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vercel
bootstrap

Project bootstrapping orchestrator for repos that depend on Vercel-linked resources (databases, auth, and managed integrations). Use when setting up or repairing a repository so linking, environment provisioning, env pulls, and first-run db/dev commands happen in the correct safe order.

Overview

Publishervercel
Repositoryvercel-plugin
Skill namebootstrap
Stars
286
Forks
56
Bundled files
Instructions only
Links
  • Markdown instructions

    A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.

  • Works with any LLM

    AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.

  • Self-contained

    Everything the model needs lives in the instructions — no extra files to sync.

  • Open source

    Published by vercel on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Bootstrap AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

1

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

  1. Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
  2. Choose "Install from GitHub".
  3. Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
  4. Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.
Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.
2

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/vercel/vercel-plugin.git /tmp/vercel-plugin
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/vercel-plugin/skills/bootstrap .claude/skills/bootstrap
Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Bootstrap in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Bootstrap on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Bootstrap is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

  • Loaded only when it is needed

    The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.

  • Switch models mid-chat

    Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

Project Bootstrap Orchestrator

Execute bootstrap in strict order. Do not run migrations or development server until project linking and environment verification are complete.

Rules

  • Do not run db:push, db:migrate, db:seed, or dev until Vercel linking is complete and env keys are verified.
  • Prefer Vercel-managed provisioning (vercel integration ...) for shared resources.
  • Use provider CLIs only as fallback when Vercel integration flow is unavailable.
  • Never echo secret values in terminal output, logs, or summaries.

Preflight

  1. Confirm Vercel CLI is installed and authenticated.
bash
vercel --version
vercel whoami
  1. Confirm repo linkage by checking .vercel/project.json.
  2. If not linked, inspect available teams/projects before asking the user to choose:
bash
vercel teams ls
vercel projects ls --scope <team>
vercel link --yes --scope <team> --project <project>
  1. Find the env template in priority order: .env.example, .env.sample, .env.template.
  2. Create local env file if missing:
bash
cp .env.example .env.local

Resource Setup: Postgres

Preferred path (Vercel-managed Neon)

  1. Read integration setup guidance:
bash
vercel integration guide neon
  1. Add Neon integration to the Vercel scope:
bash
vercel integration add neon --scope <team>
  1. Verify expected environment variable names exist in Vercel and pull locally:
bash
vercel env ls
vercel env pull .env.local --yes

Fallback path 1 (Dashboard)

  1. Provision Neon through the Vercel dashboard integration UI.
  2. Re-run vercel env pull .env.local --yes.

Fallback path 2 (Neon CLI)

Use Neon CLI only when Vercel-managed provisioning is unavailable. After creating resources, add required env vars in Vercel and pull again.

AUTH_SECRET Generation

Generate a high-entropy secret without printing it, then store it in Vercel and refresh local env:

bash
AUTH_SECRET="$(node -e "console.log(require('node:crypto').randomBytes(32).toString('base64url'))")"
printf "%s" "$AUTH_SECRET" | vercel env add AUTH_SECRET preview production
printf "%s" "$AUTH_SECRET" | vercel env add AUTH_SECRET development  # development cannot share a command with preview/production
unset AUTH_SECRET
vercel env pull .env.local --yes

Env Verification

Compare required keys from template file against .env.local keys (names only, never values):

bash
template_file=""
for candidate in .env.example .env.sample .env.template; do
  if [ -f "$candidate" ]; then
    template_file="$candidate"
    break
  fi
done

comm -23 \
  <(grep -E '^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*=' "$template_file" | cut -d '=' -f 1 | sort -u) \
  <(grep -E '^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*=' .env.local | cut -d '=' -f 1 | sort -u)

Proceed only when missing key list is empty.

App Setup

After linkage + env verification:

bash
npm run db:push
npm run db:seed
npm run dev

Use the repository package manager (npm, pnpm, bun, or yarn) and run only scripts that exist in package.json.

UI Baseline for Next.js + shadcn Projects

After linkage and env verification, establish the UI foundation before feature work:

  1. Add a baseline primitive set: npx shadcn@latest add button card input label textarea select switch tabs dialog alert-dialog sheet dropdown-menu badge separator skeleton table
  2. Apply the Geist font fix in layout.tsx and globals.css.
  3. Confirm the app shell uses bg-background text-foreground.
  4. Default to dark mode for product, admin, and AI apps unless the repo is clearly marketing-first.

Bootstrap Verification

Confirm each checkpoint:

  • vercel whoami succeeds.
  • .vercel/project.json exists and matches chosen project.
  • Postgres integration path completed (Vercel integration, dashboard, or provider CLI fallback).
  • vercel env pull .env.local --yes succeeds.
  • Required env key diff is empty.
  • Database command status is recorded (db:push, db:seed, db:migrate, db:generate as applicable).
  • dev command starts without immediate config/auth/env failure.

If verification fails, stop and report exact failing step plus remediation.

Summary Format

Return a final bootstrap summary in this format:

md
## Bootstrap Result
- **Linked Project**: <team>/<project>
- **Resource Path**: vercel-integration-neon | dashboard-neon | neon-cli
- **Env Keys**: <count> required, <count> present, <count> missing
- **Secrets**: AUTH_SECRET set in Vercel (value never shown)
- **Migration Status**: not-run | success | failed (<step>)
- **Dev Result**: not-run | started | failed

Bootstrap Next Steps

  • If env keys are still missing, add the missing keys in Vercel and re-run vercel env pull .env.local --yes.
  • If DB commands fail, fix connectivity/schema issues and re-run only the failed db step.
  • If dev fails, resolve runtime errors, then restart with your package manager's run dev.

next-forge Projects

If the project was scaffolded with npx next-forge init (detected by pnpm-workspace.yaml + packages/auth + packages/database + @repo/* imports):

  1. Env files are per-app (apps/app/.env.local, apps/web/.env.local, apps/api/.env.local) plus packages/database/.env.
  2. Run pnpm migrate (not db:push) — it runs prisma format + prisma generate + prisma db push.
  3. Minimum env vars: DATABASE_URL, CLERK_SECRET_KEY, NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY, NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL, NEXT_PUBLIC_WEB_URL, NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL.
  4. Optional services (Stripe, Resend, PostHog, etc.) can be skipped initially — but remove their @repo/* imports from app env.ts files to avoid validation errors.
  5. Deploy as 3 separate Vercel projects with root directories apps/app, apps/api, apps/web.

=> skill: next-forge — Full next-forge monorepo guide

Frequently asked questions

What does the Bootstrap AI skill do?

Project bootstrapping orchestrator for repos that depend on Vercel-linked resources (databases, auth, and managed integrations). Use when setting up or repairing a repository so linking, environment provisioning, env pulls, and first-run db/dev commands happen in the correct safe order.

Why use Bootstrap on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Bootstrap is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Bootstrap in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/vercel/vercel-plugin/tree/main/skills/bootstrap. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Bootstrap?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Bootstrap?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Bootstrap with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Bootstrap AI skill free?

It is published on GitHub by vercel. Check the repository for licensing terms. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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