RCP-CWK-009 Cowork Project Folder Setup

Create A ready-to-use project workspace in under 5 minutes with 7 folders, 4 subfolders, and 4–5 root/project files.

Creates the standard 7-folder hierarchy for a CRAFT project in Cowork: framework/, project/ (with child/), templates/, sessions/, research/, branding/ (with assets/), and transfers/ (with inbound/outbound/). Also generates root files — .gitignore, a CLAUDE.md placeholder, a PROJECT-MANIFEST.txt scaffold, and a roadmap .docx template.

Cowork Project Folder Setup

Cowork | Bridge & Integration | Difficulty: Beginner | Time: 2–5 min
Tags: Introduced in Beta, Folder, Setup, Structure, Workspace, Scaffold, Beginner, Frequently Used

TL;DR

What It Does
Creates the standard 7-folder hierarchy for a CRAFT project in Cowork: framework/, project/ (with child/), templates/, sessions/, research/, branding/ (with assets/), and transfers/ (with inbound/outbound/). Also generates root files — .gitignore, a CLAUDE.md placeholder, a PROJECT-MANIFEST.txt scaffold, and a roadmap .docx template.
How It Works
The AI validates the workspace folder (writable, not a different CRAFT project), creates all directories with mkdir -p, drops in .gitkeep files for empty folders, and generates starter files at root and in project/. The structure follows CRAFT-FOLDER-STRUCTURE-DESIGN-v1.txt, optimized for human browsability. After creation, the AI validates that all 7 top-level folders exist and reports the result.
What To Expect
A ready-to-use project workspace in under 5 minutes with 7 folders, 4 subfolders, and 4–5 root/project files. The AI reports the structure and suggests next steps: copy framework files, run CWK-029 (Project Creator) for full project file generation, then CWK-004 (Git Init) for version control.
Best Results When You
Run this recipe first when starting any new CRAFT project in Cowork. The folder structure is prerequisite for virtually every other Cowork recipe — project files, templates, research, and transfers all depend on these paths existing.
Typical Time
2–5 minutes. Structure creation is fast; most time is spent on the roadmap template and manifest scaffold if generated.
Difficulty
Beginner — provide a project ID and name, and the AI handles everything. Optional parameters let you skip framework file copying or adjust configuration if needed.

How To Start

Provide your project ID and name. The AI creates the entire folder hierarchy, root files, and validates the result.

STEP 1Provide Project Details

Tell the AI your three-digit project ID and project name. The AI creates the 7-folder structure, .gitignore, CLAUDE.md placeholder, roadmap template, and PROJECT-MANIFEST.txt scaffold.
Available parameters
  • project_id · string · required
    Three-digit project ID (e.g., “067”). Used in folder names and file prefixes throughout the project.
  • project_name · string · required
    Human-readable project name (e.g., “USING-CRAFT-W-CLAUDE-COWORK”). Used in file naming and CLAUDE.md placeholder content.
  • flavor · string · optional · default: “express”
    Project configuration identifier retained for backward compatibility. CRAFT operates as a unified Cowork product.
  • include_framework_files · boolean · optional · default: true
    Whether to copy framework files (Spec, Cookbooks) into framework/. Default true — each project is self-contained.
Invocations
Standard Setup
#H->AI::Directive: (Set up CRAFT project folder in Cowork with project_id=067, project_name=CRAFTFramework-Refresh)
Minimal Setup (no framework copy)
#H->AI::Directive: (Set up CRAFT project folder in Cowork with project_id=068, project_name=New-Website, include_framework_files=false)

STEP 2Review Validation

The AI validates workspace permissions, creates all directories, generates root files, and runs a structural verification to confirm all 7 folders exist. If any step fails, you get clear error messages.

STEP 3Follow Next Steps

After setup, the AI suggests a sequence: copy framework files into framework/, copy master templates into templates/, run CWK-029 (Project Creator) for full project files, then CWK-004 (Git Init) for version control.

Usage Examples

Two scenarios — standard project setup with all defaults, and a minimal setup skipping framework file copying.
Example 1 · Standard new-project setup
User: Set up a new CRAFT project folder — project ID 068, name “Website-Redesign.”
AI: Validating workspace folder — writable, no existing CRAFT project detected. Creating 7-folder structure: framework/, project/ (with child/), templates/, sessions/, research/, branding/ (with assets/), transfers/ (with inbound/outbound/). Root files: CLAUDE.md placeholder, .gitignore, PROJECT-MANIFEST.txt scaffold. Roadmap template in project/. Structural validation: all 7 folders confirmed. Suggested next: copy framework files, run CWK-029 for project files, then CWK-004 for git.
Example 2 · Minimal setup for a lightweight project
User: Set up a CRAFT project folder for project 069, name “Quick-Analysis,” skip framework files.
AI: Validating workspace — clean. Creating 7-folder structure. Root files generated. Framework file copy skipped per your request (include_framework_files=false). You can copy them later. Structural validation: all 7 folders confirmed.

How AI Reads This Recipe

When this recipe is triggered, the AI creates a complete project workspace with validation at each step. The AI should:
  1. VALIDATE the workspace folder: confirm writable and no conflicting CRAFT project. If a different project is detected, warn and ask whether to continue or cancel.
  2. CREATE the 7-folder hierarchy using mkdir -p: framework/, project/child/, templates/, sessions/, research/, branding/assets/, transfers/inbound/pending/, transfers/inbound/processed/, transfers/outbound/. Drop .gitkeep files in empty leaf directories.
  3. GENERATE root files in sequence: .gitignore (if not present), CLAUDE.md placeholder (if not present), roadmap .docx template (if not present), PROJECT-MANIFEST.txt scaffold (if not present). Each file is conditional — existing files are not overwritten.
  4. VERIFY the structure: test write permissions, confirm all 7 top-level folders exist. Report any missing folders as warnings.
  5. REPORT results and suggest next steps: framework file copy, template copy, CWK-029 for project files, CWK-004 for git.
The AI should treat this recipe as idempotent — running it multiple times on the same workspace should not overwrite existing files or duplicate folders. The conditional checks (IF does not exist) are critical for safe re-execution.

When to Use This Recipe

Use this recipe when you:
  • Are starting a brand-new CRAFT project in Cowork.
  • Need the standard 7-folder structure as a foundation for other recipes (CWK-029 Project Creator, CWK-004 Git Init, CWK-007 CLAUDE.md Generator all expect these paths).
  • Want a consistent, human-browsable folder layout across all CRAFT projects.
Do not use this recipe when:
You already have a CRAFT project with an established folder structure. Running this recipe on an existing project will not overwrite files, but it adds unnecessary validation overhead. If you just need to add one missing folder (say, branding/), create it manually rather than re-running the full setup recipe.

Recipe FAQ

Q.What if I already have some folders from a previous attempt?

The recipe is idempotent. mkdir -p will not fail on existing directories, and each file creation checks for existence first. You can safely re-run without losing work.

Q.Why 7 folders instead of fewer?

The structure was designed for human browsability (LL-058). Each folder groups files by purpose: framework code, project artifacts, reusable templates, session lifecycle, research outputs, brand assets, and cross-project transfers. Fewer folders means more clutter at the top level.

Q.What is the branding/ folder for?

Added in v2.01a for brand identity assets — logos, color swatches, brand configuration, and the three-tier model documentation. Optional for projects without brand identity needs.

Q.Do I need to copy framework files manually?

If include_framework_files is true (the default), the recipe notes which files to copy but does not copy them automatically — framework files live in a reference location that varies by setup. The AI suggests the copy command after folder creation.

Q.What happens if the workspace is not writable?

The recipe runs a write-permission test and reports an error immediately. Check your Cowork folder selection and try again.

Version History

Changes to this recipe over time. Most recent first.
v2.01a 2026-03-15
Added branding/ as 7th standard folder (H049 T-035). Added branding/assets/ subfolder with .gitkeep. Updated all folder counts from 6 to 7. Updated directory tree diagram.
v2.00a 2026-03-10
Added PROJECT-MANIFEST.txt scaffold generation (T-028 spec). Added roadmap .docx template. Verification step expanded to check all top-level folders. Audit trail logging added (R-12).
v1.00a 2026-02-20
Initial release. 6-folder structure (framework/, project/, templates/, sessions/, research/, transfers/). .gitignore and CLAUDE.md placeholder generation. Permission validation.

Get this recipe with CRAFT for Claude Cowork

Cowork recipes ship bundled with CRAFT for Claude Cowork — there’s no separate download. Clone the framework once, and your AI runs every recipe automatically when invoked.

Pull anytime to stay on the latest version — free to clone, no login or email required.

Then start your session

Once CRAFT is in your project folder, open a new Cowork session and ask Claude to initialize. For example:

You

Please initialize my CRAFT session.

Claude

CRAFT session ready. Your project is loaded, your persona is active, and your recipes are available. What would you like to work on?

What is CRAFT for Claude Cowork?

Not familiar with Git? Download as a ZIP

No command line needed. Just download, move, and unzip:

  1. Open the CRAFT framework repo on GitHub.
  2. Click the green Code button, then choose Download ZIP.
  3. Move the downloaded ZIP into your Claude Cowork project folder.
  4. Unzip it: double-click on Mac, or right-click → Extract All on Windows.

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