First Run Friction

First-Run Friction

Use this during field validation to record friction from first install through first useful review. Keep the log local unless the project explicitly wants to share it.

What To Track

Record one row per first-run attempt:

date:
project_type: frontend | api | monorepo | docs-config | release-prep | other
runtime: claude-code | codex | both
install_path: update-forgeflow | template-installer | existing-install
install_result: pass | warn | fail
version_status: up-to-date | outdated | offline | unknown
health_status: pass | warn | fail
restart_required: yes | no | unknown
first_review_started: yes | no
time_to_first_review_minutes:
blocked_by:
fix_category: install | health | docs | template-installer | codex-discovery | settings | agent-routing | context-budget | other
notes:

Do not include secrets, private URLs, source snippets, raw settings files, or customer names.

Claude Code Checks

For Claude Code installs, capture:

• /update-forgeflow result
• /forgeflow-version status
• /forgeflow-health status
• whether a restart was needed before commands or hooks were visible
• whether settings.json hook or statusline wiring was confusing
• whether the first missing failure digest was understood as normal before a failed command was captured

Common fix categories:

• install: download, permissions, managed files missing
• health: health output unclear or missing a real failure
• settings: manual hook or statusline wiring confusion
• docs: user found the right fix only after searching docs

Codex Checks

For Codex installs, capture:

• install-template.js --target codex --dry-run --json result
• whether files landed under ${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}/agents/ and ${CODEX_HOME:-$HOME/.codex}/skills/
• whether Codex was restarted after install
• whether $consult, $implement, or $forge-review appeared or worked
• whether /review confusion occurred because it is a Codex built-in

Common fix categories:

• template-installer: copied the wrong file set or unclear destination
• codex-discovery: agents or skills copied but not visible after restart
• docs: first-run guidance missed a required step
• agent-routing: the wrong agents were selected after the workflow started

Rollup

After several trials, summarize friction by category:

trials:
runtime_counts:
pass_without_help:
needed_restart:
blocked_trials:
top_fix_categories:
repeated_notes:

Use repeated categories to drive the next change. For example:

• repeated settings issues should become clearer health diagnostics or settings snippets
• repeated codex-discovery issues should become stronger Codex verification docs or installer checks
• repeated context-budget issues should become better defaults, examples, or advisor recommendations
• repeated failure-digest first-run confusion should become clearer /forgeflow-failure-digest examples or trends/report wording

Use Friction To Fix when a repeated category is ready to become an install, health, docs, routing, context, or template-installer change.

Sharing

Share only aggregate friction counts by default. If a specific failure needs debugging, sanitize paths, account names, branch names, and settings content before sending it outside the project.