# Docs Project Dashboard Legacy > Custom skill created by Maggie Lerman. Deprecated standalone backfill for the older generated HTML project-management dashboard in repositories that already use the product-operating-system-scaffold `PROJECTS/` lifecycle structure. Prefer `$context-layer-dashboard-backfill` for modern sidebar-based dashboard refreshes in existing repos. - Skill: `maggielerman/docs-project-dashboard-legacy` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 7 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add maggielerman/docs-project-dashboard-legacy` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/maggielerman/docs-project-dashboard-legacy/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Web & Frontend - Author: maggielerman (https://skillmd.com/u/maggielerman) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/maggielerman/docs-project-dashboard-legacy --- # Docs Project Dashboard Legacy Custom skill created by Maggie Lerman. ## Deprecation Note Prefer `$context-layer-dashboard-backfill` for existing repos that need the modern sidebar-based generated dashboard. Use this legacy skill only when: - the repo already has standardized docs scaffolding - you need to backfill the dashboard without rerunning the broader scaffold workflow - you explicitly want the standalone retrofit path ## Overview Use this legacy skill to add a generated `PROJECTS/dashboard.html` file plus a reusable repo-side generator script so the dashboard can be regenerated after project-doc changes. The generator also supports an optional repo-side content calendar. When `docs/content/content-calendar.json`, `docs/content/blog-content-calendar.json`, or another `docs/content/*calendar*.json` file exists, the dashboard renders a `Content Calendar` section with cadence metrics and planned items. Assume the target repository already follows the product-operating-system-scaffold project layout: - `DOCS/`, `docs/`, or `documentation/` - `PROJECTS/active/` - `PROJECTS/in-review/` - `PROJECTS/blocked/` - `PROJECTS/completed/` - `PROJECTS/backlog/` - `PROJECTS/stale/` Treat folder placement as the primary lifecycle signal and frontmatter `status` as secondary metadata. ## What The Dashboard Should Show The generated dashboard is a lightweight local PM system, not a replacement for the project docs themselves. The HTML dashboard should give the user an at-a-glance answer to: - what exists - what needs attention now - what is blocked - what is waiting for sign-off - what changed recently - where each planning document lives The source of truth remains the markdown project docs in the repo. The HTML page is derived output. The output contract lives in [references/dashboard-contract.md](references/dashboard-contract.md). Read it only when you need to change the dashboard structure or extend the extracted metadata. ## Workflow ### 1. Confirm the repo is a backfill candidate Check for an existing docs root in this order: 1. `DOCS/` 2. `docs/` 3. `documentation/` If more than one exists, prefer the one that already contains `PROJECTS/` and a `README.md` or `index.md`. If ambiguity remains, ask the user before writing. If the repo does not already have a `PROJECTS/` tree, stop and use `$product-operating-system-scaffold` instead. ### 2. Run the installer script Use the bundled installer: ```bash python3 /scripts/install_docs_project_dashboard.py --repo /absolute/path/to/repo ``` Optional flags: ```bash python3 /scripts/install_docs_project_dashboard.py \ --repo /absolute/path/to/repo \ --docs-root DOCS \ --force-dashboard \ --with-content-calendar ``` The installer: - discovers the docs root - copies the repo-side generator to `scripts/docs/projects-dashboard.mjs` - adds `docs:projects-dashboard` to `package.json` when present - appends or updates a dashboard link in `PROJECTS/README.md` - optionally installs starter `content-calendar.json` and `content-calendar.md` files under `/content/` - generates `PROJECTS/dashboard.html` - rebuilds the docs manifest when `scripts/docs/manifest.mjs` exists ### 3. Respect safe-write behavior - Treat `PROJECTS/dashboard.html` as generated output. - If `PROJECTS/dashboard.html` already exists and is not marked as generated by this skill, do not overwrite it unless the user explicitly asks or you pass `--force-dashboard`. - For `package.json` and `PROJECTS/README.md`, add only the missing dashboard wiring. - Do not rewrite existing project docs. - If an older generated `PROJECTS/dashboard.md` exists from a previous version of this skill, it is safe to remove it during install. ### 4. Regenerate after project-doc changes After the backfill lands, regenerate with: ```bash node scripts/docs/projects-dashboard.mjs ``` If `package.json` includes scripts, prefer: ```bash npm run docs:projects-dashboard ``` ### 5. Verify before finishing Confirm: - `PROJECTS/dashboard.html` exists - dashboard cards and rows link to the correct planning docs - content calendar appears when a supported calendar JSON exists - blocked, in-review, and active queues render - recently updated projects are sorted correctly - grouped program rows appear when `parentProject` or `programTrack` metadata exists - manifest regeneration succeeds when available ## Repo Conventions - Preserve actual casing for the repo's chosen docs root. - Keep the dashboard inside the `PROJECTS/` root so it stays next to the planning docs. - Use folder location as the lane shown in the dashboard even when frontmatter `status` drifts. - Surface lane/frontmatter drift in the dashboard instead of silently correcting project docs. - Use relative links from `PROJECTS/dashboard.html` to the planning documents. - Keep the content calendar optional: install starter files only when requested, and let existing repos surface their own calendar JSON without rewriting it. ## Resources - Installer: `scripts/install_docs_project_dashboard.py` - Dashboard contract: `references/dashboard-contract.md` - Repo-side generator asset: `assets/repo/scripts/docs/projects-dashboard.mjs` - Optional content calendar templates: `assets/repo/docs/content/content-calendar.{json,md}`