I'm using the grove-init skill to set up Grove for this project.

Workflow

Step 1: Verify git repo

git rev-parse --show-toplevel

If the command fails, stop. Grove requires a git repository.

Step 2: Check if already initialized

test -f .grove/config.json

If .grove/config.json exists, report that Grove is already initialized and ask the user whether they want to re-initialize. Stop unless they confirm.

Step 3: Detect build system

Scan for marker files in the following priority order. Use the first match. If multiple top-level markers exist, ask the user which is the primary build system.

Build System Marker File(s) Warmup Command Post-Clone Hook

Gradle build.gradle.kts or build.gradle

./gradlew assemble

Clean lock files, configuration-cache

Node.js package.json

npm run build

Clean node_modules/.cache

Rust Cargo.toml

cargo build

Clean target/debug/incremental

Go go.mod

go build ./...

Minimal — Go handles relocatable caches well

Python pyproject.toml or requirements.txt

poetry install or pip install -e .

Clean pycache dirs

C/C++ Makefile or CMakeLists.txt

make or cmake --build build

Project-specific

If no marker is found, ask the user to provide a warmup command.

Step 4: Present proposed config for confirmation

Show the user:

• Warmup command

• Workspace directory (default: system temp under a grove subdirectory)

• Post-clone hook content

Ask for confirmation before proceeding.

Step 5: Run grove init

grove init --warmup-command "<cmd>"

Step 6: Write post-clone hook

Write the post-clone hook script to .grove/hooks/post-clone and make it executable:

chmod +x .grove/hooks/post-clone

Step 7: Suggest git add

Tell the user to commit the Grove configuration:

git add .grove/config.json .grove/hooks/ git commit -m "chore: add Grove configuration"

Quick Reference

Command Purpose

grove init --warmup-command "<cmd>"

Initialize Grove

grove update

Refresh golden copy build state

Common Mistakes

• Running grove init outside a git repo — Grove requires git; always verify first.

• Skipping the post-clone hook — without it, workspaces inherit stale lock files or cache artifacts.

• Not committing .grove/ — commit so collaborators and CI get the same warmup behavior.

Red Flags

• grove init fails with a permissions error — check grove is installed and the user has write access.

• Warmup command exits non-zero during grove init — fix unresolved dependencies before initializing.

• Multiple package.json and build.gradle at the root — polyglot monorepo; ask which is primary.

Integration

• Standalone — not called by other skills automatically

• Suggested by: grove:using-grove when .grove/config.json is not found

• Invoked via: /grove-init slash command