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onboarding-validator

Audit developer onboarding workflows for setup friction and documentation gaps.

3|2|Updated Jan 23, 2026
Search Tags:#onboarding#developer experience#devcontainer#setup validation#tool version pinning#bootstrap script#time-to-first-hello-world
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/robotijn/ctoc --skill onboarding-validator
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: onboarding-validator
Source: https://github.com/robotijn/ctoc/tree/main/skills/devex/onboarding-validator
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/robotijn/ctoc --skill onboarding-validator

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

This Skill solves the costly problem of new developers wasting hours struggling with broken setup procedures, missing documentation, and inconsistent tooling when joining a project, which leads to frustration, wasted engineering time, and early team churn.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Comprehensive Onboarding Audit: Checks for all required project files (README, CONTRIBUTING.md, .env.example, version pin files, bootstrap scripts) and validates their completeness and correctness against 2026 DevEx best practices.
  • Setup Workflow Validation: Runs the project's bootstrap script in a clean container to catch breakages, verifies README code blocks work when copy-pasted, and checks for consistent tool version pinning across files.
  • DevEnvironment Readiness Checks: Ensures devcontainer/Codespaces configurations are present and functional, environment variables are properly documented without real secrets, and project structure is clearly documented for new contributors.
  • Use Case: An engineering lead preparing a new open source project for external contributors can run this validator to fix all onboarding gaps upfront, reducing new contributor time-to-first-run from hours to minutes and lowering contributor churn.

Quick Start

Use the onboarding-validator skill to audit your project's developer onboarding setup and receive a prioritized list of fixes to cut time-to-first-hello-world.

Frequently Asked Questions about onboarding-validator

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I validate my project's developer onboarding workflow to reduce setup friction?▼

Validating developer onboarding requires auditing README quality, testing bootstrap script functionality in a clean container, and verifying tool version pinning to eliminate setup friction and reduce time-to-first-hello-world.

What is time-to-first-hello-world and how do I improve it for new contributors?▼

Time-to-first-hello-world measures the time new contributors spend before successfully running a project. You improve it by ensuring a one-command idempotent bootstrap, functional devcontainer configurations, and CI-tested documentation.

How do I check if my devcontainer and .env.example files follow DevEx best practices?▼

Checking devcontainer readiness involves verifying configurations are present and functional, and ensuring .env.example files document environment variables properly without containing real secrets to meet 2026 DevEx compliance.

Can I use this onboarding validator for an open source repository preparing for external contributors?▼

This onboarding validator suits both open source and internal engineering repositories. Engineering leads can run it to identify and fix onboarding gaps upfront, reducing new contributor time-to-first-run from hours to minutes.

Why does my developer setup break for new hires even with a bootstrap script?▼

Developer setup breaks when bootstrap scripts are not idempotent, tool versions are unpinned across files, or README code blocks fail when copy-pasted. Auditing these elements in a clean container catches breakages.

What files do I need for a complete developer onboarding audit?▼

A complete onboarding audit requires checking for a README, CONTRIBUTING.md, .env.example, version pin files, bootstrap scripts, and devcontainer configurations to ensure structure is clearly documented for new contributors.

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