Claude Copilot User Journey

Claude Copilot User Journey

This guide walks through the complete journey from first discovering Claude Copilot to being productive with a full team of AI specialists.

Quick Start Decision Matrix

Overview

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  1. Clone          │  One-time: Get the framework               │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  2. Machine Setup  │  One-time: Build servers, install commands │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  3. Project Setup  │  Per-project: Configure and copy files     │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  4. Start Working  │  /protocol or /continue                    │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  5. Knowledge      │  Optional: Build shared company knowledge  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Phase 1: Discovery & Installation

You've discovered Claude Copilot and want to try it.

Step 1: Clone the Repository

mkdir -p ~/.claude
cd ~/.claude
git clone https://github.com/Everyone-Needs-A-Copilot/claude-copilot.git copilot

What you now have:

~/.claude/copilot/
├── mcp-servers/            ← Not built yet
│   ├── copilot-memory/     ← Persistence layer
│   └── skills-copilot/     ← Knowledge layer
├── .claude/
│   ├── agents/             ← 12 agent definitions (markdown)
│   └── commands/           ← Slash commands (markdown)
├── templates/              ← Project templates
├── SETUP.md                ← Setup instructions
└── README.md               ← Documentation

Phase 2: Machine Setup

This is done once per machine. It builds the MCP servers and installs global commands.

Step 2: Open Claude Code in the Copilot Directory

cd ~/.claude/copilot
claude

Step 3: Run Machine Setup

Since Claude Copilot isn't configured yet, you need to reference the setup file directly or use the /setup command (which only works in ~/.claude/copilot):

Read @~/.claude/copilot/SETUP.md and set up Claude Copilot on this machine

Or simply:

/setup

What happens:

1. Prerequisites check - Verifies Node.js 18+ and build tools
2. Build Memory Server - npm install && npm run build
3. Build Skills Server - npm install && npm run build
4. Create directories - ~/.claude/memory/ and ~/.claude/tasks/ for databases
5. Install global commands - Copies /setup-project, /update-project, /update-copilot, and /knowledge-copilot to ~/.claude/commands/
6. Check for knowledge - Detects existing knowledge repository

What you now have:

~/.claude/
├── copilot/
│   └── mcp-servers/
│       ├── copilot-memory/dist/   ← Built!
│       └── skills-copilot/dist/   ← Built!
├── commands/                       ← NEW
│   ├── setup-project.md            ← Works in any folder
│   ├── update-project.md           ← Works in any folder
│   ├── update-copilot.md           ← Works in any folder
│   └── knowledge-copilot.md        ← Works in any folder
├── memory/                         ← NEW - Memory database storage
└── tasks/                          ← NEW - Task database storage

You'll see:

Machine Setup Complete!

What's ready:
- Memory Server - Persists decisions, lessons, and progress
- Skills Server - Powers agents and knowledge search
- Task Management - Use `tc` CLI for PRDs, tasks, and work products
- 12 Specialized Agents - Expert guidance for any task
- Global Commands - /setup-project, /update-project, /update-copilot, and /knowledge-copilot work anywhere

Next: Set up a project
Open Claude Code in any project directory and run /setup-project

Phase 3: Project Setup

This is done for each project you want to use with Claude Copilot.

Step 4: Open Claude Code in Your Project

cd ~/my-project    # Can be empty or existing code
claude

Step 5: Run Project Setup

/setup-project

This works because /setup-project was installed globally in Phase 2.

What happens:

1. Detect setup type - Recognizes this is project setup (not machine)
2. Verify machine setup - Confirms MCP servers are built
3. Create directories - .claude/commands/, .claude/agents/, .claude/skills/
4. Copy files - All agents and commands
5. Create .mcp.json - MCP server configuration with correct paths
6. Detect knowledge - Checks for global knowledge repository
7. Ask about project - Description and tech stack
8. Create CLAUDE.md - Project instructions from template

What you now have:

~/my-project/
├── .mcp.json              ← MCP server configuration
├── CLAUDE.md              ← Project instructions for Claude
└── .claude/
    ├── commands/          ← /protocol, /continue, etc.
    ├── agents/            ← 12 specialist agents
    └── skills/            ← For project-specific skills

You'll see:

Project Setup Complete!

Created:
- .mcp.json - MCP server configuration
- CLAUDE.md - Project instructions
- .claude/commands/ - Protocol commands
- .claude/agents/ - 14 lean agents (under 120 lines each)
- .claude/skills/ - For project-specific skills

Next steps:
1. Restart Claude Code to load the MCP servers
2. Run /mcp to verify servers are connected
3. Run /protocol to start working

Phase 4: Start Working

Step 6: Restart Claude Code

claude

This loads the MCP servers configured in .mcp.json.

Step 7: Verify Setup

/mcp

You should see:

● copilot-memory
● skills-copilot

Step 8: Start Working

For new work:

/protocol

This activates the Agent-First Protocol:

• Every request is classified (bug fix, feature, architecture, etc.)
• Routed to the appropriate specialist agent
• Agent investigates before responding
• You approve before execution

To resume previous work:

/continue

This loads from Memory Copilot:

• Current initiative and status
• What you've completed
• Decisions made and why
• Exactly where to pick up

Phase 5: Knowledge Setup (Optional)

Shared knowledge lets you document company information once and access it in every project.

Step 9: Create Knowledge Repository

/knowledge-copilot

You'll be asked:

1. Mode - Create new or link existing?
2. Location - Where to create (recommend ~/company-knowledge)
3. Company name - Used for folder and manifest

What happens:

1. Creates Git repository at chosen location
2. Creates directory structure:

   ~/company-knowledge/
   ├── knowledge-manifest.json
   ├── 01-company/
   ├── 02-voice/
   ├── 03-products/
   ├── 04-standards/
   └── README.md
   

3. Creates symlink: ~/.claude/knowledge → ~/company-knowledge

Step 10: Guided Discovery

Knowledge Copilot guides you through documenting:

Step 11: Push to GitHub

/knowledge-copilot

Choose to push to GitHub for team sharing:

1. Create private repo on GitHub
2. Add remote and push
3. Team members can clone and link

Phase 6: Team Member Onboarding

When a new team member joins:

Their Setup

# 1. Clone Claude Copilot
mkdir -p ~/.claude && cd ~/.claude
git clone https://github.com/Everyone-Needs-A-Copilot/claude-copilot.git copilot

# 2. Machine setup
cd ~/.claude/copilot && claude
> Read @~/.claude/copilot/SETUP.md and set up Claude Copilot on this machine

# 3. Clone team knowledge
git clone git@github.com:your-org/company-knowledge.git ~/company-knowledge

# 4. Link knowledge
claude
> /knowledge-copilot
> Choose "Link existing repository"
> Enter: ~/company-knowledge

# 5. Set up project
cd ~/work-project && claude
> /setup-project

Result: Team member has identical setup—same agents, same knowledge, same experience.

Visual Summary

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     FIRST TIME USER                              │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  1. git clone ... ~/.claude/copilot                             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  2. cd ~/.claude/copilot && claude                              │
│     "Read @~/.claude/copilot/SETUP.md and set up..." OR /setup │
│                                                                  │
│     ✓ Builds MCP servers                                        │
│     ✓ Installs /setup-project and other global commands        │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  3. cd ~/any-project && claude                                  │
│     /setup-project                                               │
│                                                                  │
│     ✓ Creates .mcp.json                                         │
│     ✓ Copies agents & commands                                  │
│     ✓ Creates CLAUDE.md                                         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  4. Restart claude                                              │
│     /protocol  ← Start working!                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼ (optional)
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  5. /knowledge-copilot                                          │
│                                                                  │
│     ✓ Creates ~/company-knowledge/                              │
│     ✓ Guides discovery                                          │
│     ✓ Helps push to GitHub                                      │
│     ✓ Links to ~/.claude/knowledge                              │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

What's Installed Where

Troubleshooting

/setup-project not found in empty folder

Machine setup hasn't been run. Go to ~/.claude/copilot and run:

Read @~/.claude/copilot/SETUP.md and set up Claude Copilot on this machine

Or simply:

/setup

Note: /setup only works when run from ~/.claude/copilot. For projects, use /setup-project.

MCP servers not connecting

1. Check .mcp.json uses absolute paths (not ~)
2. Verify all servers are built: ls ~/.claude/copilot/mcp-servers/*/dist/index.js
   • Should show: copilot-memory, skills-copilot
3. Restart Claude Code

Knowledge not found

1. Check symlink exists: ls -la ~/.claude/knowledge
2. Verify manifest: cat ~/.claude/knowledge/knowledge-manifest.json
3. Re-run /knowledge-copilot to link

Next Steps

• Meet Your Team - Learn about all 12 specialist agents
• Configuration Guide - Detailed setup options
• Customization - Extend and personalize
• Philosophy - Why we built it this way