Context Init

Context Init

Use this only when a repository has no context-harness layout and should get a fresh AGENTS.md, CONTEXT.md, NOW.md, and optional PLAN.md.

If a repository already has partial, stale, or custom context-harness files, use explicit context-upgrade instead. Init does not repair existing layouts.

Goal

Create the smallest durable context layer that lets future agents catch up:

• AGENTS.md as the automatic Context Contract
• CONTEXT.md for project facts, operating constraints, language, relationships, and lessons
• NOW.md for the current focus
• PLAN.md only when there is an active multi-step task

Generated AGENTS.md and CONTEXT.md must include <!-- context-harness:schema v3 --> so future skill versions can detect the layout.

Init Flow

1. Run the generator:

   node scripts/context-gen.js
   

   If running from an installed companion skill directory, use:

   node ../scripts/context-gen.js
   

2. Present the generated ## Suggested Operating Constraints and ## Suggested Workflow as a starting point.

3. Ask the user to keep only project-specific constraints a future agent would not infer from code or docs, and confirm workflow verification commands.

4. Write CONTEXT.md, NOW.md, and AGENTS.md from the templates in the root context-harness skill.

5. Install context-harness runtime scripts into the target repo:

   node <context-harness-skill-dir>/scripts/install-project.js
   

6. Run node scripts/context-index.js update so AGENTS.md has a generated high-level index and .context-harness/ has retrieval cards.

7. Ask whether there is a multi-step task. If yes, create PLAN.md.

Guardrails

• Use PLAN.md Done Criteria and CONTEXT.md Workflow Verification instead of durable project-wide objectives.
• Do not repair existing layouts here; route partial, stale, or custom context-harness files to explicit context-upgrade.
• Keep generated files short enough to be read every session.
• Keep AGENTS.md small: contract plus generated CONTEXT.md index and a pointer to hydrate.
• Runtime scripts are project-local after init, so AGENTS.md can refer to node scripts/context-index.js update and hydrate.
• Do not create ADRs unless the target project already has an ADR workflow.