Dash Install and Generate

Overview

Use this skill for install and generation workflows after discovery from $dash-docset-search or direct user request.

Defaults:

• confirmation-first installs

• no silent installation

• hybrid generation: automate known CLI paths, otherwise guide manual Dash generator steps

Use references/dash_url_and_service.md , references/dash_http_api.md , and references/dash_mcp_tools.md during execution.

Automation Prompting

• Codex App automation fit: Guarded. Install and generation flows can require user approval or UI-level interaction.

• Codex CLI automation fit: Guarded. Prefer dry-run or planning mode unless explicit install approval is provided.

• Use references/automation-prompts.md for Codex App and Codex CLI templates with placeholders and stop conditions.

• Default automation behavior should be non-destructive unless install mode is explicitly approved.

Install Workflow

1. Resolve candidate

• Match request against catalog snapshots:

• uv run python scripts/dash_catalog_match.py --query "<text>"

• Prefer in this order:

• built-in Dash Downloads

• user-contributed

• cheatsheet

• generation path

2. Perform install (confirmation-first)

Preferred automation path:

• uv run python scripts/dash_url_install.py --repo-name "<repo>" --entry-name "<entry>"

• add --version "<version>" when explicit version is required

• use --yes only when explicit user approval exists

If URL install details are ambiguous:

• switch to guide mode

• provide exact Dash UI path in Settings > Downloads

3. Verify install

Use this order:

• Dash MCP list_installed_docsets

• local HTTP /docsets/list (after scripts/dash_api_probe.py )

• if API unavailable, ask user to confirm from Dash UI

Generation Workflow (Hybrid)

1. Decide automation vs guide

Automate only when there is a documented and stable toolchain for the target source.

Typical examples:

• Sphinx/PyDoctor via docset tooling

• Javadoc pipelines

• GoDoc/Rust/Scaladoc/HexDoc toolchains

• cheat sheet authoring via cheatset

If the path is unclear or brittle:

• guide through Dash Docset Generator and official docs

2. Generation sources to cover

• Swift packages

• Ruby gems

• Python/Sphinx docs

• PHP packages

• Java packages

• Go packages

• Rust crates

• Scala packages

• Dart packages

• Haskell packages

• Hex packages

• Clojure libraries

• generic HTML docs

3. Last-resort generation

Suggest GitHub-based or Stack Overflow-based generation only when built-in, contributed, and known generator paths are exhausted.

API and Service Fallbacks

If MCP is unavailable:

• run uv run python scripts/dash_api_probe.py

• use local HTTP API if healthy

• otherwise provide:

• AppleScript open location "dash://?query=..."

• terminal open "dash://?query=..."

• macOS Look Up in Dash service guidance

Scripts

• scripts/dash_api_probe.py

• scripts/dash_catalog_refresh.py

• scripts/dash_catalog_match.py

• scripts/dash_url_search.py

• scripts/dash_url_install.py

References

• references/dash_mcp_tools.md

• references/dash_http_api.md

• references/dash_url_and_service.md

• references/automation-prompts.md

• references/catalog_built_in_docsets.json

• references/catalog_user_contrib_docsets.json

• references/catalog_cheatsheets.json

Optional Visual Troubleshooting

If Dash interface behavior needs verification, use the $screenshot skill if it is available in the user's environment.

Interactive Customization Flow

• Load current effective customization settings first:

• uv run python scripts/customization_config.py effective

• Ask targeted customization questions:

• Use references/customization-flow.md to drive knob-by-knob questions.

• Confirm desired behavior changes and safety constraints.

• Map requested changes to implementation files:

• Update SKILL.md , references/* , and any runtime script files listed in references/customization-flow.md .

• Persist durable customization state:

• Start from customization.template.yaml defaults.

• Apply approved overrides with uv run python scripts/customization_config.py apply --input <yaml-file> .

• Durable path: ~/.config/gaelic-ghost/apple-dev-skills/<skill-name>/customization.yaml .

• Optional override root: APPLE_DEV_SKILLS_CONFIG_HOME .

• Report resulting effective configuration:

• Re-run uv run python scripts/customization_config.py effective and summarize final active settings.

• If the user asks to remove customization state, run uv run python scripts/customization_config.py reset .

Use references/customization-flow.md for skill-specific knobs, file mapping, guardrails, validation checks, and example requests.