How do I install the Agent Ready skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add agent-next/agent-ready in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Agent Ready safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Independent scanners report: SkillSpector: PASS, Skill Scanner: PASS. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Agent Ready?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Agent Ready free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free. This skill is licensed under MIT.

Who published Agent Ready?

agent-next (@agent-next) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Agent Ready by agent-next — Agent Skill

Name: Agent Ready
Author: agent-next

Agent Ready

Best practices for setting up high-quality GitHub repos for AI coding agents. Use when setting up a new repo, improving an existing repo's infrastructure, or answering "what does this repo need for agents to work effectively". Triggers on "set up repo", "make repo agent-ready", "repo best practices", "/agent-ready".

agent-next Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Agent-Ready: Repo Setup Best Practices

A curated collection of best practices for standard high-quality GitHub repos and AI coding agent workflows. Read this to learn what to set up — then use your own intelligence to generate project-specific configs.

Workflow

Analyze the project — read package.json/pyproject.toml, understand language/framework/structure
Check what's missing — call check_repo_readiness MCP tool or run npx agent-ready check .
Read the relevant reference — for each missing area, read the reference doc below
Generate project-specific configs — use your understanding of THIS project, not generic templates
Verify — run linters, tests, check CI workflows are valid

The 9 Areas

Area	Reference	What It Covers
Agent Guidance	`references/agent-guidance.md`	AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, copilot-instructions, cursor rules
Code Quality	`references/code-quality.md`	Linters, formatters, type checkers, .editorconfig
Testing	`references/testing/`	BDT methodology, test scaffolds, coverage (6 detailed refs)
CI/CD	`references/ci-cd.md`	GitHub Actions: ci.yml, claude.yml, copilot-setup-steps.yml
Hooks	`references/hooks.md`	Git pre-commit (Lefthook/Husky) + Claude PostToolUse hooks
Branch Rulesets	`references/branch-rulesets.md`	GitHub rulesets via API (require PR, reviews, status checks)
Repo Templates	`references/repo-templates.md`	Issue forms, PR template, CODEOWNERS, CONTRIBUTING, SECURITY
DevContainer	`references/devcontainer.md`	.devcontainer for reproducible agent environments
Security	`references/security.md`	Dependabot, push protection, CodeQL, secret scanning

Quick Reference: Files a Repo Should Have

Agent guidance (all tools)

AGENTS.md — cross-tool standard (Claude, Copilot, Cursor, Gemini)
CLAUDE.md — Claude Code specific (can import AGENTS.md via @AGENTS.md)
.github/copilot-instructions.md — GitHub Copilot
.github/workflows/copilot-setup-steps.yml — Copilot coding agent environment
.cursor/rules/*.mdc — Cursor IDE

Code quality

Linter + formatter config (biome.json or ruff in pyproject.toml)
Type checker config (tsconfig.json strict or mypy)
.editorconfig

Testing

Test directory structure (tests/unit/, tests/integration/, tests/e2e/)
Test runner config
Coverage config with thresholds

CI/CD

.github/workflows/ci.yml — lint, typecheck, test, build
.github/workflows/claude.yml — Claude Code Action for PR review

Hooks

Pre-commit: lefthook.yml or .husky/
Claude: .claude/settings.json with PostToolUse hooks

Branch rulesets

Require PR before merge
Require reviews + status checks
Prevent force push and branch deletion

Repo templates

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/*.yml — YAML forms (not Markdown)
.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
.github/CODEOWNERS
CONTRIBUTING.md, SECURITY.md, LICENSE
.gitignore, .gitattributes

DevContainer

.devcontainer/devcontainer.json

Security

.github/dependabot.yml — grouped updates
Push protection enabled
CodeQL default setup enabled

---name: agent-readydescription: Best practices for setting up high-quality GitHub repos for AI coding agents. Use when setting up a new repo, improving an existing repo's infrastructure, or answering "what does this repo need for agents to work effectively". Triggers on "set up repo", "make repo agent-ready", "repo best practices", "/agent-ready".license: MIT---# Agent-Ready: Repo Setup Best PracticesA curated collection of best practices for standard high-quality GitHub repos and AI coding agent workflows. Read this to learn what to set up — then use your own intelligence to generate project-specific configs.## Workflow1. **Analyze the project** — read package.json/pyproject.toml, understand language/framework/structure2. **Check what's missing** — call `check_repo_readiness` MCP tool or run `npx agent-ready check .`3. **Read the relevant reference** — for each missing area, read the reference doc below4. **Generate project-specific configs** — use your understanding of THIS project, not generic templates5. **Verify** — run linters, tests, check CI workflows are valid## The 9 Areas| Area | Reference | What It Covers ||------|-----------|---------------|| Agent Guidance | `references/agent-guidance.md` | AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, copilot-instructions, cursor rules || Code Quality | `references/code-quality.md` | Linters, formatters, type checkers, .editorconfig || Testing | `references/testing/` | BDT methodology, test scaffolds, coverage (6 detailed refs) || CI/CD | `references/ci-cd.md` | GitHub Actions: ci.yml, claude.yml, copilot-setup-steps.yml || Hooks | `references/hooks.md` | Git pre-commit (Lefthook/Husky) + Claude PostToolUse hooks || Branch Rulesets | `references/branch-rulesets.md` | GitHub rulesets via API (require PR, reviews, status checks) || Repo Templates | `references/repo-templates.md` | Issue forms, PR template, CODEOWNERS, CONTRIBUTING, SECURITY || DevContainer | `references/devcontainer.md` | .devcontainer for reproducible agent environments || Security | `references/security.md` | Dependabot, push protection, CodeQL, secret scanning |## Quick Reference: Files a Repo Should Have### Agent guidance (all tools)- `AGENTS.md` — cross-tool standard (Claude, Copilot, Cursor, Gemini)- `CLAUDE.md` — Claude Code specific (can import AGENTS.md via @AGENTS.md)- `.github/copilot-instructions.md` — GitHub Copilot- `.github/workflows/copilot-setup-steps.yml` — Copilot coding agent environment- `.cursor/rules/*.mdc` — Cursor IDE### Code quality- Linter + formatter config (biome.json or ruff in pyproject.toml)- Type checker config (tsconfig.json strict or mypy)- `.editorconfig`### Testing- Test directory structure (tests/unit/, tests/integration/, tests/e2e/)- Test runner config- Coverage config with thresholds### CI/CD- `.github/workflows/ci.yml` — lint, typecheck, test, build- `.github/workflows/claude.yml` — Claude Code Action for PR review### Hooks- Pre-commit: lefthook.yml or .husky/- Claude: `.claude/settings.json` with PostToolUse hooks### Branch rulesets- Require PR before merge- Require reviews + status checks- Prevent force push and branch deletion### Repo templates- `.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/*.yml` — YAML forms (not Markdown)- `.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md`- `.github/CODEOWNERS`- `CONTRIBUTING.md`, `SECURITY.md`, `LICENSE`- `.gitignore`, `.gitattributes`### DevContainer- `.devcontainer/devcontainer.json`### Security- `.github/dependabot.yml` — grouped updates- Push protection enabled- CodeQL default setup enabled

Frequently asked questions