flow

/flow-prime

Phase: Any (run once per install/upgrade)

Usage: /flow-prime or /flow-prime --reprime

One-time project setup. Configures workspace permissions in .claude/settings.json, sets up git excludes, and writes a version marker. Run once after installing FLOW and again after each upgrade.

--reprime skips all questions and reuses the existing .flow.json config — same framework, autonomy, and commit format, just new artifacts installed. Use this for upgrades where your config hasn’t changed.

What It Does

Auto-detects framework using data-driven detection (frameworks/*/detect.json) and checks plugin availability in parallel
Asks the user to choose an autonomy level (fully autonomous, fully manual, recommended, or customize per skill)
Asks the user to choose a commit message format (title-only or full)
Runs a single setup script that handles all configuration in one call:
- Reads or creates .claude/settings.json and merges FLOW allow/deny permissions (universal + framework-specific + derived)
- Writes .flow.json with version, framework, config hash, commit format, and skills configuration
- Adds .flow-states/, .worktrees/, .flow.json, .claude/cost/, and .claude/scheduled_tasks.lock to .git/info/exclude
- Installs a pre-commit hook that blocks direct git commit during active FLOW features and requires /flow:flow-commit
- Primes the project CLAUDE.md with framework conventions from frameworks/<name>/priming.md
- Creates bin/dependencies from the framework template
Installs the decompose plugin from the matt-k-wong/mkw-DAG-architect marketplace
Commits generated files (CLAUDE.md, .claude/settings.json, bin/dependencies) to version control

Autonomy Configuration

FLOW has two independent axes for skills that support them:

Commit — how /flow-commit is invoked during phase work (auto = skip diff approval, manual = require approval). Also controls per-task approval in Code.
Continue — whether to auto-advance to the next phase or prompt first.

The chosen configuration is stored in .flow.json under a skills key:

{
  "flow_version": "0.16.4",
  "framework": "python",
  "skills": {
    "flow-start": {"continue": "manual"},
    "flow-plan": {"continue": "auto"},
    "flow-code": {"commit": "manual", "continue": "manual"},
    "flow-code-review": {"commit": "auto", "continue": "auto"},
    "flow-learn": {"commit": "auto", "continue": "auto"},
    "flow-abort": "auto",
    "flow-complete": "auto"
  }
}

Phase skills that commit (Code, Code Review, Learn) have both axes as a nested object. Phase skills that don’t commit (Start, Plan) have only the continue axis. Utility skills (Abort, Complete) have a single string value. The /flow-commit skill is not configurable — it defaults to auto and can be overridden with --manual.

Individual skills can always be overridden at invocation time with --auto or --manual flags, regardless of the .flow.json configuration.

Derived Permissions

Some permissions are project-specific but can be automatically determined from project files. Frameworks can declare derived_permissions in frameworks/<name>/permissions.json with glob patterns and templates. For example, iOS derives Bash(killall AppName) from the *.xcodeproj directory name — no user input needed.

Derived permissions are merged into .claude/settings.json automatically during setup alongside universal and framework permissions.

Gates

Must be in a git repository
Must be on the main branch (setup runs against main before branching)