catalyst-basics
Core Catalyst project setup — directory structure, environments, CLI commands, and all Catalyst IDs (Project ID, ZAID, Table ID, Segment ID, Org ID). Trigger on 'start a Catalyst project', 'what is .catalystrc', 'where do I find my Table ID', 'difference between Development and Production', or any Catalyst ID or CLI question.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/catalystbyzoho/agent-skills --skill catalyst-basics- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads catalyst-basics automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
⚠️ PRE-FLIGHT CHECK: Before creating any project files, confirm that
.catalystrcandcatalyst.jsonexist in the project directory. If they don't:
- Use MCP (
CatalystbyZoho_List_All_Organizations→CatalystbyZoho_List_All_Projects) to get the org ID and project ID.- Run:
catalyst init --org <orgId> -p <projectId> -ni- Never ask the user to run
catalyst initinteractively. Never create these files manually — they are CLI-generated and must come from the CLI.
How It Works
- MCP check first — Before reading any local files, look for
CatalystbyZoho_*tools. If available, use MCP to get org ID, project ID, and all resource IDs instead of asking the user. - Account alignment check — do this before
catalyst init— MCP and CLI can be authenticated as different accounts. Before runningcatalyst init --org <id>, verify they match:Compare the org name shown to the result ofcatalyst whoamiCatalystbyZoho_List_All_Organizations. If they differ, runcatalyst login --forceto re-authenticate the CLI before proceeding. - New to Catalyst? — If the user is setting up Catalyst for the first time or asking "how do I start", load
references/quick-start.mdfor the full walkthrough. - Console navigation — If the user asks how to find IDs, create tables, set permissions, or configure CORS in the console, load
references/console-ui-guide.md. - Pre-flight — Confirm
.catalystrcandcatalyst.jsonexist. If missing, use MCP to get org/project IDs and runcatalyst init --org <orgId> -p <projectId> -ni. Never use interactivecatalyst init. - Project structure — Load
references/project-basics.mdfor directory layout,catalyst.json, IDs, and dev-to-prod checklist. - CLI questions — Load
references/cli.mdfor the exact command, flags, and safety rules. - Answer — Provide the specific ID path or CLI command needed. Never ask the user to manually look up IDs when MCP is connected.
Triggers
Use this skill for: "how do I start a Catalyst project", "what is .catalystrc", "where do I find my Table ID / ZAID / Segment ID / Project ID", "difference between Development and Production", "Catalyst project structure", "catalyst.json explained", catalyst init, catalyst deploy, catalyst serve, catalyst login, "how do I set up Catalyst with Claude", "how do I use Catalyst in Cursor", "how do I use Catalyst with GitHub Copilot", "which service should I use", "what Catalyst service for X", or any question about Catalyst IDs, environments, organizations, IDE setup, architecture decisions, or CLI subcommands.
MCP Connection Check (Do This Before Anything Else)
Before reading .catalystrc, asking the user for IDs, or doing anything project-related — check whether Zoho MCP tools are available in your tool list.
Look for tools prefixed with CatalystbyZoho_ (e.g., CatalystbyZoho_List_All_Projects, CatalystbyZoho_List_All_Tables).
If MCP tools ARE available:
- Use
CatalystbyZoho_List_All_Organizationsto get the org ID - Use
CatalystbyZoho_List_All_Projectsto get the project ID - Use MCP tools to fetch table names, bucket names, ZAIDs, and all other project details directly — do NOT ask the user to copy-paste IDs from the console
If MCP tools are NOT available:
- Prompt the user to connect Zoho MCP before proceeding
- Guide them to: VS Code → Settings → MCP (or Claude Desktop
claude_desktop_config.json) and add the Catalyst MCP server - Fall back to reading
.catalystrcandcatalyst.jsonfrom the local project directory only as a last resort
Never ask the user to manually look up IDs from the console if MCP is connected. Every project detail — org ID, project ID, table IDs, ZAIDs, bucket names — is retrievable via MCP tools. Asking the user to hunt for IDs when MCP is available wastes time and introduces copy-paste errors.
References
Load the relevant reference file for detailed information:
| Reference | Contents |
|---|---|
references/quick-start.md | First-time setup — install CLI, catalyst init, find org/project IDs, add a function, serve locally, deploy, create a Data Store table, configure CORS/Authorized Domains |
references/console-ui-guide.md | Console navigation — finding Project ID/ZAID/Table ID, creating tables with typed columns, enabling App User permissions (Scopes and Permissions), Authorized Domains + CORS toggle |
references/project-basics.md | Project directory structure, catalyst.json, .catalystrc, catalyst-config.json, environments, dev-to-prod checklist, all Catalyst IDs (Project ID, ZAID, Table ID, Segment ID, etc.) |
references/cli.md | Full CLI command reference — all subcommands with flags, Slate/AppSail non-interactive setup, catalyst serve port behavior, deploy scoping, safety rules, resource-first development order |
references/architecture.md | Service selection guide — which Catalyst service to use for which pattern, typical stack combinations, DC availability table for regionally restricted services |
references/setup/claude-code.md | Installing skills and connecting Zoho MCP in Claude Code (Claude Desktop) |
references/setup/cursor.md | Installing skills and connecting Zoho MCP in Cursor |
references/setup/github-copilot.md | Installing skills and connecting Zoho MCP in GitHub Copilot (VS Code) |
FAQ
What does the catalyst-basics skill do?
Core Catalyst project setup — directory structure, environments, CLI commands, and all Catalyst IDs (Project ID, ZAID, Table ID, Segment ID, Org ID). Trigger on 'start a Catalyst project', 'what is .catalystrc', 'where do I find my Table ID', 'difference between Development and Production', or any Catalyst ID or CLI question.
How do I install catalyst-basics?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/catalystbyzoho/agent-skills --skill catalyst-basics in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/catalyst-basics/ (personal) or .claude/skills/catalyst-basics/ (project).
Which AI agents can use catalyst-basics?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is catalyst-basics safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains catalyst-basics?
It is published by catalystbyzoho in catalystbyzoho/agent-skills. It has 1,040 recorded installs.
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