AI dev infrastructure framework for Claude Code.

Walks you through 7 layers — project identity → architecture → process → quality bar → knowledge graph → domain kits → maintenance — and authors CLAUDE.md + docs/ + .claude/ derived from your project.

Not templates. Not a kit. A methodology.

claude plugin marketplace add vindm/dotclaude
claude plugin install dotclaude@dotclaude
# Then in any project root:
/dotclaude:bootstrap

dotclaude — AI dev infrastructure for Claude Code

A Claude Code plugin that bootstraps your project's CLAUDE.md, docs/ knowledge graph, and .claude/ system through a hierarchical interview. Distilled methodology from one battle-tested production codebase.

Jump to: Slash commands · How it works · See it in action · What to expect · FAQ · Install

Slash commands

Command	What it sets up
🪄 /dotclaude:bootstrap	Headline. Full 7-layer hierarchical interview. Authors CLAUDE.md + docs/ + .claude/.
🎨 /dotclaude:design	Showpiece. UI / IA / a11y / visual-quality audit kit (Layer 6 standalone).
🧹 /dotclaude:coding	File-size discipline, code review, voice / forbidden phrases.
📐 /dotclaude:planning	Pre-impl validation, audit routing.
🧪 /dotclaude:testing	Test architecture + coverage strategy.
🗃️ /dotclaude:data	DB integrity, query discipline, migrations.
🤖 /dotclaude:ai-workflow	LLM cost monitoring + eval discipline.
🪄 /dotclaude:init	v1 entry — Layer 6 only, skips upstream layers.

Inside the plugin — 35 methodology principles · 12 hook templates · 7 domain skills + 1 bootstrap orchestrator · 4 anonymized war stories. Cost: ~984 tokens always-on per session; 2.7–5.5k per skill invocation; ~12k for full bootstrap. Full architectural reference in docs/v2-vision.md.

How it works

The 7-layer hierarchy

Each layer authors a specific slice of CLAUDE.md + docs/ + .claude/. Dependency-ordered — Layer 1's output feeds Layers 2–6; Layer 7 polices the rest.

#	Layer	What bootstrap authors
1	Project Identity	CLAUDE.md opening — vision + ICP + moat + production-vs-internal + stage
2	Architecture	CLAUDE.md Architecture + Constraints + boundary rules + universal hooks
3	Process Discipline	CLAUDE.md "How You Work" + DoD + task-classification table + verification ladder + memory typing
4	Quality Bar	.claude/rules/design-north-star.md (Tier 1 + Tier 2 benchmarks + anti-references) + quality-bar skill
5	Knowledge Graph	docs/README.md + subdirectory skeleton + docs/product/capabilities.md scaffold
6	Domain Kits	Per applicable domain: design / coding / planning / testing / data / ai-workflow. .claude/{agents,skills,hooks,rules}/*
7	Maintenance	Saturday-style design-debt ritual + drift detection + skill-auditor agent (default-deferred for early projects)

Bootstrap in 5 phases

Phase	What happens	Duration
1. Project scan	Auto-discovers ~30–40% of inputs from package.json, file tree, git log, existing CLAUDE.md / docs/ / .claude/	~5s
2. Hierarchical interview	7 phases (A–G), 1–3 Qs per turn, skip-if-Phase-1-answered	20–60 min
3. Cross-layer coordination	Merges forbidden-phrase lists; reconciles audit routing	< 1 min
4. Stage → review → commit	All authoring lands in .claude-staging/ first; explicit approval gate	varies
5. Output summary	Inventory by layer + skipped reasons + next-step recommendations	< 30s

Brownfield safety

Bootstrap detects your project's state via Phase 1 scan and runs in the right mode automatically.

Project state	Mode	What bootstrap does
No CLAUDE.md + no .claude/	Fresh	Runs all 7 layers
CLAUDE.md < 50 LOC OR .claude/ < 5 artifacts	APPEND	Adds missing layers only; never stomps existing
CLAUDE.md > 200 LOC OR > 5 H2s + structured	REFUSE	Recommends Layer 6 standalone or manual edits

REFUSE is a feature — it protects accumulated AI infrastructure from being overwritten.

See it in action

/dotclaude:design running on a fresh Vite + React + TypeScript project, authoring 8 tailored design artifacts (4 agents + 2 skills + 2 hooks) in ~15 seconds:

Validation reports (real runs, not simulations):

• Bootstrap on a battle-tested production codebase — full 7-layer flow, ~65% depth match
• /dotclaude:design on a fresh Vite + React project — grade A
• /dotclaude:coding on the same fresh project — grade A-minus

What to expect

Wall-clock per project shape:

Project shape	Bootstrap time
Greenfield, 1–3 domains	20–35 min
Early prototype, 3–5 domains	40–60 min
Shipped, 5–7 domains	60–90 min
Mature, 8 domains (max-domain)	90–120 min
Brownfield comprehensive (REFUSE)	< 5 min, no authoring

What bootstrap can't manufacture in one pass:

• Accumulated incident memories — emerge from coding sessions over weeks/months
• Per-aspect design system docs — land when content emerges from real design work
• Substrate runbook skills — written when you've lost > 1 hour relearning a subsystem twice

Bootstrap creates the scaffold + the "accrue-here" anchors. The entries themselves accumulate over time. The methodology compounds; one-pass output is the seed, not the tree.

Full depth-match analysis: docs/bootstrap-smoke-test-2026-05-21.md.

FAQ

How is this different from a CLAUDE.md template?

Templates are static text you paste + edit. dotclaude reads your actual project (package.json, file tree, git log --grep="fix:", existing conventions) and authors a CLAUDE.md tuned to it. The 7 layers are a methodology, not a template.

Will dotclaude overwrite my existing CLAUDE.md or .claude/?

No. Phase 1 scan detects existing infrastructure. Mature setups trigger REFUSE mode (recommends Layer 6 standalone instead). Partial setups trigger APPEND mode (adds missing layers only, never stomps). All authoring goes to .claude-staging/ first; explicit approval gate before commit.

Does it work for non-iOS / non-React-Native projects?

Yes. The methodology is platform-agnostic. Smoke tested on a Vite + React + TypeScript + Tailwind project — grade A. The 7 layers map to any project shape; the domain skills (/dotclaude:coding, /dotclaude:data, etc.) are stack-universal.

Can I use just one domain skill without bootstrap?

Yes. /dotclaude:design, /dotclaude:coding, or any other domain skill runs standalone. Useful for incremental setup or adding a new concern to an existing CLAUDE.md.

What does it cost in tokens?

~984 tokens always-on per session (skill descriptions). 2.7–5.5k per single skill invocation. ~12k for the full bootstrap (loads upstream principles selectively per layer). Session overhead is < 1% of typical Claude usage.

How do I uninstall?

claude plugin uninstall dotclaude@dotclaude. The .claude/ directory dotclaude authored stays in your project — it's yours to edit, version, or remove.

Install & contribute

# Production install (any Claude Code session)
claude plugin marketplace add vindm/dotclaude
claude plugin install dotclaude@dotclaude

# Dev install (for contributing)
git clone https://github.com/vindm/dotclaude.git && cd dotclaude
claude --plugin-dir .

Contributing: full guide in CONTRIBUTING.md — covers adding principles, hooks, skills, war stories, smoke test discipline, and the PR checklist.

Changelog: see CHANGELOG.md for v1.0.0 → v1.1.0 (v2 reframe).

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_{Built from months of working with Claude Code as a daily driver.
MIT licensed · v2 architecture · changelog · contribute}