ColdBox Skills

A collection of AI agent skills for ColdBox and the Ortus ecosystem, enhancing application development.

ColdBox Skills

AI agent skills for ColdBox and the surrounding Ortus ecosystem, including TestBox, WireBox, CacheBox, LogBox, ORM tooling, security, DocBox, and 40+ Ortus/ColdBox modules.

This repository is a Claude Code plugin marketplace that provides reusable skills for ColdBox and related tooling.


Install via Claude Code

Add the marketplace and install the plugin:

/plugin marketplace add ortus-boxlang/coldbox-skills
/plugin install coldbox-agent-skills@coldbox-skills

Or using the CLI:

claude plugin marketplace add ortus-boxlang/coldbox-skills
claude plugin install coldbox-agent-skills@coldbox-skills

Manifest Coverage

The .claude-plugin/plugin.json registers these skill categories:

  • coldbox — Core ColdBox framework skills
  • testbox — Comprehensive TestBox skills
  • security — Authentication, authorization, CSRF, SSO, passkeys
  • wirebox — WireBox dependency injection
  • cachebox — CacheBox standalone caching
  • logbox — LogBox logging
  • modules — 40+ Ortus/ColdBox module skills
  • docbox — DocBox documentation generation

Categories

coldbox — Core Framework Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
handler-developmentHandlers, CRUD actions, REST handlers, dependency injection
routing-developmentRouter configuration, named routes, constraints, route groups
event-modelEvent lifecycle, event, rc, prc, rendering and redirects
rest-api-developmentRestHandler patterns, API validation, versioning, error handling
interceptor-developmentInterceptors, framework interception points, custom events
configurationColdBox.cfc, settings, conventions, environment configuration
app-layoutsFlat, BoxLang, and Modern app layout selection, directory structures, engine compatibility, and migration guidance
view-renderingViews, layouts, partials, helpers, data rendering
layout-developmentLayout patterns, nested layouts, conditional layouts
module-developmentModule structure, ModuleConfig.cfc, routes, settings
request-contextRequest context, flash scope, collections, metadata
flash-messagingFlash RAM, message persistence, success/error/info/warning patterns
cache-integrationEvent and view caching, cache keys, cache invalidation
database-migrationsSchema migrations with cfmigrations and CommandBox CLI: create, run, rollback, and seed
async-programmingAsync pipelines, ColdBox Futures, allApply()/anyOf(), thread-pool executors, AsyncManager
scheduled-tasksScheduler.cfc, task frequencies, lifecycle hooks, module schedulers, clustered fixation
decoratorsControllerDecorator, RequestContextDecorator, extending framework internals
coldbox-proxyColdBox Proxy objects for web services, Flex/AIR, event gateways, CFC data binding
loggingLogBox in ColdBox, per-environment levels, WireBox logbox DSL, proxy logging
ai-integrationbx-ai module, chat, streaming, pipelines, agents, RAG/vector memory, tool calling
coldbox-clicoldbox create workflows, app skeletons, language flags, scaffolding
coldbox-documenterDocumentation standards for handlers, models, modules, config files
coldbox-reviewerCode review heuristics for ColdBox applications and modules

Testing Skills (under coldbox/)

SkillWhat It Covers
testing-base-classesTesting class hierarchy, annotations (appMapping, configMapping, unloadColdBox), test harness setup, when to use each base class
testing-handlerHandler testing with execute(), rc/prc assertions, view selection, renderData, relocations, mock injection, BaseHandlerTest isolation
testing-integrationFull virtual-app integration tests, lifecycle management, route testing, database rollback, custom matchers
testing-http-methodsget(), post(), put(), patch(), delete(), request() simulation, headers, JSON bodies, toHaveStatus(), toHaveInvalidData()
testing-modelBaseModelTest, the model variable, mockLogger/mockLogBox/mockCacheBox/mockWireBox, mocking collaborators, init() patterns
testing-interceptorBaseInterceptorTest, the interceptor variable, mockController/mockRequestService/mockFlash, configProperties, announce point testing

testbox — Comprehensive TestBox Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
bddBDD suites with describe/it, Gherkin-style given/when/then, lifecycle hooks, focused/skipped specs, nested suites, labels
unitxUnit-style tests (testXxx), setup/teardown, $assert object, Arrange-Act-Assert pattern
assertions$assert object, isTrue/isEqual/includes/isEmpty/throws/between/match, custom assertion functions, BoxLang dynamic assertion methods
expectationsFluent expect(), all matchers (toBe/toBeTrue/toHaveKey/toThrow/toMatch), not operator, expectAll() over collections, custom matchers
mockboxMockBox mocks/stubs/spies, $() stubbing, $args/$results/$throws, call-count verification, $callLog, querySim, $spy
cbmockdataGenerating fake data (age, email, name, uuid, lorem, etc.), arrays of objects, nested objects, custom supplier closures
runnersCommandBox CLI runner, BoxLang CLI, HTML runner, programmatic TestBox, watcher mode, streaming runner, all CLI flags
reportersANTJunit/Console/Doc/JSON/JUnit/Min/Simple/Text/XML reporters, reporter options, custom IReporter implementations
listenersRun listeners (onBundleStart/End, onSuiteStart/End, onSpecStart/End), progress indicators, custom loggers, live dashboards
testing-fixturesFixture factories, test data builders, shared fixture files, cbMockData integration, setup/teardown strategies
testing-coverageCode coverage setup, coverage reporting, CI integration, TestBox coverage options, improving coverage of untested paths

security — Security and Authentication Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
authenticationCBAuth login/logout, session management, remember-me patterns
authorizationCBSecurity roles, permissions, firewall rules
jwt-developmentJWT flows, refresh tokens, API auth
security-implementationEnd-to-end CBSecurity setup and configuration
csrf-protectionCSRF tokens, forms, AJAX protection
rbac-patternsRole and permission hierarchy patterns
api-authenticationAPI keys, bearer auth, OAuth2 integration
sso-integrationSAML, OIDC, OAuth2, social login patterns
passkeys-integrationPasskeys, WebAuthn, FIDO2, module integration

wirebox — Dependency Injection Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
wirebox-diBootstrapping the injector, binder configuration, injection DSL, scopes, providers, lazy properties, property observers, child injectors, object populator

cachebox — Caching Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
cachebox-standaloneStandalone CacheFactory, DSL configuration, object stores, eviction policies, cache providers, stampede protection, monitoring

logbox — Logging Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
logboxLogBox standalone and ColdBox integration, appenders, root logger, category inheritance, structured logging, performance patterns

modules — Ortus/ColdBox Module Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
bcryptBCrypt password hashing, work-factor config, hashing/verifying credentials, salts, registration, auth, password reset
cbantisamyHTML/XML XSS sanitization via OWASP AntiSamy, policy selection, custom policy files, validation integration
cbauthcbauth authentication, IUserService/IAuthUser, session login/logout, CBStorages integration, Flash messaging
cbcsrfCSRF token generation, form helpers, AJAX/meta-tag patterns, route exemptions, SPA integration, token rotation
cbdebuggerCBDebugger panel, performance profiling, SQL query tracking, cache monitoring, request inspection
cbelasticsearchElasticsearch indexing, full-text search, query DSL, aggregations, highlighting, scroll/pagination, index aliases
cbfeedsRSS/Atom feed reading (FeedReader) and generation (FeedGenerator), caching feeds
cbfsFile system abstraction, disk config (local/S3/RAM/FTP), CRUD operations, streaming, URL generation, uploads
cbi18nInternationalization, resource bundles (.properties/JSON), locale management, $r/getResource, named substitutions
cbjavaloaderDynamic JAR loading at runtime, classpath config, creating Java objects, reloading in development
cbmailservicesSending email, SMTP/Postmark/SendGrid config, fluent mail builder, templates, attachments, async sending
cbmarkdownMarkdown-to-HTML conversion, Processor injection, GFM/tables/code blocks, security for user-generated content
cbmessageboxFlash-scope messages (info/success/warning/error), setting in handlers, rendering in views, Bootstrap output
cbmockdataGenerating realistic fake/seed data, mock() API, entity population, bulk generation
cbormCBORM/Hibernate ORM, BaseORMService, VirtualEntityService, Criteria Builder, transactions, event interceptions
cbpaginatorServer-side pagination, Paginator service, metadata for APIs/views, QB integration, Bootstrap pagination controls
cbplaywrightEnd-to-end browser tests with Playwright, browser/page lifecycle, selectors, assertions, Page Object pattern, CI
cbproxiesDynamic Java-compatible proxies, ProxyFactory, Java interface implementation, JDBC/Hibernate/threading integration
cbqAsync background job processing, job classes, queue config (database/Redis/SQS), dispatch, retry, worker pools
cbsecurityFirewall rule config, annotation-based security, JWT auth, role/permission checks, custom validators
cbsecurity-passkeysWebAuthn/Passkeys, credential repository, registration/authentication ceremony, JavaScript integration
cbssoSSO with SAML2/OAuth2/OIDC, SSOService API, redirect-to-provider, callback processing, user provisioning
cbstoragesSession/Cookie/Cache/Request/Application storage adapters, get/set/exists/delete, encryption, TTLs
cbswaggerOpenAPI 3.x (Swagger) doc generation, JSDoc annotations, request/response schemas, security definitions
cbvalidationInput validation, constraint definitions, validate()/validateOrFail(), built-in/custom validators, REST error handling
cbwireReactive UI components without JavaScript, wire:model/wire:click, lifecycle hooks, actions, computed properties
cfmigrationsDatabase schema changes, Schema Builder API, migration files, seed files, CommandBox CLI
commandbox-boxlangCommandBox BoxLang server instances, REPL, task runners, module installation, server.json BoxLang config
commandbox-migrationsMigration CLI commands (up/down/reset/refresh), migration files, seeders, migration status, CI/CD usage
corsCORS configuration, allowed origins/methods/headers, credentials, preflight OPTIONS, dynamic origin functions
hyperHTTP client, HyperBuilder, fluent GET/POST/PUT/DELETE, headers, auth, timeouts, response/error handling
mementifierORM entity/model serialization to structs/JSON, this.memento, includes/excludes, computed properties, named profiles
qbQB query builder, fluent clauses, aggregates, inserts/updates/deletes, raw expressions, sub-queries, grammar config
quickQuick Active Record entities, CRUD, relationships, query scopes, eager loading, accessors/mutators, global scopes
relaxREST API modeling with Relax DSL, route definitions, response schemas, JSON/XML spec generation
route-visualizerRoute inspection UI, route table output, development-only access restriction
ruleboxBusiness rules engine, when/then/otherwise closures, named rule sets, chaining rules, policy evaluation
s3sdkAmazon S3 / S3-compatible storage, bucket ops, upload/download/delete, presigned URLs, multipart uploads
socketboxReal-time WebSocket apps, onConnect/onDisconnect/onMessage hooks, broadcasting to rooms, JavaScript integration
unleashsdkFeature flags, isEnabled(), getVariant() for A/B testing, custom context, gradual rollout strategies

docbox — Documentation Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
docbox-generationDocBox generation workflows, strategies, output formats
docbox-annotationsDocBox annotations and documentation comment patterns

MCP Servers

The bundled .mcp.json includes Ortus documentation MCP endpoints for ColdBox, CommandBox, TestBox, WireBox, CacheBox, LogBox, QB, Quick ORM, CBORM, CBSecurity, CBAuth, CBValidation, ContentBox, Relax, and more.


Repository Layout

PathPurpose
coldbox/Core ColdBox framework skills, testing patterns, and database migration workflows
testbox/Comprehensive TestBox skills (BDD, xUnit, MockBox, runners, reporters)
security/Authentication, authorization, CSRF, SSO, passkeys
wirebox/WireBox dependency injection
cachebox/CacheBox standalone caching
logbox/LogBox logging
modules/40+ Ortus/ColdBox module skills
docbox/DocBox documentation generation skills

Resources


Quick Install

# Install all skills registered in the plugin manifest
npx skills add ortus-boxlang/coldbox-skills
# Install a specific category
npx skills add ortus-boxlang/coldbox-skills/coldbox
# Install a specific skill
npx skills add ortus-boxlang/coldbox-skills/coldbox/handler-development

# Install the dedicated TestBox category
npx skills add ortus-boxlang/coldbox-skills/testbox

# Install a specific TestBox skill
npx skills add ortus-boxlang/coldbox-skills/testbox/bdd-tdd-foundations

Claude Plugin Install

Install this repository as a Claude plugin:

claude plugin install https://github.com/ortus-boxlang/coldbox-skills

If you use plugin marketplace commands:

/plugin marketplace add ortus-boxlang/coldbox-skills
/plugin install coldbox-agent-skills@ortus-boxlang

Manifest Coverage

The current .claude-plugin/plugin.json registers these categories for plugin install:

  • coldbox
  • testbox
  • security
  • wirebox
  • cachebox
  • logbox
  • modules — 40+ Ortus/ColdBox module skills
  • docbox — DocBox documentation generation

Categories

coldbox — Core Framework Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
handler-developmentHandlers, CRUD actions, REST handlers, dependency injection
routing-developmentRouter configuration, named routes, constraints, route groups
event-modelEvent lifecycle, event, rc, prc, rendering and redirects
rest-api-developmentRestHandler patterns, API validation, versioning, error handling
interceptor-developmentInterceptors, framework interception points, custom events
configurationColdBox.cfc, settings, conventions, environment configuration
app-layoutsFlat, BoxLang, and Modern app layout selection, directory structures, engine compatibility, and migration guidance
view-renderingViews, layouts, partials, helpers, data rendering
layout-developmentLayout patterns, nested layouts, conditional layouts
module-developmentModule structure, ModuleConfig.cfc, routes, settings
request-contextRequest context, flash scope, collections, metadata
flash-messagingFlash RAM, message persistence, success/error/info/warning patterns
cache-integrationEvent and view caching, cache keys, cache invalidation
database-migrationsSchema migrations with cfmigrations and CommandBox CLI: create, run, rollback, and seed
coldbox-clicoldbox create workflows, app skeletons, language flags, scaffolding
coldbox-documenterDocumentation standards for handlers, models, modules, config files
coldbox-reviewerCode review heuristics for ColdBox applications and modules

Testing Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
testing-base-classesTesting class hierarchy, annotations (appMapping, configMapping, unloadColdBox), test harness setup, when to use each base class
testing-handlerHandler testing with execute(), rc/prc assertions, view selection, renderData, relocations, mock injection, BaseHandlerTest isolation
testing-integrationFull virtual-app integration tests, lifecycle management, route testing, database rollback, custom matchers
testing-http-methodsget(), post(), put(), patch(), delete(), request() simulation, headers, JSON bodies, toHaveStatus(), toHaveInvalidData()
testing-modelBaseModelTest, the model variable, mockLogger/mockLogBox/mockCacheBox/mockWireBox, mocking collaborators, init() patterns
testing-interceptorBaseInterceptorTest, the interceptor variable, mockController/mockRequestService/mockFlash, configProperties, announce point testing

testbox — Comprehensive TestBox Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
bdd-tdd-foundationsTest style selection, behavior-first suite design, BDD/TDD strategy
specs-and-lifecycleSuite hooks, setup/teardown patterns, deterministic test isolation
assertions-and-matchersExpectations, matcher families, exception assertions, readable failures
mockbox-testing-doublesMocks, stubs, spies, behavior setup, interaction verification
coldbox-integration-testingBaseTestCase, event execution, request/response assertions
data-fixtures-and-isolationFixture builders, deterministic data, rollback and cleanup strategies
runners-reporters-and-ciRunner commands, reporters, coverage, CI integration
cfml-boxlang-dualityBoxLang-first with CFML parity and mixed-codebase migration patterns

security — Security and Authentication Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
authenticationCBAuth login/logout, session management, remember-me patterns
authorizationCBSecurity roles, permissions, firewall rules
jwt-developmentJWT flows, refresh tokens, API auth
security-implementationEnd-to-end CBSecurity setup and configuration
csrf-protectionCSRF tokens, forms, AJAX protection
rbac-patternsRole and permission hierarchy patterns
api-authenticationAPI keys, bearer auth, OAuth2 integration
sso-integrationSAML, OIDC, OAuth2, social login patterns
passkeys-integrationPasskeys, WebAuthn, FIDO2, module integration

wirebox — Dependency Injection Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
wirebox-diDI patterns, scopes, DSLs, binder configuration
wirebox-aopAOP, method interception, before/after/around advice

cachebox — Caching Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
caching-patternsCache providers, invalidation, get-or-set, event caching

logbox — Logging Skills

SkillWhat It Covers
logging-patternsLogBox config, appenders, log levels, structured logging

docbox — Repository Extras

SkillWhat It Covers
docbox-generationDocBox generation workflows, strategies, output formats
docbox-annotationsDocBox annotations and documentation comment patterns

MCP Servers

The bundled .mcp.json includes Ortus documentation MCP endpoints for ColdBox, CommandBox, TestBox, WireBox, CacheBox, LogBox, QB, Quick ORM, CBORM, CBSecurity, CBAuth, CBValidation, ContentBox, Relax, and more.


Repository Layout

PathPurpose
coldbox/Core ColdBox framework skills and database migrations
testbox/Dedicated comprehensive TestBox skills
security/Authentication, authorization, CSRF, SSO, passkeys
wirebox/WireBox DI and AOP skills
cachebox/CacheBox skills
logbox/LogBox skills
docbox/Additional DocBox-specific skills in the repo

Resources