Dev Environment Wizard

Development Environment Wizard

Interactive wizard that discovers requirements and orchestrates other skills to create a perfectly tailored development environment.

When to Trigger

This skill should ALWAYS be the first one triggered when users request:

• "Set up a development environment"
• "Create dev environment for my project"
• "I need a local development setup"
• "Help me initialize my development workflow"
• Any variation of setting up/creating/initializing a dev environment

Discovery Process

Step 1: Project Understanding

Ask these questions to understand the project:

Required Questions:

1. What's your tech stack?

   • Frontend framework? (React, Vue, Angular, Svelte, Next.js, None)
   • Backend framework? (Node/Express, FastAPI, Django, Rails, Go, Java Spring, .NET, None)
   • Database? (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, SQLite, None)
   • Cache/Queue? (Redis, Memcached, RabbitMQ, None)

2. What services do you need running?

   • List all services (API, Frontend, Database, Cache, etc.)
   • Any additional services? (Elasticsearch, S3-compatible storage, etc.)

3. Do you already have a project, or are we starting fresh?

   • Existing project → Adapt to existing structure
   • New project → Generate full structure

Optional Questions (ask based on needs): 4. Do you need HTTPS for local development?

• OAuth/payment testing?
• Service worker testing?
• Subdomain testing?

5. Do you want realistic test data?

   • User profiles, posts, comments, etc.?
   • How much data? (dozens, hundreds, thousands)

6. Code quality automation?

   • Pre-commit linting?
   • Pre-push testing?
   • Commit message standards?

7. Multiple environments?

   • Dev/test/staging profiles?
   • Different configurations per environment?

Step 2: Technology Detection

Based on answers, determine:

• Container orchestration: Docker Compose (default) or Kubernetes
• Language-specific needs: Node.js versions, Python versions, etc.
• Port defaults: Standard ports or custom
• Volume mounts: What needs hot reload

Step 3: Skill Coordination

Based on discovery, coordinate these skills:

interface EnvironmentPlan {
  core: {
    useSkill: 'zero-to-running',
    config: {
      services: string[],
      ports: Record<string, number>,
      orchestration: 'docker-compose' | 'kubernetes',
      healthChecks: boolean,
    }
  },
  optional: {
    ssl?: {
      useSkill: 'local-ssl',
      domains: string[],
    },
    seeding?: {
      useSkill: 'database-seeding',
      models: string[],
      recordCounts: Record<string, number>,
    },
    hooks?: {
      useSkill: 'git-hooks',
      preCommit: string[],
      prePush: string[],
    },
    environments?: {
      useSkill: 'env-manager',
      profiles: string[],
    }
  }
}

Orchestration Logic

1. Generate Core Environment (Always)

Use zero-to-running skill to generate:

• docker-compose.yml with specified services
• Makefile with all commands
• .env.example with discovered variables
• Health check scripts
• Startup/teardown scripts
• DEVELOPER_SETUP.md

Customize based on:

• Detected languages (adjust Dockerfiles)
• Specified services (only include what's needed)
• Port preferences (use custom ports if specified)

2. Add Optional Features (If Requested)

If SSL needed:

• Use local-ssl skill
• Generate certificates for specified domains
• Update docker-compose.yml with cert mounts
• Update nginx config with HTTPS

If test data needed:

• Use database-seeding skill
• Generate seed factories for specified models
• Customize record counts
• Add seed scripts to package.json

If code quality needed:

• Use git-hooks skill
• Set up Husky + lint-staged
• Configure ESLint/Prettier for language
• Add pre-commit/pre-push hooks

If multiple environments needed:

• Use env-manager skill
• Generate .env.{dev,test,staging} files
• Create environment switcher script
• Add validation scripts

3. Integration & Testing

After generating all files:

1. Validate configuration consistency
2. Check for port conflicts
3. Ensure all scripts are executable
4. Generate integration documentation
5. Provide testing instructions

Example Workflows

Example 1: Simple React + Node App

User: "Set up a dev environment for my React and Node.js app"

Wizard Questions:

Q: What database do you need?
A: PostgreSQL

Q: Do you need a cache like Redis?
A: Yes

Q: Do you need HTTPS for local dev?
A: No

Q: Want realistic test data?
A: Yes, a few hundred users and posts

Q: Set up Git hooks for code quality?
A: Yes

Generated Files (using 4 skills):

• ✅ zero-to-running: docker-compose.yml, Makefile, scripts/
• ✅ database-seeding: seed-factory.ts, seed.ts
• ✅ git-hooks: .husky/, configs
• ❌ local-ssl: Not needed
• ❌ env-manager: Single environment sufficient

Example 2: Full-Stack with Everything

User: "Create a production-like dev environment with all features"

Wizard: (Asks all questions)

Generated Files (using all 5 skills):

• ✅ zero-to-running: Full setup
• ✅ database-seeding: Complex seeds
• ✅ git-hooks: Strict quality checks
• ✅ local-ssl: HTTPS with trusted certs
• ✅ env-manager: Dev/test/staging profiles

Example 3: Minimal Python API

User: "Simple FastAPI dev setup"

Wizard Questions (minimal):

Q: Database?
A: SQLite

Q: Any other services?
A: No

Generated Files (minimal zero-to-running):

• docker-compose.yml (just API service)
• Makefile (simplified)
• Basic scripts

Decision Tree

User requests dev environment
    ↓
Wizard skill triggers FIRST
    ↓
Ask discovery questions
    ↓
Determine tech stack
    ↓
Plan skill usage
    ↓
Generate with zero-to-running (ALWAYS)
    ↓
Add optional features (IF REQUESTED):
    - database-seeding
    - git-hooks
    - local-ssl
    - env-manager
    ↓
Validate & integrate
    ↓
Provide files + instructions

Communication Style

Good Approach:

I'll help you set up your development environment! Let me ask a few 
questions to customize it for you:

1️⃣ Tech Stack:
   • Frontend framework? (React/Vue/Angular/other)
   • Backend framework? (Node/Python/Go/other)
   • Database? (PostgreSQL/MySQL/MongoDB/other)

2️⃣ Optional Features:
   • Need HTTPS locally? (y/n)
   • Want test data generation? (y/n)
   • Set up Git hooks? (y/n)
   • Multiple environments? (y/n)

I'll generate a customized setup based on your answers!

Bad Approach:

Here's a generic docker-compose file. You'll need to modify it for your stack...

Output Format

After discovery, provide:

1. Summary of what will be generated:

📋 Environment Plan:
✅ Core: React + Node.js + PostgreSQL + Redis
✅ Optional: HTTPS, Test Data, Git Hooks
📦 Using skills: zero-to-running, database-seeding, git-hooks, local-ssl

Generating your custom environment...

2. Generated files with explanations

3. Setup instructions:

🚀 Quick Start:
1. Copy these files to your project
2. Run: make dev
3. Access: http://localhost:3000

📚 Full documentation in DEVELOPER_SETUP.md

4. Next steps:

✨ You can now:
• make dev          - Start everything
• make db-seed      - Generate test data
• make ssl-setup    - Enable HTTPS
• make test         - Run tests

Need help? Check the troubleshooting section!

Integration with Other Skills

This skill should:

1. Never work alone - Always use zero-to-running at minimum
2. Coordinate, don't duplicate - Reference other skills, don't reimplement
3. Customize, don't boilerplate - Adapt templates to actual needs
4. Validate combinations - Ensure skills work together
5. Document integration - Explain how pieces fit

Best Practices

1. Ask before assuming - Don't guess the tech stack
2. Start minimal - Only add complexity if needed
3. Explain choices - Tell users why you're suggesting features
4. Provide examples - Show what each feature does
5. Test mentally - Ensure generated config will work
6. Document everything - No mystery files

Error Prevention

Before generating:

• ✅ Validate port availability
• ✅ Check service compatibility
• ✅ Ensure scripts are platform-compatible
• ✅ Verify all referenced skills are available
• ✅ Test configuration consistency

Special Cases

Existing Project

If user has existing files:

• Ask to see current structure
• Adapt rather than replace
• Highlight what will change
• Offer backup suggestions

Monorepo

If multiple services in one repo:

• Ask about service structure
• Generate per-service configs
• Create root orchestration
• Document monorepo patterns

Non-Standard Stack

If technologies aren't in standard list:

• Ask for details
• Research best practices
• Generate custom Dockerfiles
• Document special setup

Success Criteria

A successful wizard session should:

• ✅ Understand exact requirements
• ✅ Generate working configuration
• ✅ Include only requested features
• ✅ Provide clear setup instructions
• ✅ Enable make dev to work immediately
• ✅ Result in <10 minute setup time

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

❌ Generating everything by default (bloat) ❌ Assuming tech stack (ask!) ❌ Copy-pasting without customizing ❌ Missing integration points ❌ No validation of generated config ❌ Unclear documentation

Example Session

User: "Set up a dev environment for my app"

Wizard: "I'll create a customized development environment for you! 
Let me ask a few quick questions:

1. What's your tech stack?
   • Frontend: ?
   • Backend: ?
   • Database: ?

2. Which optional features do you want?
   • HTTPS for local development? (y/n)
   • Realistic test data generation? (y/n)
   • Automated code quality checks? (y/n)
   • Multiple environment profiles? (y/n)

Answer these and I'll generate everything!"

User: "Frontend is React, backend is Node/Express, database is 
PostgreSQL. Yes to all optional features."

Wizard: "Perfect! Generating your environment...

📋 Plan:
• Core: React + Node.js/Express + PostgreSQL + Redis
• HTTPS: mkcert with trusted certificates
• Test Data: Faker-based seed generation
• Code Quality: Git hooks with ESLint/Prettier
• Environments: Dev, Test, Staging profiles

Using 5 skills: zero-to-running, database-seeding, git-hooks, 
local-ssl, env-manager

[Generates all files...]

✅ Done! Your environment is ready.

🚀 Quick Start:
1. Copy generated files to your project root
2. Run: make dev
3. Access: https://localhost:3000

📚 See DEVELOPER_SETUP.md for full documentation

Need any adjustments?"