Trellis Meta-Skill

Version Compatibility

Item Value

Trellis CLI Version 0.3.0

Skill Last Updated 2026-02-28

Min Claude Code Version 1.0.0+

⚠️ Version Mismatch Warning: If your Trellis CLI version differs from above, some features may not work as documented. Run trellis --version to check.

Platform Compatibility

Feature Support Matrix

Feature Claude Code iFlow Cursor OpenCode Codex Kilo Kiro Gemini CLI Antigravity

Core Systems

Workspace system ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full

Task system ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full

Spec system ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full

Commands/Skills ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Full ✅ Skills ✅ Full ✅ Skills ✅ TOML ✅ Workflows

Agent definitions ✅ Full ✅ Full ⚠️ Manual ✅ Full ⚠️ Manual ⚠️ Manual ⚠️ Manual ⚠️ Manual ⚠️ Manual

Hook-Dependent Features

SessionStart hook ✅ Full ✅ Full ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None

PreToolUse hook ✅ Full ✅ Full ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None

SubagentStop hook ✅ Full ✅ Full ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None

Auto context injection ✅ Full ✅ Full ❌ Manual ❌ Manual ❌ Manual ❌ Manual ❌ Manual ❌ Manual ❌ Manual

Ralph Loop ✅ Full ✅ Full ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None

Multi-Agent/Session

Multi-Agent (current dir) ✅ Full ✅ Full ⚠️ Limited ⚠️ Limited ⚠️ Limited ⚠️ Limited ⚠️ Limited ⚠️ Limited ⚠️ Limited

Multi-Session (worktrees) ✅ Full ✅ Full ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None

Legend

• ✅ Full: Feature works as documented

• ⚠️ Limited/Manual: Works but requires manual steps

• ❌ None/Manual: Not supported or requires manual workaround

Platform Categories

Full Hook Support (Claude Code, iFlow)

All features work as documented. Hooks provide automatic context injection and quality enforcement. iFlow shares the same Python hook system as Claude Code.

Commands Only (Cursor, OpenCode, Codex, Kilo, Kiro, Gemini CLI, Antigravity)

• Works: Workspace, tasks, specs, commands/skills (platform-specific format)

• Doesn't work: Hooks, auto-injection, Ralph Loop, Multi-Session

• Workaround: Manually read spec files at session start; no automatic quality gates

• Note: Each platform uses its own command format (Codex uses Skills, Gemini uses TOML, Antigravity uses Workflows)

Designing for Portability

When customizing Trellis, consider platform compatibility:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ PORTABLE (All 9 Platforms) │ │ - .trellis/workspace/ - .trellis/tasks/ │ │ - .trellis/spec/ - Platform commands/skills │ │ - File-based configs - JSONL context files │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ ┌─────────────────────────────▼───────────────────────────────┐ │ HOOK-CAPABLE (Claude Code + iFlow) │ │ - .claude/hooks/ or .iflow/hooks/ │ │ - settings.json hook configuration │ │ - Auto context injection - SubagentStop control │ │ - Ralph Loop - Multi-Session worktrees │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Purpose

This is the meta-skill for Trellis - it documents the original, unmodified Trellis system. When customizing Trellis for a specific project, record changes in a project-local skill (trellis-local ), keeping this meta-skill as the authoritative reference for vanilla Trellis.

Skill Hierarchy

~/.claude/skills/ └── trellis-meta/ # THIS SKILL - Original Trellis documentation # ⚠️ DO NOT MODIFY for project-specific changes

project/.claude/skills/ └── trellis-local/ # Project-specific customizations # ✅ Record all modifications here

Why this separation?

• User may have multiple projects with different Trellis customizations

• Each project's trellis-local skill tracks ITS OWN modifications

• The meta-skill remains clean as the reference for original Trellis

• Enables easy upgrades: compare meta-skill with new Trellis version

Self-Iteration Protocol

When modifying Trellis for a project, follow this protocol:

1. Check for Existing Project Skill

Look for project-local skill

ls -la .claude/skills/trellis-local/

2. Create Project Skill if Missing

If no trellis-local exists, create it:

mkdir -p .claude/skills/trellis-local

Then create .claude/skills/trellis-local/SKILL.md :

name: trellis-local description: | Project-specific Trellis customizations for [PROJECT_NAME]. This skill documents modifications made to the vanilla Trellis system in this project. Inherits from trellis-meta for base documentation.

Trellis Local - [PROJECT_NAME]

Base Version

Trellis version: X.X.X (from package.json or trellis --version) Date initialized: YYYY-MM-DD

Customizations

Commands Added

(none yet)

Agents Modified

(none yet)

Hooks Changed

(none yet)

Specs Customized

(none yet)

Workflow Changes

(none yet)

Changelog

YYYY-MM-DD

• Initial setup

3. Record Every Modification

When making ANY change to Trellis, update trellis-local/SKILL.md :

Example: Adding a new command

Commands Added

/trellis:my-command

• File: .claude/commands/trellis/my-command.md
• Purpose: [what it does]
• Added: 2026-01-31
• Why: [reason for adding]

Example: Modifying a hook

Hooks Changed

inject-subagent-context.py

• Change: Added support for my-agent type
• Lines modified: 45-67
• Date: 2026-01-31
• Why: [reason]

4. Never Modify Meta-Skill for Project Changes

The trellis-meta skill should ONLY be updated when:

• Trellis releases a new version

• Fixing documentation errors in the original

• Adding missing documentation for original features

Architecture Overview

Trellis transforms AI assistants into structured development partners through enforced context injection.

System Layers

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ USER INTERACTION │ │ /trellis:start /trellis:brainstorm /trellis:parallel /trellis:finish-work │ └─────────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────┘ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────▼───────────────────────────────────┐ │ SKILLS LAYER │ │ .claude/commands/trellis/.md (slash commands) │ │ .claude/agents/.md (sub-agent definitions) │ └─────────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────┘ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────▼───────────────────────────────────┐ │ HOOKS LAYER │ │ SessionStart → session-start.py (injects workflow + context) │ │ PreToolUse:Task → inject-subagent-context.py (spec injection) │ │ SubagentStop → ralph-loop.py (quality enforcement) │ └─────────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────┘ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────▼───────────────────────────────────┐ │ PERSISTENCE LAYER │ │ .trellis/workspace/ (journals, session history) │ │ .trellis/tasks/ (task tracking, context files) │ │ .trellis/spec/ (coding guidelines) │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Key Design Principles

Principle Description

Specs Injected, Not Remembered Hooks enforce specs - agents always receive context

Read Before Write Understand guidelines before writing code

Layered Context Only relevant specs load (via JSONL files)

Human Commits AI never commits - human validates first

Pure Dispatcher Dispatch agent only orchestrates

Core Components

1. Workspace System

Track development progress across sessions with per-developer isolation.

.trellis/workspace/ ├── index.md # Global overview └── {developer}/ # Per-developer ├── index.md # Personal index (@@@auto markers) └── journal-N.md # Session journals (max 2000 lines)

Key files: .trellis/.developer (identity), journals (session history)

2. Task System

Track work items with phase-based execution.

.trellis/tasks/{MM-DD-slug-assignee}/ ├── task.json # Metadata, phases, branch ├── prd.md # Requirements ├── implement.jsonl # Context for implement agent ├── check.jsonl # Context for check agent └── debug.jsonl # Context for debug agent

3. Spec System

Maintain coding standards that get injected to agents.

.trellis/spec/ ├── frontend/ # Frontend guidelines ├── backend/ # Backend guidelines └── guides/ # Thinking guides

4. Hooks System

Automatically inject context and enforce quality.

Hook When Purpose

SessionStart

Session begins Inject workflow, guidelines

PreToolUse:Task

Before sub-agent Inject specs via JSONL

SubagentStop:check

Check agent stops Enforce verification (Ralph Loop)

5. Agent System

Specialized agents for different phases.

Agent Purpose Restriction

dispatch

Orchestrate pipeline Pure dispatcher

plan

Evaluate requirements Can reject unclear reqs

research

Find code patterns Read-only

implement

Write code No git commit

check

Review and self-fix Ralph Loop controlled

debug

Fix issues Precise fixes only

6. Multi-Agent Pipeline

Run parallel isolated sessions via Git worktrees.

plan.py → start.py → Dispatch → implement → check → create-pr

Customization Guide

Adding a Command

• Create .claude/commands/trellis/my-command.md

• Update trellis-local skill with the change

Adding an Agent

• Create .claude/agents/my-agent.md with YAML frontmatter

• Update inject-subagent-context.py to handle new agent type

• Create my-agent.jsonl in task directories

• Update trellis-local skill

Modifying Hooks

• Edit the hook script in .claude/hooks/

• Document the change in trellis-local skill

• Note which lines were modified and why

Extending Specs

• Create new category in .trellis/spec/my-category/

• Add index.md and guideline files

• Reference in JSONL context files

• Update trellis-local skill

Changing Task Workflow

• Modify next_action array in task.json

• Update dispatch or hook scripts as needed

• Document in trellis-local skill

Resources

Reference documents are organized by platform compatibility:

references/ ├── core/ # All Platforms (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.) ├── claude-code/ # Claude Code Only ├── how-to-modify/ # Modification Guides └── meta/ # Documentation & Templates

core/

• All Platforms

Document Content

overview.md

Core systems introduction

files.md

All .trellis/ files with purposes

workspace.md

Workspace system, journals, developer identity

tasks.md

Task system, directories, JSONL context files

specs.md

Spec system, guidelines organization

scripts.md

Platform-independent scripts

claude-code/

• Claude Code Only

Document Content

overview.md

Claude Code features introduction

hooks.md

Hook system, context injection

agents.md

Agent types, invocation, Task tool

ralph-loop.md

Quality enforcement mechanism

multi-session.md

Parallel worktree sessions

worktree-config.md

worktree.yaml configuration

scripts.md

Claude Code only scripts

how-to-modify/

• Modification Guides

Document Scenario

overview.md

Quick reference for all modifications

add-command.md

Adding slash commands

add-agent.md

Adding new agent types

add-spec.md

Adding spec categories

add-phase.md

Adding workflow phases

modify-hook.md

Modifying hook behavior

change-verify.md

Changing verify commands

meta/

• Documentation

Document Content

platform-compatibility.md

Detailed platform support matrix

self-iteration-guide.md

How to document customizations

trellis-local-template.md

Template for project-local skill

Quick Reference

Key Scripts

Script Purpose

get_context.py

Get session context

task.py

Task management

add_session.py

Record session

multi_agent/start.py

Start parallel agent

Key Paths

Path Purpose

.trellis/.developer

Developer identity

.trellis/.current-task

Active task pointer

.trellis/workflow.md

Main workflow docs

.claude/settings.json

Hook configuration

Upgrade Protocol

When upgrading Trellis to a new version:

• Compare new meta-skill with current

• Review changes in new version

• Check trellis-local for conflicts

• Merge carefully, preserving customizations

• Update trellis-local with migration notes

Changelog

2026-02-01 - Upgraded to Trellis X.Y.Z

• Merged new hook behavior from meta-skill
• Kept custom agent my-agent
• Updated check.jsonl template