Initialize Smalltalk Development Session Skill

Initialize Smalltalk Development Session

Start a Smalltalk (Pharo or Squeak) development session: verify project structure, confirm the Smalltalk image connection, and orient to the development workflow.

Initialization Sequence

1. Check Project Structure

if [ ! -f ".project" ] && [ ! -d "src" ]; then
  echo "No Smalltalk project structure detected"
fi

✅ .project OR src/ found → continue
⚠️ Neither found → recommend smalltalk-dev:st-setup-project skill

If no project exists, offer to create one:

⚠️  No Smalltalk project structure detected in current directory.

Use /st-setup-project MyProjectName to set up:
  • .project configuration file
  • src/ directory with package structure
  • BaselineOf class and Core/Tests packages

Would you like to run /st-setup-project now?

User says yes: Invoke smalltalk-dev:st-setup-project skill, then continue with steps 2–4.
User says no / continue anyway: Proceed directly to step 2 (load smalltalk-developer) without project setup. Note in the status report that project structure is missing.

2. Load smalltalk-developer Skill

Use the Skill tool to load smalltalk-dev:smalltalk-developer. This activates the full development workflow guidance.

3. Verify Smalltalk Image Connection

Run Smalltalk version via eval:

mcp__smalltalk-interop__eval: 'Smalltalk version'

✅ Returns version string → connected, proceed
❌ Fails or times out → follow Connection Setup below

4. Confirm Ready

Report status to user:

✅ Smalltalk image connected: Pharo X.Y (...) [or Squeak X.Y (...)]
✅ smalltalk-developer skill loaded
📋 Development workflow: Edit → Lint → Import → Test

Connection Setup

If the Smalltalk image is not connected, check Docker availability first:

docker --version

Docker Setup (Recommended, Pharo only)

Generate compose.yml in the project root:

services:
  sis-pharo:
    image: mumez/smalltalk-interop-docker
    ports:
      - "5900:5900"
      - "6901:6901"
      - "8086:8086"
    environment:
      SIS_PORT: 8086
    volumes:
      - /tmp:/root/screenshots
      - .:/root/repos

Then instruct the user:

docker compose up -d

Re-verify connection after startup.

Local Installation

If Docker is not available or not preferred, ask the user which Smalltalk dialect they use:

Pharo

1. Install Pharo:

mkdir pharo-stable
cd pharo-stable
curl https://get.pharo.org | bash

2. Load PharoSmalltalkInteropServer:

./pharo Pharo.image metacello install github://mumez/PharoSmalltalkInteropServer:main/src BaselineOfPharoSmalltalkInteropServer

3. Start Pharo (SisServer starts automatically):

./pharo-ui

Re-verify connection after Pharo is running.

Squeak

1. Install Squeak from squeak.org.

2. Load SqueakSmalltalkInteropServer — see SqueakSmalltalkInteropServer for installation instructions.

3. Start Squeak (SisServer starts automatically, or start it manually as below).

Re-verify connection after Squeak is running.

Manual Start (Smalltalk image already installed)

If Pharo/Squeak is installed but the server is not running, ask the user to execute in the image:

SisServer current start

Development Workflow Overview

The core cycle (full details in smalltalk-dev:smalltalk-developer):

Edit .st file
    ↓
Lint (/st-lint)
    ↓
Import package (absolute path)
    ↓
Run tests
    ↓
Pass? → Done  |  Fail? → Debug → Fix → Repeat

Available Skills and Commands

| Command | Purpose | |---------|---------| | /st-import PackageName /abs/path | Import Tonel package to the Smalltalk image | | /st-test TestClass | Run SUnit tests | | /st-eval code | Execute Smalltalk snippet | | /st-export PackageName | Export package from the Smalltalk image | | /st-lint src/PackageName | Validate Smalltalk best practices |

Troubleshooting

| Problem | Solution | |---------|---------| | Connection timeout | Check if the Smalltalk image is running | | Server not started | Run SisServer current start in the Smalltalk image | | Port mismatch | Check SIS_PORT env var (default: 8086) | | MCP issues | Verify smalltalk-interop-mcp-server is installed | | Docker path issues | Check volume mounts in compose.yml |

Related Skills

smalltalk-dev:st-setup-project — Create project structure if missing
smalltalk-dev:smalltalk-developer — Full development workflow
smalltalk-dev:smalltalk-debugger — Debug test failures and errors

Agent Skills: Initialize Smalltalk Development Session

Install this agent skill to your local

Skill Files