
Bootstrap
- 1.1k installs
- 229 repo stars
- Updated July 27, 2026
- vercel-labs/vercel-plugin
bootstrap is a Vercel plugin skill orchestrating link, integration provisioning, env pull, and safe first-run db and dev commands.
About
The bootstrap skill is a Vercel project bootstrapping orchestrator enforcing strict order before migrations or dev servers start. Rules block db:push, db:migrate, db:seed, and dev until vercel link completes and required env keys verify. Preflight checks vercel CLI auth, .vercel/project.json linkage, and env templates from .env.example, .env.sample, or .env.template copied to .env.local. Postgres setup prefers vercel integration add neon with vercel env pull, falling back to dashboard or Neon CLI only when integration flow is unavailable. AUTH_SECRET generation uses node crypto randomBytes piped to vercel env add without printing values. Env verification diffs template key names against .env.local using comm, proceeding only when missing list is empty. App setup runs package-manager db scripts then dev after verification. chainTo routes sunset @vercel/postgres to vercel-storage, auth libraries to auth skill, and AI keys to env-vars guidance. next-forge monorepos get per-app env files and pnpm migrate instead of db:push.
- Strict order: link Vercel, verify env keys, then run db commands or dev server.
- Preferred Postgres path uses vercel integration add neon and env pull.
- Never echo secret values in terminal output, logs, or summaries.
- chainTo routes legacy postgres, auth libs, and AI env vars to sibling skills.
- next-forge detection switches to per-app env files and pnpm migrate workflow.
Bootstrap by the numbers
- 1,145 all-time installs (skills.sh)
- Ranked #305 of 1,041 Cloud & Infrastructure skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
- Security screen: MEDIUM risk (skills.sh audit)
- Data as of Jul 28, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
bootstrap capabilities & compatibility
- Capabilities
- ordered bootstrap workflow · neon integration provisioning · env key diff verification · chainto skill routing · next forge monorepo handling
- Use cases
- orchestration · api development
What bootstrap says it does
Do not run `db:push`, `db:migrate`, `db:seed`, or `dev` until Vercel linking is complete
Never echo secret values in terminal output, logs, or summaries.
npx skills add https://github.com/vercel-labs/vercel-plugin --skill bootstrapAdd your badge
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| Installs | 1.1k |
|---|---|
| repo stars | ★ 229 |
| Security audit | 2 / 3 scanners passed |
| Last updated | July 27, 2026 |
| Repository | vercel-labs/vercel-plugin ↗ |
How do I set up a Vercel-linked repo with database env vars and run migrations safely?
Orchestrate safe Vercel project bootstrap: link, integration provisioning, env pull, DB setup, and first dev run.
Who is it for?
Developers initializing or repairing Vercel-dependent repos with managed integrations.
Skip if: Skip when the project is already linked, env-complete, and dev runs without config errors.
When should I use this skill?
User sets up project, initializes repo, links vercel, or pulls env vars for first run.
What you get
Linked project with verified env keys, completed resource path, and recorded migration and dev status.
- vercel project link
- local .env.local file
- bootstrap result summary
By the numbers
- Metadata priority 8 with 10 pathPatterns and 9 importPatterns for repo detection
- Chains to 3 related skills: vercel-storage, auth, and env-vars
- Adds 12 shadcn baseline primitives in the documented UI setup step
Files
Project Bootstrap Orchestrator
Execute bootstrap in strict order. Do not run migrations or development server until project linking and environment verification are complete.
Rules
- Do not run
db:push,db:migrate,db:seed, ordevuntil Vercel linking is complete and env keys are verified. - Prefer Vercel-managed provisioning (
vercel integration ...) for shared resources. - Use provider CLIs only as fallback when Vercel integration flow is unavailable.
- Never echo secret values in terminal output, logs, or summaries.
Preflight
1. Confirm Vercel CLI is installed and authenticated.
vercel --version
vercel whoami2. Confirm repo linkage by checking .vercel/project.json. 3. If not linked, inspect available teams/projects before asking the user to choose:
vercel teams ls
vercel projects ls --scope <team>
vercel link --yes --scope <team> --project <project>4. Find the env template in priority order: .env.example, .env.sample, .env.template. 5. Create local env file if missing:
cp .env.example .env.localResource Setup: Postgres
Preferred path (Vercel-managed Neon)
1. Read integration setup guidance:
vercel integration guide neon2. Add Neon integration to the Vercel scope:
vercel integration add neon --scope <team>3. Verify expected environment variable names exist in Vercel and pull locally:
vercel env ls
vercel env pull .env.local --yesFallback path 1 (Dashboard)
1. Provision Neon through the Vercel dashboard integration UI. 2. Re-run vercel env pull .env.local --yes.
Fallback path 2 (Neon CLI)
Use Neon CLI only when Vercel-managed provisioning is unavailable. After creating resources, add required env vars in Vercel and pull again.
AUTH_SECRET Generation
Generate a high-entropy secret without printing it, then store it in Vercel and refresh local env:
AUTH_SECRET="$(node -e "console.log(require('node:crypto').randomBytes(32).toString('base64url'))")"
printf "%s" "$AUTH_SECRET" | vercel env add AUTH_SECRET development preview production
unset AUTH_SECRET
vercel env pull .env.local --yesEnv Verification
Compare required keys from template file against .env.local keys (names only, never values):
template_file=""
for candidate in .env.example .env.sample .env.template; do
if [ -f "$candidate" ]; then
template_file="$candidate"
break
fi
done
comm -23 \
<(grep -E '^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*=' "$template_file" | cut -d '=' -f 1 | sort -u) \
<(grep -E '^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*=' .env.local | cut -d '=' -f 1 | sort -u)Proceed only when missing key list is empty.
App Setup
After linkage + env verification:
npm run db:push
npm run db:seed
npm run devUse the repository package manager (npm, pnpm, bun, or yarn) and run only scripts that exist in package.json.
UI Baseline for Next.js + shadcn Projects
After linkage and env verification, establish the UI foundation before feature work: 1. Add a baseline primitive set: npx shadcn@latest add button card input label textarea select switch tabs dialog alert-dialog sheet dropdown-menu badge separator skeleton table 2. Apply the Geist font fix in layout.tsx and globals.css. 3. Confirm the app shell uses bg-background text-foreground. 4. Default to dark mode for product, admin, and AI apps unless the repo is clearly marketing-first.
Bootstrap Verification
Confirm each checkpoint:
vercel whoamisucceeds..vercel/project.jsonexists and matches chosen project.- Postgres integration path completed (Vercel integration, dashboard, or provider CLI fallback).
vercel env pull .env.local --yessucceeds.- Required env key diff is empty.
- Database command status is recorded (
db:push,db:seed,db:migrate,db:generateas applicable). devcommand starts without immediate config/auth/env failure.
If verification fails, stop and report exact failing step plus remediation.
Summary Format
Return a final bootstrap summary in this format:
## Bootstrap Result
- **Linked Project**: <team>/<project>
- **Resource Path**: vercel-integration-neon | dashboard-neon | neon-cli
- **Env Keys**: <count> required, <count> present, <count> missing
- **Secrets**: AUTH_SECRET set in Vercel (value never shown)
- **Migration Status**: not-run | success | failed (<step>)
- **Dev Result**: not-run | started | failedBootstrap Next Steps
- If env keys are still missing, add the missing keys in Vercel and re-run
vercel env pull .env.local --yes. - If DB commands fail, fix connectivity/schema issues and re-run only the failed db step.
- If
devfails, resolve runtime errors, then restart with your package manager'srun dev.
next-forge Projects
If the project was scaffolded with npx next-forge init (detected by pnpm-workspace.yaml + packages/auth + packages/database + @repo/* imports):
1. Env files are per-app (apps/app/.env.local, apps/web/.env.local, apps/api/.env.local) plus packages/database/.env. 2. Run pnpm migrate (not db:push) — it runs prisma format + prisma generate + prisma db push. 3. Minimum env vars: DATABASE_URL, CLERK_SECRET_KEY, NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY, NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL, NEXT_PUBLIC_WEB_URL, NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL. 4. Optional services (Stripe, Resend, PostHog, etc.) can be skipped initially — but remove their @repo/* imports from app env.ts files to avoid validation errors. 5. Deploy as 3 separate Vercel projects with root directories apps/app, apps/api, apps/web.
=> skill: next-forge — Full next-forge monorepo guide
Related skills
Forks & variants (1)
Bootstrap has 1 known copy in the catalog totaling 393 installs. They canonicalize to this original listing.
- vercel - 393 installs
How it compares
Use bootstrap for ordered Vercel CLI onboarding instead of running db:migrate or dev before link and env verification complete.
FAQ
Can I run db:push before linking?
No; migrations and dev wait until linkage and env verification complete.
How is AUTH_SECRET set?
Generated with node crypto and added via vercel env add without printing the value.
What if next-forge is detected?
Use per-app .env.local files and pnpm migrate instead of single-app db:push.
Is Bootstrap safe to install?
skills.sh reports 2 of 3 security scanners passed. Review the Security Audits panel on this page before installing in production.