Stack Setup
Once your project is activated and Claude Code is connected, Otto Stack assesses your project and runs setup agents to bring it up to current best practices. Here is what happens and why.
What Happens During Setup
Otto Stack performs a comprehensive assessment of your project, then offers to run setup agents for any gaps it finds. The process has three phases:
- Assess — Otto scans your project metadata (dependencies, config files, file structure) and compares it against the Otto Stack Registry of approved, current technologies.
- Recommend — Based on the assessment, Otto generates a prioritized list of recommendations. Each recommendation explains what to do, why it matters, and which industry standard it comes from.
- Setup — Otto offers to run setup agents that configure the recommended tooling. You choose which agents to run — nothing happens without your approval.
Setup Agents
Setup agents are specialized routines that configure specific aspects of your project. Each one is focused, reversible, and explains what it is doing as it works:
| Agent | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Code Quality | Configures linting, formatting, and static analysis (ESLint, Prettier, etc.) |
| Testing | Sets up unit, integration, and E2E test frameworks with sensible defaults |
| CI/CD | Configures build pipelines, test gating, and deployment workflows |
| Docker | Creates optimized, multi-stage Dockerfiles and compose configurations |
| Security | Sets up dependency scanning, secrets detection, and security headers |
| Monitoring | Configures structured logging, health endpoints, and observability |
| Documentation | Generates project docs, API documentation, and contributing guides |
| Git Hooks | Sets up pre-commit hooks for linting, formatting, and commit message standards |
You can run all agents, pick specific ones, or skip and come back later. Otto remembers where you left off.
Readiness Scoring
After setup, Otto calculates a readiness score based on three tiers:
| Tier | Best For | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | Solo devs, MVPs | Approved stack, unit tests, CI/CD, security scanning, structured logging |
| Standard | Production apps | Essential + E2E tests, monitoring, pre-commit hooks, docs, container scanning |
| Complete | Enterprise / regulated | Standard + perf tests, accessibility, dev containers, expand/contract migrations, full observability |
Your readiness score shows which tier you currently qualify for and exactly what is needed to reach the next tier. Security is never optional regardless of tier.
What Happens Next
After initial setup, Otto Stack continues working for you:
- Continuous modernization — Otto monitors your dependencies and recommends updates as frameworks evolve and CVEs are patched
- Readiness tracking — Your readiness score updates as you make changes, always showing your current tier qualification
- Security scanning — If you have Otto Security, scanning begins automatically based on your Stack setup
- Development support — If you have Otto Dev, it uses your Stack configuration to ensure all new code follows your established patterns
Learn more: Read the full Otto Stack documentation for details on the Stack Registry, assessment criteria, and all setup agents. Or check your dashboard to see your current readiness score.