name: mise
description: This skill should be used when the user asks to "start a new project", "init project", "create a project", "scaffold project", "install node", "add python", "set up a project", "install dependencies", or when working in a project that uses development tools like Node.js, Python, Go, Ruby, or Rust. Also use when encountering global tool usage (npm -g, pip install without venv, uv tool install) to redirect to mise-managed tools.

Mise Tool Management

Mise is a polyglot version manager for development tools. All tool installations and version management should go through mise to ensure reproducibility and avoid global tool pollution.

Starting New Projects

When creating a new project, always create a mise.toml as part of the initial setup. This ensures tooling is version-controlled from the start.

Core Principle: Always Pin Versions

Always use fully pinned versions in mise.toml for reproducibility. Never use partial versions or "latest".

# Good - fully pinned
node = "22.11.0"
python = "3.12.7"
go = "1.23.4"

# Bad - unpinned or partial
node = "22"
python = "latest"
uv = "latest"

To find the current version to pin:

mise ls-remote node | tail -1     # Latest available
mise current node                  # Currently active version

Core Principle: No Global Tools

Never install tools globally. This includes:
- npm install -g or npm i -g
- pip install outside a virtual environment
- uv tool install
- gem install globally
- go install to GOPATH

Instead, use mise to manage all tool versions per-project or globally via mise.

Checking for mise.toml

When working in a project, first check if mise configuration exists:

ls -la mise.toml .mise.toml .tool-versions 2>/dev/null

If none exists and the project uses development tools, propose creating a mise.toml.

Creating mise.toml

For a new project or one missing mise configuration:

[tools]
node = "22.11.0"
python = "3.12.7"

[env]
# Project-specific environment variables
_.path = ["./node_modules/.bin", "./scripts"]

Common Tool Configurations

Node.js project:

[tools]
node = "22.11.0"

[env]
_.path = ["./node_modules/.bin"]

Python project:

[tools]
python = "3.12.7"
uv = "0.5.11"

[env]
_.path = ["./.venv/bin"]

Go project:

[tools]
go = "1.23.4"

Multi-language project:

[tools]
node = "22.11.0"
python = "3.12.7"
go = "1.23.4"

[env]
_.path = ["./node_modules/.bin", "./.venv/bin"]

Installing Tools

After creating or modifying mise.toml:

mise install

To install a specific tool:

mise use [email protected]        # Add to mise.toml and install
mise install [email protected]    # Install without modifying mise.toml

Checking Installed Tools

mise ls           # List installed tools
mise current      # Show active versions in current directory
mise doctor       # Diagnose mise setup issues

Handling Global Tool Requests

When the user asks to install something globally:

1. npm packages: Add as dev dependency or use npx
   bash npm install --save-dev prettier # Instead of npm i -g prettier npx prettier # Run without installing

2. Python packages: Use uv with mise, or project venv
   bash # In mise.toml, ensure uv is available uv pip install package # Installs to project venv

3. CLI tools: Add to mise.toml with pinned version
   bash mise use [email protected] mise use [email protected]

References

• references/advanced.md - Migration from asdf, environment variables, tasks, and troubleshooting
• references/lefthook.md - Setting up lefthook git hooks manager with mise postinstall automation
• references/uv.md - Python package management with uv, pyproject.toml setup, and mise integration