Bootstrap

Skill Provenance: Bootstrap

Add provenance tracking to an existing unversioned skill bundle. This is a one-time operation that creates the initial manifest, version headers, and changelog.

When to use

Run /skill-provenance:bootstrap when you have a skill directory that contains a SKILL.md but lacks MANIFEST.yaml. This is the entry point for adopting Skill Provenance on an existing project.

If the bundle already has a MANIFEST.yaml, use /skill-provenance:open instead.

Protocol

1. Inventory all files. Read the directory structure yourself — do not ask the user to list files. Identify:

   • SKILL.md (required — if missing, this isn't a skill bundle)
   • Evals files (e.g., evals.json)
   • Scripts (e.g., generate.js, validate.sh)
   • Output artifacts (.docx, .pdf)
   • Source material provided by the user
   • Any other files present

2. Propose version numbers. Ask the user what version to assign. If there's a handoff note, git history, or other context suggesting prior versions, propose a number based on that history. Default to 1.0.0 for the bundle and 1 for individual files if no history exists.

3. Add internal version headers to files that can safely carry YAML frontmatter. Use the metadata block pattern for SKILL.md:

   ---
   name: skill-name
   description: What the skill does.
   metadata:
     skill_bundle: skill-name
     file_role: skill
     version: 1
     version_date: 2026-04-11
     previous_version: null
     change_summary: Initial versioned release.
   ---
   

   For files that cannot safely carry frontmatter (.json, .sh, binaries), the manifest tracks their version — no modification needed.

4. Determine frontmatter mode. Maintain the canonical source in frontmatter_mode: metadata when richer provenance is useful. For Codex, Gemini CLI, or another strict loader, derive a minimal-frontmatter install copy rather than weakening the canonical source in place. If the user explicitly wants one strict-only bundle, minimal is valid.

5. Generate MANIFEST.yaml. Include:

   • bundle, bundle_version, bundle_date, description
   • compatibility section based on user's target platforms
   • Exactly one top-level files: list using unquoted normalized relative paths and a sha256: hash or explicit hash: null for every entry
   • Leave deployments empty unless the user mentions existing installs.

6. Generate CHANGELOG.md. Create a single entry summarizing known history. If the user has context about prior changes, incorporate it. Otherwise:

   # Changelog
   
   ## 1.0.0 — 2026-04-11
   - Initial versioned release. All files inventoried and hashed.
   - SKILL.md: [brief description of current state]
   - evals.json: [N evals covering X]
   

7. Deliver the versioned bundle. Provide all new and modified files. Summarize what was created and any decisions for the user to confirm.

File roles

Assign these roles in the manifest based on file type:

Conventions referenced

• Version identity lives inside files when their format allows it, and always in the manifest.
• MANIFEST.yaml is not self-listed. It tracks other files only.
• Per-file versions are integers. Bundle version is semver.
• Hashes are SHA-256 of file contents.
• Filenames never contain version numbers. Version lives in metadata and the manifest, not in SKILL_v5.md.

For the full spec: https://skillprovenance.dev