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port-allocator

Automatically allocate and manage development server ports, avoiding port conflicts between multiple Claude Code instances

Packaged view

This page reorganizes the original catalog entry around fit, installability, and workflow context first. The original raw source lives below.

Stars
232
Hot score
98
Updated
March 19, 2026
Overall rating
C4.7
Composite score
4.7
Best-practice grade
C56.0

Install command

npx @skill-hub/cli install guo-yu-skills-port-allocator

Repository

guo-yu/skills

Skill path: port-allocator

Automatically allocate and manage development server ports, avoiding port conflicts between multiple Claude Code instances

Open repository

Best for

Primary workflow: Ship Full Stack.

Technical facets: Full Stack, Backend.

Target audience: everyone.

License: Unknown.

Original source

Catalog source: SkillHub Club.

Repository owner: guo-yu.

This is still a mirrored public skill entry. Review the repository before installing into production workflows.

What it helps with

  • Install port-allocator into Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, or OpenCode workflows
  • Review https://github.com/guo-yu/skills before adding port-allocator to shared team environments
  • Use port-allocator for development workflows

Works across

Claude CodeCodex CLIGemini CLIOpenCode

Favorites: 0.

Sub-skills: 0.

Aggregator: No.

Original source / Raw SKILL.md

---
name: port-allocator
description: Automatically allocate and manage development server ports, avoiding port conflicts between multiple Claude Code instances
---

# 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 first