v0.21.5 - Plugin System Support and bundled dependencies

🎉 Plugin System Support

Storyline is now available as a Claude Code plugin! Install with easy commands within a Claude Code session:

`
/plugin marketplace add https://github.com/prillcode/storyline

/plugin install storyline

/sl-setup check
`

No more manual cloning or running install scripts - the plugin system handles everything.

📦 Bundled Dependencies

This release makes Storyline completely self-contained:

• Self-Contained Distribution - Ships with essential cc-resources skills bundled (create-plans, create-agent-skills)
• No More Submodules - Removed git submodule complexity entirely
• Faster Installation - Single clone operation, no recursive fetching required
• Lean Package - Only includes the skills needed for Storyline workflows
• Better Distribution - Structured for Claude Code plugin marketplace integration

v0.21.4 - Explicit Standalone Mode & File Reference Context

Explicit Standalone Mode for Story Creator

Use --standalone to skip epic detection and immediately enter standalone mode:

/sl-story-creator --standalone

File Reference Context for Spec Creation

When running /sl-spec-story, you can now provide existing files for context. Claude will read them, extract relevant patterns (exports, interfaces, functions), and use that context to create more accurate specs that align with your codebase.

v0.21.3 - Added Standalone Stories workflow

Add standalone stories workflow (v2.1.3)

• Add standalone story creation (no epic required) via /sl-story-creator
• Add guided workflow for bug fixes, small features, quick tasks
• Update /sl-spec-story to handle standalone stories in .standalone/ directory
• Update /sl-setup status to count and report standalone work separately
• Add standalone-story.md template and guided-standalone-story.md workflow
• Update README with standalone story documentation and examples
• Bump version to v2.1.3 in install scripts
• Files organized in .storyline/stories/.standalone/ and .storyline/specs/.standalone/

v2.1.2: Added storyline-commit skill

• New Skill: skills/storyline-commit/SKILL.md - Intelligent commit message generator
• New Command: commands/sl-commit.md - /sl-commit command
• Updated: README.md
• Changed version from v2.1.1 → v2.1.2
• Added comprehensive v2.1.2 release notes
• Added pipeline clarification
• Added /sl-commit command documentation

v2.1.1: Updated Remote Installer

Updated remote-install.sh to ensure the installation directory is always in a pristine state before updating from GitHub. This is the right approach because:

• The ~/.local/share/storyline directory should be a canonical copy from GitHub
• Users shouldn't be making local modifications there
• Any customizations should be in the Claude Code config directory, not the installation directory
• The remote installer is meant to provide a clean, reproducible installation

Now when users run the remote installer on an existing installation with local changes, it will:

• Reset to the last committed state
• Clean up any untracked files
• Pull the latest changes from GitHub
• Update submodules

v2.1.0: Directory Rename & Migration Tools

Storyline v2.1.0 Release Notes

Release Date: January 12, 2026

Overview

Storyline v2.1.0 is a refinement release that improves branding and project clarity by renaming the root directory from .workflow/ to .storyline/. This release maintains full backward compatibility with v2.0 projects while providing an easy migration path for those who want to adopt the new naming.

What's New

🎨 New Directory Name: .storyline/

The primary project directory has been renamed from .workflow/ to .storyline/ for better branding and clarity:

Why the change?

• Better branding - "Storyline" is the product name, so .storyline/ makes more sense
• Clearer purpose - The directory contains storyline artifacts (epics, stories, specs)
• Consistency - Aligns the directory name with the product identity

New structure:

.storyline/
├── PRD-{identifier}.md
├── epics/
│   ├── epic-{id}-01-auth.md
│   └── epic-{id}-02-tasks.md
├── stories/
│   ├── epic-{id}-01/
│   └── epic-{id}-02/
├── specs/
│   ├── epic-{id}-01/
│   └── epic-{id}-02/
└── .planning/

🔄 Seamless Migration

Migrating from .workflow/ to .storyline/ is easy and optional:

Option 1: Interactive Migration

/sl-setup

• Detects existing .workflow/ projects
• Prompts to migrate to .storyline/
• Migration is a simple directory move (takes seconds)
• All work is preserved - nothing is lost

Option 2: Keep Using .workflow/

• All skills support both directory names
• No migration required if you prefer to keep .workflow/
• Skills automatically detect which directory you're using
• Full backward compatibility guaranteed

✅ Full Backward Compatibility

All Storyline skills now support both directory structures:

• Smart detection - Skills check .storyline/ first, then fall back to .workflow/
• No breaking changes - Existing v2.0 projects work without modification
• Flexible - Mix of old and new projects in the same workspace
• Subdirectory support - Both lowercase and UPPERCASE subdirectories supported in both structures

Detection logic in all skills:

if [ -d ".storyline" ]; then
  ROOT_DIR=".storyline"
elif [ -d ".workflow" ]; then
  ROOT_DIR=".workflow"
fi

📚 Updated Documentation

All documentation, templates, and examples now use .storyline/:

• README.md - Updated with v2.1 changes and migration guide
• All skills - Documentation references .storyline/ as primary
• Templates - All templates updated to .storyline/
• Reference docs - Updated with backward compatibility notes
• Examples - Show .storyline/ structure

Migration Guide

For New Projects

Just run /sl-setup init - you'll get the new .storyline/ structure automatically.

For Existing v2.0 Projects

Option A: Migrate (Recommended)

1. Run /sl-setup in your project
2. Choose "Yes, migrate now" when prompted
3. Done! Your .workflow/ is now .storyline/

Option B: Keep Using .workflow/

1. Do nothing!
2. Everything continues to work
3. All skills support .workflow/ indefinitely

Manual Migration (if needed):

mv .workflow .storyline

That's it! The directory structure inside is identical.

Breaking Changes

None! This is a fully backward-compatible release.

• Existing .workflow/ projects work without any changes
• No skill behavior changes beyond directory detection
• No file format changes
• No workflow changes

Technical Details

Files Changed

Skills updated:

• storyline-setup - Added migration logic and detection
• storyline-epic-creator - Added directory detection
• storyline-story-creator - Added directory detection
• storyline-spec-story - Added directory detection
• storyline-develop - Added directory detection

Documentation updated:

• README.md - New v2.1 section and migration guide
• All skill references - Updated to .storyline/ with backward compatibility notes
• All templates - Updated to .storyline/
• All examples - Updated to .storyline/

Version bumped:

• package.json - Version updated to 2.1.0

Directory Detection Pattern

All skills now use this pattern:

# Check .storyline/ first (v2.1+)
if [ -d ".storyline" ]; then
  ROOT_DIR=".storyline"
# Fall back to .workflow/ (v2.0)
elif [ -d ".workflow" ]; then
  ROOT_DIR=".workflow"
else
  echo "No Storyline project found. Run /sl-setup init"
  exit 1
fi

This ensures:

1. New projects use .storyline/
2. Old projects using .workflow/ still work
3. Migration is detected and prompted
4. No breaking changes

Subdirectory Support

Both .storyline/ and .workflow/ support:

• Lowercase subdirectories: epics/, stories/, specs/ (preferred)
• Uppercase subdirectories: EPICS/, STORIES/, SPECS/ (also supported)

Skills detect which case is used and adapt accordingly.

Testing

Tested scenarios:

• ✅ Fresh project initialization creates .storyline/
• ✅ Migration from .workflow/ to .storyline/ preserves all files
• ✅ Existing .workflow/ projects work without migration
• ✅ Mixed case subdirectories work in both structures
• ✅ All skills detect correct directory automatically
• ✅ /sl-setup status works with both structures
• ✅ Full epic → story → spec → develop workflow with both structures

Upgrade Instructions

Installation

One-line installer:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/prillcode/storyline/main/remote-install.sh | bash

Manual update:

cd storyline
git pull origin main
git submodule update --init --recursive
./install.sh

Post-Installation

For new projects:

• Just run /sl-setup init and you're done

For existing v2.0 projects:

• Run /sl-setup to see migration prompt
• Or continue using .workflow/ - both work!

Deprecation Notice

.workflow/ is NOT deprecated!

While .storyline/ is now the preferred name:

• .workflow/ will be supported indefinitely
• No plans to remove .workflow/ support
• Choose whichever name you prefer

Contributors

• prillcode - All changes in this release

Links

• GitHub: https://github.com/prillcode/storyline
• Issues: https://github.com/prillcode/storyline/issues
• Discussions: https://github.com/prillcode/storyline/discussions

---

Happy building with Storyline v2.1! 🎉

Storyline v2.0.0 - Setup, Identifiers & Organization

Storyline v2.0.0 Release Notes

Release Date: January 12, 2026

Overview

Storyline v2.0.0 is a major release that transforms Storyline from a simple linear workflow tool into a production-ready system for managing multiple bodies of work within a single project. This release adds comprehensive setup/onboarding, flexible identifier tracking, and improved project organization.

What's New

🎯 Setup & Onboarding (/sl-setup)

A new comprehensive setup command to help users get started and track their progress:

• /sl-setup - Interactive setup and onboarding
• /sl-setup init - Initialize .workflow/ directory structure
• /sl-setup status - Show project state and suggest next steps
• /sl-setup guide - Display comprehensive tutorial
• /sl-setup check - Verify Storyline installation

🏷️ Identifier System

Optional tracking codes that propagate through the entire workflow chain:

• Link work items to external systems (JIRA tickets, feature codes, etc.)
• Identifiers propagate: PRD → Epics → Stories → Specs → Implementation
• Format: Alphanumeric + hyphens/underscores (e.g., JIRA-123, feature-789)
• Completely optional - projects without identifiers still work perfectly

Example:

PRD-jira-123.md
  └─ epic-jira-123-01-auth.md
      └─ stories/epic-jira-123-01/story-01.md
          └─ specs/epic-jira-123-01/spec-01.md

📁 Epic Subdirectories

Stories and specs are now organized by epic for better scalability:

Old structure (v1.x):

.workflow/
├── stories/
│   ├── story-001-signup.md
│   └── story-002-login.md
└── specs/
    ├── spec-001-signup.md
    └── spec-002-login.md

New structure (v2.0):

.workflow/
├── stories/
│   ├── epic-jira-123-01/
│   │   ├── story-01.md
│   │   └── story-02.md
│   └── epic-jira-123-02/
│       └── story-01.md
└── specs/
    ├── epic-jira-123-01/
    │   ├── spec-01.md
    │   └── spec-stories-02-03-combined.md
    └── epic-jira-123-02/
        └── spec-01.md

🎭 Flexible Spec Strategies

Three strategies for creating specs from stories:

1. Simple - One story → one spec (spec-01.md)
2. Complex - One story → multiple specs (spec-story02-01.md, spec-story02-02.md)
3. Combined - Multiple stories → one spec (spec-stories-02-03-combined.md)

The system prompts you to choose the best strategy when creating specs.

📊 Multi-Initiative Support

Multiple PRDs with different identifiers can coexist in one project:

.workflow/
├── PRD-jira-123.md      # First initiative
├── PRD-feature-789.md   # Second initiative
├── PRD-proj-abc.md      # Third initiative
└── epics/
    ├── epic-jira-123-01-auth.md
    ├── epic-jira-123-02-tasks.md
    ├── epic-feature-789-01-export.md
    └── epic-proj-abc-01-settings.md

🧭 Guided PRD Creation

Run /sl-epic-creator without arguments for interactive PRD creation:

• Answer guided questions about your project
• Optional identifier entry
• Automatic PRD generation
• Seamless transition to epic creation

🔗 Enhanced Traceability

All templates now include complete traceability chains:

Spec frontmatter example:

---
spec_id: 01
story_ids: [01]
epic_id: jira-123-01
identifier: jira-123
parent_story: ../stories/epic-jira-123-01/story-01.md
parent_epic: ../epics/epic-jira-123-01-auth.md
complexity: simple
---

Command Changes

Renamed

• /sl-dev-story → /sl-develop (for consistency with other commands)

New Commands

• /sl-setup [command] - Project initialization and management

Enhanced Commands

All existing commands now support:

• Identifier extraction and propagation
• Epic subdirectory organization
• Enhanced frontmatter with traceability

Breaking Changes

None! This release is fully backward compatible with v1.x projects:

• Old projects without identifiers continue to work
• Flat directory structures are still supported
• All new features are opt-in
• No existing workflows are broken

Migration Guide

For Existing Projects (v1.x → v2.0)

No migration needed! Your existing projects will continue to work exactly as before.

To start using v2.0 features:

1. Add identifiers to new work:

   • Next time you run /sl-epic-creator, provide an identifier when prompted
   • New epics will use the v2.0 structure

2. Try the setup command:

   • Run /sl-setup status to see your project state
   • Use /sl-setup guide to learn about new features

3. Gradual adoption:

   • Mix old and new structures in the same project
   • No need to retrofit existing work items

For New Projects

Use the new setup workflow:

/sl-setup init                  # Initialize project
/sl-epic-creator                # Guided PRD creation with identifier
# Continue with rest of workflow...

Installation

Update to v2.0.0

Option 1: One-line remote install

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/prillcode/storyline/main/remote-install.sh | bash

Option 2: Manual update

cd ~/.local/share/storyline
git pull origin main
git submodule update --init --recursive
./install.sh

Verify Installation

Start a new Claude Code session and run:

/sl-setup check

Should show: Version: 2.0.0

Updated Documentation

• README.md - Updated with v2.0 features and examples
• examples/sample-workflow/ - Updated for v2.0 patterns
• All skill documentation enhanced with identifier system

Technical Details

Files Changed

• 34 files changed
• 3,691 insertions, 196 deletions

New Skills

• storyline-setup/ - Complete setup and onboarding skill

New Workflows

• guided-prd-creation.md - Interactive PRD creation
• create-spec-from-story.md - Enhanced spec creation with strategies
• 5 new setup workflows (init, status, guide, check, interactive)

New References

• identifier-system.md - Identifier format rules and validation
• Setup reference files (directory-structure, workflow-patterns, troubleshooting)

Enhanced Templates

All templates updated with:

• Identifier fields in frontmatter
• Enhanced traceability sections
• Relative path updates for subdirectories

Known Issues

None at this time.

Credits

Built by prillcode

Storyline is built on the excellent taches-cc-resources framework by glittercowboy. See CREDITS.md for detailed attribution.

Support

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• Documentation: docs/

What's Next

Looking ahead to v2.1 and beyond:

• Integration with project management APIs (JIRA, Linear, etc.)
• Automatic identifier extraction from commits
• Status dashboards and progress tracking
• Team collaboration features
• Template customization system

---

Happy building with Storyline v2.0! 📖✨

For full technical specification, see .workflow/specs/spec-storyline-v2-enhancements.md