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title Getting Started with ContextDocs
description Install ContextDocs, generate canonical AGENTS.md plus bridge files, and set up Context Guard hooks.
type how-to
difficulty beginner
time_to_complete 5 minutes
last_verified 1.3.0
related
guides/troubleshooting.md
order 1

Getting Started with ContextDocs

Summary: Install ContextDocs, generate canonical AGENTS.md plus bridge files for 8 tools, and optionally set up Context Guard hooks for freshness enforcement.

Time to Hello World: Under 60 seconds for your first context files. Full walkthrough below: ~5 minutes.

Prerequisites

1. Install ContextDocs

Open Claude Code in your terminal and run:

# Add the LBA plugin marketplace (once per machine)
/plugin marketplace add littlebearapps/lba-plugins

# Install ContextDocs
/plugin install contextdocs@lba-plugins

Note: When installed as a plugin, all commands use the contextdocs: prefix (e.g., /contextdocs:ai-context).

2. Bootstrap Context Files

Navigate to the project you want to add context files to, then run:

/contextdocs:ai-context init

ContextDocs will:

  1. Scan your codebase (manifest files, project structure, conventions)
  2. Apply the Signal Gate filter — only include what agents cannot discover on their own
  3. Generate canonical AGENTS.md, then add the bridge files each tool needs:
File Role Budget
AGENTS.md Canonical shared context <120 lines
CLAUDE.md Claude Code bridge (@AGENTS.md + Claude-specific notes) <80 lines
.cursorrules Cursor bridge <60 lines
.github/copilot-instructions.md GitHub Copilot bridge <60 lines
.windsurfrules Windsurf compatibility bridge <60 lines
.clinerules Cline bridge <60 lines
GEMINI.md Gemini compatibility bridge <60 lines

For Claude Code users: Claude Code auto-loads CLAUDE.md every session. The generated CLAUDE.md starts with @AGENTS.md, which imports the canonical shared context — so you get everything without duplication. The other bridge files are optional and only needed if team members use Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, or Gemini.

Tip: To generate a single file, specify the tool: /contextdocs:ai-context claude or /contextdocs:ai-context cursor.

3. Verify Context Quality

Check that your generated files are healthy:

/contextdocs:context-verify

This scores your context files 0–100 across 6 dimensions with 13 checks:

  • Line budget — are files within their size targets?
  • Signal quality — does the content pass Signal Gate (no discoverable content)?
  • Path accuracy — do referenced file paths actually exist?
  • Consistency — do bridge files stay aligned with AGENTS.md?
  • Freshness — have files been updated since the last significant code change?
  • Context load — is the aggregate token usage across all context files within healthy limits per tool?

4. Set Up Context Guard (Optional, Claude Code Only)

Context Guard hooks keep your context files in sync as your project evolves:

/contextdocs:context-guard install

This installs hooks with a health check and two tiers of enforcement:

  • SessionStart — validates context files at session start, warns if stale or over budget
  • Tier 1 (Nudge) — at session end, reminds you if context files may be stale
  • Tier 2 (Guard) — blocks commits when structural files haven't been reflected in AGENTS.md or other affected bridge files

Hooks automatically launch the context-updater agent to apply AGENTS-first updates — shared changes go to AGENTS.md first, then only the affected bridge sections are refreshed.

To check hook status or uninstall:

/contextdocs:context-guard status
/contextdocs:context-guard uninstall

5. Keep Context Fresh

As your project evolves, context files drift. Use these commands to maintain them:

# Patch only what drifted (incremental update)
/contextdocs:ai-context update

# Move patterns from MEMORY.md into CLAUDE.md
/contextdocs:ai-context promote

# Check for staleness without changing anything
/contextdocs:ai-context audit

What's Next?

  • Generate public-facing docs — Install PitchDocs for README, CHANGELOG, ROADMAP, user guides, and launch artifacts
  • Improve context quality — Run /contextdocs:context-verify after changes to track your score over time
  • Explore the skills — Each command loads specialised reference knowledge. See the Available Skills table for details.

Need help? See SUPPORT.md for getting help, common questions, and contact details.