Skip to content

JUMPSTART_GUIDE.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
476 lines (339 loc) · 10.8 KB

JUMPSTART_GUIDE.md

File metadata and controls

476 lines (339 loc) · 10.8 KB

Claude Code Jumpstart Script

80% of the value in 20% of the time

An interactive script that sets up your Claude Code environment in 3-5 minutes by asking smart questions about your project.

What It Does

The Jumpstart script automatically creates:

✅ Custom CLAUDE.md - Tailored to your project type and language
✅ Relevant Agents - Only the ones you actually need
✅ Helpful Commands - Based on your workflow
✅ settings.json - Sensible defaults
✅ Personalized Guide - Your specific next steps

No manual configuration needed!

Quick Start

# Download the script
curl -O https://[your-url]/claude-code-jumpstart.sh

# Make it executable
chmod +x claude-code-jumpstart.sh

# Run it in your project directory
./claude-code-jumpstart.sh

Time: 3-5 minutes

What It Asks (7 Questions)

  1. Your Experience - Never used it / Tried once / Week or two / Pretty comfortable
  2. Project Type - Web app / Backend / Full-stack / Mobile / Data/ML / DevOps
  3. Primary Language - JavaScript/TS / Python / Go / Java / Ruby / Rust / PHP
  4. Project Phase - Starting / Active dev / Maintenance / Refactoring
  5. Team Size - Solo / Small (2-5) / Medium (6-15) / Large (15+)
  6. Pain Points - Boilerplate / Tests / Reviews / Debugging / Refactoring / Docs
  7. Existing Project - Yes / No

Based on your answers, it creates a customized setup.

Examples

Example 1: Solo Developer, New Web App

Answers:

  • Experience: Tried once
  • Project: Web app
  • Language: TypeScript
  • Phase: Just starting
  • Team: Solo
  • Pain: Writing boilerplate, tests
  • Existing: No

Creates:

  • Basic CLAUDE.md for TypeScript/React
  • test-agent (you want help with tests)
  • /frontend:component command (for boilerplate)
  • /testing:unit command
  • Beginner-focused guide

Example 2: Team Refactoring Legacy Backend

Answers:

  • Experience: Pretty comfortable
  • Project: Backend
  • Language: Python
  • Phase: Major refactoring
  • Team: Small (5 people)
  • Pain: Refactoring, code reviews
  • Existing: Yes

Creates:

  • CLAUDE.md for Python backend
  • refactor-agent (you're refactoring)
  • code-reviewer (you're a team)
  • /backend:endpoint command
  • Team collaboration tips

Example 3: Data Science, Solo, Learning

Answers:

  • Experience: Never used it
  • Project: Data/ML
  • Language: Python
  • Phase: Active development
  • Team: Solo
  • Pain: Documentation, debugging
  • Existing: Yes

Creates:

  • CLAUDE.md for Python/Data
  • test-agent (good for any project)
  • Extra beginner guidance
  • Realistic timeline (Week 1 slower)

What Gets Created

Directory Structure

your-project/
├── .claude/
│   ├── CLAUDE.md              ← Customized for your project
│   ├── GETTING_STARTED.md     ← Your personalized guide
│   ├── settings.json          ← Configuration
│   ├── COMMIT_THIS.sh         ← Helper to commit to git
│   ├── agents/                ← Only what you need
│   │   ├── test-agent.md      (if applicable)
│   │   ├── code-reviewer.md   (if team/review pain)
│   │   └── refactor-agent.md  (if refactoring)
│   └── commands/              ← Based on project type
│       ├── frontend/          (if web app)
│       ├── backend/           (if backend)
│       └── testing/           (if testing pain)
└── .gitignore                 ← Updated to ignore local settings

File Highlights

CLAUDE.md - Contains:

  • Project overview
  • Tech stack (pre-filled for your language)
  • Code standards (language-specific)
  • File organization
  • Development workflow
  • Project-specific sections

GETTING_STARTED.md - Contains:

  • What was set up
  • Your next 3 steps (10 minutes)
  • First request suggestion (based on your phase)
  • Expected timeline (based on experience)
  • Common mistakes to avoid
  • Personalized tips

Agents - Created based on:

  • test-agent: For intermediate+ users OR testing pain point
  • code-reviewer: For teams OR review pain point
  • refactor-agent: For refactoring phase OR refactoring pain point

Commands - Created based on:

  • /frontend:component: For web apps (TypeScript)
  • /backend:endpoint: For backend projects
  • /testing:unit: For testing pain points

Decision Logic

Agent Selection

test-agent:
  IF experience >= intermediate
  OR pain_point = testing
  THEN create

code-reviewer:
  IF team_size > solo
  OR pain_point = review
  THEN create

refactor-agent:
  IF project_phase = refactor
  OR pain_point = refactoring
  THEN create

Command Selection

/frontend:component:
  IF project_type = webapp OR fullstack
  AND language = typescript
  THEN create

/backend:endpoint:
  IF project_type = backend OR fullstack
  THEN create

/testing:unit:
  IF pain_point = testing
  THEN create

Content Customization

CLAUDE.md varies by:

  • Language (Python vs TypeScript vs Go, etc.)
  • Project type (API structure, frontend patterns)
  • Phase (focus areas differ)

GETTING_STARTED.md varies by:

  • Experience level (timelines, detail level)
  • Phase (suggested first request)
  • Pain points (relevant tips)
  • Team size (collaboration advice)

Benefits

vs Manual Setup

Manual Setup:

  • Read documentation (1-2 hours)
  • Copy templates
  • Figure out what you need
  • Customize everything
  • Easy to miss key steps

Jumpstart Script:

  • Answer 7 questions (2 minutes)
  • Auto-generated, tailored setup (1 minute)
  • Read personalized guide (3 minutes)
  • Start coding (immediate)

Time saved: 1-2 hours

vs Generic Template

Generic Template:

  • Everything included (overwhelming)
  • Not specific to your needs
  • Lots to delete/customize
  • May include wrong patterns

Jumpstart Script:

  • Only what you need (focused)
  • Specific to your project
  • Nothing to delete
  • Correct patterns for your stack

Better user experience

For Teams

Team Lead Runs It

# Team lead sets up
./claude-code-jumpstart.sh

# Customize CLAUDE.md for team
vim .claude/CLAUDE.md

# Commit to repository
./.claude/COMMIT_THIS.sh
git push

# Team members pull and use
git pull
claude

Everyone has the same baseline setup.

Benefits for Teams

  • Consistent CLAUDE.md across team
  • Shared agents and commands
  • Same workflow patterns
  • Easier onboarding
  • Team-specific customizations preserved

Customization After Setup

The script creates a starting point, not a final state.

Recommended Customizations

CLAUDE.md (do immediately):

  • Add your specific tech stack
  • Document your code patterns
  • Add your common commands
  • Update as project evolves

Agents (add as needed):

  • Create project-specific agents
  • Modify existing agent instructions
  • Add more agents when pain points emerge

Commands (grow over time):

  • Add commands for repetitive tasks
  • Create shortcuts for your patterns
  • Document team workflows

Advanced Features (Coming in v2.0)

Silent Mode (Planned for v2.0)

Non-interactive mode for CI/CD and automation is planned for v2.0.

What it will look like:

# Coming in v2.0!
./claude-code-jumpstart.sh \
  --experience intermediate \
  --project webapp \
  --language typescript \
  --phase active \
  --team small \
  --pain testing,review \
  --existing yes \
  --silent

Current workaround:
Run the script once interactively, commit the .claude/ directory to your repository, and your team can pull it down.

Want this feature? Star the repo and let us know in discussions!

Troubleshooting

Script Won't Run

# Make it executable
chmod +x claude-code-jumpstart.sh

# Or run with bash
bash claude-code-jumpstart.sh

Already Have .claude Directory

Script will warn you:

Warning: .claude/ directory already exists.
Overwrite? (y/n)

Choose n to keep existing setup, or y to regenerate.

Git Not Found

Script creates git-related files only if git is available. If git command not found, script skips git integration.

FAQ

Q: Can I run it multiple times?
A: Yes! Re-run to regenerate based on new answers. Back up first if you've customized.

Q: Will it overwrite my existing setup?
A: It asks before overwriting. Answer 'n' to keep existing.

Q: What if I picked wrong answers?
A: Just re-run the script. Or manually edit the generated files.

Q: Can I customize the generated files?
A: Absolutely! They're meant to be customized. Start with generated, then evolve.

Q: Does it work on Windows?
A: Requires bash. Use Git Bash, WSL, or run on Mac/Linux.

Q: What if my language isn't listed?
A: Choose "Other" - creates generic setup you can customize.

Q: Can I add silent mode parameters later?
A: Currently interactive only. Silent mode is for future enhancement.

Source Code

The script is ~600 lines of bash with:

  • Input validation
  • Conditional logic for personalization
  • Template generation
  • Colored output
  • Error handling

Fully open source - customize for your organization!

Maintenance

Keeping It Updated

As Claude Code evolves:

  1. Update agent templates
  2. Add new commands for new features
  3. Update CLAUDE.md templates
  4. Improve decision logic

Community contributions welcome!

Success Stories

"Saved Our Team 2 Hours Each"

"Before: everyone configured differently, spent 2 hours setting up. After: jumpstart creates team baseline in 5 minutes. Saved 10 hours (5 devs)." - Tech Lead

"Perfect for Onboarding"

"New hires run jumpstart, get personalized guide, up and running in 15 minutes vs 2-3 days of documentation reading." - Engineering Manager

"Finally Used Claude Code"

"Had Claude Code installed for weeks but never started. Jumpstart got me past the 'blank page' problem. Now using it daily." - Solo Developer

Comparison to Other Approaches

Approach Time Customization Beginner-Friendly
Read Full Docs 2-3 hours Full No
Copy Template 30 min Partial Medium
Jumpstart Script 5 min Smart Yes
Manual Setup 1 hour Full No

Jumpstart = 80% value, 20% effort

Related Files

Contributing

Ideas to improve the script:

  • Add more project types (Rust, Elixir, etc.)
  • Better detection of existing tools
  • Import from package.json/requirements.txt
  • Team templates repository
  • VSCode/JetBrains plugin integration
  • Analytics to improve recommendations

PRs welcome!

License

MIT - Use freely, modify as needed, share with your team.

Get started: Download and run ./claude-code-jumpstart.sh in your project! 🚀