# Clone Project

> Clone an ontology repository into the workspace's projects directory for local contribution. Use whenever the user wants to clone an ontology repo, set up a project locally, or get a copy to work on—e.g. "clone this ontology", "set up this repo locally", "get a copy of this project to work on". All subsequent work (edits, branch, PR) is done from the cloned project directory.

- Skill: `minitour/clone-project` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add minitour/clone-project`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/minitour/clone-project/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: Minitour (https://skillmd.com/u/minitour)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/minitour/clone-project

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# Clone Project Skill

Use this skill when the user wants to **clone an ontology repository** so they can work on it in this workspace. Clones go into a single, predictable location: **`projects/<slug>/`** at the root of the Ontology Builder repo. All later steps (implement, branch, commit, PR) are performed **from that project directory**—the agent (or user) changes directory into the clone and runs everything there.

## When to Use

- User says **"clone this ontology"**, **"set up this repo locally"**, **"get a copy of this project to work on"**, or provides a repo URL to clone.
- As the second step in the external-contribution workflow (after **analyze-project**, or in parallel): clone into `projects/`, then the user or agent will cd into the clone for implement and PR.

Use this skill so clones land in one place and paths stay consistent; do not clone into arbitrary directories.

## Workflow

1. **Resolve repo URL**: From the user's message or a prior analyze step, get the clone URL (e.g. `https://github.com/owner/repo` or `git@github.com:owner/repo.git`) and derive a **stable slug** (e.g. `owner-repo`) so the same repo always lands in the same path.
2. **Ensure `projects/` exists**: At the root of the Ontology Builder repo, create the directory `projects/` if it does not exist. The `projects/` directory is gitignored.
3. **Clone**: Run `git clone <url> projects/<slug>`. Use the slug consistently (e.g. from GitHub: `owner-repo`). If `projects/<slug>` already exists, do not overwrite—report that the project is already cloned and where it is; offer to pull latest or to use the existing clone.
4. **Note the QC setup**: Inspect the clone's CI configuration (e.g. `.github/workflows/*.yml`) so you know what checks the target repository runs on pull requests. QC for external contributions is run by the **target repository's own CI**, not locally—do not attempt to build or run the repo's ODK/ROBOT pipeline in this workspace.
5. **Tell the user**: Confirm the clone path (`projects/<slug>/`). Ontology edits are made with the ontology-editor tools; consistency/CQ checks use the owl-mcp `check_consistency` and `sparql_query` tools. Git operations (branch, commit, PR) are done from the clone directory (cd into it).

## Slug Convention

- Prefer a slug that is stable and readable: e.g. from `https://github.com/org/ontology-name` use `ontology-name`. Avoid spaces and characters that are problematic in paths.
- The same repo URL should always map to the same slug so repeated clones or "open this project" workflows find the same folder.

## Working on the Clone

After cloning:

- **Ontology-editor**: Use absolute paths to OWL files in the clone (e.g. `C:\...\ontology-builder\projects\owner-repo\ontology\edit.owl`) for all axiom, prefix, and metadata changes.
- **Consistency and CQ checks**: Use owl-mcp `check_consistency` and `sparql_query` (absolute paths) for local validation. Full repository QC is left to the target repo's CI on the PR.
- **Git operations** (branch, commit, push, PR): Perform these from the clone root (cd into `projects/<slug>/`). The **create-pull-request** skill assumes the agent is in that directory for Git commands.

## Prerequisites

- Git installed; network access to the clone URL.

## Output

- Report the clone path: `projects/<slug>/`.
- If build/QC was run, report pass/fail.
- Remind that subsequent steps (implement, branch, PR) are done from that directory.