# Gh Bootstrap

> Initialize GitHub repository configuration from vetted upstream templates. Use when setting up repository automation, issue and PR templates, CI workflows, or baseline GitHub project files for a new or existing repo.

- Skill: `bahayonghang/gh-bootstrap` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 5 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add bahayonghang/gh-bootstrap`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/bahayonghang/gh-bootstrap/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: bahayonghang (https://skillmd.com/u/bahayonghang)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/bahayonghang/gh-bootstrap

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> In the commands below, `<skill-dir>` is this skill's base directory, announced when the skill loads. Substitute the literal path; it is not an environment variable. The runtime script `gh_bootstrap_runtime.py` is the only execution engine — never hand-roll the detect / fetch / render / validate steps.

1. Ask the user for communication language and template language preference, plus the desired mode: **quick** (sensible defaults, minimal interaction), **custom** (choose specific templates), or **full** (all available templates).
2. Detect languages, frameworks, and existing GitHub files with `python "<skill-dir>/scripts/gh_bootstrap_runtime.py" detect "$ARGUMENTS"` before planning. If detection returns no languages (empty project or unrecognized stack), ask the user to specify the primary language manually instead of guessing.
3. Call `AskUserQuestion` to collect necessary configuration variables (project name, GitHub owner/repo, author, license, and any component-specific values).
4. Scan for existing config files and plan conflict resolution. Never overwrite existing files without explicit user approval.
5. Read `specs/template-catalog.md` to map required files to repository URLs, then use `python "<skill-dir>/scripts/gh_bootstrap_runtime.py" fetch-template ...` to download the chosen template sources. If a template download fails (network error, 404, timeout), report which template failed and offer to skip it or retry.
6. Render files with `python "<skill-dir>/scripts/gh_bootstrap_runtime.py" render-template ...` so placeholder replacement is deterministic.
7. Validate the generated tree with `python "<skill-dir>/scripts/gh_bootstrap_runtime.py" validate-tree <target-root>` and refuse completion if unreplaced `{{placeholders}}` remain.

## Mandatory Rules

- **NEVER** write config files from memory; **MUST** render from downloaded templates.
- **ALWAYS** replace `{{variable}}` placeholders (e.g. `{{projectName}}`); **NEVER** alter GitHub Actions expressions (`${{ github.* }}`, `${{ secrets.* }}`) or action version pins (e.g. `@v4`). The renderer only substitutes `{{...}}`.
- Output targets `.github/workflows/`, issue templates, PR templates, and baseline community files.