Michael Thomas

Builds new features in Craft CMS plugins following project architecture

Breaks down large tasks into manageable implementation steps for Craft CMS plugin development

Builds Craft CMS site templates, components, and content architecture

Scaffold Claude Code configuration specifically for Craft CMS projects. Generates CLAUDE.md and .claude/rules/ files tailored to the project type (plugin, site, module, hybrid, or monorepo). Only for Craft CMS projects — not for Next.js, Laravel, or other frameworks. Triggers on: 'set up Claude for this Craft project', 'initialize CLAUDE.md', 'scaffold project config', 'configure Claude Code for Craft', 'create CLAUDE.md', 'missing CLAUDE.md', 'does this project have a CLAUDE.md', 'bootstrap Claude config', 'new Craft project setup', 'onboard a developer to this Craft project', 'generate .claude/rules', 'set up coding standards config'. Also triggers when starting work in a new Craft CMS project that lacks a CLAUDE.md file. Detects project type from composer.json (craft-plugin, craft-module, project), .ddev/config.yaml, templates/, config/project/, and modules/. NOT for installing Craft CMS itself, creating DDEV environments, writing PHP code, building templates, or content modeling. NOT for non-Craft projects — if the project is React, Next.js, Laravel, or any non-Craft framework, this skill does not apply.

Tracks down bugs in Craft CMS plugins with systematic investigation

Craft CMS 5 plugin and module development — extending Craft with PHP. Covers the full extend surface: elements, element queries, services, models, records, project config, controllers, CP templates, migrations, queue jobs, console commands, field types, native fields, events, behaviors, Twig extensions, utilities, widgets, filesystems, permissions, debugging, testing, GraphQL, and Craft configuration (config/app.php, config/general.php, Redis, SMTP, database replicas). Triggers on: beforePrepare(), afterSave(), defineSources(), defineTableAttributes(), attributeHtml(), MemoizableArray, getConfig(), handleChanged, $allowAnonymous, $enableCsrfValidation, BaseNativeField, EVENT_DEFINE_NATIVE_FIELDS, FieldLayoutBehavior, EVENT_REGISTER, EVENT_DEFINE, EVENT_BEFORE, EVENT_AFTER, CraftVariable, registerTwigExtension, DefineConsoleActionsEvent, PHPStan, Pest, plugin development, module development, custom element type, custom field type, webhook, API endpoint, queue job, batch processing, data sync, migration, CP section, control panel, Craft plugin, Craft module, extending Craft, element action, element exporter, element condition, dashboard widget, utility page, permissions, registerUserPermissions, requirePermission, GraphQL custom types, GraphQL custom mutations, GraphQL schema building, Rector, Craft 4 to 5, upgrade plugin, CI/CD, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, custom validator, defineRules, EVENT_AUTHORIZE_VIEW, EVENT_AUTHORIZE_SAVE, canView, canSave, canDelete, element authorization, defense-in-depth, query scoping, EVENT_BEFORE_PREPARE, session invalidation, passwordResetRequired, elevated session, Table::SESSIONS, custom field type build, field type development, normalizeValue, serializeValue, inputHtml, BaseCondition, ElementCondition, condition rule, condition builder, system messages, composeFromKey, email sending, Mailer, deployment, zero-downtime deploy, atomic deploy, craft up, project-config/apply, allowAdminChanges, drafts, revisions, provisional draft, canCreateDrafts, applyDraft, getIsDraft, getIsRevision. Always use when writing, editing, or reviewing any Craft CMS plugin or module PHP code — even when the user asks about plugin architecture, Craft internals, or extending Craft without naming specific APIs. Do NOT trigger for front-end Twig templates, content modeling decisions, site-building without PHP, or consuming GraphQL/headless APIs from front-end frameworks (Next.js, Nuxt, Astro) — those belong in craft-site.

Craft CMS 5 plugin and module development — extending Craft with PHP. Covers the full extend surface: elements, element queries, services, models, records, project config, controllers, CP templates, migrations, queue jobs, console commands, field types, native fields, events, behaviors, Twig extensions, utilities, widgets, filesystems, permissions, debugging, testing, GraphQL, and Craft configuration (config/app.php, config/general.php, Redis, SMTP, database replicas). Triggers on: beforePrepare(), afterSave(), defineSources(), defineTableAttributes(), attributeHtml(), MemoizableArray, getConfig(), handleChanged, $allowAnonymous, $enableCsrfValidation, BaseNativeField, EVENT_DEFINE_NATIVE_FIELDS, FieldLayoutBehavior, EVENT_REGISTER, EVENT_DEFINE, EVENT_BEFORE, EVENT_AFTER, CraftVariable, registerTwigExtension, DefineConsoleActionsEvent, PHPStan, Pest, plugin development, module development, custom element type, custom field type, webhook, API endpoint, queue job, batch processing, data sync, migration, CP section, control panel, Craft plugin, Craft module, extending Craft, element action, element exporter, element condition, dashboard widget, utility page, permissions, registerUserPermissions, requirePermission, GraphQL custom types, GraphQL custom mutations, GraphQL schema building, Rector, Craft 4 to 5, upgrade plugin, CI/CD, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, custom validator, defineRules, EVENT_AUTHORIZE_VIEW, EVENT_AUTHORIZE_SAVE, canView, canSave, canDelete, element authorization, defense-in-depth, query scoping, EVENT_BEFORE_PREPARE, session invalidation, passwordResetRequired, elevated session, Table::SESSIONS, custom field type build, field type development, normalizeValue, serializeValue, inputHtml, BaseCondition, ElementCondition, condition rule, condition builder, system messages, composeFromKey, email sending, Mailer, deployment, zero-downtime deploy, atomic deploy, craft up, project-config/apply, allowAdminChanges, drafts, revisions, provisional draft, canCreateDrafts, applyDraft, getIsDraft, getIsRevision. Always use when writing, editing, or reviewing any Craft CMS plugin or module PHP code — even when the user asks about plugin architecture, Craft internals, or extending Craft without naming specific APIs. Do NOT trigger for front-end Twig templates, content modeling decisions, site-building without PHP, or consuming GraphQL/headless APIs from front-end frameworks (Next.js, Nuxt, Astro) — those belong in craft-site.

Craft CMS 5 front-end Twig development — atomic design, template architecture, component patterns, Vite buildchain. Covers the full site template surface: atoms, molecules, organisms, props/extends/block pattern, layout chains, view routing, content builders, image presets, Tailwind named-key collections, multi-brand CSS tokens, JavaScript boundaries (Alpine/DataStar/Vue, tabs, accordions, interactive components), Vite asset loading, and front-end auth (login, registration, password reset, user profiles). Triggers on: {% include ... only %}, {% embed %}, _atoms/, _molecules/, _organisms/, _views/, _builders/, _boilerplate/, component--variant.twig, _component--props.twig, image presets, Tailwind class collections, collect({}), utilities prop, multi-brand theming, data-brand, hero sections, card components, content builders, Matrix block rendering, craft.vite.script, vite.php, vite.config.ts, nystudio107, buildchain, asset loading, per-page scripts, Blitz, static caching, page caching, dynamic caching with Sprig, ImageOptimize, Imager-X, responsive images, srcset, image transforms, SEOmatic, meta tags, OpenGraph, JSON-LD, Sprig, htmx, multi-language site, language switcher, hreflang, localization, Formie, form styling, login form, registration form, user authentication front-end, RSS feed, Atom feed, JSON Feed, XML sitemap, feed.xml, sitemap.xml, |rss, |atom, search page, search results, .search(), search index, search form, search configuration, headless, headless CMS, GraphQL queries, preview tokens, Next.js, Nuxt, Astro, consuming GraphQL API, front-end framework integration. Always use when creating, editing, or reviewing any Craft CMS front-end Twig template, component, layout, view, builder, buildchain configuration, or front-end auth flow — including plugin template integration (Blitz, SEOmatic, Sprig, Formie, Imager-X). Do NOT trigger for PHP plugin/module development or content modeling decisions.

Twig coding standards and conventions for Craft CMS 5 templates. ALWAYS load this skill when writing, editing, or reviewing any .twig file in a Craft CMS project — even for small edits. Covers: variable naming (camelCase, no abbreviations), null handling (?? operator, ??? with empty-coalesce plugin), whitespace control ({%- trimming, NOT {%- minify -%}), include isolation (always use 'only'), Craft Twig helpers ({% tag %}, tag(), attr(), |attr filter, |parseAttr, |append, svg()), collect() for props and class collections, .implode(), comment headers with ========= separators on component files, and common pitfalls (snake_case, macros as components, hardcoded colors). Triggers on: Twig template creation, editing, or review; .twig files; {% include %} with 'only'; {% tag %} and polymorphic elements; collect() and props.get(); class string building; attr() and |attr filter; svg() with styling and aria; ?? and ??? null coalescing; whitespace control and blank lines in output; minify alternatives; Twig file headers and comment blocks; variable naming conventions in Twig; currentSite, siteUrl, craft.entries, .eagerly(), .collect in template context. NOT for Twig architecture patterns, atomic design structure, or template routing (use craft-site). NOT for PHP code (use craft-php-guidelines). NOT for content modeling or field configuration (use craft-content-modeling).

Craft CMS 5 content modeling — sections, entry types, fields, Matrix, relations, project config, and content architecture strategy. Covers everything editors and developers need to structure content in Craft: choosing section types, designing entry types and field layouts, selecting field types for specific needs, configuring Matrix and nested entries, setting up relations and eager loading, and planning multi-site propagation. Triggers on: section types (single, channel, structure), entry types, field types, field layout design, field type selection, Matrix configuration, nested entries, relatedTo, eager loading, .with(), .eagerly(), categories, tags, globals, global sets, preloadSingles, propagation, multi-site content, URI format, project config, YAML, content architecture, content strategy, taxonomy, asset volumes, filesystems, image transforms, user groups, content permissions, entries-as-taxonomy, entrify, entrification, CKEditor vs Matrix, CMS editions, site propagation, multi-language, language groups, localization, translation method, field translation, content migration, reserved handles, field instances. Always use when planning content architecture, creating sections/fields, configuring Matrix, setting up relations, choosing field types, designing field layouts, making content modeling decisions, or planning multi-site content propagation. Do NOT trigger for PHP plugin/module development, custom field type code, front-end Twig templates, or buildchain configuration.

Garnish — Craft CMS's built-in JavaScript UI toolkit for the control panel. Covers the full Garnish surface: class system (Garnish.Base.extend, init, setSettings, addListener, on/off/trigger, destroy), UI widgets (Modal, HUD, DisclosureMenu, MenuBtn, CustomSelect, ContextMenu, Select), drag system (BaseDrag, DragSort, DragDrop, DragMove), form widgets (NiceText, CheckboxSelect, MixedInput, MultiFunctionBtn), utilities (key constants, ARIA helpers, focus management), and Craft integration (GarnishAsset, webpack externals, Craft.* class pattern). Triggers on: Garnish.Base.extend, Garnish.Modal, Garnish.HUD, Garnish.DragSort, Garnish.Select, Garnish.DisclosureMenu, Garnish.MenuBtn, Garnish.CustomSelect, addListener, removeListener, removeAllListeners, Garnish.ESC_KEY, Garnish.RETURN_KEY, activate event, textchange event, UiLayerManager, registerShortcut, trapFocusWithin, garnishjs, GarnishAsset, CpAsset, CP JavaScript, control panel JS, drag and drop, sortable, modal dialog, HUD popover, disclosure menu, menu button, Craft.CP, Craft.Slideout, Craft.ElementEditor, onSortChange, onOptionSelect, onSelectionChange, aria-modal, focus trap, keyboard navigation CP, this.base(), window.Garnish, expose-loader, CP memory leak, event listener cleanup, jQuery .on() in CP, selection interface, multi-select grid. Always use when writing, editing, or reviewing JavaScript that runs in the Craft CMS control panel — including plugin CP assets, custom field type JS, element index JS, CP webpack config, or code that imports garnishjs or references window.Garnish. Also trigger for Craft CP accessibility, keyboard interactions, drag-sort behavior, or CP JS memory issues. Do NOT trigger for front-end JavaScript (Alpine, Vue, htmx) or Twig templates.

Craft CMS 5 PHP coding standards and conventions. ALWAYS load this skill when writing, editing, reviewing, or discussing any PHP file in a Craft CMS plugin or module — even for small edits. Also load when running ECS, PHPStan, or scaffolding with ddev craft make. Covers: PHPDoc blocks (@author, @since, @throws chains, documenting exceptions), section headers (=========), class organization, naming conventions (services, queue jobs, records, events, enums), defineRules() and validation, beforePrepare() and addSelect(), MemoizableArray, DateTimeHelper vs Carbon, strict_types and declare(strict_types=1) usage, short nullable notation (?string), typed properties, void return types, control flow patterns (early returns, match over switch), CP Twig template conventions, form macros, translations (Craft::t), ECS/PHPStan configuration, scaffolding commands, and the verification checklist. Triggers on: writing service classes, models, controllers, elements, element queries, records, queue jobs, migrations, or any PHP class in a Craft CMS context. Also triggers on PHP code review, refactoring, or style questions for Craft plugins and modules. NOT for front-end Twig templates (use craft-twig-guidelines), template architecture (use craft-site), or CP JavaScript/Garnish (use craft-garnish). If you are touching PHP code in a Craft CMS context, you need this skill.

DDEV local development environment for Craft CMS projects. ALWAYS load this skill when running any ddev command, configuring .ddev/config.yaml, or troubleshooting local container issues. Covers: config.yaml settings (project type, PHP/Node versions, database, docroot), shorthand commands (ddev composer, ddev craft, ddev npm), add-ons (ddev add-on get for Redis, Mailpit), custom commands (.ddev/commands/), Vite dev server exposure (web_extra_exposed_ports, web_extra_daemons), database import/export (ddev import-db, ddev export-db, ddev craft db/backup), Xdebug toggling (ddev xdebug on/off), sharing local sites (ddev share, temporary public URLs), and troubleshooting (ddev poweroff, ddev logs, ddev describe, ddev delete, port conflicts, container restart issues). Triggers on: ddev start/stop/restart, ddev craft, ddev composer, ddev npm, ddev ssh, ddev import-db, ddev export-db, ddev xdebug, ddev share, ddev add-on, ddev poweroff, ddev describe, ddev logs, .ddev/config.yaml, web_extra_exposed_ports, web_extra_daemons, PHP version or Node version in local dev, database backup/restore locally, ran npm/composer on host instead of ddev, wrong node_modules architecture, local dev environment for Craft CMS. NOT for production deployment, CI/CD pipelines, GitHub Actions, or server configuration. NOT for Docker/container usage outside of DDEV.

Reviews implemented code for quality, security, and Craft CMS conventions