Getting Started

Welcome to the AI Context System! This guide will help you install and start using the system in minutes.

What is AI Context System?

The AI Context System externalizes AI reasoning into visible, structured documentation that enables:

• Session Continuity - Resume work exactly where you left off
• Externalized Context - Make AI decisions and mental models visible
• Human-AI Collaboration - Full visibility into AI thinking
• AI-to-AI Collaboration - Seamless handoffs and peer review

Quick Installation

Option 1: One-Command Install (Recommended)

# Install from GitHub
curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rexkirshner/ai-context-system/main/install.sh | bash

# Initialize context
/init-context

Option 2: Manual Install

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/rexkirshner/ai-context-system.git

# Copy to your project
cp -r ai-context-system/.claude /path/to/your/project/
cp -r ai-context-system/scripts /path/to/your/project/
cp -r ai-context-system/templates /path/to/your/project/

# Initialize
/init-context

# Clean up
rm -rf ai-context-system

What Gets Created

After running /init-context, you'll have:

your-project/
├── context/
│   ├── .context-config.json     # Project configuration
│   ├── claude.md                # Claude Code entry point
│   ├── CONTEXT.md               # Project orientation
│   ├── STATUS.md                # Current state
│   ├── DECISIONS.md             # Decision log
│   └── SESSIONS.md              # History
├── .claude/commands/            # 14 slash commands
├── scripts/                     # Helper utilities
└── templates/                   # Documentation templates

Daily Workflow

# Start your session
/review-context

# Work on your project...

# Save frequently (2-3 minutes)
/save

# Before breaks/handoffs (10-15 minutes)
/save-full

Next Steps

• Quick Start Guide - Your first session
• Core Concepts - Understanding the system
• Commands Reference - All available commands
• Common Workflows - Real-world usage patterns

Requirements

For Claude Code users (full features):

• Claude Code CLI
• File system access

For other AI tools:

• Any AI coding assistant with file system access
• Manual use of templates and file structure
• Reference appropriate tool header (cursor.md, aider.md, etc.)

Universal:

• Any project (language/framework agnostic)
• Git recommended but not required

Troubleshooting

Commands not working?

• Check for multiple .claude directories
• Only keep .claude in project root
• Exception: Meta-projects intentionally have multiple

Need help?

• Troubleshooting Guide
• GitHub Issues