port-allocator
Automatically allocate and manage development server ports, avoiding port conflicts between multiple Claude Code instances
Best use case
port-allocator is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt. It is especially useful for teams working in multi. Automatically allocate and manage development server ports, avoiding port conflicts between multiple Claude Code instances
Automatically allocate and manage development server ports, avoiding port conflicts between multiple Claude Code instances
Users should expect a more consistent workflow output, faster repeated execution, and less time spent rewriting prompts from scratch.
Practical example
Example input
Use the "port-allocator" skill to help with this workflow task. Context: Automatically allocate and manage development server ports, avoiding port conflicts between multiple Claude Code instances
Example output
A structured workflow result with clearer steps, more consistent formatting, and an output that is easier to reuse in the next run.
When to use this skill
- Use this skill when you want a reusable workflow rather than writing the same prompt again and again.
When not to use this skill
- Do not use this when you only need a one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- Do not use it if you cannot install or maintain the related files, repository context, or supporting tools.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/port-allocator/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How port-allocator Compares
| Feature / Agent | port-allocator | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Automatically allocate and manage development server ports, avoiding port conflicts between multiple Claude Code instances
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Port Allocator
Smart port allocator that only assigns ports to real projects containing `package.json`.
## Usage
| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `/port-allocator` | Allocate/query port for current project |
| `/port-allocator list` | List all allocated ports |
| `/port-allocator scan` | Scan code directory, discover and allocate ports for new projects |
| `/port-allocator config <path>` | Set the main code directory path |
| `/port-allocator add <dir-path>` | Manually add port allocation for a project |
| `/port-allocator allow` | Configure Claude Code permissions for this skill's commands |
## Important Rules
### 1. Only Operate on Current Project's Ports When Restarting Services
When restarting the development server, **only kill processes within the current project's port range**, never affect other ports:
```bash
# Correct: Only kill current project ports (e.g., 3000-3009)
lsof -ti:3000 | xargs kill -9 2>/dev/null
lsof -ti:3001 | xargs kill -9 2>/dev/null
# Wrong: Kill all node processes or other ports
pkill -f node # Will affect other projects!
lsof -ti:3010 | xargs kill # This is another project's port!
```
### 2. Append Rather Than Overwrite When Updating CLAUDE.md
When updating `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md`, **must preserve the user's existing content**:
```bash
# Correct: Check and append or update specific sections
# Wrong: Directly overwrite the entire file
```
## Execution Steps
### Command: `/port-allocator allow`
Configure Claude Code to allow commands used by this skill, avoiding manual confirmation each time:
1. Read `~/.claude/settings.json` (if exists)
2. Merge the following commands into `permissions.allow` array (preserve existing config):
```json
{
"permissions": {
"allow": [
"Bash(ls -d *)",
"Bash(find * -maxdepth * -name package.json *)",
"Bash(cat ~/.claude/*)",
"Bash(dirname *)",
"Bash(lsof -i:3*)",
"Bash(lsof -ti:3*)"
]
}
}
```
3. Write updated settings.json
4. Output the list of added permissions
**Output Format:**
```
Configured Claude Code permissions
Added allowed command patterns:
- Bash(ls -d *)
- Bash(find * -maxdepth * -name package.json *)
- Bash(cat ~/.claude/*)
- Bash(lsof -i:3*)
- Bash(lsof -ti:3*)
Config file: ~/.claude/settings.json
```
### Command: `/port-allocator config <path>`
Set the user's main code directory:
1. **Verify path exists** (required! Error and exit if not found)
2. Update `code_root` field in `~/.claude/port-registry.json`
3. Output confirmation
### First Run: Auto-Detection
On first run (when `~/.claude/port-registry.json` doesn't exist or has no `code_root`), automatically detect the code directory:
```bash
# Check common code directories
for dir in ~/Codes ~/Code ~/Projects ~/Dev ~/Development ~/repos; do
if [ -d "$dir" ]; then
CODE_ROOT="$dir"
break
fi
done
# If none exist, default to ~/Codes
CODE_ROOT="${CODE_ROOT:-~/Codes}"
```
**Auto-detection output:**
```
First run, detecting code directory...
Code directory detected: ~/Codes
Port registry initialized: ~/.claude/port-registry.json
To change, use:
/port-allocator config ~/your/code/path
```
**If no directory found:**
```
Could not auto-detect code directory.
Please configure manually:
/port-allocator config ~/your/code/path
Common locations:
~/Codes, ~/Code, ~/Projects, ~/Dev
```
### Command: `/port-allocator scan`
Scan code directory, automatically discover and register projects:
1. Read `~/.claude/port-registry.json` to get `code_root`
- If config doesn't exist, run auto-detection first
- If `code_root` directory doesn't exist, prompt user to configure
2. Find all directories containing `package.json` (exact to package.json location):
```bash
# Find all package.json, exclude build artifact directories
find <code_root> -maxdepth 3 -name "package.json" -type f \
-not -path "*/.next/*" \
-not -path "*/node_modules/*" \
-not -path "*/dist/*" \
-not -path "*/build/*" | while read pkg; do
dirname "$pkg"
done
```
3. **Important**: Path must be exact to the directory containing `package.json`
- Correct: `~/Codes/chekusu/landing`
- Wrong: `~/Codes/chekusu` (if package.json is in subdirectory)
4. For each discovered project directory:
- Check if already in registry
- If not, allocate next available port range
5. Update config file (**append mode**, don't overwrite user content)
6. Output scan result summary
### Command: `/port-allocator` (default)
Allocate/query port for current project:
1. Get current working directory
2. Read config to get `code_root` and allocated ports
3. Match current directory to corresponding project
4. If no `package.json`, indicate this is not a project needing ports
5. If exists, check if port already allocated, auto-allocate if not
6. Output port info
### Command: `/port-allocator list`
List all allocated ports (read-only operation).
## Output Format
### Port Information
```
Project directory: ~/Codes/chekusu/landing
package.json: Detected
Port range: 3000-3009
- Main app: 3000
- API: 3001
- Other services: 3002-3009
Warning: Only operate on ports 3000-3009 when restarting services!
```
### Scan Results
```
Scan complete: ~/Codes
Registered projects (N):
- chekusu/landing: 3000-3009
- saifuri: 3010-3019
Newly discovered projects (M):
- new-project: 3090-3099 (newly allocated)
Skipped (K):
- .next, node_modules (build artifacts)
- research-folder (no package.json)
```
## Port Allocation Rules
- Each project is allocated **10 consecutive ports**
- Starting port: 3000
- Interval: 10
- `x0`: Main application (e.g., 3000, 3010, 3020)
- `x1`: API service (e.g., 3001, 3011, 3021)
- `x2-x9`: Other services (database, cache, etc.)
## Configuration Files
- **Port registry**: `~/.claude/port-registry.json`
- **Global instructions**: `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md` (append mode updates)
- **Claude Code settings**: `~/.claude/settings.json` (stores allowedCommands)
- **Skip patterns**: `.next`, `node_modules`, `dist`, `build`
## Notes
1. **Only operate on project ports** - Never affect other projects when restarting services
2. **Append not overwrite** - Preserve user's existing content when updating config files
3. **Precise paths** - Point to actual directory containing package.json
4. **Skip build artifacts** - .next, node_modules, etc. don't get port allocation
5. **First use** - Recommend running `/port-allocator allow` to configure permissions firstRelated Skills
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