Getting Started
Quick start guide for AI DevKit
AI DevKit is a workflow layer for AI coding assistants like Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, Antigravity, OpenCode, GitHub Copilot, and more. It gives them requirements, design, planning, implementation, testing, verification, memory, and review so they follow your engineering process instead of improvising in chat.
The direction of AI DevKit is to become the operating system for AI-driven development: one standard layer for workflows, memory, skills, and execution across agents.
Why AI DevKit?
When working with AI assistants, you often find yourself:
- Repeating the same instructions across sessions
- Losing context between conversations
- Struggling to maintain consistency across features
AI DevKit solves these problems by giving your AI assistant:
- Repeatable workflow — Consistent process from requirements to review
- Custom commands — Reusable prompts tailored to your project
- Long-term memory — Rules and patterns that persist across sessions
- Skills — Community-contributed capabilities your AI can learn
- Verification gates — Fresh evidence before completion claims
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure have:
- Node.js (version 20.20.0 or higher)
- npm or npx (comes with Node.js)
- An AI coding assistant (Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, Antigravity, OpenCode, GitHub Copilot, etc.)
Installation
Install AI DevKit globally using npm:
npm install -g ai-devkit
Or use it directly with npx (no installation required):
npx ai-devkit@latest init
Initialize Your Project
Navigate to your project directory and run:
ai-devkit init
You'll be prompted to select which AI environments you use (Cursor, Claude Code, etc.). AI DevKit will then:
- Create workflow docs — A
docs/ai/directory for requirements, design, planning, implementation, and testing - Set up AI environment files — Configuration, commands, skills, and MCP servers where supported
- Save your preferences — Stored in
.ai-devkit.jsonfor future updates
Project Structure
After initialization, you'll have workflow docs your agent can use as durable context:
docs/ai/
├── requirements/ # What you're building and why
├── design/ # Architecture and technical decisions
├── planning/ # Task breakdown and timeline
├── implementation/ # Implementation notes and guides
├── testing/ # Test strategy and cases
├── deployment/ # Deployment procedures
└── monitoring/ # Monitoring and observability
This structure gives your AI assistant a clear handoff between phases instead of relying on chat history.
Using Slash Commands
AI DevKit installs slash commands into your AI editor. These are special prompts you type directly into your AI assistant's chat (not in your terminal).
Note: Slash commands like
/new-requirementare used inside your AI editor (Cursor, Claude Code, etc.), not in the terminal. Terminal commands start withai-devkit.
Core Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
/new-requirement | Start a new feature by clarifying requirements before code |
/review-requirements | Validate completeness of requirements |
/review-design | Check architecture and generate diagrams |
/execute-plan | Work through implementation tasks step-by-step |
/check-implementation | Compare code with design documents |
/writing-test | Generate comprehensive test cases |
/code-review | Perform pre-commit code reviews |
/document-code | Document and understand existing code |
/debug | Systematic debugging with structured analysis |
/update-planning | Sync planning docs with implementation progress |
/remember | Remember your important guidelines, rules, and best practices |
For detailed usage of each command, see Development with AI DevKit.
Quick Example
Here's how a typical workflow might look:
1. In your terminal:
$ ai-devkit init
2. In Cursor/Claude Code:
> /new-requirement
AI: "What feature would you like to build?"
You: "Add user authentication with OAuth"
AI guides you through requirements → design → planning → implementation → verification → review
Next Steps
- Explore your AI editor — Try
/new-requirementon a small feature - Read the workflows guide — Development with AI DevKit
- Set up memory — Give your AI long-term memory
- Install skills — Extend your AI's capabilities
Need Help?
- Check the Supported Agents page for environment-specific setup
- Browse the Roadmap to see what's coming
- Open an issue on GitHub for bugs or questions
Getting Started Guides by Tool
Choose your AI tool for a tailored setup guide.