Spec-kit workflow command: speckit-onboard-start
/onboard start [--dev <name>] [--level <junior|mid|senior>]
--dev: developer name (default: "developer")--level: declared level — junior (default), mid, or seniorYou are executing the /onboard start command of the spec-kit-onboard extension. Follow the steps below in exact order.
Read the following artifacts:
memory.md.speckit/extensions.json — installed extensions (required; if missing, treat as empty list)features/*/spec.md — specs of all found featuresfeatures/*/tasks.md — tasks and status of all found featuresContext limit: read at most 3 complete features. For projects with more, prioritize:
If the project has no features, continue — the guide will be generated based solely on memory.md and installed extensions.
v2.0 supports multiple developers working simultaneously on the same project. Profiles are stored per-developer:
Profile storage layout:
.onboard/
├── profile.json — legacy single-developer profile (v1.x)
└── profiles/
└── <normalized-name>.json — per-developer profile (v2.0+)
Name normalization: convert --dev value to lowercase, replace spaces with hyphens (e.g., "Maria Silva" → maria-silva).
Resolution logic:
If --dev <name> is provided:
.onboard/profiles/<normalized-name>.json.templates/profile.json..onboard/profile.json exists and contains a matching developer.name, migrate it to .onboard/profiles/<normalized-name>.json and delete the legacy file.If --dev is not provided:
.onboard/profiles/..onboard/profile.json. If found, use it. If not, create .onboard/profiles/developer.json with default values and inform: "Profile created for 'developer'. Use --dev <your-name> to personalize."--dev <name>:⚠ Multiple developer profiles found. Please specify one:
/onboard start --dev "[name 1]"
/onboard start --dev "[name 2]"
/onboard start --dev "[name 3]"
Profile path used by all other commands: every command and hook in this extension must follow the same resolution logic above when reading or writing the profile. The resolved path is referred to as the "active profile" throughout these instructions.
If the profile does not exist: create it from templates/profile.json and fill in:
developer.name → value of --dev (default: "developer")developer.level → value of --level (default: "junior")developer.onboarded_at → current ISO8601 timestamplast_updated → current ISO8601 timestampIf it already exists: update only developer.name and developer.level if the parameters were explicitly provided. Preserve all progress history. Update last_updated.
.onboard/guide.mdGenerate .onboard/guide.md with the sections below. Use language calibrated to the profile level:
junior: accessible language, analogies, explains SDD terms on first use, full glossarymid: direct technical language, focuses on practical consequencessenior: dense and direct, focuses on current state, what changed, architectural decisionsRequired sections:
# Onboarding guide — [project name, extracted from memory.md or folder name]
Generated at: [date] | Developer: [name] | Level: [level]
Plain-language summary based on memory.md. Maximum 3 paragraphs.
Explain the SDD cycle adapted to the installed extensions. Explicitly mention what happens when a task is implemented (which hooks fire, which validations occur).
If learn is installed, include: "After implementing each feature, use /learn guide to consolidate what you learned."
For each feature found:
### [feature name] — [status: in progress / planned / completed]
[spec summary in 2–3 sentences]
Open tasks: N | Next: [task-id and title]
If no features exist, write: "No features found. The project is in its initial phase."
List 3 to 5 recommended entry-point tasks, ordered by suitability to the declared level. For each:
1. [task-id] · [title] — [feature]
Why: [one-sentence justification based on level and dependencies]
For junior: prioritize low-complexity tasks without dependencies.
For mid: prioritize medium-complexity tasks.
For senior: prioritize highest-impact or highest-complexity tasks.
Include only SDD terms that appear in the artifacts read. For each term, explain it in the context of this specific project (not generic definitions).
Terms to include if present: spec, task, hook, drift, feature, plan, names of installed extensions.
Omit this section for senior level.
Table with each installed extension and what it concretely does during the development cycle.
Display the following summary:
✦ onboard — guide generated at .onboard/guide.md
Project: [project name] | Developer: [name]
Open features: N | Pending tasks: N | Extensions: N
Recommended next steps:
1. Read .onboard/guide.md for the full context
2. Run /onboard trail <feature> to see dependencies
3. Run /onboard quiz when you feel ready
Tip: use /onboard explain <file> at any time.
.onboard/. Never create files outside that directory.