Spike: Project Context Init Flow

Create a new flow for new projects to add context for use by Duo Agent Platform.

Creates a basic AGENTS.md and potential sub AGENTS.md (same as init command of CLIs) in a new MR
Subfolders created for skills, rules, etc. and adds README files

Screenshots

Implementation Plan

AI Gateway (`ai-assist` repo)

Add duo_workflow_service/agent_platform/v1/flows/configs/project_context_init/1.0.0.yml to the flow registry with two components:
- context_analyzer (AgentComponent) — reads the repo tree, detects languages, existing agent context files (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, CURSOR.md, .cursorrules, etc.), and tooling configs. Retrieves the current user ID via get_current_user for MR assignment. Toolset: list_dir, find_files, read_file, get_project, get_current_user
- init_writer (AgentComponent) — generates a minimal, evidence-grounded AGENTS.md (no boilerplate; no skills//rules/ stubs), optional sub-AGENTS.md only for subdirs with distinct tooling, then opens a draft MR assigned to the initiating user. Toolset: create_file_with_contents, mkdir, create_branch, run_git_command, create_merge_request
Add prompts for both components under ai_gateway/prompts/definitions/
Add model selection entries for both components in ai_gateway/model_selection/unit_primitives.yml (unit_primitive: duo_agent_platform, default model: claude_sonnet_4_6)

GitLab Monolith (`gitlab` repo)

All monolith changes are gated behind the duo_project_context_init feature flag (type: beta, group: group::ai coding, default: disabled). The flag must be checked at every entry point: the controller, the service, the sidebar, and the frontend route.

Feature Flag Definition

Create ee/config/feature_flags/beta/duo_project_context_init.yml:

name: duo_project_context_init
introduced_by_url: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/226355
rollout_issue_url: # add rollout issue URL
milestone: '17.11'
group: group::ai coding
type: beta
default_enabled: false

Run bin/feature-flag duo_project_context_init --type beta to generate this file.

1. Backend: `ExecuteWorkflowService` validation enhancement

File: ee/app/services/ai/catalog/execute_workflow_service.rb

Modify validate to accept flow_name_reference? as a bypass for the json_config requirement:

def validate
  return error('You have insufficient permissions') unless allowed?
  return error('JSON config is required') unless json_config.present? || foundational_flow? || flow_name_reference?
  return error('Goal is required') unless goal.present?
  ServiceResponse.success
end

def flow_name_reference?
  @flow_definition.present? && !foundational_flow?
end

When json_config is nil, StartWorkflowService#serialized_duo_flow_config already returns nil, so DUO_WORKFLOW_FLOW_CONFIG is not set. The AI Gateway executor then resolves the flow YAML from the registry by name automatically via FlowConfig.from_yaml_config.

2. Backend: `InitProjectContextService`

File: ee/app/services/ai/duo_workflows/init_project_context_service.rb

New service that calls ExecuteWorkflowService with:

flow_definition: "project_context_init/v1"
container: project
goal: "Initialize project context for Duo Agent Platform"
No json_config needed

Guard the service with the feature flag:

def execute
  return ServiceResponse.error(message: 'Feature not available') unless Feature.enabled?(:duo_project_context_init, project)
  # ... call ExecuteWorkflowService
end

3. Backend: Controller

File: ee/app/controllers/projects/duo_agents_platform_controller.rb

Add 'onboarding' to DUO_AGENT_PLATFORM_ROUTES for correct feature_category
Add 'onboarding' to specific_vueroute? and authorized_for_route? (accessible to any user who can :duo_workflow on the project)
Add set_has_agents_md before_action scoped to the onboarding route only, gated by the feature flag:

before_action :set_has_agents_md, only: [:show]

def set_has_agents_md
  return unless params[:vueroute] == 'onboarding'
  return unless Feature.enabled?(:duo_project_context_init, @project)

  gon.push(has_agents_md: agents_md_exists?)
end

Where agents_md_exists? checks for AGENTS.md in both the project root and .ai/AGENTS.md.

4. Backend: Rails routes

File: ee/config/routes/project.rb

Add a named route helper for the sidebar:

scope :automate do
  get '/(*vueroute)' => 'duo_agents_platform#show', as: :automate, format: false
  get 'onboarding', to: 'duo_agents_platform#show', as: :automate_onboarding, format: false
end

5. Backend: Sidebar

File: ee/lib/sidebars/projects/super_sidebar_menus/duo_agents_menu.rb

Add an "Onboarding" menu item, rendered only when the feature flag is enabled:

override :configure_menu_items
def configure_menu_items
  add_item(duo_agents_runs_menu_item)
  add_item(duo_agents_onboarding_menu_item) if Feature.enabled?(:duo_project_context_init, context.project)
  true
end

def duo_agents_onboarding_menu_item
  ::Sidebars::MenuItem.new(
    title: s_('DuoAgentsPlatform|Onboarding'),
    link: project_automate_onboarding_path(context.project),
    active_routes: { controller: :duo_agents_platform },
    item_id: :agents_onboarding
  )
end

6. Frontend: Router constants

File: ee/app/assets/javascripts/ai/duo_agents_platform/router/constants.js

export const AGENTS_PLATFORM_ONBOARDING_ROUTE = 'onboarding_index';

7. Frontend: Router

File: ee/app/assets/javascripts/ai/duo_agents_platform/router/index.js

Add a new top-level route tree, conditionally included when glFeatures.duoProjectContextInit is enabled:

...(glFeatures.duoProjectContextInit ? [{
  component: NestedRouteApp,
  path: '/onboarding',
  meta: { text: s__('DuoAgentsPlatform|Onboarding') },
  children: [
    {
      name: AGENTS_PLATFORM_ONBOARDING_ROUTE,
      path: '',
      component: ProjectContextOnboardingPage,
    },
  ],
}] : []),

This gives the URL /automate/onboarding and the breadcrumb "Automate > Onboarding" automatically via the existing router-driven breadcrumb system.

8. Frontend: Onboarding page component

File: ee/app/assets/javascripts/ai/duo_agents_platform/pages/onboarding/project_context_onboarding_page.vue

A full page component with:

PageHeading with title "Set up your project for Duo Agent Platform"
Description explaining what the init flow does (creates AGENTS.md, sub-files, skill/rule stubs)
AGENTS.md absent state: primary "Initialize project context" GlButton that calls InitProjectContextService; button is disabled with a spinner while the flow session is in progress
AGENTS.md present state: a GlAlert (variant: success) informing the user that context has already been initialized, with a link to the resulting MR
Reads hasAgentsMd from window.gon?.has_agents_md (injected by the controller) to determine which state to render
On success, shows the success state in-page (no full redirect needed)

What is explicitly NOT needed

No new API endpoint
No AI Catalog registration or ItemConsumer
No foundational flow registration (avoids appearing in the group settings UI)
No full YAML bundled in the monolith
No new DB column to track init state (file presence is the guard)
No skills/ or rules/ directory stubs (removed from scope)

Edited Apr 03, 2026 by Allen Cook