Maker:kickoff

kickoff — Initialize Project

Creates the project context and .maker/project_state.md. Quick — gets just enough context to start. Deeper product thinking happens in maker:discover. Technical decisions happen in maker:architect.

Before running this command, read ../../references/shared-protocols.md for shared protocols.

When to Run

• First interaction with a new project (no .maker/project_state.md exists).
• User explicitly says maker:kickoff.
• User wants to reset and start fresh (confirm before overwriting existing state).

⚠️ CRITICAL BOUNDARY WARNING

DO NOT merge maker:discover or maker:architect questions into maker:kickoff. Even if the user provides a detailed project description upfront (e.g., target users, features, tech stack), you MUST ONLY ask the 3 kickoff questions (Name, Style, Constraints) and then terminate the kickoff phase. Do NOT ask about target users, core jobs, or tech stack preferences during kickoff.

Workflow

Step 1: Project Name

Ask: "What's the project called? (working name is fine)"

Wait for response.

Step 2: Working Preferences

Use the AskUserQuestion tool to ask: "How do you like to work with me?" with these single-select options:

• Thorough — I ask lots of questions, discover deeply before acting.
• Balanced — Some questions, then I move. Check in at key points.
• Fast — Minimal questions. I make reasonable defaults and go. You course-correct.

Wait for response.

Step 3: Anything Else

Ask: "Anything else I should know upfront? Hard constraints, deadlines, things to avoid?"

Wait for response. If nothing, proceed.

Output

Create .maker/project_state.md in the project root with the Profile section populated. Initialize all other sections as empty with their headers.

Write AGENTS.md to the project root as follows:

• If AGENTS.md does not exist: create it with the full template below.
• If AGENTS.md already exists: update only the ## Where Context Lives table and the ## Staying Current section in place. Preserve all other sections and content exactly as-is. If those sections are not present, append them.

# Project Context Map

This file orients agents working in this project. Read it before exploring, building, reviewing, or debugging.

## Where Context Lives

| What you need | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Project state, decisions, session log | `.maker/project_state.md` |
| Product context, business rationale | `handbook/product/` |
| Architecture decisions, folder model | `handbook/architecture/` |
| Engineering conventions, API design | `handbook/engineering/` |
| Design system, styling decisions | `handbook/design/` |
| Workflow context loading | `handbook/workflows/context-loading.md` |
| Code structure, conventions, how to work with this codebase | `LLM.md` (generated by build — may not exist yet) |
| Upstream business/product brief | `.shaper/` (if Shaper was used) |
| Debug lessons and patterns to avoid | `.maker/lessons.md` |

## Staying Current

If any maker command ran earlier in this session, re-read `.maker/project_state.md` and relevant handbook sections before proceeding — state and decisions may have changed.

Present a summary:

## Project Initialized

- **Name**: [name]
- **Type**: [type, or "TBD — we'll figure this out during exploration"]
- **Working style**: [thorough / balanced / fast]

### Suggested Next Step

→ `/maker:discover` — Let's flesh out what problem you're solving and who it's for.
→ `/maker:design` — If you already know the problem, design the solution shape.
→ `/maker:help` — See all available commands.

Note: Stack is NOT set during kickoff. It's a technical decision that belongs in maker:architect, where it benefits from product context. Don't ask about frameworks, CSS strategies, or tooling here.

State Update

• Create .maker/project_state.md with Profile populated (name, type, working preferences, constraints).
• Profile > Stack is left blank — populated by maker:architect.
• Initialize empty sections: Product Context, Architecture, Decision Log, Implementation Status, Deferred Decisions, Iteration History, Session Log.
• Write AGENTS.md to the project root: create if absent, otherwise merge — update only the ## Where Context Lives and ## Staying Current sections, leave all other content untouched.
• Add to Session Log: date, "kickoff", key outcomes.

Interaction Calibration

After kickoff, calibrate all future interactions to the working preference:

• Thorough: Full one-question-at-a-time flow in discover. Detailed confirmations.
• Balanced: Grouped questions (2-3 at a time) in discover. Confirm before code only.
• Fast: Minimal questions. Make defaults, present plan, ask "proceed?" once.

This calibration affects maker:discover, maker:architect, and maker:build. It does NOT reduce the quality of decisions or the rigor of the output — only the interaction density.