home / skills / mattgierhart / prd-driven-context-engineering / prd-v06-environment-setup
This skill documents per-project development, CI/CD, and production environment requirements to ensure consistent setups and fast onboarding.
npx playbooks add skill mattgierhart/prd-driven-context-engineering --skill prd-v06-environment-setupReview the files below or copy the command above to add this skill to your agents.
---
name: prd-v06-environment-setup
description: Document development environment requirements for team consistency and AI agent understanding during PRD v0.6 Architecture. Triggers on requests to define environment setup, document tooling, create dev setup guide, or when user asks "what tools do I need?", "environment setup", "dev environment", "CLI requirements", "project setup", "onboarding setup". Consumes TECH- (stack selections), ARC- (architecture decisions). Outputs ENV- entries for development, CI/CD, and infrastructure environments. Feeds v0.7 Build Execution.
---
# Environment Setup
Position in workflow: v0.6 Architecture Design / Technical Specification → **v0.6 Environment Setup** → v0.7 Build Execution
Environment setup documents the **tools, packages, and configurations** developers need to work on the project. This eliminates environment drift and speeds up onboarding.
## Environment Types
| Type | What It Defines | When Required |
|------|-----------------|---------------|
| **ENV-001** | Development environment (local setup) | Always |
| **ENV-002** | CI/CD pipeline configuration | When using automated testing/deployment |
| **ENV-003** | Production infrastructure | When deploying to production |
**Rule**: ENV-001 (Development Environment) is required for every project. ENV-002 and ENV-003 are optional based on project needs.
## Design Principles
### 1. Prefer CLIs Over MCPs
**Rule**: Use CLIs for operations, MCPs only when CLIs are insufficient.
| Factor | CLI | MCP |
|--------|-----|-----|
| Works in CI/CD | Yes | No |
| Works locally | Yes | Yes (limited contexts) |
| Structured output | JSON, exit codes | Varies |
| Debugging | Standard tools | Harder |
**Decision**: Default to CLI. Only document MCPs for operations where CLIs don't exist.
### 2. Per-Project Over Global
**Rule**: Language-specific packages installed per-project, not globally.
**Global (OK):**
- Version managers (mise, asdf, nvm)
- System tools (jq, ripgrep)
- Platform CLIs (gh, aws-cli)
**Per-Project (Required):**
- Linters/formatters (eslint, prettier)
- Type checkers (typescript)
- Testing frameworks (jest, pytest)
### 3. Structured Over Prose
**Rule**: ENV- specs use structured data (tables, code blocks), not narrative.
**Why**:
- AI agents can parse and execute
- Humans can scan quickly
- Diff-friendly in version control
### 4. Verification Required
**Rule**: Every ENV- spec includes verification commands.
**Why**:
- Confirms setup succeeded
- Debugging aid
- Onboarding confidence
## Setup Process
1. **Pull TECH- decisions** — What technologies are we using?
2. **Pull ARC- decisions** — What architecture patterns apply?
3. **Inventory tooling needs** — What do developers need installed?
4. **Categorize by scope** — Global vs per-project
5. **Define configuration files** — What configs are needed?
6. **Create verification steps** — How to confirm setup works?
7. **Document in ENV- entries** — Record in SoT.TECHNICAL_DECISIONS.md
## ENV-001 Output Template (Development Environment)
```
ENV-001: Development Environment
Category: Development Setup
Status: Approved | Date: YYYY-MM-DD
Owner: {Team/Person}
Purpose:
Document local development requirements for team consistency.
CLIs (Global):
- {tool}: {purpose} — {install command}
Packages (Per-Project):
- {package}: {purpose}
Configuration Files:
| File | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| {file} | {purpose} |
Scripts:
{
"validate": "{quality check command}",
"fix": "{auto-fix command}",
"test": "{test command}"
}
Verification:
# 1. Check tools
{tool} --version
# 2. Check packages
{package manager list command}
# 3. Run validation
npm run validate
Related IDs: TECH-XXX, ARC-XXX
```
## ENV-002 Output Template (CI/CD Pipeline)
```
ENV-002: CI/CD Pipeline
Category: Automation
Status: Approved | Date: YYYY-MM-DD
Purpose:
Document automated testing and deployment configuration.
Workflow Files:
- {path}: {purpose}
Required Secrets:
| Secret | Purpose | Where to Set |
|--------|---------|--------------|
| {name} | {purpose} | {location} |
Pipeline Stages:
1. {Stage}: {What happens}
2. {Stage}: {What happens}
Related IDs: ENV-001, DEP-XXX
```
## ENV-003 Output Template (Production Infrastructure)
```
ENV-003: Production Infrastructure
Category: Infrastructure
Status: Approved | Date: YYYY-MM-DD
Purpose:
Document production hosting and services configuration.
Hosting Platform:
{Platform and configuration details}
Environment Variables:
| Variable | Purpose | Required |
|----------|---------|----------|
| {name} | {purpose} | {yes/no} |
Services:
| Service | Purpose | Connection |
|---------|---------|------------|
| {service} | {purpose} | {how connected} |
Related IDs: DEP-XXX, MON-XXX
```
## Common Tool Categories
### Version/Environment Managers
- `mise`, `asdf`, `nvm`, `pyenv`, `rbenv`
- **Purpose**: Manage language versions per-project
### Code Quality
- **JavaScript/TypeScript**: `eslint`, `prettier`, `biome`
- **Python**: `ruff`, `black`, `pylint`
- **Go**: `golangci-lint`
### Type Checking
- **JavaScript/TypeScript**: `typescript`
- **Python**: `mypy`, `pyright`
### Data Processing
- `jq` (JSON), `yq` (YAML)
### API Testing
- `httpie`, `curl`, `bruno-cli`
### Git Workflows
- `gh` (GitHub CLI), `glab` (GitLab CLI)
## Anti-Patterns to Avoid
| Anti-Pattern | Signal | Fix |
|--------------|--------|-----|
| **Global package pollution** | `npm install -g` for project packages | Use devDependencies |
| **Missing verification** | No way to confirm setup | Add verification commands |
| **Prose instead of structure** | Long paragraphs describing setup | Use tables and code blocks |
| **MCP over CLI** | Using MCP when CLI exists | Prefer CLI for portability |
| **Undocumented config** | Config files without explanation | Document purpose of each file |
| **Implicit dependencies** | Setup fails without warning | List all dependencies explicitly |
## Quality Gates
Before proceeding to Build Execution:
- [ ] ENV-001 documents all development tools
- [ ] All tools have install commands
- [ ] All packages are in package manifest
- [ ] Configuration files are listed with purpose
- [ ] Standard scripts defined (validate, fix, test)
- [ ] Verification commands work
- [ ] CLI preferred over MCP documented
## Downstream Connections
ENV- entries feed into:
| Consumer | What It Uses | Example |
|----------|--------------|---------|
| **v0.7 Build Execution** | ENV-001 defines dev setup | Developer follows ENV-001 to set up |
| **Onboarding** | ENV-001 as setup guide | New dev uses ENV-001 for first day |
| **CI/CD** | ENV-002 defines pipeline | GitHub Actions mirrors ENV-002 |
| **Deployment** | ENV-003 defines infrastructure | DEP- references ENV-003 |
## Detailed References
- **ENV- entry template**: See `assets/env.md`
- **Environment examples**: See `references/examples.md`
This skill documents development environment requirements to ensure team consistency and to supply AI agents with executable environment context during PRD v0.6 Architecture. It consumes TECH- (stack selections) and ARC- (architecture decisions) and outputs ENV- entries for development, CI/CD, and production infrastructure. The goal is repeatable onboarding, CI parity, and a clear handoff into v0.7 Build Execution.
On trigger, the skill pulls TECH- and ARC- decisions, inventories tooling and config needs, and produces three structured ENV- artifacts: ENV-001 for local development, ENV-002 for CI/CD, and ENV-003 for production infrastructure. Each ENV- entry lists install commands, per-project vs global scope, configuration files, verification steps, and related IDs so downstream processes and agents can parse and act on them. The skill defaults to CLI-first tooling, per-project packages, and structured machine-readable outputs.
What inputs are required to run this skill?
TECH- stack selections and ARC- architecture decisions. If missing, the skill requests clarification on languages, hosting, and CI choices.
Why prefer CLIs over MCPs?
CLIs work in CI and locally, provide structured output and exit codes, and are easier for agents to automate; MCPs are documented only when no CLI exists.