Problem: `ruflo plugins install` does not exist (the correct skills entry is npx skills add) —— Trove problem library

What you will run into

You run ruflo migrate status (or another suggested command) and it helpfully tells you to execute ruflo plugins install <plugin> to fix things — but that command does not exist or has wrong syntax, and copy-pasting it fails. You did not mistype: the tool is pointing you at the wrong subsystem and syntax in its own message.

Why this happens

Conclusion first: the plugin/skill install surface is not plugins install (issue #2985, 2026-08-12); the advisory text is out of sync with the real command surface.

Chain: in-tool suggestion -> you execute it -> command parsing -> no such command / syntax error. The break is in step one: the user is guided to a nonexistent entry point — a reporting gap in the tool, not a user mistake.

Measured (2026-08-29, v3.38.20): npx -y ruflo init --no-signup --no-skills-sh --no-codex-detect succeeds; the init log states the correct skills entry explicitly: Want all 267 plugin skills? npx skills add ruvnet/ruflo --all.

Conclusion: when a tool suggests a command that does not run, trust the real command surface from ruflo --help (PRIMARY COMMANDS: init/start/status, and so on); if unsure, check the docs or the matching issue.

Step by step

1. Look at the real command surface — Required

ruflo --help: PRIMARY COMMANDS include init/start/status; there is no plugins install.

2. Install skills through the skills entry — Required

npx skills add ruvnet/ruflo --all (267 plugin skills; this market skipped the full pull with --no-skills-sh during init, so the full pull was not reproduced — stated honestly).

3. Initialize with init — Required

npx -y ruflo init; add --no-signup --no-codex-detect for interactive/signup-heavy scenarios.

4. When unsure about a command — Diagnostic

Trust --help first, then check the issue (e.g. #2985) to confirm whether the advisory text is a known defect.

How to confirm it works

• ruflo --version prints a version (measured: ruflo v3.38.20);
• init completes and prints its follow-up hints (skills entry, daemon hints, and so on).

Other environments

• Mainland networks: prefer npmmirror for init (npm_config_registry=https://registry.npmmirror.com);
• Common confusion: advisory text from migrate status is not an executable command; trust --help;
• Source material: ruvnet/ruflo issue #2985 (2026-08-12), anonymous retrieval summary.

Symptom

ruflo migrate status and similar commands suggest running ruflo plugins install <plugin>, but the command does not exist or errors on syntax; the printed fix cannot succeed.

Cause

Wrong subsystem plus wrong syntax (issue #2985, 2026-08-12): the plugin/skill install surface is not plugins install. Measured init output shows the correct skills entry is npx skills add ruvnet/ruflo --all (267 plugin skills).

Solution

1. Skills: npx skills add ruvnet/ruflo --all (init output suggestion; this market skipped the full pull with --no-skills-sh during the 2026-08-29 init, so full pull was not reproduced).
2. Init: npx -y ruflo init (use --no-signup --no-codex-detect for interactive-signup scenarios).
3. When unsure about a command, check ruflo --help first (measured output: init/start/status and other PRIMARY COMMANDS).