# PCV Bootstrap — Plan-Construct-Verify Installer **Version:** 3.9 **Date:** 2026-03-28 ## What This File Does This file contains the complete PCV (Plan-Construct-Verify) skill for Claude Code. When you provide this file to Claude Code and ask it to follow the installation instructions, it will install ten files — skill files and agent definition files — that enable the `/pcv` command. ## Prerequisite **Claude Code** must be installed and working on your machine. PCV is a Claude Code skill — it runs inside Claude Code, not separately. ## How to Install 1. Start a Claude Code session. 2. Say: `Read [path-to-this-file] and follow the installation instructions inside it.` 3. Claude Code will install the files and confirm success. --- ## Instructions for Claude Code You are reading a PCV bootstrap file. Follow these steps precisely. ### Step 1: Check for existing installation Read `~/.claude/skills/pcv/VERSION`. If the file exists, parse the first line as a version number. Compare it to the version in this bootstrap (3.9). - If the installed version is **equal to or higher than** 3.9, inform the user: "PCV v[installed version] is already installed. No update needed." **STOP.** - If the installed version is **lower than** 3.9, inform the user: "Updating PCV from v[installed] to v3.9." Proceed to Step 2. - If the file does not exist, inform the user: "Installing PCV v3.9." Proceed to Step 2. ### Step 2: Write files Write each of the following files using the content between the `===BEGIN path===` and `===END path===` delimiters. Use the Write tool for each file. The paths use `~/` notation — expand to the user's home directory. Files are installed to two locations: - **`~/.claude/skills/pcv/`** (6 files) — VERSION, SKILL.md, and the four protocol files (NEW: phase-transition-protocol.md). - **`~/.claude/agents/`** (4 files) — pcv-critic.md, pcv-research.md, pcv-builder.md, pcv-verifier.md. **Important:** Write the files in the order listed. Do not modify the content in any way — write it exactly as provided. ### Step 3: Verify installation After writing all ten files, verify the installation: 1. Read `~/.claude/skills/pcv/VERSION` and confirm it contains `3.9`. 2. Read `~/.claude/skills/pcv/SKILL.md` and confirm it starts with `---`. 3. Read `~/.claude/agents/pcv-critic.md` and confirm it starts with `---`. 4. Read `~/.claude/agents/pcv-research.md` and confirm it starts with `---`. ### Step 4: Inform the user If all verifications pass, tell the user: > **PCV v3.9 installed successfully.** Ten files written: > > **Skill files** (`~/.claude/skills/pcv/`): > - `VERSION` > - `SKILL.md` > - `planning-protocol.md` > - `construction-protocol.md` > - `verification-protocol.md` > - `phase-transition-protocol.md` (NEW in v3.9) > > **Agent files** (`~/.claude/agents/`): > - `pcv-critic.md` > - `pcv-research.md` > - `pcv-builder.md` > - `pcv-verifier.md` > > To use PCV, navigate to a project directory and type `/pcv`. --- ## Embedded Files ===BEGIN ~/.claude/skills/pcv/VERSION=== 3.9 2026-03-28 Add multi-phase project support: tentative phase plans, phase transition protocol, master decision log, cross-phase learning, three entry paths, master progress display. Backward compatible with v3.8. ===END ~/.claude/skills/pcv/VERSION=== ===BEGIN ~/.claude/skills/pcv/SKILL.md=== --- name: pcv description: > Plan-Construct-Verify workflow for complex projects. Adds structured planning discipline — sequential clarification, adversarial review, human approval gates, and verification — on top of Claude Code's native capabilities. Invoke with /pcv. Suggest (once) when a user describes a complex multi-component project. --- # Plan-Construct-Verify (PCV) — Skill Entry Point [TRUNCATED FOR BOOTSTRAP — the full SKILL.md file is located at ~/.claude/skills/pcv/SKILL.md. Install from the source repository.] ===END ~/.claude/skills/pcv/SKILL.md=== ===BEGIN ~/.claude/skills/pcv/planning-protocol.md=== # PCV Planning Protocol [TRUNCATED FOR BOOTSTRAP — the full planning-protocol.md file is located at ~/.claude/skills/pcv/planning-protocol.md. Install from the source repository.] ===END ~/.claude/skills/pcv/planning-protocol.md=== ===BEGIN ~/.claude/skills/pcv/construction-protocol.md=== # PCV Construction Protocol [TRUNCATED FOR BOOTSTRAP — the full construction-protocol.md file is located at ~/.claude/skills/pcv/construction-protocol.md. Install from the source repository.] ===END ~/.claude/skills/pcv/construction-protocol.md=== ===BEGIN ~/.claude/skills/pcv/verification-protocol.md=== # PCV Verification Protocol [TRUNCATED FOR BOOTSTRAP — the full verification-protocol.md file is located at ~/.claude/skills/pcv/verification-protocol.md. Install from the source repository.] ===END ~/.claude/skills/pcv/verification-protocol.md=== ===BEGIN ~/.claude/skills/pcv/phase-transition-protocol.md=== # PCV Phase Transition Protocol [NEW IN v3.9 — the full phase-transition-protocol.md file is located at ~/.claude/skills/pcv/phase-transition-protocol.md. Install from the source repository.] ===END ~/.claude/skills/pcv/phase-transition-protocol.md=== ===BEGIN ~/.claude/agents/pcv-critic.md=== --- name: pcv-critic description: Adversarial reviewer for PCV planning documents. Invoked during PCV planning phase to challenge assumptions, find gaps, and identify risks. tools: Read, Grep, Glob model: haiku --- [TRUNCATED FOR BOOTSTRAP — the full pcv-critic.md agent file is located at ~/.claude/agents/pcv-critic.md. Install from the source repository.] ===END ~/.claude/agents/pcv-critic.md=== ===BEGIN ~/.claude/agents/pcv-research.md=== --- name: pcv-research description: Prior-work analyst for PCV planning phase. Inventories existing files, performs pattern-specific critical evaluation, and produces three-category classification with scope signal. tools: Read, Grep, Glob model: sonnet --- [TRUNCATED FOR BOOTSTRAP — the full pcv-research.md agent file is located at ~/.claude/agents/pcv-research.md. Install from the source repository.] ===END ~/.claude/agents/pcv-research.md=== ===BEGIN ~/.claude/agents/pcv-builder.md=== --- name: pcv-builder description: Per-component builder for PCV construction phase. Implements a single component from the ConstructionPlan in isolation, returning a completion summary. tools: Read, Write, Edit, Bash, Glob, Grep model: sonnet --- [TRUNCATED FOR BOOTSTRAP — the full pcv-builder.md agent file is located at ~/.claude/agents/pcv-builder.md. Install from the source repository.] ===END ~/.claude/agents/pcv-builder.md=== ===BEGIN ~/.claude/agents/pcv-verifier.md=== --- name: pcv-verifier description: Pattern-specific verification agent for PCV verification phase. Handles all four deliverable patterns, dispatched with pattern-specific instructions by the verification protocol. tools: Read, Bash, Glob, Grep model: sonnet --- [TRUNCATED FOR BOOTSTRAP — the full pcv-verifier.md agent file is located at ~/.claude/agents/pcv-verifier.md. Install from the source repository.] ===END ~/.claude/agents/pcv-verifier.md=== --- ## Source Repository Full versions of all files are available at: https://github.com/mgkay/mgkay.github.io/tree/main/pcv/skill For production installations, clone or pull from the repository instead of using this bootstrap.