0a-project-bootstrap-audit

To validate your Python project structure, run a bootstrap audit against your repository root to verify required directories, essential files, and environment configuration. This process generates a structured report of any layout gaps or missing files for immediate correction.

A project bootstrap audit checks for required directories, essential files, proper .gitkeep usage in empty folders, and __init__.py presence in src subdirectories. It also validates environment setup by verifying .env and .env.example key parity.

To check if your .env and .env.example files have matching keys, use a bootstrap audit tool that verifies environment variable parity. This ensures your environment configuration files contain the exact same keys to prevent missing variable errors during deployment.

Yes, you can output your project audit findings directly to a markdown file using the optional write-to-todo functionality. This generates a structured report at docs/todo.md, providing stakeholder visibility into your project's bootstrap gaps and required fixes.

The bootstrap audit verifies __init__.py files in src subdirectories to ensure proper Python package recognition, but it explicitly excludes the __pycache__ and data directories from this check. This targeted validation maintains project hygiene without flagging non-package folders.

The best way to surface missing files and layout gaps in a new Python project is to run an automated bootstrap audit that enforces required directories and essential files. This generates a stakeholder-ready report detailing structural violations and environment mismatches.