Ghm Self Install Skill for Claude

Self-Install

Install the methodology into a target repo from the install manifest, the way

Xantham's blueprint installs from markdown: the agent runtime *is* the installer, so

the whole thing runs inside your Claude Code subscription — no API key, no metered

calls, no service to stand up.

> Two paths, one manifest. This skill is the interactive path. install.sh is the

> deterministic CLI path. Both read .claude/install-manifest.yaml, so they can't drift.

> Prefer driving install.sh from this skill; fall back to manual copies only when the

> script isn't reachable.

Consumes

• .claude/install-manifest.yaml — authoritative framework / template_seed /

never_touch lists (the keystone; never hardcode file lists).

• install.sh — the deterministic installer this skill normally drives.
• Safety rules from ghm-template-sync Phase "Safety Rules" — never overwrite

MEMORY.md, SoT/*, PRD.md, README.md content.

Produces

• An installed framework in the target repo (no new SoT IDs — this skill *places* the

engine, it doesn't author specs).

• A verification report (hooks emit valid JSON; readiness.py runs).

Workflow

Phase 1 — Preflight & mode detect

• Confirm git, python3, awk are present; warn if the target isn't a git repo.
• Detect mode: greenfield (no .claude/) vs brownfield (existing .claude/).

Brownfield means *merge, never overwrite product*.

• State the trade explicitly: this installs files only — it costs subscription tokens

for the wizard turn, zero API.

Phase 2 — Wizard questions

Ask only what changes the outcome (honor the execution mode's budget):

• Target directory (default: current repo).
• Domain profile: product (default) · library · infrastructure · research.
• Subset [standard+]: keep all 4 agents + all skills (default), or trim to a role

subset. Quick mode skips this and installs everything.

Phase 3 — Install (drive install.sh)

Run the deterministic installer so behavior matches the CLI path exactly:

bash install.sh --target <DIR> --profile <PROFILE>        # add --dry-run to preview

• Show the --dry-run plan first [standard+], then execute.
• If a framework file shows drift, surface the diff and only re-run with --force

after the user confirms (mirrors ghm-template-sync "show diff before destructive").

• Never write anything in the manifest's never_touch list.

Phase 4 — Verify (trust-but-verify, the Xantham verify-blueprint.sh analog)

• Run each .claude/hooks/*.sh in the target; assert valid JSON on stdout.
• Run python scripts/readiness.py run — a non-zero exit on an empty scaffold is the

expected BLOCK gate (no content yet), not a failure. Report the score.

• Print next steps: customize README.md + PRD.md, then "Let's frame the problem".

Anti-patterns

| Pattern | Fix |

|---------|-----|

| Hardcoding the file list in the skill | Read .claude/install-manifest.yaml |

| Overwriting a brownfield repo's PRD.md/SoT | Honor never_touch; seed templates once |

| Treating readiness BLOCK on a fresh scaffold as a bug | It's the gate working — report the score |

| Re-implementing copy logic instead of driving install.sh | One code path = no drift |