Clain plan recreate

Run the clain CLI to produce a delete-and-recreate plan in dry mode for a developer-supplied root, then render the result.

Steps

1. Pick the mode (matches the classify mode the developer used). Single-workspace: pass --here. Tree of workspaces: omit it.

2. Ensure a classify cache exists. If the developer has not run clain classify (or clain classify --here) for the path recently, do that first (or invoke the clain-classify skill). Without a matching cache, clain plan recreate exits non-zero with a clear error.

3. Always pass --dry. This is the safe-preview mode and is required for normal use until the project's development-phase gate is lifted by a future named spec.

clain plan recreate --here "$WORKSPACE_PATH" --dry      # single-workspace mode
clain plan recreate "$ROOT" --dry                       # tree mode

4. Or for machine-readable output:

clain plan recreate --here "$WORKSPACE_PATH" --dry --json
clain plan recreate "$ROOT" --dry --json

For copy-paste into a spreadsheet, use --table (mutually exclusive with --json):

clain plan recreate --here "$WORKSPACE_PATH" --dry --table

The default render groups actions by workspace into Rich panels with the workspace path shown once in the panel title (targets and commands relative to that path); the --table render is a single flat table with absolute paths.

5. Surface the plan to the developer with these emphases:

   • The total action count and the unsafe count (look for Unsafe: in the footer or summary.unsafe_count in JSON).
   • Any actions flagged with safe_to_execute: false — list them, with their unsafe_reason, before any safe actions.
   • The plan path under $XDG_STATE_HOME/clain/plans/recreate-<UTC>.json. The plan is the audit artefact; tell the developer where it lives.

6. If the developer asks "can you just run it for me?", explain that execution is blocked by the project's development-phase gate. The plan is the deliverable; the developer reviews it and runs the commands themselves until the gate is lifted by a future spec.

Notes

• Never omit --dry when invoking this skill. Without it, the command attempts execution, hits the phase gate, and emits an error.
• Unsafe actions cover real cases: a Python workspace with pyproject.toml but no toolchain lockfile, a Node workspace with package.json but no lockfile, a workspace with no recognised manifest at all. Treat each as a request for developer judgement, not a flaw in the tool.
• If the command fails (clain: command not found, no classify cache, root does not exist), report the failure verbatim. Do not work around it; do not invent a recreate command from your own knowledge.