Validator Setup

/validator-setup

Scan the project to discover tooling and configure checks and reviews for agent-validator.

Before starting, read references/check-catalog.md for check category details, YAML schemas, and example configurations.

Step 1: Check config exists

Read .validator/config.yml. If the file does not exist, tell the user to run agent-validate init first and STOP — do not proceed with any further steps.

Step 2: Check existing config

Read the entry_points field from .validator/config.yml.

Before deciding whether this project is already configured, inspect the git state of .validator/:

• If this is a git repo, run git status --porcelain -- .validator.
• If .validator/ or .validator/config.yml is untracked or newly added, treat this as a fresh install even though the directory exists. agent-validate init creates the scaffold first; /validator-setup still needs to configure checks and entry points.
• If git is unavailable, the project is not a git repo, or the status is ambiguous, do not claim Agent Validator was previously set up. Ask the user whether this is a new install or an existing configuration they want to modify.

Do not conclude "nothing to do" or "already set up" merely because .validator/ exists. Only treat the project as an existing setup when the committed config already contains meaningful entry points/checks, or the user confirms it is existing.

If entry_points is empty ([]) OR contains only the generated root entry point (path: ".") with no checks: This is a fresh setup. Proceed to Step 3 (detect project structure). Preserve any existing reviews on that generated root entry point unless the user explicitly reconfigures reviews.

If entry_points is populated: Show the user a summary of the current configuration:

• List each entry point with its path, checks, and reviews

• Then ask the user which action to take:

  1. Add checks — Scan for tools not already configured. Proceed to Step 3, but filter out any checks that already appear in entry_points.
  2. Add custom — User describes what they want to add. Skip to Step 7.
  3. Reconfigure — Start fresh. Back up existing config first:
     • Rename each .validator/checks/*.yml file to .yml.bak (overwrite any previous .bak files) — these are legacy file-based checks
     • Rename each custom .validator/reviews/*.md file to .md.bak (overwrite any previous .bak files)
     • Do NOT rename .validator/reviews/*.yml files (these are built-in review configs)
     • Clear entry_points to [] in config.yml
     • Proceed to Step 3

Step 3: Detect project structure

Scan for signals to classify the project as monorepo, split project, or single project.

Monorepo signals

• package.json with a workspaces field
• pnpm-workspace.yaml
• lerna.json, nx.json, turbo.json
• Cargo.toml with a [workspace] section
• Multiple subdirectories under packages/, apps/, or services/ each containing their own project manifest (package.json, go.mod, Cargo.toml, pyproject.toml)

Split project signals

• frontend/ + backend/ (or client/ + server/, web/ + api/) directories each containing source code and/or their own project manifest
• Multiple apps or libraries of the same language under a common parent directory (e.g., apps/web/, apps/api/, apps/worker/ each with their own source and config) — suggests a wildcard entry point like apps/*

Single project signals

• src/ or lib/ as sole source directory, or source files at project root
• No monorepo or split project signals found

If monorepo or split project: Read references/project-structure.md for detailed multi-project entry point guidance, then follow it for Steps 4 through 8. The rest of this file covers the single-project flow.

If single project: Tell the user what you detected and continue below.

Step 4: Determine entry point path

Infer the source directory:

• If src/ exists and contains source code, suggest src
• If lib/ exists and contains source code, suggest lib
• Otherwise suggest . (project root — safer default since it captures all changes)

Skip this step if adding checks to an existing entry point that already has a path.

Step 5: Scan for tooling

Scan the project for tooling signals across the 6 check categories listed in references/check-catalog.md.

For the "add checks" path: Filter out checks already configured in entry_points.

If no tools discovered: Offer the custom flow (skip to Step 7). Still include code-quality review.

Step 6: Present findings and confirm

Show a table of discovered checks:

Category        | Tool            | Command                              | Confidence
----------------|-----------------|--------------------------------------|-----------
Build           | npm             | npm run build                        | High
Lint            | ESLint          | npx eslint .                         | High
Typecheck       | TypeScript      | npx tsc --noEmit                     | High
Test            | Jest            | npx jest                             | High
Security (deps) | npm audit       | npm audit --audit-level=moderate     | Medium
Security (code) | Semgrep         | semgrep scan --config auto --error . | Medium

Confidence levels:

• High — Tool config file found AND/OR explicit script in package.json/Makefile
• Medium — Tool found in devDependencies or inferred from CI workflow but no dedicated config
• Low — Only indirect evidence (e.g., test directory exists but no runner config found)

If a category has no discovered tool, show (not found) with — for command and confidence.

Ask the user:

1. Which checks to enable (default: all)
2. Whether any commands need adjustment

If the user declines ALL checks, still include code-quality review and offer the custom flow (Step 7).

After confirmation, proceed to Step 8 (create files).

Step 7: Add custom

Ask the user: check (shell command) or review (AI code review)?

For checks: Ask for command, name, and optional settings (run_in_ci, run_locally).

For reviews: Built-in (code-quality) or custom prompt? Ask for name and write the review content.

Step 8: Create files and update config

Checks — Add checks inline in the entry point's checks array. Each inline check is a single-key object (check name → config object). Include command. Add optional fields (run_in_ci, run_locally) only when they differ from defaults. See references/check-catalog.md for schema. Do NOT add a top-level checks map — inline checks belong under entry_points.

Custom reviews — Create .validator/reviews/<name>.md with YAML frontmatter (num_reviews: 1) and review prompt.

Built-in reviews — Add built-in reviews inline in the entry point's reviews array (e.g. - code-quality: { builtin: code-quality }). Do not create a separate file for built-in reviews.

Update entry_points in .validator/config.yml:

entry_points:
  - path: "<source_dir>"
    checks:
      - build:
          command: npm run build
      - lint:
          command: npx eslint .
    reviews:
      - code-quality:
          builtin: code-quality

Always include code-quality in reviews for fresh setups. For "add checks" / "add custom": append to the appropriate entry point's lists, or add a new entry point if needed. A check or review defined inline in one entry point can be referenced by name (as a string) in other entry points.

Step 9: "Add something else?"

Ask the user. If yes, loop to Step 7. If no, proceed.

Step 10: Validate

Run agent-validate validate. If it fails, apply one corrective attempt and re-validate. If it still fails, STOP and ask the user.

Step 11: Commit configuration

Commit all validator configuration and skills so the setup is preserved in version control:

1. Stage all new/modified files: .validator/, .claude/skills/validator-*/, .claude/settings.local.json, .gitignore
2. Create a commit: git commit -m "chore: configure agent-validator checks and reviews"

If there are no changes to commit (everything already committed), skip this step silently.

Step 12: Advance validator baseline

Run /validator-skip to advance the execution state baseline to the current working tree, so the next run only diffs against future changes.

Step 13: Suggest next steps

Tell the user: configuration is complete. Run /validator-run to execute, or /validator-setup again to add more.