docker, Compose, Terraform, and Tmux. Use this skill when creating or modifying configurations for any of these components, setting up new applications, or understanding how the system components interconnect.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• Creating or configuring new applications in the Ghostmind system
• Working with meta.json configuration files
• Setting up Docker containers, Docker Compose services, or Terraform infrastructure
• Configuring Tmux sessions, windows, and panes
• Writing or modifying custom scripts in the system
• Setting up MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers
• Configuring Cloudflared tunnels for local development
• Creating shell command routines
• Troubleshooting configuration issues
• Understanding the relationship between system components
• Working with environment variables, vault secrets, or variable substitution
• Setting up development environments in VS Code devcontainers

⚠️ CRITICAL: ALWAYS Fetch the Schema First

This is the most important rule when working with the Ghostmind system:

Before ANY work involving meta.json, ALWAYS fetch the latest schema:

Schema URL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ghostmind-dev/run/refs/heads/main/meta/schema.json

Why this is imperative:

• The schema is the authoritative source for all available meta.json properties
• It contains validation rules, property structures, and available options
• The schema is actively maintained and may change
• Working without the schema can lead to invalid configurations
• Every component (docker, compose, terraform, etc.) has its configuration structure defined in the schema

When to fetch:

• At the start of any task involving the Ghostmind system
• Before creating or modifying meta.json files
• When documenting configuration options
• When troubleshooting configuration issues
• Before reading any component guides

How to fetch: Use WebFetch to retrieve the schema and understand the complete structure before proceeding with configuration work

Core Capabilities

1. Meta.json Configuration

meta.json is the foundation of every application in the Ghostmind system. It:

• Acts as the single source of truth for application configuration
• Defines what components exist (docker, compose, terraform, tmux, etc.)
• Links different parts together
• Configures development tools (MCP, tunnels, routines, custom scripts)
• Enables the run tool to orchestrate the application
• Supports variable substitution for dynamic behavior

Key files to reference:

• references/meta-json-guide.md - Core meta.json concepts and structure
• references/system-overview.md - Foundation document for understanding the system

2. Run CLI Tool

The run command is the unified orchestrator for all system operations. It's both:

• A CLI tool for executing commands
• A Deno TypeScript library for custom scripts

Key commands:

• run docker - Docker operations (build, push, exec)
• run compose - Docker Compose operations (up, down, build)
• run terraform - Terraform operations (plan, apply, destroy)
• run tmux - Tmux session management (init, attach, kill)
• run custom - Execute custom TypeScript scripts
• run vault - Secrets management (import, export)

Reference: references/run-cli-overview.md

3. Component Configuration

Each component has its own guide with meta.json configuration, examples, and best practices:

Component	Purpose	Guide
Docker	Container configuration	references/docker-overview.md
Compose	Multi-container orchestration	references/compose-overview.md
Terraform	Infrastructure as code	references/terraform-overview.md
Tmux	Terminal session management	references/tmux-sections-guide.md
Custom Scripts	TypeScript/Deno workflow scripts	references/custom-scripts-guide.md
Routines	Shell command aliases	references/routines-guide.md
MCP	AI agent tool servers	references/mcp-configuration.md
Tunnel	Cloudflared public URL exposure	references/tunnel-configuration.md

Each component guide includes:

• Schema-fetching reminder
• Meta.json configuration section specific to that component
• Practical examples and patterns
• Best practices and common workflows

4. Development Environment

VS Code Devcontainers:

• 95% of projects are developed inside VS Code devcontainers
• Containers provide isolated, reproducible development environments
• Special environment variables are used for Docker-in-Docker scenarios

Critical Environment Variables:

SRC vs LOCALHOST_SRC:

• SRC: Path to source code inside the devcontainer (e.g., /workspaces/my-app)
• LOCALHOST_SRC: Path on the host machine (e.g., /Users/me/code/my-app)
• Required for Docker-in-Docker volume mounting
• Automatically set in devcontainer configurations

PROJECT and APP:

• PROJECT: Extracted from root meta.json name property
• APP: Extracted from app meta.json name property
• Used throughout the system for naming consistency
• Support variable substitution: ${PROJECT}, ${APP}

Reference: references/system-overview.md - Comprehensive environment variable documentation

5. Variable Substitution

Environment variables can be used dynamically in:

• meta.json files
• .env files
• Docker Compose configurations
• Terraform configurations

Syntax: ${VARIABLE_NAME}

Common patterns:

# In .env files
SERVER_URL="http://localhost:${PORT}"
PUBLIC_URL="https://${TUNNEL_NAME}"

# In meta.json
"image": "${PROJECT}/${APP}:${VERSION}"
"hostname": "${APP}.${DOMAIN}"

Reference: references/system-overview.md - Variable substitution section

6. Secrets Management with Vault

Vault Integration:

• Centralized secrets management using Google Cloud Secret Manager
• Automatic import/export of environment variables
• Secure sharing across teams and environments

Workflow:

# Export secrets to vault
run vault export

# Import secrets from vault
run vault import

File patterns:

• .env.base - Non-sensitive defaults, committed to git
• .env.local - Local overrides, gitignored
• .env.{environment} - Environment-specific, gitignored
• .env - Generated by merging base + environment, gitignored

Reference: references/system-overview.md - Vault and secrets section

Common Workflows

Creating a New Application

1. Fetch the schema (always first!)
2. Create meta.json with basic properties (id, name, version)
3. Add component configurations as needed:
   • docker for containerization
   • compose for local development
   • terraform for cloud deployment
   • tmux for development environment
4. Create .env.base with non-sensitive defaults
5. Set up vault secrets if needed
6. Define custom scripts or routines for common tasks

Reference: references/system-overview.md - Project structure patterns

Configuring a Component

1. Fetch the schema to understand available properties
2. Read the component-specific guide (e.g., references/docker-overview.md)
3. Add the component section to meta.json
4. Test the configuration using run commands
5. Document any custom scripts or routines

Troubleshooting Configuration Issues

1. Fetch the schema to verify property names and structure
2. Validate meta.json against the schema
3. Check environment variables and variable substitution
4. Review component-specific logs using run commands
5. Consult the relevant component guide

Working with Custom Scripts

1. Create TypeScript file in scripts directory
2. Import types: CustomArgs, CustomOptions
3. Import functions from jsr:@ghostmind/run
4. Add script reference to meta.json custom section
5. Execute with run custom <script-name>

Reference: references/custom-scripts-guide.md

System Architecture Overview

GitHub Organization

All Ghostmind repositories are in: https://github.com/orgs/ghostmind-dev/repositories

Key repositories:

• config repos: Shared configuration (Terraform, Docker, etc.)
• init repos: Application initialization and setup
• play repos: Experimentation and development environments
• run: The orchestrator CLI tool and library

Multi-Meta.json Support

Projects can have:

• Single meta.json: At project root for simple applications
• Multiple meta.json: One root + multiple apps, each with their own meta.json
• Root meta.json: Defines project-level properties (PROJECT variable source)
• App meta.json: Defines app-specific configuration (APP variable source)

Reference: references/meta-json-guide.md - Multi-meta.json section

Component Interconnection

Components in meta.json work together:

meta.json
├── docker       → Defines container image
│   └── Used by: compose (services), terraform (Cloud Run)
├── compose      → Local development orchestration
│   └── Uses: docker images, .env files
├── terraform    → Cloud infrastructure
│   └── Uses: docker images, .env variables
├── tmux         → Development environment
│   └── Can: run custom scripts, start compose services
├── custom       → TypeScript workflows
│   └── Can: orchestrate all components
├── routines     → Shell command aliases
│   └── Can: chain run commands
├── mcp          → AI agent tools
└── tunnel       → Public URL exposure
    └── Uses: PORT variable from .env

Reference: references/system-overview.md - System components section

Best Practices

1. Schema-First Approach

• ALWAYS fetch the schema before working with meta.json
• Use the schema as documentation, not just validation
• Check the schema for new features and properties
• Validate configurations against the schema

2. Environment Variables

• Use .env.base for defaults (committed)
• Use .env.local for local overrides (gitignored)
• Use .env.{environment} for environment-specific values (gitignored)
• Never commit secrets to git - use vault
• Use variable substitution for dynamic values

3. Project Organization

• Start with minimal meta.json
• Add components incrementally as needed
• Keep custom scripts focused and single-purpose
• Use routines for simple command aliases
• Document complex workflows in custom scripts

4. Development Workflow

• Work in VS Code devcontainers for consistency
• Use run commands instead of direct docker/terraform
• Leverage Tmux for persistent development environments
• Use MCP for project-specific AI agent tools
• Use tunnels for webhook/OAuth testing

5. Configuration Management

• Keep meta.json clean and well-structured
• Use comments sparingly (JSON doesn't support them)
• Reference the schema for available options
• Test configurations in local environment first
• Use version control for configuration changes

Getting Started

First Steps with the Skill

1. Fetch the schema (https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ghostmind-dev/run/refs/heads/main/meta/schema.json)
2. Read references/system-overview.md for foundational understanding
3. Review references/meta-json-guide.md for core concepts
4. Identify which components you need (docker, compose, terraform, etc.)
5. Read the relevant component guides
6. Start with a minimal configuration and iterate

Essential Reading Order

For comprehensive understanding, read in this order:

1. SKILL.md (this file) - Overview and when to use
2. references/system-overview.md - Foundation and architecture
3. references/meta-json-guide.md - Core configuration concepts
4. Component guides - As needed for specific components
5. references/run-cli-overview.md - CLI tool usage

Quick Reference

Common tasks:

• New app setup → system-overview.md + meta-json-guide.md
• Docker config → docker-overview.md
• Compose config → compose-overview.md
• Terraform config → terraform-overview.md
• Tmux setup → tmux-sections-guide.md
• Custom workflows → custom-scripts-guide.md
• Simple aliases → routines-guide.md
• MCP servers → mcp-configuration.md
• Tunnels → tunnel-configuration.md

Important Considerations

Devcontainer Context

When working in VS Code devcontainers:

• Use SRC for paths inside the container
• Use LOCALHOST_SRC for Docker-in-Docker volume mounts
• Environment variables are automatically set
• Docker socket is shared from host

Reference: references/system-overview.md - Devcontainer section

Variable Substitution Rules

• Variables use ${VAR_NAME} syntax
• Substitution happens at runtime
• Variables must be defined in .env files or environment
• PROJECT and APP are automatically extracted from meta.json
• Nested substitution is not supported

Reference: references/system-overview.md - Variable substitution section

Schema Validation

• meta.json files should validate against the schema
• The run tool validates configurations automatically
• Schema violations will cause errors
• Always fetch latest schema for validation

Component Dependencies

Some components depend on others:

• Compose services reference docker images
• Terraform Cloud Run services reference docker images
• Custom scripts can orchestrate all components
• Routines can chain run commands
• Tmux can execute custom scripts or routines

Support and Resources

GitHub Organization

https://github.com/orgs/ghostmind-dev/repositories

Key Repositories

• run: https://github.com/ghostmind-dev/run (CLI tool and library)
• config repos: Shared configuration templates
• init repos: Application initialization

Schema URL

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ghostmind-dev/run/refs/heads/main/meta/schema.json

Documentation Files

All reference files are in references/ directory:

• system-overview.md - Comprehensive system documentation
• meta-json-guide.md - Central configuration guide
• run-cli-overview.md - CLI tool documentation
• docker-overview.md - Docker configuration
• compose-overview.md - Docker Compose configuration
• terraform-overview.md - Terraform configuration
• tmux-sections-guide.md - Tmux configuration
• custom-scripts-guide.md - Custom script development
• routines-guide.md - Shell command aliases
• mcp-configuration.md - MCP server setup
• tunnel-configuration.md - Cloudflared tunnels

Remember

The Ghostmind system is designed to be:

• Flexible: Not prescriptive about project structure
• Configuration-driven: meta.json as single source of truth
• Component-based: Add only what you need
• Schema-validated: Always fetch and use the schema
• Environment-aware: Support for multiple environments
• Secure: Vault integration for secrets

Most importantly: ALWAYS fetch the schema before working with meta.json configuration. This is the foundation of successful work with the Ghostmind system