fix: deploy root project .apm/ primitives without a sub-package stub

src/apm_cli/commands/install.py

@@ -797,8 +797,17 @@ def install(ctx, packages, runtime, exclude, only, update, dry_run, force, verbo
             old_mcp_configs = builtins.dict(_existing_lock.mcp_configs)
             old_local_deployed = builtins.list(_existing_lock.local_deployed_files)
 
+        # Also enter the APM install path when the project root has local .apm/
+        # primitives, even if there are no external APM dependencies (#714).
+        from apm_cli.core.scope import get_deploy_root as _get_deploy_root
+        _cli_project_root = _get_deploy_root(scope)
+        _cli_root_apm = _cli_project_root / ".apm"
+        _cli_has_root_primitives = (
+            _cli_root_apm.exists() and _cli_root_apm.is_dir()
+        ) or (_cli_project_root / "SKILL.md").exists()
+
         apm_diagnostics = None
-        if should_install_apm and has_any_apm_deps:
+        if should_install_apm and (has_any_apm_deps or _cli_has_root_primitives):
             if not APM_DEPS_AVAILABLE:
                 logger.error("APM dependency system not available")
                 logger.progress(f"Import error: {_APM_IMPORT_ERROR}")
@@ -1400,12 +1409,21 @@ def _install_apm_dependencies(
     apm_deps = apm_package.get_apm_dependencies()
     dev_apm_deps = apm_package.get_dev_apm_dependencies()
     all_apm_deps = apm_deps + dev_apm_deps
-    if not all_apm_deps:
-        return InstallResult()
 
     project_root = get_deploy_root(scope)
     apm_dir = get_apm_dir(scope)
 
+    # Check whether the project root itself has local .apm/ primitives (#714).
+    # Users should be able to keep root-level .apm/ rules alongside their apm.yml
+    # without creating a dummy sub-package stub.
+    _root_apm_dir = project_root / ".apm"
+    _root_has_local_primitives = (
+        _root_apm_dir.exists() and _root_apm_dir.is_dir()
+    ) or (project_root / "SKILL.md").exists()
+
+    if not all_apm_deps and not _root_has_local_primitives:
+        return InstallResult()
+
     # T5: Check for existing lockfile - use locked versions for reproducible installs
     from apm_cli.deps.lockfile import LockFile, get_lockfile_path
     lockfile_path = get_lockfile_path(apm_dir)
@@ -1613,7 +1631,7 @@ def _collect_descendants(node, visited=None):
                 if dep.get_identity() in only_identities
             ]
 
-        if not deps_to_install:
+        if not deps_to_install and not _root_has_local_primitives:
             if logger:
                 logger.nothing_to_install()
             return InstallResult()
@@ -2549,6 +2567,61 @@ def _collect_descendants(node, visited=None):
                     # Continue with other packages instead of failing completely
                     continue
 
+        # ------------------------------------------------------------------
+        # Integrate root project's own .apm/ primitives (#714).
+        #
+        # Users should not need a dummy "./agent/apm.yml" stub to get their
+        # root-level .apm/ rules deployed alongside external dependencies.
+        # Treat the project root as an implicit local package: any primitives
+        # found in <project_root>/.apm/ are integrated after all declared
+        # dependency packages have been processed.
+        # ------------------------------------------------------------------
+        if _root_has_local_primitives and _targets:
+            from apm_cli.models.apm_package import PackageInfo as _PackageInfo
+            _root_pkg_info = _PackageInfo(
+                package=apm_package,
+                install_path=project_root,
+            )
+            if logger:
+                logger.download_complete("<project root>", ref_suffix="local")
+            try:
+                _root_result = _integrate_package_primitives(
+                    _root_pkg_info, project_root,
+                    targets=_targets,
+                    prompt_integrator=prompt_integrator,
+                    agent_integrator=agent_integrator,
+                    skill_integrator=skill_integrator,
+                    instruction_integrator=instruction_integrator,
+                    command_integrator=command_integrator,
+                    hook_integrator=hook_integrator,
+                    force=force,
+                    managed_files=managed_files,
+                    diagnostics=diagnostics,
+                    package_name="<root>",
+                    logger=logger,
+                    scope=scope,
+                )
+                total_prompts_integrated += _root_result["prompts"]
+                total_agents_integrated += _root_result["agents"]
+                total_instructions_integrated += _root_result["instructions"]
+                total_commands_integrated += _root_result["commands"]
+                total_hooks_integrated += _root_result["hooks"]
+                total_links_resolved += _root_result["links_resolved"]
+                installed_count += 1
+            except Exception as e:
+                import traceback as _tb
+                diagnostics.error(
+                    f"Failed to integrate root project primitives: {e}",
+                    package="<root>",
+                    detail=_tb.format_exc(),
+                )
+                # When root integration is the *only* action (no external deps),
+                # a failure means nothing was deployed — surface it clearly.
+                if not all_apm_deps and logger:
+                    logger.error(
+                        f"Root project primitives could not be integrated: {e}"
+                    )
+
         # Update .gitignore
         _update_gitignore_for_apm_modules(logger=logger)
 

tests/integration/test_local_install.py

@@ -380,6 +380,230 @@ def test_pack_rejects_with_local_deps(self, temp_workspace, apm_command):
         )
 
 
+class TestRootProjectPrimitives:
+    """Test #714: root project .apm/ integration without a sub-package stub.
+
+    Users should be able to place .apm/ rules directly in their project root
+    alongside apm.yml without creating a dummy ./agent/apm.yml workaround.
+    """
+
+    def _make_project(self, tmp_path, *, apm_deps=None):
+        """Return a project root with .apm/instructions/ and optional deps."""
+        project = tmp_path / "project"
+        project.mkdir()
+
+        deps_section = {"apm": apm_deps} if apm_deps else {}
+        (project / "apm.yml").write_text(yaml.dump({
+            "name": "my-project",
+            "version": "1.0.0",
+            "dependencies": deps_section,
+        }))
+
+        instructions_dir = project / ".apm" / "instructions"
+        instructions_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+        (instructions_dir / "local-rules.instructions.md").write_text(
+            "---\napplyTo: '**'\n---\n# Local Rules\nFollow these local rules."
+        )
+
+        # Create .claude/rules/ so claude target is auto-detected
+        (project / ".claude" / "rules").mkdir(parents=True)
+        return project
+
+    def test_root_apm_primitives_deployed_with_no_deps(self, tmp_path, apm_command):
+        """root apm.yml with no deps + root .apm/ -> rules deployed.
+
+        Before the fix, apm install returned early with nothing to install
+        and never deployed the local .apm/ rules.
+        """
+        project = self._make_project(tmp_path)
+
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [apm_command, "install"],
+            cwd=project,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            timeout=60,
+        )
+        combined = result.stdout + result.stderr
+        assert result.returncode == 0, f"Install failed:\n{combined}"
+
+        deployed = project / ".claude" / "rules" / "local-rules.md"
+        assert deployed.exists(), (
+            f"Root .apm/ rules were NOT deployed to .claude/rules/.\n"
+            f"Output:\n{combined}"
+        )
+        assert "Local Rules" in deployed.read_text()
+
+    def test_root_apm_primitives_deployed_alongside_external_dep(
+        self, tmp_path, apm_command
+    ):
+        """root apm.yml with external dep + root .apm/ -> both rule sets deployed.
+
+        This is the exact scenario from #714: external dependencies in apm.yml
+        and local .apm/ rules at the root. Before the fix, only the external
+        dep's rules were deployed.
+        """
+        ext_pkg = tmp_path / "ext-pkg"
+        ext_pkg.mkdir()
+        (ext_pkg / "apm.yml").write_text(yaml.dump({
+            "name": "ext-pkg",
+            "version": "1.0.0",
+        }))
+        ext_instr = ext_pkg / ".apm" / "instructions"
+        ext_instr.mkdir(parents=True)
+        (ext_instr / "ext-rules.instructions.md").write_text(
+            "---\napplyTo: '**'\n---\n# External Rules\nFrom external package."
+        )
+
+        project = self._make_project(tmp_path, apm_deps=["../ext-pkg"])
+
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [apm_command, "install"],
+            cwd=project,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            timeout=60,
+        )
+        combined = result.stdout + result.stderr
+        assert result.returncode == 0, f"Install failed:\n{combined}"
+
+        deployed_names = {f.name for f in (project / ".claude" / "rules").glob("*.md")}
+        assert "local-rules.md" in deployed_names, (
+            f"Root .apm/ rule NOT deployed. Files: {deployed_names}\nOutput:\n{combined}"
+        )
+        assert "ext-rules.md" in deployed_names, (
+            f"External dep rule NOT deployed. Files: {deployed_names}\nOutput:\n{combined}"
+        )
+
+    def test_workaround_sub_package_still_works(self, tmp_path, apm_command):
+        """Old ./agent/apm.yml workaround continues to work (regression guard)."""
+        project = tmp_path / "project"
+        project.mkdir()
+
+        agent_dir = project / "agent"
+        agent_dir.mkdir()
+        (agent_dir / "apm.yml").write_text(yaml.dump({
+            "name": "my-project-agent",
+            "version": "1.0.0",
+        }))
+        agent_instr = agent_dir / ".apm" / "instructions"
+        agent_instr.mkdir(parents=True)
+        (agent_instr / "agent-rules.instructions.md").write_text(
+            "---\napplyTo: '**'\n---\n# Agent Rules\nFrom sub-package stub."
+        )
+
+        (project / "apm.yml").write_text(yaml.dump({
+            "name": "my-project",
+            "version": "1.0.0",
+            "dependencies": {"apm": ["./agent"]},
+        }))
+        (project / ".claude" / "rules").mkdir(parents=True)
+
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [apm_command, "install"],
+            cwd=project,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            timeout=60,
+        )
+        combined = result.stdout + result.stderr
+        assert result.returncode == 0, f"Install failed:\n{combined}"
+        assert (project / ".claude" / "rules" / "agent-rules.md").exists(), (
+            f"Sub-package rules NOT deployed.\nOutput:\n{combined}"
+        )
+
+    def test_root_apm_primitives_idempotent(self, tmp_path, apm_command):
+        """Running apm install twice with root .apm/ is idempotent."""
+        project = self._make_project(tmp_path)
+
+        for run in range(2):
+            result = subprocess.run(
+                [apm_command, "install"],
+                cwd=project,
+                capture_output=True,
+                text=True,
+                timeout=60,
+            )
+            assert result.returncode == 0, (
+                f"Run {run + 1} failed:\n{result.stdout + result.stderr}"
+            )
+
+        assert (project / ".claude" / "rules" / "local-rules.md").exists()
+
+    def test_root_apm_hooks_deployed(self, tmp_path, apm_command):
+        """root .apm/hooks/ is detected and integrated (not just instructions).
+
+        Guards the _ROOT_PRIM_SUBDIRS list: a project that only has .apm/hooks/
+        must still enter the integration path and not hit the early-return guard.
+        """
+        project = tmp_path / "project"
+        project.mkdir()
+
+        (project / "apm.yml").write_text(yaml.dump({
+            "name": "my-project",
+            "version": "1.0.0",
+        }))
+
+        hooks_dir = project / ".apm" / "hooks"
+        hooks_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+        (hooks_dir / "on-save.json").write_text(
+            '{"hooks": {"PostToolUse": [{"matcher": "Write", "hooks": [{"type": "command", "command": "echo saved"}]}]}}'
+        )
+
+        # Create .claude/ so claude target is auto-detected
+        (project / ".claude").mkdir(parents=True)
+
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [apm_command, "install"],
+            cwd=project,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            timeout=60,
+        )
+        combined = result.stdout + result.stderr
+        assert result.returncode == 0, f"Install failed:\n{combined}"
+        # The hook integrator merges into settings.json; confirm it was created
+        # or that install did not silently early-return (exit 0 with no output).
+        assert "nothing to install" not in combined.lower(), (
+            f"Install returned 'nothing to install' — hooks detection guard may "
+            f"have triggered early return.\nOutput:\n{combined}"
+        )
+
+    def test_root_skill_md_detected(self, tmp_path, apm_command):
+        """A root SKILL.md alone triggers the integration path.
+
+        Guards the (project_root / "SKILL.md").exists() branch in the
+        root-primitive detection logic.
+        """
+        project = tmp_path / "project"
+        project.mkdir()
+
+        (project / "apm.yml").write_text(yaml.dump({
+            "name": "my-project",
+            "version": "1.0.0",
+        }))
+        (project / "SKILL.md").write_text(
+            "# My Skill\nThis skill does something useful."
+        )
+
+        # Create .claude/ so claude target is auto-detected
+        (project / ".claude").mkdir(parents=True)
+
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [apm_command, "install"],
+            cwd=project,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            timeout=60,
+        )
+        combined = result.stdout + result.stderr
+        assert result.returncode == 0, f"Install failed:\n{combined}"
+        assert "nothing to install" not in combined.lower(), (
+            f"Install returned 'nothing to install' — SKILL.md detection may "
+            f"have been skipped.\nOutput:\n{combined}"
+        )
+
+
 class TestLocalMixedWithRemote:
     """Test mixing local and remote dependencies."""