/init

/init Command

Initialize the local cards/ directory structure at the project root. This is a prerequisite for all Product Forge commands. The command is idempotent and safe to run multiple times.

Execution

When invoked, this command:

1. Creates the cards directory structure by creating all 7 required subdirectories under cards/:

   • cards/initiatives/
   • cards/epics/
   • cards/stories/
   • cards/intakes/
   • cards/checkpoints/
   • cards/decisions/
   • cards/release-notes/

2. Creates index.json files in each subdirectory using forge-lib (for fast querying)

3. Reports results to the user:

   • If directories were created: Lists all created directories
   • If all directories already exist: Confirms initialization is complete
   • If some directories already existed: Lists newly created vs. existing

Implementation

Initialize using forge-lib CLI:

forge card init --directory .

Parse the JSON response:

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "directories_created": [
      "cards/initiatives",
      "cards/epics",
      "cards/stories",
      "cards/intakes",
      "cards/checkpoints",
      "cards/decisions",
      "cards/release-notes"
    ],
    "index_files_created": 7
  }
}

Error Handling

If forge-lib returns an error:

{
  "success": false,
  "data": null,
  "error": "Permission denied: cannot create directory cards/"
}

Report the error to the user:

Error initializing cards directory: {error message from JSON response}

Check that the working directory is writable and you're running from the project root.

Key Rules

• Directories only: This command creates directory structure and empty index.json files. It does not create sample cards.
• Idempotent: Running /init multiple times has no side effects. It only creates directories that don't already exist.
• No prompts: This command does not require user confirmation. It runs immediately.
• Index files: forge-lib creates properly structured index.json files in each directory for fast querying.

Error Handling

• If the working directory is not writable, report the error and suggest checking permissions.
• If the working directory appears to be inside a plugin folder rather than a project root, warn the user and suggest running from the project root instead.

Success Message

After successful initialization, display:

Cards directory initialized. Ready for card creation.

Use /product-forge:create to generate cards (auto-detects type) or specify with --type.