# developer-onboarding

Guides you in building quickstarts, tutorials, and starter templates. Helps developers go from initial signup to working code without friction.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · ★ 87
- Author: jonathimer
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/jonathimer/devmarketing-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/developer-onboarding/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-03-03
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/developer-onboarding

## What it does

The skill focuses on shortening time to first value (TTFV) for developer tools. Developers give a new tool about 10 minutes of attention before giving up. The instructions set clear targets: under 5 minutes for simple APIs, under 10 minutes for installable SDKs, and under 30 minutes for complex infrastructure. Friction like hidden prerequisites or broken errors causes immediate drop-off.

It provides a four-step quickstart blueprint covering installation, credential initialization, first call, and expected output. It also outlines a tiered strategy for sample repositories. This includes single-file minimal examples that run in 30 seconds, 5-minute starter apps, and 30-minute production templates. Hiding setup requirements inside middle steps breaks the onboarding experience instantly.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill developer-onboarding -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/developer-onboarding/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/developer-onboarding/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill developer-onboarding -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/developer-onboarding/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill developer-onboarding -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/developer-onboarding/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install jonathimer/devmarketing-skills developer-onboarding
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/developer-onboarding/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill developer-onboarding -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --path skills/developer-onboarding
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/developer-onboarding/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill developer-onboarding -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/jonathimer/devmarketing-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/developer-onboarding/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- reduce time to first value (TTFV) for APIs and SDKs
- write a friction-free 5-minute quickstart guide
- organize code repositories into tiered starter templates
- design interactive tutorials with clear progress indicators

## Example prompts
- Design a 5-minute quickstart guide for our Node.js SDK with explicit prerequisites.
- Audit our developer onboarding workflow to identify blockers and cut TTFV.
- Structure our sample app repositories into minimal, starter, and production tiers.

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 88b24d9586c1cfb0.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 88b24d9586c1cfb0
````text
---
name: developer-onboarding
description: |
  Get developers to "Hello World" fast with optimized quickstarts, tutorials,
  and sample apps. Trigger phrases: developer onboarding, time to first value,
  quickstart guide, hello world tutorial, developer activation, onboarding checklist,
  sample apps, getting started experience, reduce time to value
metadata:
  version: 1.0.0
---

# Developer Onboarding

Get developers from signup to working code as fast as possible, then guide them to deeper engagement.

## Overview

Developer onboarding is the critical window between "I signed up" and "I understand how to use this." You have about 10 minutes of developer attention. Every second of confusion, every error message without guidance, every "it should work but doesn't" moment costs you users.

Great onboarding feels like pair programming with someone who anticipated every question. Bad onboarding feels like being dropped in a foreign city without a map.

## Before You Start

Review the `/devmarketing-skills/skills/developer-audience-context` skill to understand your target developers. A hobbyist building side projects needs different onboarding than an enterprise architect evaluating tools for production. Review `/devmarketing-skills/skills/developer-signup-flow` to ensure signup flows smoothly into onboarding.

## Time-to-First-Value Optimization

### Defining "First Value"

First value isn't "made an API call." First value is when the developer sees your tool doing something useful for them.

| Tool Type | First Value Moment |
|-----------|-------------------|
| API | Response returns meaningful data |
| SDK | Library performs expected function |
| Database | Query returns results |
| Hosting | App is live and accessible |
| Auth | User successfully logs in |
| Payment | Test charge processes |

### Measuring Time to First Value (TTFV)

Track timestamps at each stage:

```
signup_completed: 2024-01-15T10:00:00Z
dashboard_loaded: 2024-01-15T10:00:05Z
api_key_copied: 2024-01-15T10:01:30Z
first_api_call: 2024-01-15T10:04:45Z
first_successful_response: 2024-01-15T10:04:46Z  # TTFV = 4:46
```

**Benchmarks by category:**
- Simple APIs: <5 minutes
- SDKs requiring installation: <10 minutes
- Complex infrastructure: <30 minutes
- Self-hosted: <60 minutes

### Removing TTFV Obstacles

Map every step and eliminate blockers:

**Common TTFV killers:**
1. Email verification before dashboard access
2. API keys hidden in account settings
3. Quickstart assumes dependencies already installed
4. First example requires paid features
5. Error messages without resolution guidance
6. Docs search finds outdated tutorials

**TTFV audit process:**
1. Create new account (fresh browser, no cookies)
2. Screen record your first 30 minutes
````
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---
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