Init

acta:init

The entry point for a new project. It produces one file — <PROJECT>_BRIEF.md — that captures the human's intent as a starting point. It writes nothing else. Once filled, /acta:build turns it into real docs + a brain.

Shared resources live at ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/acta/ (sibling of the skills/ folder). This skill reads ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/acta/brief-template.md.

Language — two decisions start here

1. Brief language. If /acta:init opens the conversation, or the user is writing in another language, ask which language the brief should be written in — propose the language they're already using, and confirm. Default English. Write the brief in that language and talk to the user in it.
2. Documentation language. The brief's final question (template section 11) asks what language the generated docs should be in — it may differ from the brief. You don't answer it; the user does, and /acta:build reads it.

Always English regardless of either choice: the <PROJECT>_BRIEF.md filename, acta: markers, and paths. See ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/acta/principles.md.

Flow

1. Determine the project name.

   • Default: the basename of the current working directory.
   • If it's generic (project, app, src, code, new) or the user gave a name, prefer that.
   • The brief file is <PROJECT>_BRIEF.md at the project root: project token slugged (spaces → -), then the whole filename UPPERCASED, e.g. HABIT-TRACKER_BRIEF.md.

2. Overwrite guard. If a *_BRIEF.md already exists, do NOT clobber it. Ask once: merge / overwrite / open existing / pick a different name. Default to open existing (show its path).

3. Write the brief. Render ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/acta/brief-template.md in the chosen brief language (translate the template's prompts/labels; keep the section numbers and the sign-language header), replacing {{PROJECT_NAME}} with the human project name. Write it to <project>/<PROJECT>_BRIEF.md. Do not fill any answers — the human does that, including section 11 (documentation language).

4. Tell the user, briefly (in the brief language), the moves and the next step:

   Created <PROJECT>_BRIEF.md. Fill in what you know; for any field you can instead put:
     ?  → suggest one for me
     -  → skip / unknown / not applicable
   Leave blanks for anything you want me to ask about. When ready, run /acta:build.
   

Rules

• Create only the brief file. No docs/, no CLAUDE.md, no registry — those belong to /acta:build.
• Never invent answers. The template ships empty. The sign language is explained once, at the top of the file — do not repeat symbol hints inside individual fields.
• Idempotent by guard: re-running never silently overwrites an existing brief.
• If the project already has substantial code (detect package.json, pyproject.toml, src/, .git), mention that /acta:adopt may fit better (it reverse-engineers docs from code), but still create the brief if asked — the "why/product" side is worth capturing even for existing code.