aaddrick Adapting Claude Pipeline to a Codebase
Overview
Adapt the generic .claude/ pipeline folder to a specific project's tech stack, domain, and workflows. This means modifying, replacing, or removing every skill, agent, hook, script, prompt, and setting so they serve the target codebase — not the original Laravel/web template.
Core principle: Every file in .claude/ must earn its place. If it doesn't serve the target project, delete it. If it needs modification, modify it. If new capabilities are needed, create them.
When to Use
- Cloning the claude-pipeline repo into a new project
- Onboarding an existing codebase with the generic
.claude/folder - Switching tech stacks (e.g., Laravel to Python, web to CLI, monolith to microservices)
The Process
digraph adaptation {
rankdir=TB;
"1. Brainstorm with user" [shape=box style=filled fillcolor=lightyellow];
"2. Research domain patterns" [shape=box];
"3. Audit existing .claude/ inventory" [shape=box];
"4. Write adaptation plan" [shape=box];
"5. Execute plan with subagents" [shape=box style=filled fillcolor=lightblue];
"6. Verify adapted pipeline" [shape=box style=filled fillcolor=lightgreen];
"1. Brainstorm with user" -> "2. Research domain patterns";
"2. Research domain patterns" -> "3. Audit existing .claude/ inventory";
"3. Audit existing .claude/ inventory" -> "4. Write adaptation plan";
"4. Write adaptation plan" -> "5. Execute plan with subagents";
"5. Execute plan with subagents" -> "6. Verify adapted pipeline";
}
Phase 1: Brainstorm
REQUIRED: Use the brainstorming skill to explore the target project.
Focus questions on:
- Tech stack: Language, framework, database, infrastructure
- Project type: Web app, CLI tool, library, API, microservice, data pipeline, etc.
- Team workflows: CI/CD, code review, deployment, testing patterns
- Pain points: What does the team struggle with that agents could help?
- Existing tooling: Linters, formatters, test runners, build systems
- Scope: Full adaptation or partial (e.g., keep orchestration, replace agents)?
Key decisions to reach:
- Which existing skills/agents/hooks are relevant (keep/modify)?
- Which are irrelevant (delete)?
- What new capabilities does the project need?
- What domain-specific best practices should agents follow?
Phase 2: Research Domain Patterns
Use WebSearch to investigate the target project's domain. This feeds directly into agent definitions and skill content.
Search for:
"[language/framework] best practices [current year]"
"[language/framework] anti-patterns"
"[language/framework] code review checklist"
"[language/framework] common mistakes"
"[language/framework] testing best practices"
"[language/framework] security considerations"
"[language/framework] project structure conventions"
"[tool/framework] CI/CD pipeline best practices"
Capture findings as notes — they will be incorporated into:
- Agent anti-patterns sections
- Skill content (technique skills)
- Hook logic (formatting, linting)
- Orchestration script stages
Phase 3: Audit Existing Inventory
Categorize every .claude/ file into one of four buckets:
| Bucket | Action | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Keep as-is | Universal process skills | brainstorming, writing-plans, TDD, systematic-debugging |
| Modify | Adapt to new tech stack | implement-issue (change test commands), agents (change domain) |
| Replace | Same purpose, different implementation | laravel-backend-developer → python-backend-developer |
| Delete | Irrelevant to target project | bulletproof-frontend (for a CLI tool), write-docblocks (non-PHP) |
Inventory Checklist
Skills (19 in template):
| Skill | Category | Typical Decision |
|---|---|---|
| brainstorming | Process | Keep as-is |
| bulletproof-frontend | Domain (web/CSS) | Delete if not web |
| dispatching-parallel-agents | Process | Keep as-is |
| executing-plans | Process | Keep as-is |
| handle-issues | Workflow (GitHub) | Keep if using GitHub Issues |
| implement-issue | Workflow (GitHub) | Keep if using GitHub Issues |
| investigating-codebase-for-user-stories | Process | Keep as-is |
| process-pr | Workflow (GitHub) | Keep if using GitHub PRs |
| review-ui | Domain (web/CSS) | Delete if not web |
| subagent-driven-development | Process | Keep as-is |
| systematic-debugging | Process | Keep as-is |
| test-driven-development | Process | Keep as-is |
| ui-design-fundamentals | Domain (web/CSS) | Delete if not web |
| using-git-worktrees | Process | Keep as-is |
| using-skills | Meta | Keep as-is |
| write-docblocks | Domain (PHP) | Replace with language-specific docblock skill |
| writing-agents | Meta | Keep as-is |
| writing-plans | Process | Keep as-is |
| writing-skills | Meta | Keep as-is |
Agents (10 in template):
| Agent | Category | Typical Decision |
|---|---|---|
| bash-script-craftsman | Domain (bash) | Keep if project uses bash |
| bats-test-validator | Domain (bash) | Keep if project uses bash |
| bulletproof-frontend-developer | Domain (web) | Delete or replace |
| cc-orchestration-writer | Meta | Keep as-is |
| code-reviewer | Process | Modify (update tech stack refs) |
| code-simplifier | Domain (PHP) | Replace with language-specific |
| laravel-backend-developer | Domain (Laravel) | Replace with project-specific |
| phpdoc-writer | Domain (PHP) | Replace or delete |
| php-test-validator | Domain (PHP) | Replace with language-specific |
| spec-reviewer | Process | Keep as-is (tech-agnostic) |
Hooks:
| Hook | Typical Decision |
|---|---|
| session-start.sh | Keep as-is (loads using-skills) |
| post-pr-simplify.sh | Modify (change PHP references) or delete |
Settings (settings.json):
| Setting | Typical Decision |
|---|---|
| PHP formatter (Pint) | Replace with project's formatter |
| Sensitive file protection | Modify patterns for project |
| Production deploy protection | Modify command for project |
| Desktop notifications | Keep as-is |
Scripts:
| Script | Typical Decision |
|---|---|
| implement-issue-orchestrator.sh | Modify (test commands, agents) |
| batch-orchestrator.sh | Modify (agent references) |
| JSON schemas | Modify if stages change |
| BATS tests | Modify to match script changes |
Prompts:
| Prompt | Typical Decision |
|---|---|
| frontend audit/refactor | Delete if not web, replace if different frontend |
Phase 4: Write the Plan
REQUIRED: Use the writing-plans skill.
The plan should be organized into parallel workstreams where possible:
Workstream A: Delete irrelevant files (quick, no dependencies)
Workstream B: Modify existing files (parallel per file)
Workstream C: Create new skills (use writing-skills skill)
Workstream D: Create new agents (use writing-agents skill)
Workstream E: Modify orchestration scripts (use cc-orchestration-writer agent)
Workstream F: Update hooks and settings
Each task in the plan must specify:
- File path to create/modify/delete
- What changes and why
- Which skill/agent to use for the task (writing-skills, writing-agents, cc-orchestration-writer, etc.)
- Dependencies on other tasks (if any)
Phase 5: Execute with Subagents
REQUIRED: Use the subagent-driven-development skill to execute the plan.
Route tasks to the correct agent/skill:
| Task Type | How to Execute |
|---|---|
| Delete files | Direct (no subagent needed) |
| Modify existing skills | Edit directly, following writing-skills patterns |
| Create new skills | Invoke writing-skills skill |
| Modify existing agents | Edit directly, following writing-agents patterns |
| Create new agents | Invoke writing-agents skill |
| Modify orchestration scripts | Dispatch cc-orchestration-writer agent via Task tool |
| Modify hooks/settings | Direct edit |
| Create new hooks | bash-script-craftsman agent via Task tool |
Parallel execution: Tasks in different workstreams with no shared files can run in parallel using dispatching-parallel-agents.
Phase 6: Verify
After all modifications:
- File inventory check — Glob
.claude/and verify no orphaned or irrelevant files remain - Cross-reference check — Grep for references to deleted skills/agents/files and fix broken refs
- Settings validation — Ensure settings.json hooks reference existing files and commands
- Skill description audit — All skill descriptions match new project context
- Agent coordination audit — Deferral relationships between agents are consistent
- Dry run — Walk through a typical workflow (e.g., implement-issue) mentally to verify the pipeline makes sense
Common Adaptation Patterns
Web to CLI/Library
Delete: bulletproof-frontend, review-ui, ui-design-fundamentals, bulletproof-frontend-developer agent, all frontend prompts
Replace: laravel-backend-developer → language-specific developer agent
Modify: code-simplifier (change language), test validators (change framework)
Laravel to Python/Django
Replace: laravel-backend-developer → django-backend-developer, php-test-validator → pytest-validator, code-simplifier → python code simplifier, write-docblocks → python docstring writer
Modify: settings.json (Pint → Black/Ruff), post-pr-simplify.sh (PHP → Python)
Monolith to Microservices
Add: Service-specific agents, API contract validation skill, cross-service testing patterns
Modify: implement-issue workflow (multi-repo awareness), code-reviewer (service boundaries)
Adding New Domain
Add: Domain-specific agents (ML engineer, data pipeline developer, etc.), domain testing skills
Keep: All process skills, orchestration infrastructure
Red Flags
- Keeping irrelevant skills "just in case" — delete them. They add noise and confuse skill discovery.
- Generic agent personas — every agent should reference the actual project, its structure, and its conventions.
- Orphaned references — grep for deleted skill/agent names in remaining files.
- Skipping web research — domain patterns and anti-patterns are critical for agent quality.
- Not updating settings.json — stale hooks that reference missing tools will cause errors.
Key Principles
- Delete aggressively — fewer, focused files beat a bloated pipeline
- Research before writing — WebSearch for domain patterns before creating agents/skills
- Test the pipeline — walk through a real workflow after adaptation
- Use the meta-skills — writing-skills and writing-agents exist to ensure quality; use them for new content
- Preserve process skills — brainstorming, TDD, debugging, planning are universal; don't delete these