# Dev Flow Skill

> **"Consider it devved."**

> **⚠️ Under active development.** The skill is evolving. Script behavior
> and documentation may change between versions. The LLM has comprehensive
> internal docs — when in doubt, ask it to explain what a script does before
> proceeding.

## Install on Pi

pi install npm:@gerdloos/dev-flow-skill

A structured project development workflow for people who don't have one.

## What it is

Dev Flow adds a clean development pipeline to your project: a workspace
where changes happen, a deliverable that's always release-ready, and
deployment targets you can trigger with a single sentence. The LLM handles
the mechanics — you stay in control.

## Quick start

1. Tell the LLM: "set up dev flow"
2. Answer one question: "What is this project about?"
3. Start developing — the LLM edits in `dev/`

Under the hood, the LLM runs scripts that merge proven work from `dev/` into
the always-deployable `devved/`, commit changes, and keep the workspace tidy.
The skill also handles staging through targets — think publishing to GitHub
with a release action, or building a container image. You create a staging
script for each target once, and the LLM can help with that.

## Why use it?

The structure is simple, the rules are few, and the LLM follows them. The
skill provides:

- **Easiest on a fresh project.** You've got an empty folder. The skill
  scaffolds the directory structure and configuration. You provide the
  code, the LLM provides the organization.

- **Knows when to back off.** Point it at an existing project folder and a
  script analyzes what's there without touching anything. The LLM can then
  help you establish the dev folders and the rest of the structure.

- **Safe by default.** Changes stay sandboxed until proven. Merges require
  confirmation before cleaning anything up. Nothing gets lost.

- **One project, many outputs.** The same codebase can target local install,
  GitHub releases, or any other destination you configure. Each target is
  a script — add as many as you need.

- **Your tools stay yours.** It wraps your existing project. Git, your
  editor, your build tools — nothing changes except the structure around
  them.

## Who it's for

If any of these sound familiar:

- "I keep all my project files in one folder and it's getting messy"
- "I'm not sure when my code is ready to release"
- "I want the LLM to handle project organization, not just write code"
- "I have a simple dev setup and want order without complexity"

Then this skill is for you. It's built for beginning and solo developers
who want structure without ceremony.

## What your project looks like

```
your-project/
├── dev/              ← where work happens, the LLM edits here
│   └── skills/
│       └── your-skill/
│           ├── SKILL.md
│           ├── scripts/
│           └── references/
├── devved/           ← "consider it devved" — the deliverable, always release-ready
├── staged/           ← temporary deployment snapshot (auto-generated, gitignored)
├── publish/          ← ephemeral mirror assembly for npm publishing (gitignored)
├── docs/             ← project planning, notes, issues
├── temp-research/    ← cloned repos, reference material (gitignored)
├── staged-how/       ← deployment scripts and configs
├── .dev-flow-skill.json   ← the skill reads this to know your project
└── .dev-flow-skill.ignore ← files and folders to skip (like .gitignore)
```

No build systems, no config files to learn, no lock-in. The skill creates
this structure, the LLM maintains it, you use it.

## Status

Under active development. The skill is fully functional and in daily use.
User documentation is limited while the skill evolves; the LLM has
comprehensive internal documentation and handles everything.