# Setup

> One-time bootstrap — seed ~/.mindfunnel/ with AGENTS.md, SOUL.md, USER.md, and PROJECT.md.example from the plugin's bundled templates. Use the first time you run the mindfunnel plugin on a new machine, or when ~/.mindfunnel/ is missing. Idempotent — detects existing files and never overwrites. Also creates a CLAUDE.md symlink pointing at AGENTS.md inside ~/.mindfunnel/, and ~/.claude/{SOUL,USER}.md + ~/.codex/{SOUL,USER}.md symlinks so both agents can reach the same personal files.

- Skill: `emaballarin/setup` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add emaballarin/setup`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/emaballarin/setup/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: emaballarin (https://skillmd.com/u/emaballarin)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/emaballarin/setup

---


# /mf:setup — bootstrap `~/.mindfunnel/`

Seed the user's personal `~/.mindfunnel/` directory with the editable scaffolding the other mindfunnel skills depend on. Run **once per machine**. Idempotent: if `~/.mindfunnel/` already looks complete, say so and stop.

## Important

1. **Never overwrite.** Every target file is created only if it doesn't already exist. The user may have already edited `SOUL.md` or `USER.md` — destroying them is unacceptable.
2. **Templates live at `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/templates/`.** That environment variable is set by Claude Code when this skill runs. Do not hard-code a path; always use the variable.
3. **`CLAUDE.md` inside `~/.mindfunnel/` is a symlink** to `AGENTS.md` in the same directory. This is the standard convention; both names point at the same content.
4. **`SOUL.md` and `USER.md` are user-global, not project-level.** Neither gets stamped into a project root by `/mf:prime`. This skill symlinks `~/.claude/{SOUL,USER}.md` and `~/.codex/{SOUL,USER}.md` to the corresponding files in `~/.mindfunnel/` so both agents reach the same source of truth.

## Instructions

### Step 1: Ensure `~/.mindfunnel/` exists

```bash
mkdir -p "$HOME/.mindfunnel"
```

### Step 2: Seed the four template files (non-destructive)

For each pair below, copy from the bundled template to the target **only if the target is absent**.

| Template                                     | Target                             |
| -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/templates/AGENTS.md`  | `~/.mindfunnel/AGENTS.md`          |
| `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/templates/SOUL.md`    | `~/.mindfunnel/SOUL.md`            |
| `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/templates/USER.md`    | `~/.mindfunnel/USER.md`            |
| `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/templates/PROJECT.md` | `~/.mindfunnel/PROJECT.md.example` |

Note the asymmetry: `PROJECT.md` lands as `PROJECT.md.example` in `~/.mindfunnel/` because the live `PROJECT.md` belongs in each _project_, not in the shared scaffolding. The `.example` suffix makes that intent obvious.

Shell form (avoid clobbering):

```bash
cp -n "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/templates/AGENTS.md"  "$HOME/.mindfunnel/AGENTS.md"
cp -n "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/templates/SOUL.md"    "$HOME/.mindfunnel/SOUL.md"
cp -n "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/templates/USER.md"    "$HOME/.mindfunnel/USER.md"
cp -n "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/templates/PROJECT.md" "$HOME/.mindfunnel/PROJECT.md.example"
```

`cp -n` is "no-clobber"; it silently skips an existing target. That is the desired behavior.

### Step 3: Create the `CLAUDE.md` symlink inside `~/.mindfunnel/`

```bash
ln -sfn AGENTS.md "$HOME/.mindfunnel/CLAUDE.md"
```

`-f` replaces a broken or pre-existing symlink, `-n` prevents following an existing `CLAUDE.md` symlink into its target when forcing. Safe because we're only ever symlinking to `AGENTS.md` in the same directory.

### Step 4: Create the `SOUL.md` and `USER.md` symlinks into `~/.claude/` and `~/.codex/`

Both `SOUL.md` and `USER.md` are user-global. Both Claude Code and Codex should reach the same source of truth at `~/.mindfunnel/`. For each agent dotdir that exists, install a symlink for each of the two files — idempotently, and without clobbering a non-symlink file the user may have authored themselves.

```bash
for name in SOUL.md USER.md; do
    for agent_dir in "$HOME/.claude" "$HOME/.codex"; do
        [ -d "$agent_dir" ] || continue
        target="$agent_dir/$name"
        src="$HOME/.mindfunnel/$name"
        if [ ! -e "$src" ]; then
            # Template seeding was declined above; nothing to point at.
            continue
        fi
        if [ -L "$target" ]; then
            # Already a symlink. Only re-point if it's pointing elsewhere.
            if [ "$(readlink "$target")" != "$src" ]; then
                ln -sfn "$src" "$target"
            fi
        elif [ -e "$target" ]; then
            # Real file — don't touch. Flag in the report.
            :
        else
            ln -s "$src" "$target"
        fi
    done
done
```

Skip an agent dir that doesn't exist (e.g. `~/.codex/` on a Claude-only machine). Don't create agent dirs yourself — they're owned by the respective agent installer.

### Step 5: Report

Emit a short summary, ≤ 14 lines, listing for each target: **created**, **already present** (skipped), **symlinked**, or **skipped** (real file in the way). Example:

```
~/.mindfunnel/
  AGENTS.md          created
  SOUL.md            created
  USER.md            created
  PROJECT.md.example already present
  CLAUDE.md          symlinked → AGENTS.md
~/.claude/SOUL.md    symlinked → ~/.mindfunnel/SOUL.md
~/.claude/USER.md    symlinked → ~/.mindfunnel/USER.md
~/.codex/SOUL.md     symlinked → ~/.mindfunnel/SOUL.md
~/.codex/USER.md     symlinked → ~/.mindfunnel/USER.md
```

If everything was already present, say so in one line and skip the table:

```
~/.mindfunnel/ is already set up. Nothing to do.
```

### Step 6: Point the user at `SOUL.md` and `USER.md`

On a fresh install (anything was created), close with:

> Edit `~/.mindfunnel/SOUL.md` to describe who you are, how you work, and what
> to avoid. Edit `~/.mindfunnel/USER.md` to capture your shell, Python
> defaults, formatter paths, and any per-machine tooling the agent needs to
> know about. Neither file is checked into any project — they shape how
> every agent collaborates with you across every project.
>
> Then run `/mf:prime` from a project root to prime it for the mindfunnel workflow.

On a no-op run, skip this paragraph.

## Examples

### Example 1: Fresh machine, first install

```
~/.mindfunnel/
  AGENTS.md          created
  SOUL.md            created
  USER.md            created
  PROJECT.md.example created
  CLAUDE.md          symlinked → AGENTS.md
~/.claude/SOUL.md    symlinked → ~/.mindfunnel/SOUL.md
~/.claude/USER.md    symlinked → ~/.mindfunnel/USER.md
~/.codex/SOUL.md     symlinked → ~/.mindfunnel/SOUL.md
~/.codex/USER.md     symlinked → ~/.mindfunnel/USER.md
```

Followed by the "edit `SOUL.md` / `USER.md`" hint.

### Example 2: Re-run after everything's in place

```
~/.mindfunnel/ is already set up. Nothing to do.
```

### Example 3: User deleted `SOUL.md` and re-ran setup

```
~/.mindfunnel/
  AGENTS.md          already present
  SOUL.md            created
  USER.md            already present
  PROJECT.md.example already present
  CLAUDE.md          symlinked → AGENTS.md
~/.claude/SOUL.md    already symlinked correctly
~/.claude/USER.md    already symlinked correctly
~/.codex/SOUL.md     already symlinked correctly
~/.codex/USER.md     already symlinked correctly
```

### Example 4: Claude-only machine (no `~/.codex/`)

```
~/.mindfunnel/
  AGENTS.md          created
  SOUL.md            created
  USER.md            created
  PROJECT.md.example created
  CLAUDE.md          symlinked → AGENTS.md
~/.claude/SOUL.md    symlinked → ~/.mindfunnel/SOUL.md
~/.claude/USER.md    symlinked → ~/.mindfunnel/USER.md
~/.codex/            not present; skipped
```

## Anti-patterns

- **Don't overwrite `SOUL.md` or `USER.md`** — or any other target — under any circumstance. The user's edits are sacred.
- **Don't hard-code `/home/<user>/repositories/.../templates/`.** Always use `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}`; the cache path changes on every update.
- **Don't create files inside the plugin cache (`${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}`).** That directory is discarded and recreated on plugin update. Only read from it.
- **Don't touch per-project files.** `/mf:setup` only writes inside `~/.mindfunnel/` and creates the `SOUL.md` / `USER.md` symlinks in `~/.claude/` / `~/.codex/`. Per-project work is `/mf:prime`'s job.
- **Don't create `~/.claude/` or `~/.codex/` yourself.** If an agent's dotdir doesn't exist, the user hasn't installed that agent; installing a symlink into a non-existent dir would be premature. Skip and move on.
- **Don't replace a real `SOUL.md` or `USER.md` in `~/.claude/` or `~/.codex/`.** If the target exists and is not a symlink, the user may have hand-authored it. Leave it alone and flag in the report.