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Skillsaspire-init

aspire-init

Deployment & operations

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Updated 10-15 16:28

About this skill

Aspire Init

First-run only. This skill owns the skeleton drop and template choice for repositories that do not yet have an Aspire AppHost. Once the skeleton is in place, hand off to aspireify for the actual resource wiring.

Prerequisites

Requirement Install
.NET 10.0 SDK https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download
Node.js ^20.19.0, ^22.13.0, or >=24 (TypeScript AppHost) https://nodejs.org
Aspire CLI (curl installer) curl -sSL https://aspire.dev/install.sh | bash
Aspire CLI (npm) npm install -g @microsoft/aspire-cli
Aspire CLI (NativeAOT global tool) dotnet tool install -g Aspire.Cli (.NET 10 required)
Diagnose missing prerequisites aspire doctor

Aspire also supports Nix, Homebrew, WinGet, mise, and the curl/PowerShell installers. Use the installation method already owned by the user's environment.

Detection

Activate only when adding Aspire to a workspace that does not yet have one. Confirm ALL of the following before running aspire init:

Signal How to Detect Meaning
No C# AppHost No .csproj containing Aspire.AppHost.Sdk OK to init
No file-based AppHost No apphost.cs with #:sdk Aspire.AppHost.Sdk OK to init
No TypeScript AppHost No current apphost.mts or legacy apphost.ts in the repo OK to init
No Aspire config No aspire.config.json in repo root OK to init
User intent Explicit "add Aspire", "scaffold Aspire", "aspire init" OK to init

If any AppHost signal is already present, do not run aspire init. Route to aspireify (re-wire) or aspire-orchestration (lifecycle).

Decision: aspire new vs aspire init

Situation Command Why
Empty directory or brand-new project aspire new <template> Generates a full starter solution
Existing repo with services to model aspire init Drops minimal skeleton + aspire.config.json next to existing code
User wants a sample to learn from aspire new aspire-starter Includes ApiService + Web + ServiceDefaults
User wants the smallest possible scaffold aspire new aspire-empty (C#) or aspire new aspire-ts-empty (TS) No resources pre-wired
User wants Python services aspire new aspire-py-starter (TypeScript AppHost drives Python) Not dotnet new — that template was removed in 13.3

See references/templates.md for the complete template list and options.

Workflow A — aspire new <template> (new project)

For brand-new projects in an empty or non-existent directory:

  1. Confirm prerequisites with aspire doctor if the CLI install is uncertain.
  2. Pick a template from references/templates.md.
  3. Run the template, append --non-interactive for agent flows: 
    aspire new aspire-starter --name MyApp --output ./MyApp --non-interactive
  4. The new directory is fully wired by the template — no aspireify handoff needed.
  5. Route to aspire-orchestration for first run (aspire start).

Workflow B — aspire init (existing repo)

For repositories that already contain services (Express API, .NET API, Python service, etc.) and need an AppHost added alongside them:

  1. Verify the Detection table — confirm no AppHost is present.
  2. Run aspire init, choosing language explicitly for non-interactive flows: 
    aspire init --language csharp --non-interactive
# or
aspire init --language typescript --non-interactive
  3. aspire init drops:
    • The AppHost skeleton (apphost.cs with #:sdk directives, or apphost.mts with the generated .aspire/modules/ folder)
    • AppHost configuration describing language + AppHost path
    • The aspireify agent skill into the project's skill directory (same one aspire agent init uses). In 13.6+, the chained agent setup preselects the recommended skills, including aspireify, and does not offer Aspire MCP server configuration. If MCP config is missing after a successful init, that is expected and isn't a defect. MCP is a separate opt-in; see the aspire router's Skills vs. MCP guidance.
  4. Hand off to aspireify — aspire init does not wire resources, projects, or integrations on its own.
  5. After aspireify finishes wiring, validate via aspire start (aspire-orchestration).

In 13.5, a TypeScript init inside a repo that already has a root package.json creates a nested aspire-apphost/ package and points the root aspire.config.json at aspire-apphost/apphost.mts. A solution-backed C# repo can receive a project-based AppHost; new C# AppHosts enable AspireUseCliBundle=true by default. Preserve these generated choices.

See references/init-workflow.md for the full sequence including what aspire.config.json contains and what to do if aspire init fails partway.

Handoff Rules

After aspire init / aspire new finishes... Route To
Skeleton dropped, resources need wiring → aspireify skill (in-plugin or project-local)
Skeleton dropped, validate it starts → aspire-orchestration (run aspire start)
New project from template, ready to run → aspire-orchestration
User asks to deploy after init → aspire-deployment
User asks for logs/traces after init → aspire-monitoring
Existing AppHost detected — do NOT run init → aspireify (re-wire) or aspire-orchestration (lifecycle)

Project-Local Skill Override

If .agents/skills/aspire-init/SKILL.md exists project-locally (legacy install from an older aspire init run), warn the user and defer to it. The legacy project-local skill may carry repo-specific guidance that should not be overridden by this in-plugin skill.

The project-local aspireify skill (installed by aspire init) takes precedence over this plugin's in-plugin aspireify for the same reason — defer to the project-local copy and warn.

Error Handling

Symptom Cause Action
aspire init reports AppHost already exists Repo already has an AppHost Stop. Route to aspireify (re-wire) or aspire-orchestration (lifecycle)
aspire init fails in non-interactive mode without --language Multiple language paths available Re-run with --language csharp or --language typescript
aspire new rejects --output path Path exists and is non-empty Use a different --output or empty the directory
aspire command not found CLI not installed dotnet tool install -g Aspire.Cli (.NET 10) or curl -sSL https://aspire.dev/install.sh | bash
aspire doctor reports missing .NET 10 SDK missing Install .NET 10 SDK before retrying
aspire init succeeded but no aspireify skill installed Agent skill directory not detected, or aspireify not selected (13.5 doesn't preselect it) Run aspire agent init --non-interactive --skills aspireify (append aspireify to any explicit --skills list, keep any --skill-locations, and don't add --mcp), then continue wiring
aspire init succeeded but no MCP config was written Expected in 13.6+ — chained agent setup does not offer MCP Don't repair it. Configure MCP only when the user explicitly asks for it (aspire agent init --mcp on 13.6+)
Skeleton dropped but resources not wired Expected — aspire init does not wire Hand off to aspireify
Existing TypeScript AppHost still uses apphost.ts Legacy entry point and package graph Hand off to aspire-orchestration, which owns approval and aspire update --migrate --yes --non-interactive; return to aspireify only for later source authoring

References