PAW Initialization

Execution Context: This skill runs directly in the PAW session (not a subagent), as bootstrap requires user input for workflow parameters.

Bootstrap skill that initializes the PAW workflow directory structure. This runs before the workflow skill is loaded—WorkflowContext.md must exist for the workflow to function.

Capabilities

•Generate Work Title from issue URL, branch name, or user description
•Generate Work ID from Work Title (normalized, unique)
•Create .paw/work/<work-id>/ directory structure
•Generate WorkflowContext.md with all configuration fields
•Create and checkout git branch (explicit or auto-derived)
•Commit initial artifacts if tracking is enabled
•Open WorkflowContext.md for review

Input Parameters

Parameter	Required	Default	Values
`base_branch`	No	`main`	branch name
`target_branch`	No	auto-derive from work ID	branch name
`workflow_mode`	No	`full`	`full`, `minimal`, `custom`
`review_strategy`	No	`prs` (`local` if minimal)	`prs`, `local`
`review_policy`	No	`milestones`	`always`, `milestones`, `planning-only`, `never`
`session_policy`	No	`per-stage`	`per-stage`, `continuous`
`track_artifacts`	No	`true`	boolean
`issue_url`	No	none	URL
`custom_instructions`	Conditional	—	text (required if `workflow_mode` is `custom`)
`work_description`	No	none	text

Handling Missing Parameters

When parameters are not provided:

•Apply defaults from the table above
•Present configuration summary and ask for confirmation before proceeding
•If user requests changes, update values and re-confirm

This mirrors the VS Code command flow which prompts sequentially but allows skipping with defaults.

Desired End States

Work Title

•A 2-4 word human-readable name exists
•Sources (priority order): issue title → branch name → work description
•Capitalized appropriately (e.g., User Auth System)

Work ID

•Unique within .paw/work/
•Format: lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens only; 1-100 chars
•No leading/trailing/consecutive hyphens
•Not reserved (., .., node_modules, .git, .paw)
•If conflict: append -2, -3, etc.

Configuration Validation

•If workflow_mode is minimal, review_strategy MUST be local
•If review_policy is planning-only or never, review_strategy MUST be local
•Invalid combinations: STOP and report error

Directory Structure

code

.paw/work/<work-id>/
└── WorkflowContext.md

WorkflowContext.md

Created at .paw/work/<work-id>/WorkflowContext.md with all input parameters:

markdown

# WorkflowContext

Work Title: <generated_work_title>
Work ID: <generated_work_id>
Base Branch: <base_branch>
Target Branch: <target_branch>
Workflow Mode: <workflow_mode>
Review Strategy: <review_strategy>
Review Policy: <review_policy>
Session Policy: <session_policy>
Custom Workflow Instructions: <custom_instructions or "none">
Initial Prompt: <work_description or "none">
Issue URL: <issue_url or "none">
Remote: origin
Artifact Paths: auto-derived
Additional Inputs: none

Git Branch

Branch creation and checkout follows paw-git-operations patterns.

Branch creation sequence (REQUIRED):

•Checkout base branch: git checkout <base_branch>
•Update base: git pull origin <base_branch> --ff-only
•Create feature branch: git checkout -b <target_branch>

Never create feature branch from current HEAD without explicit checkout of base.

•Target branch exists and is checked out
•If explicit branch provided: use as-is (prompt if exists)
•If auto-derive: feature/<work-id>

Artifact Tracking

•If tracking enabled: WorkflowContext.md committed with message Initialize PAW workflow for <Work Title>
•If tracking disabled: .gitignore with * created in work directory

User Review

•WorkflowContext.md presented for user review/confirmation

Completion Response

Report initialization results to PAW agent including: work ID, workflow mode, target branch, and the recommended next step based on workflow mode (full → spec, minimal → code research, custom → per instructions).

Validation Checklist

• Work ID is unique and valid format
• Review strategy valid for workflow mode
• WorkflowContext.md created with all fields
• Git branch created and checked out
• Artifacts committed (if tracking enabled)
• WorkflowContext.md opened for review