Project lifecycle

Skafold works best as a maintained planning layer rather than a one-time diagram. The canvas remains editable while the exported Markdown package becomes the repository-facing source of truth.

1. Generate or capture the initial plan

Start in one of three ways:

• Create a project and apply a built-in preset.
• Create a blank project and map it manually.
• Generate a plan in ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini using the Skafold skill, then import its JSON package.

At this stage, capture confirmed intent rather than trying to perfect every implementation detail.

2. Establish the project brief

Add:

• The problem or opportunity.
• Primary audiences.
• Project goals.
• Delivery principles.
• Global technical, content, accessibility, legal, or operational constraints.

The Project Brief should explain what the rest of the plan is trying to achieve.

3. Map the primary structure

Add each meaningful route or application screen as a Page node. Connect pages only to their direct structural parent.

Example:

Home
├── About
├── Blog
│   └── Blog Post
└── Contact

Do not use the Structure frame to map every possible click. Add a separate User Journey for focused multi-step goals such as signup, checkout, onboarding, or publishing.

4. Define page hierarchy

Every Page node appears automatically in Page Hierarchy. Add an ordered section list for each page.

Use section presets for common patterns, then refine:

• Section name
• Section purpose
• Build guidance
• Structure tags
• Global/shared state

The section list should be detailed enough that a developer or AI tool understands the page composition without treating it as pixel-perfect design.

5. Add implementation context

Add only the context the build needs:

• User Journeys for important actor-led paths.
• Design Guidance for visual intent and reusable design rules.
• Technical Architecture for stack, modules, services, integrations, data, stores, and constraints.

This context should reduce ambiguity. It should not duplicate the page hierarchy or become a speculative architecture diagram.

6. Review readiness

Use the Readiness step to find missing briefs, pages, or page sections. Resolve important gaps before export.

You can export a draft once the minimum bar is met, but completing section lists for every meaningful page produces a stronger handoff.

7. Export repository context

Choose Export Context → Download Project Context. Extract the ZIP and add the complete Skafold Context Package folder to the repository.

Give your coding tool the kickoff prompt shown by Skafold. It instructs the tool to read the package before planning or writing code.

The package contains separate files for:

• Project Overview
• Structure
• User Journeys
• Page Layouts
• Technical Architecture
• Design Guidance

8. Implement from the package

The coding tool should use the relevant Markdown files as planning context and preserve the names used in Skafold unless implementation requires a change.

Page Layouts.md is the authoritative source for:

• Section order
• Section purpose
• Build guidance
• Structure tags
• Repeated global sections

The context package guides implementation; it is not generated source code.

9. Return to Skafold when the plan changes

When implementation or stakeholder review changes the plan:

1. Update the relevant nodes or sections in Skafold.
2. Export only the changed frame Markdown.
3. Replace the matching file inside Skafold Context Package/.
4. Commit the Markdown change with the associated implementation work.
5. Give the coding tool Skafold's frame update prompt so it reviews the changed context.

If several frames changed, replace each affected file and use the multi-file update prompt.

10. Revise the editable project with AI when useful

Use Download Skafold JSON when you want an AI to revise the structure itself. Attach that JSON to the AI conversation, request a complete revised package, then use Import JSON and replace in the existing project.

Markdown maintains repository context. JSON maintains the editable Skafold project. They serve different purposes.