Espalier Engineering plugin
Espalier finds a codebase's unwritten conventions and records them as rules, reviewers and hooks for Claude Code, Codex, Copilot
- 69 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
Broad access
Why this level
- The plugin writes files into the repository and agent settings and installs hooks that block a push
- Parallel agents read the whole codebase and spend tokens on discovery
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add plugins/espalier-engineeringDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewBroad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.
- The plugin writes files into the repository and agent settings and installs hooks that block a push
- Parallel agents read the whole codebase and spend tokens on discovery
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
The plugin starts with `/espalier-init`. Parallel scout agents read the code and extract conventions that nobody wrote down. Then the repository gets an `espalier/` folder with rules, skills, agent definitions, an architecture wiki, hooks and a typed audit trail per requirement. Every change goes through a pipeline. A requirements stage first questions the author hard and waits for explicit sign-off. Then a coder agent writes the code, and a separate read-only reviewer agent checks it against the same rules, with a security auditor joining at trust boundaries. Hooks block a push that skipped the gates. Documentation drift is detected automatically and refreshes go through a gate. The `espalier/` folder is platform neutral and wires into Claude Code, Codex and GitHub Copilot.
Who it is for. Teams whose AI coders write plausible code that does not fit the project: they reinvent existing helpers and pick the wrong libraries.
Good fit when
- The agent creates its own helper where the repository already has one
- The project standardized on `Result<T>` and the agent throws exceptions
- Several developers work in the repository and need shared rules and checks
- A merge requires an independent review by a separate read-only agent
- Documentation lags behind the code and you need automatic detection of stale spots
Not a fit when
- You need a one-off script or a prototype: setup takes about 10 to 15 minutes per repository
- The project is brand new and has no conventions yet, so there is nothing to extract
- You want ready-made rules for a specific framework: the plugin studies your own code
Example request
Run /espalier-init in this repository and turn the discovered conventions into rules for Claude Code and CodexLimitations
First setup takes 10 to 15 minutes per repository and starts several agents, so it spends tokens. The plugin writes the `espalier/`, `.claude/`, `.codex/` or `.github/` folders into the repository and installs hooks that block a push. On team repositories upkeep shrinks to one rotating person's weekly job of about 15 minutes. Platforms are wired at init and need a re-wire when you add another. The last commit dates from October 2026.
How to disable. Remove the `espalier-init` symlinks from `~/.claude/skills/` or run `/plugin uninstall espalier-engineering@espalier-engineering`. Delete the `espalier/` folder and the hooks in the repository by hand.
FAQ
How do I run Espalier in a project?
Install the plugin with `/plugin marketplace add Junhanliu-dev/espalier-engineering` and `/plugin install espalier-engineering@espalier-engineering`, then run `/espalier-init` in the repository.
What gets created in the repository?
An `espalier/` folder with rules, skills, agents, a wiki, hooks, decision maps and a change log.
Which agents does it work with?
Claude Code, OpenAI Codex and GitHub Copilot. One `espalier/` folder wires into any subset of the three.
Why is the reviewer a separate agent?
It has a different tool set and read-only access, so it cannot approve its own code. A security auditor joins it at trust boundaries.
How long does setup take?
Initial setup takes about 10 to 15 minutes per repository, after which changes reuse the rules.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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README in short
The README explains the unwritten rules problem and shows how `/espalier-init` finds, records and enforces them. Next come the `espalier/` layout, the pipeline commands and the rules for several developers. Install routes via plugin, symlinks and a project folder for Claude Code and Codex end the page.