Project Environment Doctor Skill
Diagnose why a project will not install, start, build, connect, run locally, or deploy by checking runtimes, dependencies, environment variables, ports, services, logs, and configuration.
Project Environment Doctor Skill is a free, reviewed AI skill for launch & deployment. Diagnose why a project will not install, start, build, connect, run locally, or deploy by checking runtimes, dependencies, environment variables, ports, services, logs, and configuration. It works with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and is ready to use out of the box.
- • The skill cannot confirm a fix until the user runs verification commands.
- • It cannot diagnose accurately without the exact error message, failed command, and relevant project context.
- • It should not request or handle real API keys, passwords, private tokens, SSH keys, database passwords, or service role keys.
About this skill
Project Environment Doctor helps developers and AI-assisted builders figure out why a software project refuses to install, start, build, connect, run locally, or deploy. It works by turning messy terminal errors, failed commands, package files, and project descriptions into a structured diagnosis that separates confirmed causes from likely or possible ones. Rather than guessing at a fix, it walks through the layers where environment problems typically hide: runtime versions, package managers, dependencies, environment variables, ports, services, Docker configuration, build scripts, and deployment settings. It is especially useful for people using AI coding tools, where a generated feature can quietly introduce a missing dependency or an environment mismatch. Every diagnosis comes with a safe, ordered fix plan and explicit verification commands, so users know when an issue is actually resolved rather than just theoretically addressed.
What it does
This skill inspects the error logs, failed commands, package and configuration files, and project descriptions a user provides, then identifies mismatches across runtime versions, package managers, dependencies, environment variables, ports, services, Docker setup, framework configuration, and build or deployment scripts. It produces a clear diagnosis labeled by confidence, a safe and ordered fix plan that avoids destructive actions, and verification commands so the user can confirm the problem is actually resolved before moving on.
What is included
- SKILL.md — concise runtime instructions for the AI assistant
- workflow.md — step-by-step workflow for diagnosing project environment problems
- environment-diagnosis-framework.md — framework for identifying mismatches across command, runtime, dependency, environment, service, build, and deployment layers
- dependency-and-runtime-checklist.md — checklist for JavaScript, Python, Docker, database, and deployment environment checks
- error-log-triage-guide.md — guide for reading logs and classifying common error patterns
- output-templates.md — reusable output formats for diagnosis reports, fix plans, environment checks, deployment reports, and safe commands
- examples.md — realistic input and output examples for project environment debugging
How to use it
1. Download the ZIP file for this skill 2. Extract the files to a folder on your computer 3. Open your AI assistant or coding assistant 4. Upload or paste the skill files if your tool supports custom skills or knowledge files 5. Share the failed command, the exact error log, the stack in use, your operating system, and any relevant config files 6. Redact any secrets, API keys, passwords, or tokens from logs and .env files before sharing 7. Ask the assistant to apply the Project Environment Doctor Skill to diagnose the issue
Examples
I ran npm run dev and got "vite: command not found". The project has a pnpm-lock.yaml file. I used npm install before running the command. I am on Windows and this is a React/Vite project.
The likely issue is a package manager mismatch. The project appears to expect pnpm because it has pnpm-lock.yaml, but npm was used to install dependencies. Safe fix: install pnpm if needed, run pnpm install, then run pnpm dev. Do not delete lockfiles first. Verify by checking that Vite is installed and that the dev server starts without the command-not-found error.
Known limitations
- The skill cannot confirm a fix until the user runs verification commands. - It cannot diagnose accurately without the exact error message, failed command, and relevant project context. - It should not request or handle real API keys, passwords, private tokens, SSH keys, database passwords, or service role keys. - Some issues require direct access to the machine, repository, deployment dashboard, or logs. - Complex production, database, or infrastructure issues may require developer or DevOps review.
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