How to use the Engine Setup Wizard agent skill (setup-engine)

What is an agent skill, and what does setup-engine do?

An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file and supporting reference files. When a compatible agent such as Claude Code loads the skill, it follows the instructions in those files for a specific task. This skill is named setup-engine and its description is: configure engine and version, pin it in CLAUDE.md, and use WebSearch to fill reference docs when the version is beyond the model's training data.

The skill is aimed at game projects. It can pick an engine with you, look up the current version, update the project's CLAUDE.md technology stack, populate technical preferences, create the engine reference docs, scaffold the project, verify the CLAUDE.md import, and add version-awareness notes to engine specialist agents.

• Records the engine and version in CLAUDE.md and technical-preferences.md, with project.yaml as the primary config store.
• Uses web search to pull current engine reference docs when the version is newer than the model's training data.
• Supports a refresh mode to update reference docs and an upgrade mode to guide a move to a newer engine version.

What you need before you install setup-engine

The skill is designed for Claude Code or another SKILL.md-compatible agent that has shell and web access. It is built around game design documents and engines, so it fits game projects only. The skill runs scripts and performs web lookups, so the agent needs permission to run those steps.

• Claude Code or a SKILL.md-compatible agent with shell and web access.
• The Godot CLI (godot), needed for the version check and project import steps if you choose Godot.
• bash, for the project configuration helper script.
• The skill is licensed MIT.

Install setup-engine: download the ZIP and unzip it

Download the setup-engine ZIP from this directory page and unzip it into one of two locations. Use ~/.claude/skills/ to make the skill available across your projects, or a project's .claude/skills/ folder to limit it to that project. The skill folder should be named setup-engine so that its files sit under .claude/skills/setup-engine/.

If you use the Claude apps instead of Claude Code, you can upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

• Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/setup-engine/
• Project install: .claude/skills/setup-engine/ inside your game project
• Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the skill

How do you trigger setup-engine with natural requests?

You can invoke the skill with the slash command and an optional argument, or describe what you want in plain language and let the agent match the request to the skill. The skill accepts four modes, shown below in the order the source lists them.

Full spec mode gives both the engine and the version. Engine-only mode lets the skill look up the version. No-argument mode starts a guided selection. Refresh and upgrade modes work on an existing setup.

• Full spec: /setup-engine godot 4.7 (engine and version provided)
• Engine only: /setup-engine unity (the version is looked up)
• No arguments: /setup-engine (guided engine recommendation and version)
• Refresh: /setup-engine refresh (updates reference docs)
• Upgrade: /setup-engine upgrade [old-version] [new-version] (migration help)

Examples of natural requests

If you are new to slash commands, you can ask the agent in ordinary words. Name the engine and, if you know it, the version. Mention the upgrade or refresh goal when that is what you want. The agent should then run the matching part of the skill.

The skill tells the agent to verify versions rather than guess, so if you do not know the version, say so and let the agent look it up or ask you to confirm.

• Set up this project with Godot 4.7 and pin it in CLAUDE.md.
• I'm starting a new game in Unity. Look up the current version and configure the project.
• Refresh the engine reference docs for my Godot project.
• Upgrade my game from the old engine version to the new one and give me a migration checklist.

Safety notes: scripts and network access

The skill runs scripts and uses the network. Its allowed tools include shell commands such as running the Godot version check and project import, and web search and web fetch for reference docs and migration guides. It also runs a project configuration helper script in bash.

Do not use this skill in an environment where the agent should not run shell commands or fetch web pages. Review the allowed tools in SKILL.md before you install it, and be aware that the skill can write to CLAUDE.md, reference docs and agent files, and it asks before adding a Version Awareness section to agent files. The skill also tells the agent to show you changes before editing CLAUDE.md.

• Runs scripts: yes. Uses network: yes.
• The agent is told to show proposed CLAUDE.md edits before making them.
• It asks permission before adding Version Awareness sections to specialist agent files.
• It will not overwrite existing reference docs without asking, and asks before replacing docs for a different engine.

Tips for getting reliable results

Give the engine and version explicitly when you know them, because the skill is designed to verify versions and a guessed version can produce wrong setup. If the web search results are ambiguous, the skill is designed to show them to you and let you decide.

Keep the setup in sync: if the engine config in project.yaml and technical-preferences.md ever disagree, the skill treats project.yaml as authoritative.

• Provide the version when you know it; avoid asking the agent to guess.
• Check the generated VERSION.md under docs/engine-reference/<engine>/ after setup.
• If you use Godot, make sure the godot command is available on your path.
• Use refresh periodically to check for new releases and deprecated APIs.