create-obsidian-arrow 0.1.5 → 0.2.0

package/README.md

@@ -24,18 +24,54 @@ pnpm dev
 > `public/app.css` is git-ignored and never bundled — it's Obsidian's proprietary
 > CSS, so each developer extracts it from their own install via `pnpm pull-css`.
 
-Local dev of the initializer itself (from the sandbox repo, before publishing):
+### Install the agent skills
+
+Skills aren't vendored into the scaffold — `skills:install` pulls them from the
+published repo (source of truth, always current) via the
+[`skills`](https://github.com/vercel-labs/skills) CLI:
+
+```sh
+pnpm skills:install --yes                       # non-interactive — installs all
+pnpm skills:install                             # interactive picker
+pnpm skills:install --yes --project-dir=<root>  # install at another repo root (nesting)
+pnpm skills:update                              # update an existing setup
+```
+
+If you scaffold **inside an existing repo**, skills install scoped to the
+scaffold folder (the CLI is cwd-relative); use `--project-dir=<outer-repo>` (or
+`--global`) to install where an agent at the outer repo looks. The scaffolder
+prints this hint when it detects nesting.
+
+## Update an existing project
+
+The scaffolder is create-only, but `update` refreshes an existing project's
+**managed** tooling (`scripts/`, `skills/`, `docs/`, `.github/`, `.husky/`,
+`biome.json`, agent guides) and merges new `package.json` scripts/deps — it never
+touches your `src/`, `public/`, `index.html`, or build configs:
+
+```sh
+npx create-obsidian-arrow update            # in the project (or: update <dir>)
+npx create-obsidian-arrow update --dry-run  # preview
+```
+
+Then `pnpm install && pnpm check`.
+
+## Local dev of the initializer
+
+From the sandbox repo, before publishing:
 
 ```sh
-node create-obsidian-arrow/index.mjs ../my-app
+node create-obsidian-arrow/index.mjs ../my-app          # scaffold
+node create-obsidian-arrow/index.mjs update ../my-app   # update
 ```
 
 ## What you get
 
 A full sandbox: client-only Vite + TS, `@arrow-js/core` + `@arrow-js/framework`
 (no SSR), `routeToPage` + Navigation-API router with an `/example` demo, Biome +
-husky pre-commit + `node:test` + GitHub Actions CI, bundled agent skills, and the
-`pull-css` script that extracts Obsidian's `app.css`.
+husky pre-commit + `node:test` + GitHub Actions CI, a `skills:install` that pulls
+the agent skills from the published repo, and the `pull-css` script that extracts
+Obsidian's `app.css`.
 
 ## Maintaining the template
 

package/index.mjs

@@ -1,13 +1,21 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 /**
- * create-obsidian-arrow — scaffold a new Obsidian-styled Arrow.js UI sandbox.
+ * create-obsidian-arrow — scaffold or update an Obsidian-styled Arrow.js sandbox.
  *
- *   pnpm create obsidian-arrow my-app      # once published
- *   node create-obsidian-arrow/index.mjs my-app   # locally, before publishing
+ *   create-obsidian-arrow <dir>            scaffold a new project into <dir>
+ *   create-obsidian-arrow update [dir]     refresh an existing project's tooling
+ *                                          (default dir: cwd) — preserves your code
  *
- * Copies the vendored template/ into <dir>, restores .gitignore (npm strips it
- * from packages, so it's vendored as _gitignore), rewrites the project name,
- * and runs `git init`. The template is a full, verified sandbox — see template/.
+ *   pnpm create obsidian-arrow my-app
+ *   node create-obsidian-arrow/index.mjs my-app          # locally
+ *   node create-obsidian-arrow/index.mjs update ./my-app
+ *
+ * Scaffold copies the vendored template/, restores .gitignore (vendored as
+ * _gitignore), names the project, and runs `git init`.
+ *
+ * Update refreshes only the *managed* tooling files from the template and merges
+ * package.json scripts + missing deps — it never touches your src/, public/,
+ * index.html, or the core build configs. Use --dry-run to preview.
  */
 import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
 import fs from "node:fs";
@@ -17,60 +25,165 @@ import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
 const here = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
 const templateDir = path.join(here, "template");
 
+// Files/dirs the template owns and `update` may overwrite/merge. Everything else
+// (src/, public/, index.html, vite.config.ts, tsconfig.json, lockfile, .gitignore,
+// port-parity.json, …) is treated as user-owned and left alone. Skills aren't
+// here — they're pulled from the published repo via `pnpm skills:update`, not
+// vendored into the scaffold.
+const MANAGED = ["scripts", "docs", ".github", ".husky", "biome.json", "AGENTS.md", "CLAUDE.md"];
+
+const argv = process.argv.slice(2);
+const dryRun = argv.includes("--dry-run");
+
 function fail(message) {
 	console.error(`create-obsidian-arrow: ${message}`);
 	process.exit(1);
 }
 
-const targetArg = process.argv[2];
-if (!targetArg) {
-	fail("usage: create-obsidian-arrow <directory>");
+if (!fs.existsSync(templateDir)) {
+	fail("template/ is missing — run scripts/sync-template.mjs to build it.");
 }
 
-const destRoot = path.resolve(process.cwd(), targetArg);
-const appName = path.basename(destRoot);
+/** Nearest ancestor *above* `dir` that is a git repo, or null. */
+function outerRepoAbove(dir) {
+	let current = path.dirname(path.resolve(dir));
+	const fsRoot = path.parse(current).root;
+	while (current && current !== fsRoot) {
+		if (fs.existsSync(path.join(current, ".git"))) {
+			return current;
+		}
+		current = path.dirname(current);
+	}
+	return null;
+}
 
-if (fs.existsSync(destRoot) && fs.readdirSync(destRoot).length > 0) {
-	fail(`target "${targetArg}" already exists and is not empty.`);
+/** Recursively copy src→dest; returns the list of written file paths (relative
+ * to `base`). Honors --dry-run (records but doesn't write). */
+function copyTree(src, dest, base, written) {
+	const stat = fs.statSync(src);
+	if (stat.isDirectory()) {
+		if (!dryRun) {
+			fs.mkdirSync(dest, { recursive: true });
+		}
+		for (const entry of fs.readdirSync(src)) {
+			copyTree(path.join(src, entry), path.join(dest, entry), base, written);
+		}
+		return;
+	}
+	written.push(path.relative(base, dest));
+	if (!dryRun) {
+		fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(dest), { recursive: true });
+		fs.copyFileSync(src, dest);
+	}
 }
-if (!fs.existsSync(templateDir)) {
-	fail("template/ is missing — run scripts/sync-template.mjs to build it.");
+
+function scaffold(targetArg) {
+	const destRoot = path.resolve(process.cwd(), targetArg);
+	const appName = path.basename(destRoot);
+
+	if (fs.existsSync(destRoot) && fs.readdirSync(destRoot).length > 0) {
+		fail(`target "${targetArg}" already exists and is not empty (use \`update\` to refresh it).`);
+	}
+
+	const written = [];
+	copyTree(templateDir, destRoot, destRoot, written);
+	// Restore .gitignore (npm omits .gitignore from packages; vendored as _gitignore).
+	const vendoredIgnore = path.join(destRoot, "_gitignore");
+	if (fs.existsSync(vendoredIgnore)) {
+		fs.renameSync(vendoredIgnore, path.join(destRoot, ".gitignore"));
+	}
+
+	// Personalize the project name via targeted replace (keeps Biome formatting).
+	const pkgPath = path.join(destRoot, "package.json");
+	const renamed = fs
+		.readFileSync(pkgPath, "utf8")
+		.replace(/("name":\s*)"[^"]*"/, (_m, prefix) => `${prefix}${JSON.stringify(appName)}`);
+	fs.writeFileSync(pkgPath, renamed);
+
+	spawnSync("git", ["init", "-q"], { cwd: destRoot, stdio: "ignore" });
+
+	console.log(`\nScaffolded ${appName} in ${path.relative(process.cwd(), destRoot) || "."}\n`);
+	console.log("Next steps:");
+	console.log(`  cd ${targetArg}`);
+	console.log("  pnpm install");
+	console.log("  pnpm pull-css     # extract Obsidian's app.css (macOS auto-detect)");
+	console.log("  pnpm dev\n");
+
+	const outer = outerRepoAbove(destRoot);
+	if (outer) {
+		console.log(`Note: this project is nested inside the repo at ${outer}.`);
+		console.log("  Bundled skills install scoped to THIS project. To install them at the");
+		console.log(`  outer repo instead:  pnpm skills:install --yes --project-dir=${outer}\n`);
+	}
+}
+
+/** Merge template package.json scripts + missing deps into the target's,
+ * preserving name/version/identity and existing dep versions. */
+function mergePackageJson(targetPkgPath) {
+	const tpl = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(templateDir, "package.json"), "utf8"));
+	const pkg = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(targetPkgPath, "utf8"));
+	const changes = [];
+
+	pkg.scripts ??= {};
+	for (const [name, cmd] of Object.entries(tpl.scripts ?? {})) {
+		if (pkg.scripts[name] !== cmd) {
+			changes.push(`script ${name}`);
+			pkg.scripts[name] = cmd;
+		}
+	}
+	for (const field of ["dependencies", "devDependencies"]) {
+		pkg[field] ??= {};
+		for (const [name, version] of Object.entries(tpl[field] ?? {})) {
+			if (!(name in pkg[field])) {
+				changes.push(`${field}: ${name}`);
+				pkg[field][name] = version;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (changes.length > 0 && !dryRun) {
+		fs.writeFileSync(targetPkgPath, `${JSON.stringify(pkg, null, "\t")}\n`);
+	}
+	return changes;
 }
 
-function copyDir(src, dest) {
-	fs.mkdirSync(dest, { recursive: true });
-	for (const entry of fs.readdirSync(src, { withFileTypes: true })) {
-		const srcPath = path.join(src, entry.name);
-		// Vendored as _gitignore because npm omits .gitignore from published tarballs.
-		const destName = entry.name === "_gitignore" ? ".gitignore" : entry.name;
-		const destPath = path.join(dest, destName);
-		if (entry.isDirectory()) {
-			copyDir(srcPath, destPath);
-		} else {
-			fs.copyFileSync(srcPath, destPath);
+function update(targetArg) {
+	const root = path.resolve(process.cwd(), targetArg ?? ".");
+	if (!fs.existsSync(path.join(root, "package.json"))) {
+		fail(`no package.json in ${root} — is this a scaffolded project?`);
+	}
+
+	const written = [];
+	for (const name of MANAGED) {
+		const src = path.join(templateDir, name);
+		if (fs.existsSync(src)) {
+			copyTree(src, path.join(root, name), root, written);
 		}
 	}
+	const pkgChanges = mergePackageJson(path.join(root, "package.json"));
+
+	const verb = dryRun ? "Would refresh" : "Refreshed";
+	console.log(
+		`${verb} ${written.length} managed file(s) in ${path.relative(process.cwd(), root) || "."}:`
+	);
+	for (const file of written) {
+		console.log(`  ${file}`);
+	}
+	if (pkgChanges.length > 0) {
+		console.log(`package.json: ${dryRun ? "would update" : "updated"} ${pkgChanges.join(", ")}`);
+	}
+	console.log(
+		dryRun
+			? "\n(dry run — nothing written.)"
+			: "\nLeft alone: src/, public/, index.html, vite.config.ts, tsconfig.json, .gitignore.\nRun `pnpm install` then `pnpm check`. Update skills separately with `pnpm skills:update`.\n"
+	);
 }
 
-copyDir(templateDir, destRoot);
-
-// Personalize the project name. Use a targeted replace (not JSON.parse +
-// stringify) so the template's existing Biome formatting stays byte-identical
-// and the fresh project passes `pnpm lint` out of the box.
-const pkgPath = path.join(destRoot, "package.json");
-const pkgText = fs.readFileSync(pkgPath, "utf8");
-const renamed = pkgText.replace(
-	/("name":\s*)"[^"]*"/,
-	(_match, prefix) => `${prefix}${JSON.stringify(appName)}`
-);
-fs.writeFileSync(pkgPath, renamed);
-
-// Initialize a git repo (best-effort; ignore if git is unavailable).
-spawnSync("git", ["init", "-q"], { cwd: destRoot, stdio: "ignore" });
-
-console.log(`\nScaffolded ${appName} in ${path.relative(process.cwd(), destRoot) || "."}\n`);
-console.log("Next steps:");
-console.log(`  cd ${targetArg}`);
-console.log("  pnpm install");
-console.log("  pnpm pull-css     # extract Obsidian's app.css (macOS auto-detect)");
-console.log("  pnpm dev\n");
+const command = argv[0];
+if (command === "update") {
+	update(argv.find((a) => a !== "update" && !a.startsWith("--")));
+} else if (!command || command.startsWith("--")) {
+	fail("usage: create-obsidian-arrow <directory> | update [directory]");
+} else {
+	scaffold(command);
+}

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "create-obsidian-arrow",
-  "version": "0.1.5",
+  "version": "0.2.0",
   "description": "Scaffold an Obsidian-styled Arrow.js UI sandbox (pnpm create obsidian-arrow <dir>).",
   "type": "module",
   "bin": {

package/template/AGENTS.md

@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ This file is the hub — everything else is linked from here:
 - [`docs/workflow.md`](docs/workflow.md) — fresh-machine → running workflow.
 - [`skills/`](skills/) — installable domain skills (`pnpm skills:install`):
   obsidian-arrow-sandbox, arrow-js-obsidian-templates, arrow-js-obsidian-patterns,
-  arrow-js-obsidian-porting (sandbox→plugin parity check).
+  arrow-js-obsidian-porting (sandbox→plugin parity check), obsidian-arrow-maintenance
+  (updating an existing project).
 - [`docs/prompts/agent-setup.md`](docs/prompts/agent-setup.md) — prompt for
   briefing a fresh agent (scaffold + orient).
 
@@ -40,6 +41,15 @@ pnpm dev          # Vite + HMR
 `public/app.css` is **git-ignored** (Obsidian's proprietary CSS — not
 redistributed); run `pnpm pull-css` once before `pnpm dev`.
 
+Install the skills (pulled from the published repo, not vendored):
+`pnpm skills:install --yes` (non-interactive, all skills) or `pnpm skills:install`
+(TUI); update with `pnpm skills:update`. Scope
+flags: `--agent <name>`, `--project-dir=<path>`, `--global`. **Nested inside
+another repo?** Skills install cwd-relative — use `--project-dir=<outer-repo>` so
+they land where an agent at the outer repo looks. To refresh an existing
+project's tooling, run `npx create-obsidian-arrow update` (see the
+obsidian-arrow-maintenance skill).
+
 ## Arrow v1.0.6 footguns — READ BEFORE WRITING TEMPLATES
 
 These are hard runtime errors, not style nits. They are encoded in CI

package/template/README.md

@@ -24,6 +24,23 @@ Then `cd my-app && pnpm install && pnpm pull-css && pnpm dev`. A freshly
 scaffolded project passes `pnpm run ci` out of the box. The initializer's
 template is generated from this repo (`pnpm create:sync`), so it never drifts.
 
+**Update an existing project's tooling** (refreshes the managed files — scripts,
+skills, docs, agent guides, CI, `biome.json` — and merges new `package.json`
+scripts/deps; never touches `src/`, `public/`, `index.html`, or build configs):
+
+```sh
+npx create-obsidian-arrow update            # in the project (or: update <dir>)
+npx create-obsidian-arrow update --dry-run  # preview first
+```
+
+> **Nested in another repo?** If you scaffold inside an existing repo, skills
+> install scoped to the scaffold folder (the `skills` CLI is cwd-relative), so the
+> session/`skill://` registry — which only indexes the **repo root** + global —
+> won't see them. Install at the outer repo instead:
+> `pnpm skills:install --yes --project-dir=<outer-repo>` (or, from the outer repo,
+> `npx skills add kylebrodeur/obsidian-arrow-sandbox --all --yes`), then **reload
+> the session**. The scaffolder prints this hint when it detects nesting.
+
 > This repo (the full sandbox) is **not** published to npm — only the
 > `create-obsidian-arrow/` initializer is. An agent-onboarding prompt lives in
 > [`docs/prompts/agent-setup.md`](docs/prompts/agent-setup.md).
@@ -66,10 +83,12 @@ Obsidian install.
 A husky `pre-commit` hook runs `lint-staged` (Biome on staged files) + a full
 typecheck. CI (`.github/workflows/ci.yml`) runs the `ci` script on push/PR.
 
-## Bundled agent skills
+## Agent skills
 
-This repo ships [`skills`](https://github.com/vercel-labs/skills)-compatible skills
-under [`skills/`](skills/) — it doubles as a local skill marketplace:
+This repo is the source of truth for five [`skills`](https://github.com/vercel-labs/skills)-compatible
+skills under [`skills/`](skills/) — it's a skill marketplace. Scaffolds **don't
+vendor copies**; they pull from this published repo, so installs are always
+current.
 
 - `obsidian-arrow-sandbox` — running and using this sandbox, and porting to a plugin.
 - `arrow-js-obsidian-templates` — Arrow v1.0.6 template rules + footguns.
@@ -78,23 +97,32 @@ under [`skills/`](skills/) — it doubles as a local skill marketplace:
 - `arrow-js-obsidian-porting` — content-addressed porting parity: the
   `component-hash` tool + a husky/CI check that the plugin copy hasn't drifted
   from the sandbox source.
+- `obsidian-arrow-maintenance` — updating an existing project: `create-obsidian-arrow
+  update`, `skills:update`, nesting/`--project-dir`, re-pull styling.
 
-Install them into your agent:
+Install them into your agent (pulls from the published repo; the sandbox repo
+itself uses its local `skills/`):
 
 ```sh
-pnpm skills:install                            # interactive picker (TUI) on a terminal
-pnpm skills:install --yes                      # non-interactive — installs ALL bundled skills
-pnpm skills:install --yes --agent claude-code  # install for one agent only
-pnpm skills:update                             # update an existing setup to the latest
+pnpm skills:install                                 # interactive picker (TUI) on a terminal
+pnpm skills:install --yes                           # non-interactive — installs all skills
+pnpm skills:install --yes --agent claude-code       # install for one agent only
+pnpm skills:install --yes --project-dir=<repo-root> # install into another project root
+pnpm skills:update                                  # update an existing setup to the latest
 ```
 
+Anywhere, with no project at all:
+`npx skills add kylebrodeur/obsidian-arrow-sandbox --all --yes`.
+
 `postinstall` offers the picker automatically after `pnpm install`, but only in
 an interactive terminal — in CI / non-TTY it just prints how to install (never
-hangs). For agents/CI, use `--yes` (it runs `npx skills add . --all --yes`);
-`--agent <name>` (or `--agent=<name>`) targets one agent instead of all.
-`pnpm skills:update` runs `npx skills update -y`. The auto `postinstall` step
-takes no CLI args, so use `SKILLS_AGENT=<name>` (and `SKIP_SKILLS_INSTALL=1` to
-opt out) to influence *that* path.
+hangs). For agents/CI, use `--yes`.
+Scope flags: `--agent <name>` (one agent), `--project-dir=<path>` (install into a
+different project root, e.g. an outer repo a scaffold is nested in), `--global`
+(user-level, available everywhere). `pnpm skills:update` runs
+`npx skills update -y`. The auto `postinstall` step takes no CLI args, so the env
+forms `SKILLS_AGENT` / `SKILLS_PROJECT_DIR` / `SKILLS_GLOBAL` (and
+`SKIP_SKILLS_INSTALL=1`) influence *that* path.
 
 ## Porting a component into the plugin
 

package/template/_gitignore

@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ dist
 .DS_Store
 *.tgz
 
+# `skills` install artifacts (regenerated by `pnpm skills:install`); the source
+# of truth is skills/. (skills-lock.json is intentionally kept tracked.)
+.agents/
+
 # Obsidian's app.css is proprietary — extract it locally with `pnpm pull-css`,
 # don't commit/redistribute it.
 public/app.css

package/template/docs/prompts/agent-setup.md

@@ -32,16 +32,21 @@ Then:
                     # or set OBSIDIAN_ASAR=<path>.
   pnpm dev          # open the printed URL: / is the examples index, /example the demo.
                     # The toolbar slider/presets + edge drag handle resize the panel.
-  pnpm skills:install --yes   # install ALL bundled agent skills non-interactively
-                              # (runs `npx skills add . --all --yes`) — this loads
+  pnpm skills:install --yes   # install all agent skills non-interactively, pulled
+                              # from the published repo (not vendored) — this loads
                               # the domain knowledge. Drop --yes for an interactive picker.
+                              # NESTED inside another repo? Skills install cwd-relative,
+                              # so add --project-dir=<outer-repo> (or --global) to put them
+                              # where an agent at the outer repo will find them.
 
 READ FIRST
 - AGENTS.md (root) — operating guide + docs map (links everything below).
 - docs/workflow.md — fresh-machine → running workflow.
 - skills/*/SKILL.md — obsidian-arrow-sandbox (workflow), arrow-js-obsidian-
   templates (template syntax + footguns), arrow-js-obsidian-patterns (icons via
-  Lucide/data-icon sweep, CSS scoping, mount/unmount lifecycle, reactive state).
+  Lucide/data-icon sweep, CSS scoping, mount/unmount lifecycle, reactive state),
+  arrow-js-obsidian-porting (sandbox→plugin parity check),
+  obsidian-arrow-maintenance (updating an existing project).
 
 ARROW v1.0.6 FOOTGUNS — do not relearn these the hard way:
 1. NO literal HTML comments inside html`` templates — Arrow treats HTML comments
@@ -76,7 +81,12 @@ PORTING TO A PLUGIN
 Copy the component file into the plugin's view dir and mount from
 ItemView.onOpen() via `template(this.contentEl)`. If it uses boundary()/async
 components, add @arrow-js/framework to the plugin and the side-effect
-`import '@arrow-js/framework'`. Leave src/sandbox/* behind.
+`import '@arrow-js/framework'`. Leave src/sandbox/* behind. Guard against drift
+with the porting-parity check (see the arrow-js-obsidian-porting skill).
+
+MAINTENANCE (existing project)
+Refresh tooling later with `npx create-obsidian-arrow update` (preserves src/),
+update skills with `pnpm skills:update`. See the obsidian-arrow-maintenance skill.
 
 Start by scaffolding, running setup steps, then read AGENTS.md and confirm
 `pnpm dev` renders /example correctly. Report what you see.

package/template/docs/workflow.md

@@ -37,13 +37,20 @@ From inside the scaffolded project:
 
 ```sh
 pnpm skills:install          # interactive picker (TUI) on a terminal
-pnpm skills:install --yes    # non-interactive — installs ALL bundled skills (for agents/CI)
+pnpm skills:install --yes    # non-interactive — installs all skills from the published repo (agents/CI)
 pnpm skills:update           # update an already-installed setup to the latest
 ```
 
 Then point the agent at [`AGENTS.md`](../AGENTS.md), or brief a fresh agent with
 [`docs/prompts/agent-setup.md`](prompts/agent-setup.md).
 
+**Nested inside another repo?** Skills install scoped to the current folder (the
+`skills` CLI is cwd-relative). To install them at the outer repo instead:
+`pnpm skills:install --yes --project-dir=<outer-repo>` (or `--global`).
+
+**Refresh an existing project's tooling** (scripts, skills, docs, CI — never your
+`src/`): `npx create-obsidian-arrow update` (add `--dry-run` to preview).
+
 ## Build → verify → port loop
 
 ```sh

package/template/scripts/install-skills.mjs

@@ -1,36 +1,46 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 /**
- * Install / update the skills bundled in this repo (skills/*) via the `skills`
- * CLI (https://github.com/vercel-labs/skills). This repo is a local skills
- * marketplace: the source `.` resolves to skills/<name>/SKILL.md.
+ * Install / update the obsidian-arrow agent skills via the `skills` CLI
+ * (https://github.com/vercel-labs/skills).
+ *
+ * Skills are NOT vendored into scaffolds — they're pulled from the published
+ * repo (the source of truth), so installs are always current and don't depend on
+ * a bundled copy. The sandbox repo itself (which has a local `skills/` dir) uses
+ * that local copy instead, so you can test edits before publishing.
  *
  * Modes (auto-detected):
  *   - Interactive terminal       → opens the picker TUI (choose what to install).
- *   - Non-interactive / CI / -y  → installs ALL bundled skills, no prompts.
+ *   - Non-interactive / CI / -y  → installs ALL skills, no prompts.
  *   - --update                   → updates an already-installed setup in place.
  *
  * Wiring:
  *   - `postinstall` (auto on `pnpm install`): only acts in an interactive
  *     terminal; in CI/non-TTY it prints how to install and exits 0 (never hangs).
- *   - `pnpm skills:install`        → picker (TUI) on a terminal, else installs all.
- *   - `pnpm skills:install --yes`  → always non-interactive: install all skills.
- *   - `pnpm skills:update`         → update installed skills to the latest.
+ *   - `pnpm skills:install [--yes]`  → picker, or non-interactive install of all.
+ *   - `pnpm skills:update`           → update installed skills to the latest.
  *
  * Flags / env:
+ *   --source <ref> | SKILLS_SOURCE=<ref>   where to pull skills from (default: the
+ *                          published repo; a local `skills/` dir is used if present)
  *   --update / -u           update installed skills (runs `skills update -y`)
- *   --yes / -y              non-interactive install of all bundled skills
- *   --agent <name> | --agent=<name>   install for one agent (e.g. claude-code)
- *                          instead of all detected agents
- *   SKILLS_AGENT=<name>     same as --agent, for the auto `postinstall` step
- *                          (which can't take CLI args) and CI
+ *   --yes / -y              non-interactive install of all skills
+ *   --agent <name> | --agent=<name>   install for one agent instead of all
+ *   --project-dir=<path>    install into another project root (e.g. the outer repo
+ *                          a scaffold is nested in); project-scoped there
+ *   --global / -g           install at user level (~/.<agent>/…), everywhere
+ *   SKILLS_AGENT / SKILLS_PROJECT_DIR / SKILLS_GLOBAL   env forms (for the auto
+ *                          `postinstall` step, which can't take CLI args, and CI)
  *   --dry-run / SKILLS_DRY_RUN=1   print the command instead of running it
  *   SKIP_SKILLS_INSTALL=1   opt out of the postinstall auto-step
  */
 import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import path from "node:path";
 import process from "node:process";
 
-const BUNDLED =
-	"obsidian-arrow-sandbox, arrow-js-obsidian-templates, arrow-js-obsidian-patterns, arrow-js-obsidian-porting";
+const REPO = "kylebrodeur/obsidian-arrow-sandbox";
+const SKILLS =
+	"obsidian-arrow-sandbox, arrow-js-obsidian-templates, arrow-js-obsidian-patterns, arrow-js-obsidian-porting, obsidian-arrow-maintenance";
 
 const has = (flag) => process.argv.includes(flag);
 // Accepts both `--flag value` and `--flag=value`.
@@ -43,29 +53,61 @@ const flagValue = (flag) => {
 	return i >= 0 ? process.argv[i + 1] : undefined;
 };
 
+/** Nearest ancestor *above* `dir` that is a git repo, or null. */
+function outerRepoAbove(dir) {
+	let current = path.dirname(path.resolve(dir));
+	const fsRoot = path.parse(current).root;
+	while (current && current !== fsRoot) {
+		if (fs.existsSync(path.join(current, ".git"))) {
+			return current;
+		}
+		current = path.dirname(current);
+	}
+	return null;
+}
+
 const forced = has("--force"); // set by `pnpm skills:install`
 const update = has("--update") || has("-u");
 const yes = has("--yes") || has("-y");
+const global = has("--global") || has("-g") || process.env.SKILLS_GLOBAL === "1";
 const agent = flagValue("--agent") || process.env.SKILLS_AGENT;
+const projectDir = flagValue("--project-dir") || process.env.SKILLS_PROJECT_DIR;
 const dryRun = has("--dry-run") || process.env.SKILLS_DRY_RUN === "1";
 const isCI = Boolean(process.env.CI);
 const interactive = Boolean(process.stdout.isTTY && process.stdin.isTTY);
 const optedOut = process.env.SKIP_SKILLS_INSTALL === "1";
 
-function run(args) {
+// Pull from the published repo by default; prefer a local `skills/` dir if
+// present (the sandbox repo itself); honor an explicit --source override.
+const explicitSource = flagValue("--source") || process.env.SKILLS_SOURCE;
+const hasLocalSkills = fs.existsSync(path.join(process.cwd(), "skills"));
+const baseSource = explicitSource ?? (hasLocalSkills ? "." : REPO);
+// A repo ref is cwd-independent; a local "." must be made absolute when
+// --project-dir redirects cwd so it still resolves.
+const source = projectDir && baseSource === "." ? path.resolve(".") : baseSource;
+const targetCwd = projectDir ? path.resolve(projectDir) : process.cwd();
+
+if (projectDir && !fs.existsSync(targetCwd)) {
+	console.error(`[skills] --project-dir not found: ${targetCwd}`);
+	process.exit(1);
+}
+
+function run(args, cwd = process.cwd()) {
+	const where = cwd === process.cwd() ? "" : ` (in ${cwd})`;
 	const pretty = ["npx", "skills", ...args].join(" ");
 	if (dryRun) {
-		console.log(`[skills] (dry-run) would run: ${pretty}`);
+		console.log(`[skills] (dry-run) would run: ${pretty}${where}`);
 		process.exit(0);
 	}
-	console.log(`[skills] ${pretty}`);
+	console.log(`[skills] ${pretty}${where}`);
 	const result = spawnSync("npx", ["--yes", "skills", ...args], {
+		cwd,
 		stdio: "inherit",
 		shell: process.platform === "win32",
 	});
 	if (result.error) {
 		console.error(
-			`[skills] could not run npx skills (${result.error.message}). Install manually: npx skills add . --all --yes`
+			`[skills] could not run npx skills (${result.error.message}). Install manually: npx skills add ${REPO} --all --yes`
 		);
 		process.exit(0); // never fail an install over an optional convenience step
 	}
@@ -87,23 +129,30 @@ if (update) {
 // `pnpm install` in CI never hangs or installs things unprompted.
 if (!forced && (isCI || !interactive)) {
 	console.log(
-		`[skills] Bundled skills: ${BUNDLED}\n         Install:  pnpm skills:install        (interactive picker on a terminal)\n                   pnpm skills:install --yes  (non-interactive — installs all)\n         Update:   pnpm skills:update`
+		`[skills] Agent skills: ${SKILLS}\n         Install:  pnpm skills:install        (interactive picker on a terminal)\n                   pnpm skills:install --yes  (non-interactive — installs all)\n         Update:   pnpm skills:update`
 	);
 	process.exit(0);
 }
 
-// Non-interactive (CI/agent/no TTY, or --yes, or an agent target): install ALL
-// bundled skills with no prompts. Target one agent if asked, else all agents.
-if (!interactive || yes || agent) {
-	console.log(`[skills] Installing all bundled skills non-interactively: ${BUNDLED}`);
-	if (agent) {
-		// `--all` is shorthand for `-s * -a * -y`, so to target one agent we
-		// spell out all-skills + that agent explicitly.
-		run(["add", ".", "-s", "*", "-a", agent, "-y"]);
+// Non-interactive (CI/agent/no TTY, or --yes, or an agent/global target): install
+// ALL skills with no prompts. Target one agent if asked, else all agents.
+if (!interactive || yes || agent || global || projectDir) {
+	console.log(`[skills] Installing all skills non-interactively from ${source}: ${SKILLS}`);
+	const outer = global || projectDir ? null : outerRepoAbove(process.cwd());
+	if (outer) {
+		console.log(
+			`[skills] note: this folder is nested inside ${outer}, and skills install scoped to cwd. For session/skill:// discovery they must live at the repo root — install there with:\n         pnpm skills:install --yes --project-dir=${outer}\n         (or, from ${outer}: npx skills add ${REPO} --all --yes). Reload the session afterwards.`
+		);
+	}
+	// `--all` is shorthand for `-s * -a * -y`; to target one agent we spell out
+	// all-skills + that agent explicitly.
+	const args = agent ? ["add", source, "-s", "*", "-a", agent, "-y"] : ["add", source, "--all"];
+	if (global) {
+		args.push("--global");
 	}
-	run(["add", ".", "--all"]);
+	run(args, targetCwd);
 }
 
 // Interactive terminal: let the user pick in the TUI.
-console.log(`[skills] Opening the skills picker. Bundled: ${BUNDLED}`);
-run(["add", "."]);
+console.log(`[skills] Opening the skills picker (source: ${source}). Skills: ${SKILLS}`);
+run(["add", source]);

package/template/skills/arrow-js-obsidian-patterns/SKILL.md

@@ -1,94 +0,0 @@
----
-name: arrow-js-obsidian-patterns
-description: Use when building reactive Obsidian plugin UI with @arrow-js/core beyond basic templates — icons (Obsidian uses Lucide; the data-icon sweep since setIcon can't run inside templates), CSS scoping/specificity against Obsidian's global rules, component mount/unmount lifecycle in an ItemView, and organizing shared reactive state. Complements arrow-js-obsidian-templates (syntax) with integration patterns.
----
-
-# Arrow.js + Obsidian integration patterns
-
-How to build real components (not just template syntax) for an Obsidian plugin
-view with `@arrow-js/core`. Pairs with **arrow-js-obsidian-templates** (the
-template rules + footguns).
-
-## Mount / unmount lifecycle
-
-A view mounts a component imperatively, the same call the sandbox makes:
-
-```ts
-import { html } from "@arrow-js/core"
-// in ItemView.onOpen():
-this.contentEl.empty()
-html`${MyComponent()}`(this.contentEl)
-```
-
-- `html\`\`(container)` does **not** reliably return an unmount function — don't
-  gate cleanup on its return value. Always `container.empty()` before remounting.
-- Re-rendering on route/state change: clear the container, then mount fresh.
-  Reactive bindings (`${() => …}`) update in place — don't remount the whole tree
-  on every state change; let Arrow patch the slots that read changed state.
-
-## Shared reactive state
-
-One `reactive()` object is the single source of truth; components read it via
-getters so they stay in sync without prop-drilling.
-
-```ts
-import { reactive } from "@arrow-js/core"
-export const state = reactive({ model: "", streaming: false, items: [] })
-// pass getters into components: Toggle(() => state.streaming, () => { ... })
-```
-
-## Icons (Obsidian uses Lucide)
-
-`setIcon(el, name)` needs a real DOM element, so it **cannot** be called inside
-an Arrow template expression (the element doesn't exist yet). Two options:
-
-1. **In-plugin — the data-icon sweep.** Emit a placeholder, then sweep after
-   mount:
-
-   ```ts
-   html`<span class="svg-icon" data-icon="copy"></span>`
-   // after template(container) — scope the query to the container, not document:
-   for (const el of Array.from(container.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>("[data-icon]"))) {
-     const name = el.getAttribute("data-icon")
-     if (name) setIcon(el, name)  // setIcon from "obsidian"
-   }
-   ```
-   For sections that open after mount (dropdowns/popovers), run the sweep in a
-   `nextTick(...)` after they render, scoped to that section's element.
-
-2. **In the sandbox (no `obsidian` module).** Use a Lucide import or inline SVG,
-   or plain text/emoji for chrome. The baseline uses text glyphs to stay
-   shim-free; add a Lucide-backed `setIcon` shim (aliased as `obsidian`) when you
-   port icon-using components in.
-
-## CSS scoping & specificity (the big one)
-
-Obsidian's `app.css` applies global rules like
-`button:not(.clickable-icon) { background: var(--interactive-normal) }` at
-specificity **(0,1,1)**. A plain `.my-btn` selector is **(0,1,0)** and loses
-regardless of cascade order.
-
-```css
-/* (0,1,0) — LOSES to Obsidian's global button rule */
-.my-action { background: var(--interactive-accent); }
-
-/* (0,2,1) — WINS, and can't leak */
-.my-panel button.my-action { background: var(--interactive-accent); }
-```
-
-Rules: prefer Obsidian's own classes (`.setting-item`, `.clickable-icon`,
-`.workspace-leaf`, `.vertical-tab-*`, `.modal`) and `var(--…)` tokens first; only
-add custom CSS where there's no Obsidian class; always scope custom rules under a
-container class + element type.
-
-## Common Obsidian layout classes
-
-- `.workspace-leaf` > `.workspace-leaf-content` — a view pane.
-- `.view-header` / `.view-content` — pane header + body.
-- `.setting-item` (+ `.setting-item-info` / `.setting-item-name` /
-  `.setting-item-description` / `.setting-item-control`) — settings rows.
-- `.checkbox-container` (+ `.is-enabled`) — toggle.
-- `.clickable-icon` — icon button (escapes the global button background rule).
-- `.vertical-tab-header` / `.vertical-tab-nav-item` (+ `.is-active`) — tab nav.
-- `.modal-container` > `.modal` — modal/popover.
-- `.mod-cta` — primary call-to-action button.

package/template/skills/arrow-js-obsidian-porting/SKILL.md

@@ -1,92 +0,0 @@
----
-name: arrow-js-obsidian-porting
-description: Use when porting an Arrow component from the obsidian-arrow-sandbox into the real Obsidian plugin, or wiring a check that the plugin copy hasn't drifted from the sandbox source. Covers the content-addressed porting-parity tool (scripts/component-hash.mjs), the canonical-form rules, a port-parity manifest, and a husky/CI pre-commit hook. The sandbox is the source of truth; the plugin copy must match.
----
-
-# Porting parity (sandbox → Obsidian plugin)
-
-The sandbox is the **source of truth** for a component; the plugin gets a
-near-verbatim copy. The risk is **drift** — someone hand-edits the plugin copy,
-or a port silently diverges. This makes components **content-addressed**: a
-canonical hash of the component's portable body must match on both sides, the
-same idea as "never hand-edit generated artifacts."
-
-## Write portable components
-
-So the body is byte-identical across sandbox and plugin and only the *mount site*
-differs:
-
-- Take data via **props / getters**, not hard-wired sources. The sandbox passes a
-  stub (`loadStatus()`); the plugin passes the real source (rpc) — but that wiring
-  lives at the **call site** (`main.ts` / `ItemView.onOpen()`), not in the
-  component body.
-- Use Obsidian classes + `var(--…)` tokens (already the rule). Keep
-  `obsidian`-API calls (`setIcon`, …) out of the component body where possible.
-
-## The tool: `scripts/component-hash.mjs`
-
-Dependency-free Node; canonicalizer in `scripts/lib/canonical-source.mjs`.
-
-```sh
-node scripts/component-hash.mjs <file>                       # print canonical hash
-node scripts/component-hash.mjs --verify <sandbox> <plugin>  # PARITY OK | DRIFT (exit 0/1)
-node scripts/component-hash.mjs --check port-parity.json     # check all; exit 1 on drift
-node scripts/component-hash.mjs --check port-parity.json --update   # re-bless baselines
-```
-
-**Canonical form** (define it so both sides agree by construction):
-- `import …;` statements are stripped (single- and multi-line) — imports are the
-  main legit delta (stub vs real data, the `obsidian` API).
-- Line endings → `\n`, trailing whitespace trimmed, blank-line runs collapsed,
-  leading/trailing blanks trimmed.
-- Comments are **kept** (they're part of the component; the sandbox owns them too).
-- SHA-256 of the result.
-
-So two copies that differ only in imports/formatting hash equal; any change to
-the body/template/comments shows as drift.
-
-## Wiring the check in the plugin
-
-The hook lives in the **plugin** repo (that's where ported copies drift). Copy the
-two dependency-free files in (`scripts/lib/canonical-source.mjs`,
-`scripts/component-hash.mjs`) and add a manifest:
-
-```jsonc
-// port-parity.json — paths resolve relative to THIS file
-{
-  "entries": [
-    {
-      "plugin": "src/chat/arrow/SettingsPanel.ts",
-      "sandbox": "../../arrow-ui/obsidian-arrow-sandbox/src/components/SettingsPanel.ts", // optional
-      "hash": "<sha256>"                                                                  // fallback when sandbox isn't checked out
-    }
-  ]
-}
-```
-
-- If the `sandbox` path exists (sibling checkout), the check compares **plugin
-  copy ↔ live sandbox source** — catches drift in both directions.
-- If it doesn't, it falls back to the recorded `hash` (catches hand-edits to the
-  plugin copy). Record/refresh it with `--update` after an intentional re-port.
-
-husky `pre-commit` (and CI):
-
-```sh
-node scripts/component-hash.mjs --check port-parity.json
-```
-
-On drift the commit fails: *edit the sandbox component and re-port* (don't
-hand-edit the copy); use `--update` only to intentionally re-bless.
-
-## What this does NOT do (by design)
-
-- **No runtime component-DOM hashing in Obsidian.** Source parity already
-  guarantees same code → same Arrow DOM, and the sandbox vs real Obsidian DOM
-  *intentionally* differ (icon stub vs `setIcon`, `MarkdownRenderer` nodes, live
-  theme), so a runtime markup hash would be tautological *and* full of false
-  mismatches. The real runtime risk is visual/CSS — verify that by **loading in
-  Obsidian and looking**, not with a hash.
-- **Planned (not built): a styling-freshness check.** A small helper that hashes
-  the *live Obsidian token set* and compares it to the sandbox's pulled `app.css`
-  snapshot, to flag "re-run `pnpm pull-css`." That's the one runtime hash worth
-  having — environment parity, not component parity. Add it when needed.

package/template/skills/arrow-js-obsidian-templates/SKILL.md

@@ -1,101 +0,0 @@
----
-name: arrow-js-obsidian-templates
-description: Use when writing @arrow-js/core (v1.0.6) html template literals — reactive vs static (wrap reactive reads in arrow functions), full-value attribute binding where returning false removes the attribute, .property and @event binding, keyed lists, and async component(fn, { fallback }) via boundary(); plus the footguns — no literal HTML comments and no partial attribute values (both throw Invalid HTML position at render), and @event handlers must type the param as Event not a narrowed subtype like MouseEvent (TS2345).
----
-
-# Arrow.js Templates (v1.0.6)
-
-Rules for writing `html\`\`` templates that render correctly in the browser and
-inside an Obsidian plugin. Several of these are hard runtime errors, not style.
-
-## Reactive vs static — the core rule
-
-```ts
-import { html, reactive } from "@arrow-js/core"
-const data = reactive({ count: 0 })
-
-html`<span>${data.count}</span>`        // ❌ renders ONCE — never updates
-html`<span>${() => data.count}</span>`  // ✅ tracked — updates only this slot
-```
-
-`${value}` is read once at mount. `${() => value}` is tracked: Arrow records the
-reactive reads inside the function and re-runs **only that slot** when they
-change. Forgetting `() =>` is the #1 "why isn't it updating" bug.
-
-## Attributes
-
-An attribute expression must be the **entire** attribute value:
-
-```ts
-html`<div class="${() => (active() ? "tab is-active" : "tab")}">`  // ✅
-html`<div class="tab ${() => active() ? "is-active" : ""}">`        // ❌ THROWS
-```
-
-Partial values (`"static ${…}"`) are not registered as placeholders and throw
-`Invalid HTML position`. Build the full string in one expression.
-
-Returning `false` from an attribute expression **removes** the attribute (vs `""`
-which keeps it present-but-empty) — the clean way to toggle `disabled`/`hidden`:
-
-```ts
-html`<button disabled="${() => !canSubmit()}">Save</button>`
-```
-
-## Properties, events, lists
-
-```ts
-html`<input .value="${() => data.text}" />`                 // .prop = IDL property
-html`<button @click="${() => data.count++}">+</button>`     // @event
-html`${() => data.items.map((i) => html`<li>${i.text}</li>`.key(i.id))}`  // keyed list
-```
-
-Keyed lists preserve DOM across reorders; mutate item fields in place for
-fine-grained updates instead of replacing the whole array.
-
-## Async sections
-
-```ts
-import { boundary } from "@arrow-js/framework"
-const Card = component(
-  async () => { const d = await load(); return html`<div>${d.label}</div>` },
-  { fallback: html`<div>Loading…</div>` }   // shown while pending
-)
-html`${boundary(Card())}`
-```
-
-Works client-side with no SSR. `boundary()` only takes `{ idPrefix }`; the
-visible loading state comes from the async component's `fallback` option.
-
-## Event handler typing
-
-An `@event` handler must be assignable to `(e: Event) => void`. A handler typed
-with a narrowed subtype fails (parameter contravariance) — `tsc` reports
-`TS2345 … not assignable to 'ArrowExpression'`. Type the param `Event` and
-narrow inside; no-arg handlers are always fine.
-
-```ts
-// ❌ TS2345 — narrowed param
-html`<div @mousedown="${(e: MouseEvent) => resize(e)}">`
-// ✅ widen, narrow inside
-html`<div @mousedown="${(e: Event) => resize(e as MouseEvent)}">`
-```
-
-(document.addEventListener handlers are unaffected — they're DOM-lib typed.)
-
-## Hard footguns
-
-Render-time (pass `tsc`, fail only at render — always verify in a browser):
-
-1. **No literal HTML comments inside templates.** Arrow uses HTML comments as
-   expression-slot markers, so a literal `<!-- … -->` inflates the slot count and
-   throws `Invalid HTML position`. Use JS `//` comments outside the template.
-2. **No partial attribute values** — the expression must be the whole value
-   (see Attributes above), else `Invalid HTML position`.
-
-Type-time (caught by `tsc`):
-
-3. **No narrowed `Event` subtype in `@event` handlers** (see Event handler
-   typing above).
-
-CI guards all three: `test/template-footguns.test.mjs` scans for `<!--` and for
-inline handlers typed with a narrowed Event subtype; `tsc` covers the rest.

package/template/skills/obsidian-arrow-sandbox/SKILL.md

@@ -1,64 +0,0 @@
----
-name: obsidian-arrow-sandbox
-description: Use when prototyping or building Arrow.js UI for an Obsidian plugin in the obsidian-arrow-sandbox project — covers running the sandbox, pulling Obsidian's real app.css from the local install, the dev/verify workflow, CSS scoping, and porting a finished component into a plugin's ItemView with near-zero refactoring.
----
-
-# Obsidian Arrow Sandbox
-
-A client-only Vite + TypeScript environment for building [Arrow.js](https://arrow-js.com/)
-UI that drops into an Obsidian plugin. Components render against Obsidian's real
-`app.css`, so what you see in the browser is what you get in a plugin view.
-
-## Mental model
-
-- **Client-only, no SSR.** Components use `@arrow-js/core` (`reactive`, `html`,
-  `component`, `watch`) plus `@arrow-js/framework` (`boundary` for async
-  sections), mounted via `template(container)` — the exact call an Obsidian
-  `ItemView.onOpen()` makes. Do **not** add `@arrow-js/ssr` or `@arrow-js/hydrate`;
-  an Obsidian plugin has no server and nothing to hydrate.
-- **Styling is Obsidian's, not yours.** `index.html` puts Obsidian body classes
-  (`theme-dark mod-macos …`) on `<body>` and loads the extracted `app.css`, which
-  defines every `var(--…)` token and semantic class (`.setting-item`,
-  `.clickable-icon`, `.vertical-tab-*`).
-
-## Run it
-
-```sh
-pnpm install
-pnpm pull-css     # extract Obsidian's app.css (macOS auto-detect)
-pnpm dev          # Vite + HMR; open the printed URL
-```
-
-`pnpm pull-css` reads `app.css` out of `obsidian.asar`. macOS is auto-detected;
-elsewhere pass `--path <obsidian.asar|app.css>` or set `OBSIDIAN_ASAR=<path>`.
-`public/app.css` is **git-ignored** (Obsidian's proprietary CSS — not
-redistributed), so run `pnpm pull-css` once before `pnpm dev`.
-
-## Build a component
-
-Add `src/components/MyThing.ts` exporting an Arrow `component()`, then mount it
-from `src/main.ts`. Use Obsidian classes + `var(--…)` tokens first; add custom
-CSS only when there's no Obsidian class, and scope it under a container class +
-element type (e.g. `.oas-frame button.oas-x`) so it beats Obsidian's global
-`button:not(.clickable-icon)` rule. Sandbox-only chrome lives in
-`src/sandbox/sandbox.css`.
-
-For the template-writing rules and Arrow's hard footguns, use the companion
-skill **arrow-js-obsidian-templates**.
-
-## Verify before claiming done
-
-```sh
-pnpm typecheck && pnpm test && pnpm lint   # or: pnpm check
-```
-
-Then open the `pnpm dev` URL and confirm the console is clean and the component
-looks like a real Obsidian pane. Arrow's footguns only surface at render, so
-typecheck passing is **not** proof a component works.
-
-## Port into the plugin
-
-Copy the component file into the plugin's view directory and mount it from
-`ItemView.onOpen()` via `template(this.contentEl)`. If it uses `boundary()` /
-async components, add `@arrow-js/framework` to the plugin and the side-effect
-`import '@arrow-js/framework'`. Leave sandbox chrome (`src/sandbox/*`) behind.