Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Convex Quickstart Template agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The convex-quickstart skill is a set of instructions that lets an AI agent turn a one-sentence app idea into a barebones Next.js and Convex project running on your machine. It is aimed at developers who want a fast local starting point, and at builders who want to test an idea before choosing hosting or authentication. After this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for it in plain language, and what it needs and risks before you run it.
Convex Quickstart Templateopenclaw/clawhub · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Get the convex-quickstart ZIP from the skill's page on this directory.
- 2Unzip it into a skills folder. Unzip into ~/.claude/skills/ for a personal install, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one project.
- 3Check prerequisites. Confirm Node.js and npm are installed and that the session has network access, since the recipe is fetched remotely.
- 4Make your request. Describe the app in one sentence and ask the agent to set it up as a local Convex and Next.js project.
- 5Open the dev URL and review the plan. When the dev URL is printed, the agent opens it. Read the short plan and confirm before asking for more features.
What does the convex-quickstart skill make the agent do?
Once the skill is installed, the agent can take a short app idea and stand up a minimal Next.js and Convex project. The project runs on a local dev server with an anonymous dev backend, so you do not need to create an account to see it working.
The skill tells the agent to run a referenced setup recipe with your idea and a template choice. When the recipe prints the dev URL, the agent opens it for you. Before it builds any features beyond the template, the agent presents a short plan and waits for your confirmation.
The skill also carries coding rules for Convex backends. These cover safe data queries, correct imports, HTTP route patterns, and a verification step using a TypeScript check and a Convex push.
How do I install the convex-quickstart skill?
The skill is packaged as a ZIP file. Download it from the skill's page on this directory, then unzip it. The package contains agents/openai.yaml and SKILL.md.
You can install it in one of two places. For a personal install that works everywhere, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, unzip it into that project's .claude/skills/ folder. If you use the Claude apps instead, you can upload the ZIP under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.
- Personal install: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/
- Project install: unzip into the project's .claude/skills/ folder
- Claude apps: upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills
How do I trigger the skill with a natural request?
You do not need a special command. Describe the app you want in one sentence and ask the agent to set it up as a Convex and Next.js project running locally. The skill is meant to be picked up from a request like that.
Examples of requests that fit the skill are shown below. They are phrasing suggestions, not fixed commands. If the agent does not start the setup, name the skill or the Convex quickstart directly in your request.
- Set up a barebones Convex and Next.js project for a habit tracker I can run locally.
- Turn this idea into a quick local Convex starter: a shared shopping list app.
- Get a Convex template running for a simple poll app, then show me the plan before adding features.
What do I need before running it?
The skill relies on several tools and connections. Check these first so the setup does not stall partway through.
The skill runs the Convex CLI through npx, so Node.js and npm must be installed. It also needs Convex CLI access, either anonymous or through a signed-in account. The recipe is fetched over the network, so the session needs network access. For any code under convex/, the skill delegates to a referenced convex-expert capability, which must be available.
- Node.js and npm (the skill uses npx tsc and npx convex commands)
- Convex CLI access, anonymous or signed in (npx convex dev)
- Network access to fetch the quickstart-recipe package
- A referenced convex-expert capability for code under convex/
npx convex devWhat are the safety notes for scripts and network access?
This skill runs scripts and uses the network. The setup recipe is fetched from a remote source and then executed on your machine. That is a supply-chain risk: you are running third-party setup code. If your project must avoid running third-party setup recipes, do not use this skill.
The skill also does not add hosting, publishing, or authentication, so no production deployment is created by it. Review the files and the recipe before you let the agent run it, especially in a shared or sensitive environment.
- The recipe is fetched from a remote source and executed
- Scripts run as part of the setup
- Projects that forbid third-party setup code should not use it
How does the agent verify its work?
Before the agent declares backend work done, the skill tells it to confirm the code compiles and pushes to a deployment. It runs a TypeScript check with noEmit, then pushes to a deployment. If you are already signed in to Convex, the agent uses a standard dev push. If not, it uses anonymous mode.
The skill warns that forcing anonymous mode on a signed-in user rebinds the .env.local file and removes the persistent cloud deployment that user expects. Be aware of this if you have an existing signed-in setup.
- Type check: npx tsc --noEmit
- Push when signed in: npx convex dev --once
- Push when not signed in: anonymous mode via CONVEX_AGENT_MODE
npx tsc --noEmitWhat tips help the setup go smoothly?
Keep your first request small. The template is intentionally minimal, so describe the core idea and add features after you have seen the plan. Ask the agent to present the plan and confirm it before building more.
If the agent reports the recipe already succeeded, it will not run the recipe again, so you do not need to repeat the request. If the scaffold cannot run, for example in a non-interactive session or with no network, the skill falls back to writing a standard Convex project directly with backend code under convex/.
- Start with one sentence describing the core app idea
- Review the plan before asking for features
- Expect no hosting, publishing, or pre-built auth in the template
- If the scaffold cannot run, the skill writes a plain Convex project instead
What people use it for
- Testing a one-sentence app idea as a running local Next.js and Convex project before choosing hosting or auth
- Giving a team a shared starting point that follows Convex coding conventions
- Learning how a minimal Convex backend is laid out, with backend code under convex/
- Scaffolding a quick local prototype for a demo, without a published deployment
Frequently asked questions
Is the convex-quickstart skill free to use?
The skill is listed under the MIT licence. Check the licence file in the package for the full terms before you use or redistribute it.
What do I need to install the convex-quickstart skill?
You need the skill ZIP from this directory, unzipped into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder. The skill also needs Node.js and npm, Convex CLI access, and network access to fetch the recipe.
Does the skill deploy my app to production?
No. The skill is built for local dev servers with an anonymous dev backend. It intentionally omits hosting, publishing, and authentication, so it is not a production-ready app.
Is it safe to run the convex-quickstart skill?
It runs scripts and uses the network, and the setup recipe is fetched from a remote source and executed. That carries supply-chain risk, so avoid it if your project cannot run third-party setup recipes.
Why does the agent say it cannot run the setup recipe?
The skill skips the recipe when the scaffold cannot run, such as in a non-interactive session, with no network, in a sandboxed temp directory, or when you only want code. In those cases it writes a standard Convex project directly.
How is this different from other Convex starters or agent skills?
The source does not compare this skill with other options. Its own scope is narrow: a minimal local template with no hosting or pre-built auth. If you need those, choose a different starting point.
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Our verdict
Choose this skill if you want a quick local Next.js and Convex starting point, or an agent that follows Convex coding conventions while you test an idea. Pick something else if you need a production-ready app with hosting or authentication, or if your project cannot run third-party setup recipes fetched from a remote source.
Download the skill