fix(init): create start.prompt.md and fix next steps panel (#603)

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Author: Sergio Sisternes

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- `apm init` now creates `start.prompt.md` so `apm run start` works out of the box; Next Steps panel no longer references `apm compile` (#603)
 - Propagate headers and environment variables through OpenCode MCP adapter with defensive copies to prevent mutation (#622)
 ### Changed
 

src/apm_cli/commands/init.py

@@ -24,6 +24,17 @@
     _validate_plugin_name,
 )
 
+START_PROMPT_FILENAME = "start.prompt.md"
+
+START_PROMPT_TEMPLATE = """\
+---
+name: start
+---
+You are a helpful assistant working on this project.
+
+Help me understand the codebase and suggest improvements.
+"""
+
 
 @click.command(help="Initialize a new APM project")
 @click.argument("project_name", required=False)
@@ -106,6 +117,16 @@ def init(ctx, project_name, yes, plugin, verbose):
         # Create apm.yml (with devDependencies for plugin mode)
         _create_minimal_apm_yml(config, plugin=plugin)
 
+        # Create start.prompt.md for regular projects (not plugin mode)
+        start_prompt_created = False
+        if not plugin:
+            start_prompt_path = Path(START_PROMPT_FILENAME)
+            if not start_prompt_path.exists():
+                start_prompt_path.write_text(START_PROMPT_TEMPLATE, encoding="utf-8")
+                start_prompt_created = True
+            else:
+                logger.progress("start.prompt.md already exists, skipping")
+
         # Create plugin.json for plugin mode
         if plugin:
             _create_plugin_json(config)
@@ -119,13 +140,17 @@ def init(ctx, project_name, yes, plugin, verbose):
                 files_data = [
                     ("*", APM_YML_FILENAME, "Project configuration"),
                 ]
+                if start_prompt_created:
+                    files_data.append(("*", START_PROMPT_FILENAME, "Starter prompt"))
                 if plugin:
                     files_data.append(("*", "plugin.json", "Plugin metadata"))
                 table = _create_files_table(files_data, title="Created Files")
                 console.print(table)
         except (ImportError, NameError):
             logger.progress("Created:")
             click.echo("  * apm.yml - Project configuration")
+            if start_prompt_created:
+                click.echo("  * start.prompt.md - Starter prompt")
             if plugin:
                 click.echo("  * plugin.json - Plugin metadata")
 
@@ -141,7 +166,7 @@ def init(ctx, project_name, yes, plugin, verbose):
             next_steps = [
                 "Install a runtime:       apm runtime setup copilot",
                 "Add APM dependencies:    apm install <owner>/<repo>",
-                "Compile agent context:   apm compile",
+                "Edit your prompt:        start.prompt.md",
                 "Run your first workflow: apm run start",
             ]
 

tests/unit/test_init_command.py

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def teardown_method(self):
             os.chdir(str(repo_root))
 
     def test_init_current_directory(self):
-        """Test initialization in current directory (minimal mode)."""
+        """Test initialization in current directory."""
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp_dir:
             os.chdir(tmp_dir)
             try:
@@ -46,15 +46,16 @@ def test_init_current_directory(self):
                 assert result.exit_code == 0
                 assert "APM project initialized successfully!" in result.output
                 assert Path("apm.yml").exists()
-                # Minimal mode: no template files created
+                assert Path("start.prompt.md").exists()
+                # No extra template files created
                 assert not Path("hello-world.prompt.md").exists()
                 assert not Path("README.md").exists()
                 assert not Path(".apm").exists()
             finally:
                 os.chdir(self.original_dir)  # restore CWD before TemporaryDirectory cleanup
 
     def test_init_explicit_current_directory(self):
-        """Test initialization with explicit '.' argument (minimal mode)."""
+        """Test initialization with explicit '.' argument."""
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp_dir:
             os.chdir(tmp_dir)
             try:
@@ -64,13 +65,14 @@ def test_init_explicit_current_directory(self):
                 assert result.exit_code == 0
                 assert "APM project initialized successfully!" in result.output
                 assert Path("apm.yml").exists()
-                # Minimal mode: no template files created
+                assert Path("start.prompt.md").exists()
+                # No extra template files created
                 assert not Path("hello-world.prompt.md").exists()
             finally:
                 os.chdir(self.original_dir)  # restore CWD before TemporaryDirectory cleanup
 
     def test_init_new_directory(self):
-        """Test initialization in new directory (minimal mode)."""
+        """Test initialization in new directory."""
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp_dir:
             os.chdir(tmp_dir)
             try:
@@ -84,7 +86,8 @@ def test_init_new_directory(self):
                 assert project_path.exists()
                 assert project_path.is_dir()
                 assert (project_path / "apm.yml").exists()
-                # Minimal mode: no template files created
+                assert (project_path / "start.prompt.md").exists()
+                # No extra template files created
                 assert not (project_path / "hello-world.prompt.md").exists()
                 assert not (project_path / "README.md").exists()
                 assert not (project_path / ".apm").exists()
@@ -221,7 +224,7 @@ def test_init_existing_project_interactive_cancel(self):
                 os.chdir(self.original_dir)  # restore CWD before TemporaryDirectory cleanup
 
     def test_init_validates_project_structure(self):
-        """Test that init creates minimal project structure."""
+        """Test that init creates expected project structure."""
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp_dir:
             os.chdir(tmp_dir)
             try:
@@ -243,7 +246,9 @@ def test_init_validates_project_structure(self):
                     assert "scripts" in config
                     assert config["scripts"] == {}
 
-                # Minimal mode: no template files created
+                # start.prompt.md created
+                assert (project_path / "start.prompt.md").exists()
+                # No extra template files created
                 assert not (project_path / "hello-world.prompt.md").exists()
                 assert not (project_path / "README.md").exists()
                 assert not (project_path / ".apm").exists()
@@ -296,6 +301,71 @@ def test_init_does_not_create_skill_md(self):
             finally:
                 os.chdir(self.original_dir)  # restore CWD before TemporaryDirectory cleanup
 
+    def test_init_creates_start_prompt_md(self):
+        """Test that init creates start.prompt.md with correct content."""
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp_dir:
+            os.chdir(tmp_dir)
+            try:
+                result = self.runner.invoke(cli, ["init", "--yes"])
+
+                assert result.exit_code == 0
+                prompt_path = Path("start.prompt.md")
+                assert prompt_path.exists()
+
+                content = prompt_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+                assert "---" in content
+                assert "name: start" in content
+                assert "You are a helpful assistant" in content
+            finally:
+                os.chdir(self.original_dir)
+
+    def test_init_does_not_overwrite_existing_start_prompt(self):
+        """Test that init preserves existing start.prompt.md (brownfield)."""
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp_dir:
+            os.chdir(tmp_dir)
+            try:
+                # Create existing start.prompt.md with custom content
+                Path("start.prompt.md").write_text(
+                    "---\nname: start\n---\nMy custom prompt\n", encoding="utf-8"
+                )
+
+                result = self.runner.invoke(cli, ["init", "--yes"])
+
+                assert result.exit_code == 0
+                content = Path("start.prompt.md").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+                assert "My custom prompt" in content
+                assert "start.prompt.md already exists" in result.output
+            finally:
+                os.chdir(self.original_dir)
+
+    def test_init_next_steps_no_compile(self):
+        """Test that next steps do not reference apm compile."""
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp_dir:
+            os.chdir(tmp_dir)
+            try:
+                result = self.runner.invoke(cli, ["init", "--yes"])
+
+                assert result.exit_code == 0
+                assert "apm compile" not in result.output
+                assert "Edit your prompt" in result.output
+                assert "start.prompt.md" in result.output
+                assert "apm run start" in result.output
+            finally:
+                os.chdir(self.original_dir)
+
+    def test_init_created_files_table_includes_start_prompt(self):
+        """Test that Created Files table lists start.prompt.md."""
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp_dir:
+            os.chdir(tmp_dir)
+            try:
+                result = self.runner.invoke(cli, ["init", "--yes"])
+
+                assert result.exit_code == 0
+                # start.prompt.md appears in the Created Files table
+                assert "start.prompt.md" in result.output
+            finally:
+                os.chdir(self.original_dir)
+
 
 
 class TestPluginNameValidation:

tests/unit/test_init_plugin.py

@@ -284,6 +284,19 @@ def test_plugin_json_ends_with_newline(self):
             finally:
                 os.chdir(self.original_dir)
 
+    def test_plugin_does_not_create_start_prompt(self):
+        """start.prompt.md is NOT created in plugin mode."""
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp_dir:
+            project_dir = Path(tmp_dir) / "my-plugin"
+            project_dir.mkdir()
+            os.chdir(project_dir)
+            try:
+                result = self.runner.invoke(cli, ["init", "--plugin", "--yes"])
+                assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
+                assert not Path("start.prompt.md").exists()
+            finally:
+                os.chdir(self.original_dir)
+
     def test_plugin_apm_yml_has_dependencies(self):
         """apm.yml created with --plugin still has regular dependencies section."""
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp_dir: