prompts/docs/NEW_REPO_CHECKLIST.md

New Repo Checklist

Use this checklist when creating a new repository from scratch. Follow the steps in order. Full policies are at: https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/prompts/raw/branch/main/REPO_POLICIES.md

Template files can be fetched from: https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/prompts/raw/branch/main/<filename>

1. Initialize

• git init
• Ask the user for the license (MIT, GPL, or WTFPL)

2. First Commit (README only)

• Create README.md with all required sections:
  • Description: name, purpose, category, license, author
  • Getting Started: copy-pasteable code block
  • Rationale: why does this exist?
  • Design: how is it structured?
  • TODO: initial task list
  • License: matches chosen license
  • Author: @sneak
• git add README.md && git commit

3. Scaffolding (feature branch)

• git checkout -b initial-scaffolding

Fetch Template Files

• .gitignore — fetch from prompts repo, extend for language-specific artifacts
• .editorconfig — fetch from prompts repo
• Makefile — fetch from prompts repo, adapt targets for the project's language and tools
• For JS/docs repos: .prettierrc, .prettierignore

Create Project Files

• LICENSE file matching the chosen license
• REPO_POLICIES.md — fetch from prompts repo
• Dockerfile and .dockerignore
  • Server: runs the application
  • Non-server: brings up dev environment and runs make check
  • Image pinned by sha256 hash with version/date comment
• Language-specific:
  • Go: go mod init sneak.berlin/go/<name>, .golangci.yml (copy from ~/dev/upaas/.golangci.yml)
  • JS: yarn init, yarn add --dev prettier
  • Python: pyproject.toml

Configure Makefile

• make test — runs project tests (30-second timeout)
• make lint — runs linter
• make fmt — formats code (writes)
• make fmt-check — checks formatting (read-only)
• make check — prereqs: test, lint, fmt-check; must not modify files
• make docker — builds Docker image
• make hooks — installs pre-commit hook

4. Verify

• make check passes
• make docker succeeds
• No secrets in repo
• No mutable image/package references
• No unnecessary files in repo root
• All dates written as YYYY-MM-DD

5. Merge and Set Up

• Commit, merge to main
• make hooks to install pre-commit hook
• Add remote and push
• Verify main passes make check