How do I install the Grove Config skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add chrisbanes/grove-config 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 Grove Config safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Grove Config?

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 Grove Config free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Grove Config?

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

Grove Config by chrisbanes — Agent Skill

Name: Grove Config
Author: chrisbanes

File contents

I'm using the grove-config skill to set up Grove for this project.

Workflow

Step 1: Verify git repo

git rev-parse --show-toplevel

If the command fails, stop. Grove requires a git repository.

Step 2: Check if already initialized

test -f .grove/config.json

If .grove/config.json exists, report that Grove is already initialized and ask the user whether they want to re-initialize. Stop unless they confirm.

Step 3: Detect build system

Scan for marker files in the following priority order. Use the first match. If multiple top-level markers exist, ask the user which is the primary build system.

Build System	Marker File(s)	Warmup Command	Post-Clone Hook
Gradle	`build.gradle.kts` or `build.gradle`	`./gradlew assemble`	Clean lock files, `configuration-cache`
Node.js	`package.json`	`npm run build`	Clean `node_modules/.cache`
Rust	`Cargo.toml`	`cargo build`	Clean `target/debug/incremental`
Go	`go.mod`	`go build ./...`	Minimal — Go handles relocatable caches well
Python	`pyproject.toml` or `requirements.txt`	`poetry install` or `pip install -e .`	Clean `__pycache__` dirs
C/C++	`Makefile` or `CMakeLists.txt`	`make` or `cmake --build build`	Project-specific

If no marker is found, ask the user to provide a warmup command.

Step 4: Present proposed config for confirmation

Show the user:

Warmup command
Workspace directory (default: system temp under a grove subdirectory)
Post-clone hook content

Ask for confirmation before proceeding.

Step 5: Run grove config

grove config --warmup-command "<cmd>"

Step 6: Write post-clone hook

Write the post-clone hook script to .grove/hooks/post-clone and make it executable:

chmod +x .grove/hooks/post-clone

Step 7: Suggest git add

Tell the user to commit the Grove configuration:

git add .grove/config.json .grove/hooks/
git commit -m "chore: add Grove configuration"

Quick Reference

Command	Purpose
`grove config --warmup-command "<cmd>"`	Initialize Grove
`grove update`	Refresh golden copy build state

Common Mistakes

Running grove config outside a git repo — Grove requires git; always verify first.
Skipping the post-clone hook — without it, workspaces inherit stale lock files or cache artifacts.
Not committing .grove/ — commit so collaborators and CI get the same warmup behavior.

Red Flags

grove config fails with a permissions error — check grove is installed and the user has write access.
Warmup command exits non-zero during grove config — fix unresolved dependencies before initializing.
Multiple package.json and build.gradle at the root — polyglot monorepo; ask which is primary.

Integration

Standalone — not called by other skills automatically
Suggested by: grove:using-grove when .grove/config.json is not found
Invoked via: /grove-config slash command

---name: grove-configdescription: Use when configuring Grove for a repository that does not yet have a `.grove/config.json`, or when a user asks to configure Grove in their project---I'm using the grove-config skill to set up Grove for this project.## Workflow### Step 1: Verify git repo```bashgit rev-parse --show-toplevel```If the command fails, stop. Grove requires a git repository.### Step 2: Check if already initialized```bashtest -f .grove/config.json```If `.grove/config.json` exists, report that Grove is already initialized and ask the user whether they want to re-initialize. Stop unless they confirm.### Step 3: Detect build systemScan for marker files in the following priority order. Use the first match. If multiple top-level markers exist, ask the user which is the primary build system.| Build System | Marker File(s) | Warmup Command | Post-Clone Hook ||---|---|---|---|| Gradle | `build.gradle.kts` or `build.gradle` | `./gradlew assemble` | Clean lock files, `configuration-cache` || Node.js | `package.json` | `npm run build` | Clean `node_modules/.cache` || Rust | `Cargo.toml` | `cargo build` | Clean `target/debug/incremental` || Go | `go.mod` | `go build ./...` | Minimal — Go handles relocatable caches well || Python | `pyproject.toml` or `requirements.txt` | `poetry install` or `pip install -e .` | Clean `__pycache__` dirs || C/C++ | `Makefile` or `CMakeLists.txt` | `make` or `cmake --build build` | Project-specific |If no marker is found, ask the user to provide a warmup command.### Step 4: Present proposed config for confirmationShow the user:- Warmup command- Workspace directory (default: system temp under a grove subdirectory)- Post-clone hook contentAsk for confirmation before proceeding.### Step 5: Run grove config```bashgrove config --warmup-command "<cmd>"```### Step 6: Write post-clone hookWrite the post-clone hook script to `.grove/hooks/post-clone` and make it executable:```bashchmod +x .grove/hooks/post-clone```### Step 7: Suggest git addTell the user to commit the Grove configuration:```bashgit add .grove/config.json .grove/hooks/git commit -m "chore: add Grove configuration"```## Quick Reference| Command | Purpose ||---|---|| `grove config --warmup-command "<cmd>"` | Initialize Grove || `grove update` | Refresh golden copy build state |## Common Mistakes- **Running `grove config` outside a git repo** — Grove requires git; always verify first.- **Skipping the post-clone hook** — without it, workspaces inherit stale lock files or cache artifacts.- **Not committing `.grove/`** — commit so collaborators and CI get the same warmup behavior.## Red Flags- `grove config` fails with a permissions error — check `grove` is installed and the user has write access.- Warmup command exits non-zero during `grove config` — fix unresolved dependencies before initializing.- Multiple `package.json` and `build.gradle` at the root — polyglot monorepo; ask which is primary.## Integration- **Standalone** — not called by other skills automatically- **Suggested by:** `grove:using-grove` when `.grove/config.json` is not found- **Invoked via:** `/grove-config` slash command

Frequently asked questions

Grove Config