home / skills / openclaw / skills / onboard-gen
This skill generates onboarding documentation from your codebase to accelerate new developer productivity with architecture overviews, setup guidance, and FAQs.
npx playbooks add skill openclaw/skills --skill onboard-genReview the files below or copy the command above to add this skill to your agents.
---
name: onboard-gen
description: Generate onboarding documentation for new developers. Use when setting up new team members.
---
# Onboard Gen
New dev joins your team. They spend two weeks figuring out where things are. This tool generates onboarding docs from your codebase. Architecture overview, setup steps, key concepts. Everything they need to become productive fast.
**One command. Zero config. Just works.**
## Quick Start
```bash
npx ai-onboard ./src
```
## What It Does
- Scans your codebase and generates a getting started guide
- Creates architecture documentation explaining how pieces connect
- Produces setup instructions with environment variables and dependencies
- Documents key concepts, patterns, and conventions in your code
- Generates a FAQ based on common confusion points
## Usage Examples
```bash
# Generate onboarding docs for your project
npx ai-onboard ./src
# Include specific focus areas
npx ai-onboard ./src --focus auth,database,api
# Output as a single markdown file
npx ai-onboard ./src --output ONBOARDING.md
```
## Best Practices
- **Run from project root** - The tool needs context from package.json and config files
- **Keep a README updated** - The tool uses your README as additional context if it exists
- **Review and customize** - Add team-specific info like Slack channels and meeting schedules
- **Regenerate quarterly** - Your codebase changes. So should your onboarding docs.
## When to Use This
- New developer joining your team next week
- Open sourcing a project and need contributor docs
- Your onboarding docs are three years old and mention deprecated services
- Building a team wiki from scratch
## Part of the LXGIC Dev Toolkit
This is one of 110+ free developer tools built by LXGIC Studios. No paywalls, no sign-ups, no API keys on free tiers. Just tools that work.
**Find more:**
- GitHub: https://github.com/LXGIC-Studios
- Twitter: https://x.com/lxgicstudios
- Substack: https://lxgicstudios.substack.com
- Website: https://lxgic.dev
## Requirements
No install needed. Just run with npx. Node.js 18+ recommended.
```bash
npx ai-onboard --help
```
## How It Works
The tool analyzes your project structure, reads key files like package.json and config files, samples your source code, then generates documentation that explains how everything fits together. It focuses on what a new developer actually needs to know.
## License
MIT. Free forever. Use it however you want.
This skill generates onboarding documentation for new developers from your codebase. It produces a getting-started guide, architecture overview, setup steps, and a FAQ with minimal configuration. Run one command from the project root and get a tailored onboarding pack that helps new hires become productive faster.
The tool scans project files, reads key manifests like package.json, and samples source code to infer architecture and dependencies. It extracts environment variables, setup commands, common patterns, and potential confusion points, then composes clear documentation and optional single-file output. No configuration required—it uses repository context to prioritize useful onboarding details.
Do I need to install anything before running the tool?
No install is required; run it with npx. Node.js 18+ is recommended for best results.
Can I focus generation on specific areas of the codebase?
Yes. Use the --focus option to target areas like auth, database, or api for deeper coverage.