Validate Chalk

Audit the .chalk/ directory to verify that chalk.json and PROFILE docs are complete, correct, and sufficient for skills to operate. Reports gaps and optionally fixes them.

When to Use

• Before running skills that depend on project context (capture-pr-visuals, create-pr, etc.)
• After initial setup to verify completeness
• Periodically to detect stale docs
• In CI to enforce chalk quality

Workflow

Step 1: Check chalk.json exists and is valid

1. Read .chalk/chalk.json
2. Validate required fields:
   • version — must be "1.0"
   • project.name — must exist and be non-empty
3. Check recommended fields and report if missing:
   • project.description, project.language, project.framework, project.type
   • dev.command, dev.port, dev.url
   • test.command
   • build.command
   • routes — at least one route
   • sourceLayout.root
4. Validate field values make sense:
   • dev.port is a valid port number (1-65535)
   • dev.url starts with http
   • routes[].path and routes[].name are non-empty
   • sourceLayout paths exist on disk

Step 2: Check PROFILE docs exist

Verify these files exist:

• .chalk/docs/product/PROFILE.md
• .chalk/docs/engineering/PROFILE.md
• .chalk/docs/engineering/coding-style.md
• .chalk/docs/ai/PROFILE.md
• .chalk/docs/design/PROFILE.md

For each file:

• Check it exists
• Check it has more than 20 lines of content (not just stubs)
• Check it doesn't contain <!-- STUB --> markers
• Check it has a Last updated: line

Step 3: Check for v1 legacy structure

Detect old numbered files that should have been migrated:

• 0_PRODUCT_PROFILE.md, 0_ENGINEERING_PROFILE.md, 1_architecture.md, 3_techstack.md, etc.
• If found, warn that migration is needed and suggest running /setup-chalk with migration

Step 4: Cross-validate chalk.json against docs

• If chalk.json lists routes, check that engineering/PROFILE.md mentions them
• If chalk.json lists a framework, check that engineering/PROFILE.md documents it
• If chalk.json has sourceLayout, verify the directories actually exist on disk

Step 5: Report

Print a summary:

Chalk Validation Report
=======================

chalk.json:
  ✓ version: 1.0
  ✓ project.name: my-app
  ✓ project.framework: next
  ✗ routes: missing (run /setup-docs to detect)
  ✗ test.command: missing

Docs:
  ✓ product/PROFILE.md (142 lines, updated 2026-03-10)
  ✓ engineering/PROFILE.md (298 lines, updated 2026-03-10)
  ✗ engineering/coding-style.md: MISSING
  ✓ ai/PROFILE.md (87 lines, updated 2026-03-10)
  ⚠ design/PROFILE.md: contains STUB markers

Legacy:
  ⚠ Found 0_ENGINEERING_PROFILE.md — migration needed

Score: 7/11 checks passed

Step 6: Auto-fix (if fix argument provided)

If the user passed fix as an argument:

• Run /setup-docs to populate missing PROFILE docs
• Run route detection to fill chalk.json routes
• Run source layout detection to fill chalk.json sourceLayout
• Migrate v1 files if found (with user confirmation)

Rules

• Never modify files without the fix argument — report-only by default
• Don't fail on missing optional fields — just warn
• Required fields that cause failure: chalk.json must exist, version and project.name must be present
• Be specific about what's missing and how to fix it