Workspace Init Skill for Codex

Workspace Init

Initialization is a boundary: it creates Workspace-owned state and leaves

existing state untouched unless overwrite is an explicit operator decision.

It does not select a Workflow or execute a Unit.

Inputs

• Target directory under workspaces/<name>/.
• Optional explicit overwrite decision.

Outputs

• STATUS.md, CHECKPOINTS.md, UNITS.csv, and DECISIONS.md.
• GOAL.md and queries.md.
• papers/, outline/, citations/, and output/ directories.

Steps

1. Validate the destination

Resolve the target path and reject the repository root. Inspect existing files

before deciding whether initialization is missing, partial, or already

complete. Never infer overwrite permission from a partial Workspace.

Completion criterion: the destination is a Workspace path and every existing

file that could be replaced is known.

2. Materialize the base template

Copy the repository-owned template into the target. Default to create-missing;

use --overwrite only after an explicit replacement decision.

Completion criterion: all missing base files and directories are materialized,

and no pre-existing file was replaced without explicit permission.

3. Verify the core contract

Confirm that STATUS.md, UNITS.csv, CHECKPOINTS.md, and DECISIONS.md

exist. Parse the UNITS.csv header and reject malformed CSV rather than

leaving a superficially initialized Workspace.

Completion criterion: the four core files exist and UNITS.csv has the

required schema.

4. Hand off to Workflow binding

Leave Workflow selection and Pipeline-specific Unit materialization to

pipeline-router or the Pipeline adapter. The generic template is not evidence

that a Goal has been routed.

Completion criterion: the Workspace can be passed to the router without

requiring any state from chat history.

Context Pointers

• Read assets/workspace-template/ only when inspecting or changing the base

template contract.

• Read the selected pipelines/*.pipeline.md only after Workflow binding.
• Use research-pipeline-runner when the user asked to continue beyond

initialization.

Script

Quick Start

uv run python .codex/skills/workspace-init/scripts/run.py \
  --workspace workspaces/<name>

All Options

• --workspace <path>: target Workspace.
• --overwrite: replace existing template-owned files after explicit approval.
• --unit-id, --inputs, --outputs, --checkpoint: Pipeline-runner

compatibility arguments.

Examples

Inspect the interface before use:

uv run python .codex/skills/workspace-init/scripts/run.py --help

Replace template files only after an explicit reset decision:

uv run python .codex/skills/workspace-init/scripts/run.py \
  --workspace workspaces/<name> \
  --overwrite

Troubleshooting

• Existing files remain unchanged by default. This is the expected idempotent

behavior, not an initialization failure.

• Never point the script at the repository root; use workspaces/<name>/.