/bootstrap-diagnostics
**The response playbook for actionable startup diagnostics.**
Skill type: Agent-only
Upstream path:.agents/skills/bootstrap-diagnostics/SKILL.md
The response playbook for actionable startup diagnostics.
What it does
bootstrap-diagnostics translates session-start diagnostic lines into the correct next action.
It covers missing tools, manual dependencies, GitHub authentication, invalid backends, network checks, fleet-sync drift, backlog reconciliation, secondmate convergence, Relay problems, and other startup conditions that need action.
When to reach for it
Load it when session start, fm-bootstrap.sh, or the startup network stage prints one of the skill's actionable diagnostic classes.
A silent bootstrap section or ordinary informational line does not justify loading it.
How it behaves
The skill preserves the detect -> consent -> install boundary. Firstmate may explain missing dependencies and installation commands, but it does not install tools without the captain's session-level approval.
It also distinguishes "failed" from "unknown." For example, a network check that did not complete is not automatically an authentication failure.
Common questions
Does every startup warning block work? No. Some skips are benign. The playbook tells Firstmate which ones require remediation before dependent work can proceed.
Can Firstmate run interactive GitHub login for the captain? No. It asks the captain to perform the interactive login.
It's working if
- Startup diagnostics turn into specific remediation instead of vague warnings.
- Missing tools are not installed without consent.
- Dirty or diverged homes are left untouched rather than forced forward.
- Unknown network state is not misreported as a bad credential.
Where it fits
This is the startup triage layer between session diagnostics and normal dispatch.
Upstream: .agents/skills/bootstrap-diagnostics/SKILL.md