name: deveco-create-project description: Load this skill when creating, initializing, or scaffolding an ArkTS project, including "0-1", "from scratch", "new ArkTS project", "新建工程", "创建项目", and empty directory initialization tasks. Load this skill even if the target directory already exists — never assume an existing same-named directory is the user's intended project and skip to build_project/start_app. If the user provides a Chinese or other non-ASCII project name (e.g. 购物车, 天气预报), you MUST propose 2-3 UpperCamelCase ASCII candidates (e.g. 购物车 → ShoppingCart / ShopCart / Cart) and let the user choose via AskUserQuestion BEFORE invoking the script — never pass non-ASCII names through to the script, and never pick a single translation on the user's behalf. Use the skill's private TypeScript script to create ArkTS projects reliably.

deveco-create-project

Use the skill's private script to create an ArkTS project, instead of relying on the model to copy template files one by one.

Required Parameters

Confirm the following parameters before execution. Ask the user if any required value is missing:

Parameter Required Default Example
projectPath Required /Users/yellow/Desktop/projects
appName Required HelloWorld
bundleName Auto-derived, no need to ask com.example.{appName lowercase} com.example.helloworld
apiLevel Optional Auto-detect from DevEco SDK metadata, fallback to 22 21

appName rules

appName must match ^[A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9_]{0,127}$. Chinese / non-ASCII names are NOT allowed — the script will reject them (exit code 4, APP_NAME_INVALID).

When the user provides a Chinese or other non-ASCII name, you MUST:

  1. Propose 2-3 UpperCamelCase ASCII candidates based on meaning (e.g. 购物车ShoppingCart / ShopCart / Cart; 天气预报WeatherForecast / Weather / Forecast). Fall back to pinyin only when meaning is unclear.
  2. Let the user pick one via AskUserQuestion before invoking the script — do NOT pick on the user's behalf, even if one option seems obviously best.
  3. Never pass the original non-ASCII name to the script.

Target directory conflict

If {projectPath}/{appName} already exists and is not empty, the script will exit with code 2 and emit a PROJECT_EXISTS JSON payload. When you see it, ask the user via AskUserQuestion whether to overwrite, rename, or cancel — do NOT silently re-run or delete the directory yourself.

If the user explicitly specifies an SDK/API level, pass it through directly. If the user does not specify one, do not let the model invent a version. Let the script detect it using this fixed priority:

  1. DEVECO_HOME/sdk/default/sdk-pkg.jsondataapiVersion
  2. fallback to 22

The script's stdout JSON (apiLevel, source, detectedFrom) is authoritative — do not re-read files under {DEVECO_HOME}/sdk/** to verify it.

Optional: Brief Requirement Checklist for Complex App Requests

If the current session is already executing an approved Plan Mode plan or an existing plan file is referenced, do not create another plan, do not call plan_enter or plan_write, and do not ask for plan approval again. Treat the existing plan as the source of truth.

If there is no existing approved plan and the user asks to create a new project with a complex app requirement, make a brief requirement checklist before copying or editing files.

The checklist must list:

  • pages to implement
  • the first screen / entry page
  • navigation between pages
  • key feature points for each page
  • verification points for pages and navigation

Keep this checklist concise and continue automatically unless required project parameters are missing or the requirement is contradictory. Do not expand this skill into ArkUI design guidance; load arkui-knowledge before implementing UI code.

Execution Steps

copy-template.mjs reads the sibling skill directory deveco-create-project/application/ as the template source by default. This script runs with Node.js. If node is not available in the environment, stop immediately and explain that to the user. Default skills are extracted to a local user skill directory before execution. Keep all scripts in this skill self-contained and do not import repo-only source files.

Step 1: Run the Private Script

Run the following with Shell:

node "{SKILL_DIR}/scripts/copy-template.mjs" --project-path "{projectPath}" --app-name "{appName}" --bundle-name "{bundleName}" --api-level "{apiLevel}"

If apiLevel is not explicitly provided by the user, omit --api-level and let the script detect it from DevEco metadata.

Execution requirements:

  • Do not manually copy template files one by one.
  • Let the script handle recursive copying, binary asset copying, placeholder replacement, and basic validation.
  • The script is responsible for SDK detection. Do not decide the SDK version in the prompt by guesswork.
  • If the script exits with a non-zero code, report the error to the user and stop.

Step 2: Verify the Result

At minimum, verify that the following file exists:

  • {projectPath}/{appName}/build-profile.json5

If the file is missing, treat the creation as failed and do not proceed to later compile or page-generation steps.

If the script reports source: "fallback", the local SDK metadata is incomplete — deliver the project path, warn the user (e.g. "Find no sdk-pkg.json, can not probe sdk version").

Step 3: Switch Session Project Context (Required)

After project creation succeeds, call switch_cwd and set the target path to the generated project root ({projectPath}/{appName}).

Reason:

  • build_project and start_app only work correctly when the current session context directory is the actual project root.
  • This skill creates a full project under the current path; without switching context to that generated path, subsequent build/run actions may fail or target the wrong directory.

If switch_cwd fails, report the context switch failure and stop. Do not continue to feature implementation, build_project, or start_app.

Step 4: Continue Feature Work in the Generated Project

If the user's request includes app behavior, UI, pages, or business requirements in addition to project creation, continue only after switch_cwd succeeds.

Before implementing the feature:

  • Read entry/src/main/resources/base/profile/main_pages.json to identify the launch page list.
  • Read the launch page file, usually entry/src/main/ets/pages/Index.ets and entry/src/main/ets/entryability/EntryAbility.ets.
  • Modify the actual launch page or its navigation path so the requested feature is reachable from the first screen.

CRITICAL: EntryAbility.ets and main_pages.json must stay in sync.

EntryAbility.ets calls windowStage.loadContent('pages/SomePage', ...) to load the first screen. That page path must appear in main_pages.json's src array — otherwise the framework silently fails to load the page, resulting in a white screen.

When you create custom pages and update main_pages.json, you must also update EntryAbility.ets:

  • If you rename or replace the first entry in main_pages.json, update loadContent() to match the new first page.
  • If you prepend a new splash/landing page to main_pages.json, update loadContent() to point to that page.

Always re-read both files after editing to confirm they are consistent.

  • Do not finish by only creating a new named page/component unless the launch page routes to it.

CRITICAL: Desktop app name — both app_name and EntryAbility_label must be updated.

The desktop icon label is controlled by EntryAbility_label, not app_name:

  • AppScope/resources/base/element/string.jsonapp_name — used as the application-level label (settings, etc.).
  • entry/src/main/resources/base/element/string.jsonEntryAbility_label — used as the Ability-level label (this is what appears on the desktop icon).
  • After changes, run build_project; if it succeeds, run start_app.

Step 5: Report Back to the User

Report after all requested creation, implementation, build, run, and verification work is complete, or immediately when a blocking failure stops the flow.

Output:

  • The absolute project path
  • App name / bundle name / API Level
  • source of the selected API level: user_input / sdk_pkg / fallback
  • Whether the template integrity check passed
  • Whether switch_cwd succeeded
  • Build/run/verification status when feature work was requested