Quick Start Guide

Get Started with ProtoFlow

Install ProtoFlow as a Claude Code plugin in 2 minutes. No dependencies. No account required. Just add the marketplace and install the plugin.

⏱️ Estimated time: 2 minutes

Prerequisites

What You Need

Claude Code CLI Installed

Version 1.0.33 or later required for plugin support.

claude --version

If you need to install or update Claude Code, visit the Claude Code quickstart guide

ℹ️

Git Access (Optional)

ProtoFlow is distributed via GitLab. If you're installing from a private GitLab instance, ensure you have access credentials configured.

Installation

Two-Step Installation

1

Add the ProtoFlow Plugin Marketplace

First, register the ProtoFlow plugin marketplace with Claude Code. This tells Claude where to find the ProtoFlow plugins.

/plugin marketplace add git@gitlab.com:your-org/protoflow-marketplace.git
💡

Using a Different Git Host?

You can use any Git URL (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, self-hosted). Replace with your actual marketplace URL:

/plugin marketplace add https://gitlab.com/your-org/protoflow-marketplace.git
2

Install the ProtoFlow Plugin

Now install ProtoFlow from the marketplace you just added. The plugin namespace must match the marketplace name.

/plugin install protoflow@protoflow-marketplace
📦

Understanding the Namespace

The format is plugin-name@marketplace-name

  • protoflow = the plugin name
  • protoflow-marketplace = the marketplace you registered in Step 1

Installation Progress

Claude Code will clone the marketplace repository and install all ProtoFlow components. This typically takes 10-30 seconds depending on your connection speed.

Quick Reference

Basic Commands Cheatsheet

Here are the essential ProtoFlow commands you'll use most frequently:

/help

View all available commands across all installed plugins, including ProtoFlow commands.

/help

/protoflow:new-prototype

Create a new prototype starting at Phase 1 (SEED). Claude will guide you through capturing your idea.

/protoflow:new-prototype
📋

/protoflow:list-prototypes

List all prototypes with their status, phase, and key metadata. Great for seeing what projects you have in progress.

/protoflow:list-prototypes
🔨

/protoflow:workon [name]

Resume work on an existing prototype. Fuzzy search by name, ID, or description to find your project.

/protoflow:workon my-app
🚀

/protoflow:deploy

Deploy the current prototype to your configured environment (Amplify, CDK, or custom deployment).

/protoflow:deploy

/protoflow:quality-control

Run quality checks on the current prototype, including code standards, design system compliance, and testing coverage.

/protoflow:quality-control

Using Claude Code on AWS Bedrock

☁️

ProtoFlow Works with Bedrock

ProtoFlow is fully compatible with Claude Code running on AWS Bedrock. This enables you to use Claude's capabilities within your AWS environment while benefiting from ProtoFlow's structured development workflow.

📘

Setup Guide

For detailed instructions on configuring Claude Code with AWS Bedrock, refer to the official documentation:

AWS Bedrock User Guide →

Special Considerations for Bedrock Users

  • IAM Permissions: Ensure your AWS credentials have permissions for Bedrock model invocation (bedrock:InvokeModel)
  • Region Availability: Claude models may not be available in all AWS regions. Check Bedrock documentation for supported regions.
  • Model Selection: ProtoFlow works with all Claude models available through Bedrock (Claude 3.5 Sonnet recommended)
  • Cost Tracking: Bedrock usage appears in your AWS Cost Explorer under Amazon Bedrock service
Verification

Verify Installation

After installation completes, verify that ProtoFlow is working correctly:

1️⃣

Check Available Commands

Run the help command to see all ProtoFlow slash commands:

/help

You should see ProtoFlow commands listed under the protoflow namespace (e.g., /protoflow:new-prototype)

2️⃣

Test a Simple Command

Try creating a new prototype to test the workflow:

/protoflow:new-prototype

Claude will guide you through the SEED phase (Phase 1) to capture your prototype idea.

3️⃣

Check Plugin Info

View installed plugin details:

/plugin list
Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Error: "Plugin not found in marketplace"

Solution: Verify the marketplace was added correctly:

/plugin marketplace list

Ensure protoflow-marketplace appears in the list. If not, re-add it with Step 1.

Error: "Git authentication failed"

Solution: Configure Git credentials for the marketplace host:

  • For SSH: Ensure your SSH key is added to GitLab
  • For HTTPS: Use a personal access token with repo read permissions

Error: "Claude Code version too old"

Solution: Update Claude Code to version 1.0.33 or later:

brew upgrade claude-code (macOS)
npm update -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code (npm)

Commands don't appear after installation

Solution: Restart Claude Code to reload plugins:

  1. Exit Claude Code completely
  2. Restart with claude
  3. Run /help to verify commands appear
Next Steps

What to Do Next

Now that ProtoFlow is installed, explore these key features to get the most out of structured AI-assisted development:

🚀

Create Your First Prototype

Ready to build? Start with the new prototype command:

/protoflow:new-prototype

Need Help?

Join the ProtoFlow community for support, feature requests, and discussions.