Ctrl K

Quick Ref / Command

Engineer Kit

/ak:bootstrap

New project from idea to running code

Bootstraps new projects with an opening brainstorm contract, Git setup, optional research, stack and design decisions, planning, delegated implementation, tests, review, docs, onboarding, and final report.

Capture contract

Select mode

Initialize Git

Research and decide

Rule 01

Bootstrap owns end-to-end orchestration, not direct implementation.

Rule 02

The opening brainstorm contract is mandatory in every mode, including --fast, --parallel, and explicit --auto.

Rule 03

Full requested scope is the default; --yagni is the only opt-in to challenge and cut unnecessary scope.

Rule 04

Mode flags change gates and depth, not the obligation to produce running, verified code.

Execution Map

Core lanes from input to output, aligned with the command's real execution path.

Start

Input, scope, route

1 Capture contract Before Git, research, design, planning, or scaffolding, capture outcome, constraints, non-goals, and observable acceptance criteria.
2 Select mode Default to --full unless --auto, --fast, --parallel, --ultra, --yagni, or --skip-journal changes execution and gates.

Work

Agent / skill execution

3 Initialize Git Check if Git exists; --full asks before init, while auto/fast/parallel modes can auto-init via git-manager on main.
4 Research and decide Run the mode reference for research, tech-stack, design, and planning depth; --fast uses a lean pre-planning path while /ak:plan --fast skips redundant research, and --parallel prepares multi-agent ownership.

Verify

Gate, review, validation

5 Invoke plan Pass the brainstorm contract to /ak:plan with --hard, --auto, --fast, --parallel, or --ultra according to mode rules.
6 Invoke cook Pass the produced plan path to /ak:cook, using --auto or --parallel only when the bootstrap mode authorizes those execution gates.

Report, handoff, artifact

7 Shared phases Implementation through final report includes testing, review, docs, onboarding, concise reporting, and unresolved questions last.
8 Journal decision Run /ak:journal on completion unless --skip-journal or resolved preferences explicitly disable the automatic journal step.

Syntax, arguments, subcommands

How to invoke the skill: syntax, positional arguments, shared options, then each subcommand with its own syntax and outcome.

Syntax

/ak:bootstrap [requirements] [--full|--auto|--fast|--parallel] [--ultra] [--yagni] [--skip-journal]

Arguments

[requirements] Required

Project requirements

Natural-language product outcome, constraints, non-goals, and acceptance criteria. The Skill asks for missing decisions before setup work starts.

/ak:bootstrap "Create a private incident-response dashboard with SSO, an audit log, and no billing in v1" --full

Shared options

--full

Full interactive

Default mode. Runs requirements refinement, research, stack choice, optional design, detailed planning, and interactive implementation with pauses for major decisions.

--auto

Automatic

Explicit opt-in for automatic research, stack selection, planning, and implementation after the opening contract. Does not grant unrelated authority such as commits, publication, or deployment.

--fast

Fast

Uses a lean research and design path before /ak:plan --fast, then keeps normal cook review gates. Does not reduce implementation verification.

--parallel

Parallel

Creates a dependency graph and exclusive file ownership for independent implementation streams, then runs parallel cook. Does not make overlapping edits safe.

--ultra

Ultra planning

Replaces the planning phase with /ak:plan --ultra. Cannot combine with --parallel, and bootstrap itself does not fan out.

--yagni

Cut unneeded scope

Challenge and cut requested work that is not needed for the stated outcome. Without this flag, bootstrap builds the full requested scope.

--skip-journal

Skip journal

Skip only the automatic /ak:journal step at completion. Explicit journal commands still work.

Composable flags

How options work together on one invocation. This does not replace the option cards above.

--ultra changes only the planning phase to /ak:plan --ultra and cannot combine with --parallel.

--yagni passes through to plan and cook.

--skip-journal only affects the final journal step.

Modes / Routes

--full

Full interactive

Research:: Ultrathink
Review:: User gate at every major phase
Validate:: Plan --hard; cook interactive

--auto

Explicit autonomous

Research:: Ultrathink
Review:: Design gate only
Validate:: Plan --auto; cook --auto

--fast

Quick bootstrap

Research:: Think hard; lean research path
Review:: Cook review gates remain
Validate:: Plan --fast; cook interactive

--parallel

Multi-agent

Research:: Ultrathink parallel
Review:: Design gate, then parallel cook review gates
Validate:: Plan --parallel; cook --parallel

Sample Prompt

Concrete invocations for each flag, subcommand, mode, or route available in the live workflow.

Fast SaaS scaffold Recommended

/ak:bootstrap "Build a SaaS dashboard with auth" --fast

Use when:: Use when a new project needs quick setup but still must pass opening contract and cook gates.
Expected:: Captures the contract, runs the fast research/design path, calls /ak:plan --fast to skip redundant research, then cooks interactively with review gates.

Parallel build

/ak:bootstrap "E-commerce platform with Stripe" --parallel

Use when:: Use when the project is large enough for planned file ownership and multi-agent execution.
Expected:: Keeps the opening contract and design approval, produces a parallel plan with dependency graph and file ownership, then runs /ak:cook --parallel with review gates.

Autonomous bootstrap

/ak:bootstrap "Internal analytics portal" --auto --yagni

Use when:: Use when the user explicitly opts into autonomous execution and scope challenge.
Expected:: Runs research, stack, and design selection automatically until the design approval gate, then passes --auto and --yagni to plan and cook for autonomous implementation.