Arness Infra Wizard

Walk the user through the entire Arness infrastructure pipeline in a single continuous session. The wizard invokes each pipeline skill in sequence using the Skill tool, only pausing at genuine decision gates where user input is needed.

This skill is a sequencer and decision-gate handler. It MUST NOT duplicate sub-skill logic. All pipeline work is done by the invoked skills. The wizard handles: entry mode detection, transitions between skills, progress display, expertise-adaptive step selection, and artifact-based resumability.

Step 0: Ensure Configuration

Read ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/arn-infra-ensure-config/references/ensure-config.md and follow its instructions. This guarantees a user profile exists and ## Arness is configured with Arness Infra fields before proceeding.

After Step 0 completes, read ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/arn-infra-ensure-config/references/experience-derivation.md and derive the user's infrastructure experience level from their profile.

Arness Core is optional but enhances cross-plugin workflows when present. If a ## Arness section exists with Arness Core fields (plans directory, specs directory, etc.), note the configuration for cross-plugin context. This information may be useful for linking infrastructure changes to application features, but is NOT required.

Extract all ## Arness config fields for use throughout the wizard:

• Experience level -- derived from user profile (see experience-derivation.md). If no profile exists, check for legacy Experience level in ## Arness as fallback.
• Deferred -- triggers assessment-driven entry mode
• Providers config -- path to providers.md
• Environments config -- path to environments.md
• Tooling manifest -- path to tooling-manifest.json
• Resource manifest -- path to active-resources.json
• Default IaC tool -- for artifact detection
• Project topology -- for context
• CI/CD platform -- for CI/CD context (github-actions, gitlab-ci, bitbucket-pipelines, none)
• Issue tracker -- for triage entry mode detection

Mode Selection

After prerequisites, present the user with a mode choice. This determines which pipeline flow the wizard uses for the entire session.

Ask (using AskUserQuestion):

"What type of infrastructure change are you making?"

Options:

1. Quick mode -- Simple, low-risk changes to a single environment. Uses the interactive flow: discover, define, deploy, verify. No planning overhead.
2. Full pipeline mode -- Complex, multi-environment, or compliance-sensitive changes. Uses the structured flow: change-spec, change-plan, save-plan, execute-change, review-change, document-change. Includes review gates, cost tracking, and audit trails.

Mode recommendation logic:

Analyze the user's change description (if provided) or project context to recommend a mode:

• Single environment + single resource type + low blast radius --> recommend Quick mode
• Multi-environment + multiple resources + compliance requirements --> recommend Full Pipeline mode
• Existing pipeline artifacts in .arness/infra-specs/ or .arness/infra-plans/ --> recommend Full Pipeline mode (resume)
• No change description provided --> present both options without recommendation

If the user does not specify, default to Quick mode for beginner experience level and present both options for intermediate/expert.

Entry Mode Detection

After mode selection, detect the appropriate entry mode within the selected mode. Each mode has a set of entry modes checked from most specific to least specific -- first match wins.

Quick mode entry modes: Fresh/Resume (default), Triage-driven, Assessment-driven, Migration. Full Pipeline entry modes: Change Pipeline (resume or explicit), New Pipeline (default).

Read ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/arn-infra-wizard/references/entry-modes.md for the complete entry mode detection rules, conditions, and pipeline sequences.

The workflow steps below (Step 1a, Step 1b) correspond to Entry Mode 2 (Triage-Driven) and Entry Mode 3 (Assessment-Driven) respectively.

Full Pipeline Mode Flow

Read ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/arn-infra-wizard/references/full-pipeline-flow.md

Expertise-Adaptive Pipeline

Expert / Intermediate

Full 10-step pipeline with 8 decision gates (Q1, Q1.5, Q2 through Q7). All steps are presented. Decision gates allow skipping optional steps.

Beginner

Simplified 6-step pipeline focusing on the essentials:

1. init (already done)
2. discover
3. containerize
4. define
5. deploy
6. verify

Advanced steps (pipeline, env, secrets, monitor) are offered as optional extras after the core pipeline completes:

"The core infrastructure is deployed and verified. These additional steps are optional but recommended for production readiness:

• CI/CD Pipeline -- Automate future deployments
• Environment Management -- Set up staging/prod promotion
• Secrets Management -- Secure your credentials
• Monitoring -- Set up health checks and alerting

Ask (using AskUserQuestion):

"Would you like to set up any of these optional features?"

Options:

1. All -- Set up all optional features
2. Pick individually -- Choose which features to set up
3. Skip -- Skip all optional features

Interactive-to-Pipeline Upgrade Path

At any point during Quick mode, the user may request an upgrade to Full Pipeline mode. Detect upgrade requests when the user says any of: "I want review gates", "upgrade to pipeline", "add audit trail", "switch to full pipeline", "need more structure", or "this is getting complex".

Upgrade flow:

1. Acknowledge the upgrade request: "Upgrading to Full Pipeline mode. I will create a structured change specification from your existing progress."
2. Invoke Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-change-spec with the existing artifacts as input context:
   • Pass any IaC files generated by define
   • Pass any deployment results from deploy
   • Pass any verification results from verify
   • Pass the tooling manifest from discover
3. When change-spec completes, continue in Full Pipeline mode from P2 (change-plan) onward.

Proactive upgrade detection:

After any Quick mode step completes, check if the change complexity warrants an upgrade. Offer an upgrade if:

• The user has run arn-infra-define interactively and the generated IaC touches multiple environments or providers
• The deployment scope has expanded beyond the initial single-environment expectation
• The user mentions compliance, audit, or review requirements

Proactive offer: "I see you have generated IaC code that spans multiple environments. Would you like to wrap this in the structured pipeline for review gates and documentation? (yes / no)"

If the user accepts: follow the upgrade flow above. If the user declines: continue in Quick mode.

Decision Gates (Quick Mode)

Read ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/arn-infra-wizard/references/decision-gates.md

Artifact Detection (Resumability)

Read ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/arn-infra-wizard/references/artifact-detection.md

Workflow

Step 0: Initialize, Select Mode, and Detect Entry Mode

1. Read CLAUDE.md. Check prerequisites (see Prerequisites section).
2. Extract ## Arness config fields. If ## Arness section exists, note it for cross-plugin context.
3. Determine expertise level from the profile-derived experience level (see Step 0).
4. Present mode selection (see Mode Selection section). User chooses Quick or Full Pipeline.
5. If Quick mode: detect entry mode from Quick mode entry modes (see Entry Mode Detection section).
6. If Full Pipeline mode: detect entry mode from Full Pipeline mode entry modes (see Entry Mode Detection section).
7. If Quick mode Fresh/Resume: run artifact detection (see Artifact Detection section).
8. If Full Pipeline mode Change Pipeline: run pipeline artifact detection (see Entry Mode 5).

Step 1: Artifact Check and Gate Q1

If artifacts detected (Fresh/Resume mode only):

Show the detected state and ask Q1:

"It looks like you have an in-progress infrastructure pipeline at [detected stage]. Would you like to resume from there, or start fresh?"

• Resume -- skip to the detected resume point
• Start fresh -- begin at Step 2 (do not delete existing artifacts)

If no artifacts detected: skip Q1 and proceed to Step 2.

Step 1a: Triage (Triage-Driven Entry Only)

This step runs only when Entry Mode 2 (Triage-Driven) was detected in Step 0.

Inform the user: "Processing [N] pending infrastructure request(s)..."

Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-triage

When triage completes, the implications brief is available. Proceed directly to Step 4 (Define) — skip discover and containerize since the triage brief already contains the analyzed requirements.

Step 1b: Assess (Assessment-Driven Entry Only)

This step runs only when Entry Mode 3 (Assessment-Driven) was detected in Step 0.

Inform the user: "Running full infrastructure assessment on deferred backlog..."

Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-assess

When assess completes, the user has a prioritized infrastructure backlog. Proceed directly to Step 4 (Define) — skip discover and containerize since the assessment has already produced the infrastructure plan.

Step 2: Discover (Automated)

Show progress (Expert/Intermediate):

Infra Pipeline: DISCOVER --> containerize --> define --> deploy --> verify --> pipeline --> env --> secrets --> monitor
                ^^^^^^^^

Show progress (Beginner):

Infra Pipeline: DISCOVER --> containerize --> define --> deploy --> verify
                ^^^^^^^^

Inform the user: "Auditing your installed tools, MCPs, and CLIs..."

Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-discover

When discover completes, tooling-manifest.json exists at the Tooling manifest path.

Step 2.5: Gate Q1.5 -- Tool Installation

After discover, check the tooling manifest for tools with "status": "recommended" and "installed": false.

If missing recommended tools are found, present Q1.5. Otherwise, skip to Step 3.

Step 3: Gate Q2 -- Containerize Decision

Show progress:

Infra Pipeline: discover --> CONTAINERIZE --> define --> deploy --> verify --> pipeline --> env --> secrets --> monitor
                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^

Ask Q2 (see Decision Gates section).

If Yes:

Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-containerize

If Skip: mark containerize as skipped and proceed to Step 4.

Step 4: Define (Automated)

Show progress:

Infra Pipeline: discover --> containerize --> DEFINE --> deploy --> verify --> pipeline --> env --> secrets --> monitor
                                              ^^^^^^

Inform the user: "Generating infrastructure-as-code configurations..."

Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-define

When define completes, IaC configuration files exist in the project.

Step 5: Gate Q3 -- Deploy Level

Show progress:

Infra Pipeline: discover --> containerize --> define --> DEPLOY --> verify --> pipeline --> env --> secrets --> monitor
                                                         ^^^^^^

Ask Q3 (see Decision Gates section).

Based on user choice:

• Deploy to staging/production: Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-deploy (pass the target environment as context)
• Dry run only: Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-deploy (pass dry-run mode as context)
• Skip: mark deploy as skipped, proceed to Step 6

Step 6: Gate Q4 -- Verify and CI/CD

Show progress:

Infra Pipeline: discover --> containerize --> define --> deploy --> VERIFY --> PIPELINE --> env --> secrets --> monitor
                                                                    ^^^^^^    ^^^^^^^^

Ask Q4 (see Decision Gates section).

Based on user choice:

• Verify then CI/CD:

  Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-verify Then: Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-pipeline

• Verify only:

  Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-verify

• CI/CD only:

  Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-pipeline

• Skip both: proceed to Step 7

Step 7: Gate Q5 -- Environments (Expert/Intermediate Only)

Beginner: Skip to Step 8 (beginner optional extras prompt).

Show progress:

Infra Pipeline: discover --> containerize --> define --> deploy --> verify --> pipeline --> ENV --> secrets --> monitor
                                                                                           ^^^

Ask Q5 (see Decision Gates section).

If Yes:

Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-env

If Skip: proceed to Step 8.

Step 8: Gate Q6 -- Secrets and Monitoring (Expert/Intermediate Only)

Beginner: Present the optional extras prompt (see Expertise-Adaptive Pipeline section). If the user selects specific extras, invoke the corresponding skills. Otherwise, skip to Step 9.

Show progress:

Infra Pipeline: discover --> containerize --> define --> deploy --> verify --> pipeline --> env --> SECRETS --> MONITOR
                                                                                                  ^^^^^^^    ^^^^^^^

Ask Q6 (see Decision Gates section).

Based on user choice:

• Both:

  Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-secrets Then: Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-monitor

• Secrets only:

  Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-secrets

• Monitoring only:

  Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-monitor

• Skip both: proceed to Step 9

Step 9: Gate Q7 -- Completion Summary

Show final progress (Expert/Intermediate):

Infra Pipeline: discover --> containerize --> define --> deploy --> verify --> pipeline --> env --> secrets --> monitor
                    ✓              ✓            ✓          ✓          ✓          ✓         ✓         ✓          ✓

Show final progress (Beginner):

Infra Pipeline: discover --> containerize --> define --> deploy --> verify
                    ✓              ✓            ✓          ✓          ✓

Use ✓ for completed steps, skipped for skipped steps, and · for steps not reached.

Present a completion summary:

• Experience level: [level]
• Entry mode: [fresh / triage / assessment / migration]
• Providers: [provider list from config]
• IaC tool: [default IaC tool]
• Environments: [environment list]
• Tooling audit: [tooling-manifest-path] (completed / skipped)
• Containerization: Dockerfile(s) generated (completed / skipped)
• IaC code: [IaC tool] configurations generated (completed / skipped)
• Deployment: Deployed to [environment] (completed / dry-run / skipped)
• Verification: [PASS / WARN / FAIL / skipped]
• CI/CD pipeline: [platform] workflows generated (completed / skipped)
• Environment management: [environments] configured (completed / skipped)
• Secrets management: [provider] configured (completed / skipped)
• Monitoring: Observability configured (completed / skipped)

Next steps:

• "Run /arn-infra-wizard again to revisit any step (artifact detection will resume where appropriate)"
• "Run /arn-infra-deploy to deploy to additional environments"
• "Run /arn-infra-migrate to migrate between providers"
• If triage-driven and more issues remain: "Run /arn-infra-triage to process remaining infrastructure requests"

Error Handling

• Sub-skill fails or errors out: Present the error to the user. Ask (using AskUserQuestion): "The [skill-name] step encountered an error: [error summary]. What would you like to do?" Options: retry this step / skip this step / abort the wizard. If retry, re-invoke the same skill. If skip, continue to the next gate. If abort, show what was completed and exit.
• User says "stop" or "pause": Show what has been completed and what remains. Inform: "Run /arn-infra-wizard again to resume (artifact detection will pick up where you left off)."
• Arness Core not initialized (no Arness Code fields in ## Arness): Continue without Arness Core context. Cross-plugin features (linking to application specs/plans) will be unavailable. Optionally inform: "Arness Code is not configured. The wizard will operate in standalone mode. Install and configure the Arness Code plugin for cross-plugin features."
• Arness Infra not initialized (## Arness missing): Step 0 (ensure-config) handles this automatically. If ensure-config itself fails, inform the user and suggest running /arn-infra-wizard again.
• Issue tracker unavailable for triage mode: Fall back to Fresh/Resume mode. Inform: "No issue tracker configured -- cannot detect pending infrastructure requests. Starting standard pipeline instead."
• Migration sub-skill fails: The migrate skill has its own error handling and lifecycle tracking. If it returns an error, present it and ask: retry migration / abort wizard.
• Define produces no IaC files: If define completes but no IaC files are detected, warn the user and ask: retry define / skip to CI/CD setup / abort.
• Deploy fails: Present the error. The deploy skill has its own rollback procedures. Ask: retry deploy / skip to verify (to check partial deployment) / abort.
• Tool installation fails at Q1.5: Inform: "Some tools could not be installed automatically. You can install them manually later. Continuing with available tools." Proceed to next step.
• Ambiguous artifacts detected: List the detected artifacts and ask the user to clarify which state to resume from rather than guessing.
• arn-infra plugin not installed: If skill invocations fail because the plugin is missing, inform: "The arn-infra plugin must be installed. Add it to your project's plugin configuration."
• Full Pipeline skill fails: Present the error. Ask: "The [pipeline-stage] step encountered an error: [error summary]. What would you like to do?" Options: retry this stage / skip to the next stage / abort the pipeline. If retry, re-invoke the same skill. If skip, proceed to the next P gate (note: skipping execute-change or review-change may leave the pipeline in an incomplete state). If abort, show what was completed and exit.
• Pipeline upgrade fails: If the upgrade from Quick to Full Pipeline fails during change-spec creation, inform: "Could not create a change specification from existing artifacts. You can continue in Quick mode or try again." Options: continue Quick mode / retry upgrade / abort.
• Pipeline artifacts from multiple changes detected: If .arness/infra-specs/ contains multiple INFRA_CHANGE_*.md files, list them and ask the user which change to resume. Do not guess.

Constraints

• This skill MUST NOT duplicate sub-skill logic. It only handles sequencing and decision gates.
• All pipeline work is done by the invoked skills via the Skill tool.
• Sub-skill invocations use the Skill tool with fully qualified names: Skill: arn-infra:arn-infra-<name>.
• Progress display uses the compact format shown above -- one line showing the full pipeline with the current stage highlighted.
• The wizard runs in normal conversation (not plan mode).
• Beginner mode simplifies the pipeline to 6 core steps with optional advanced extras.
• Expert/Intermediate mode presents the full 10-step pipeline with all 7 decision gates.
• The wizard never deletes existing artifacts when starting fresh -- it builds alongside or replaces via the invoked skills' own logic.
• Full Pipeline mode uses P1-P6 gates. Quick mode uses Q1-Q7 gates. These gate sets are mutually exclusive within a session.
• Interactive-to-pipeline upgrade is a one-way transition. Once upgraded, the session continues in Full Pipeline mode.
• Full Pipeline mode does not apply the Expertise-Adaptive Pipeline simplification (beginner mode). All 6 stages are always presented regardless of experience level.