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FAQ - Storyline Docs

Frequently asked questions about Storyline. Find answers to common questions about installation, workflow, and troubleshooting.

Find answers to the most common questions about Storyline.

General

What is Storyline?

Storyline is a CLI toolkit for Claude Code that implements story-driven development. It transforms product requirements into working code through a structured pipeline: Epic → Story → Spec → Implementation.

Who is Storyline for?

Storyline is built for:

  • Solo developers who want structured workflows for complex features
  • Teams looking to standardize development from requirements to code
  • Claude Code users who want to leverage AI-assisted development with clear structure
  • Anyone who values traceability and systematic approaches to building software

Is Storyline free?

Yes! Storyline is free and open source under the MIT license. You can use it for any project, personal or commercial.

What do I need to use Storyline?

You need:

  • Claude Code installed and working
  • Git installed and configured
  • Linux, macOS, WSL, or Windows (WSL recommended for Windows users)

Workflow

What’s the difference between epic-based and standalone stories?

Epic-based stories are part of a larger feature. You start with a PRD, break it into epics, then break epics into stories. Use this for major features or new projects.

Standalone stories skip the epic step. Use them for bug fixes, small features, or quick tasks that don’t need the full pipeline.

Do I have to use every stage of the pipeline?

No! You can:

  • Start with just /sl-story-creator for standalone stories
  • Skip directly to /sl-spec-story if you already have user stories
  • Use /sl-commit independently for any git commits

The pipeline is flexible—use what makes sense for your task.

What are spec strategies?

When generating technical specs from stories, you can choose:

  • Simple (1:1): One story produces one spec
  • Complex (1:many): One story produces multiple specs (for large stories)
  • Combined (many:1): Multiple related stories produce one spec

Standalone stories always use simple strategy.

Does Storyline auto-push commits?

No! Storyline creates commits automatically but never auto-pushes. You always review and push when ready. This keeps you in control.

Installation

How do I install Storyline?

Plugin Installation (Recommended):

Start a Claude Code session and run:

/plugin marketplace add https://github.com/prillcode/storyline
/plugin install storyline
/sl-setup check

Manual Installation:

git clone https://github.com/prillcode/storyline.git
cd storyline
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

For complete installation instructions and troubleshooting, see the Installation guide.

How do I update Storyline?

If installed via plugin: The plugin system will notify you of available updates automatically.

If installed manually: Navigate to your cloned repository and run:

cd /path/to/storyline
git pull origin main
./install.sh

How do I verify the installation?

Start a new Claude Code session and run:

/sl-setup check

This verifies all components are installed correctly.

Troubleshooting

”Command not found: /sl-setup”

Start a new Claude Code session after installation. Skills and commands are loaded when Claude Code starts.

Skills not found

Check that files were copied correctly:

ls ~/.claude/skills/storyline*
ls ~/.claude/commands/sl-*

You should see multiple Storyline-related files in each directory.

The workflow directory already exists

If you see this error, your project was already initialized. Run /sl-setup status to see the current state.

Specs aren’t being generated correctly

Ensure your stories follow proper format with:

  • Clear acceptance criteria
  • User persona defined
  • Testable requirements

Run /sl-setup status to verify your project structure.

Still Have Questions?