Manifest Schema

The manifest.json file is an auto-generated index of a built deck. It is located at .slide-builder/deck/{deck-name}/output/{deck-id}/manifest.json and is created or updated each time slides are built using /pitchsmith:build-one or /pitchsmith:build-all.

The manifest is consumed by the slide viewer, presenter mode, and export functions. You typically do not edit this file directly.

Manifest Structure

{
  "deckId": "product-launch",
  "deckName": "Product Launch",
  "slideCount": 8,
  "plannedSlideCount": 10,
  "slides": [
    {
      "number": 1,
      "fileName": "slide-1.html",
      "title": "Title Slide",
      "template": "title",
      "slideId": "a1b2c3d4",
      "animations": {
        "groups": [["el-1", "el-2"], ["el-3"]],
        "transition": "fade"
      },
      "skipped": false,
      "notes": "Welcome the audience and set expectations."
    }
  ],
  "generatedAt": "2026-03-01T10:30:00Z"
}

Manifest Fields

Field	Type	Required	Description
`deckId`	string	Yes	Unique deck identifier (kebab-case)
`deckName`	string	Yes	Human-readable deck name
`slideCount`	number	Yes	Number of built slides in the deck
`plannedSlideCount`	number	No	Total slides defined in `plan.yaml` (used for build progress badges)
`slides`	array	Yes	Array of slide entries
`generatedAt`	string	Yes	ISO 8601 timestamp of last generation

Slide Entry Fields

Each entry in the slides array describes one built slide.

Field	Type	Required	Description
`number`	number	Yes	Slide position (1-indexed)
`fileName`	string	Yes	HTML filename for the slide (e.g., `"slide-1.html"`)
`title`	string	Yes	Slide title or description
`template`	string	No	Template ID used to generate this slide
`slideId`	string	No	Unique slide identifier
`animations`	object	No	Animation build group configuration
`skipped`	boolean	No	When `true`, slide is excluded from presenter mode and PDF export
`notes`	string	No	Speaker notes for the slide

Animations Object

The animations field controls progressive reveal behavior in presentation mode.

Field	Type	Description
`animations.groups`	string[][]	Array of element ID arrays — each group is revealed on a click / keypress
`animations.transition`	string	Transition style between groups

Deprecated Fields

Field	Replacement	Notes
`buildGroups`	`animations.groups`	Legacy format for animation groups. Use `animations.groups` instead.

Example Manifest

{
  "deckId": "q1-sales-review",
  "deckName": "Q1 Sales Review",
  "slideCount": 5,
  "plannedSlideCount": 8,
  "slides": [
    {
      "number": 1,
      "fileName": "slide-1.html",
      "title": "Q1 Sales Review",
      "template": "title",
      "slideId": "f7e8d9c0",
      "skipped": false
    },
    {
      "number": 2,
      "fileName": "slide-2.html",
      "title": "Revenue Overview",
      "template": "data",
      "slideId": "a1b2c3d4",
      "animations": {
        "groups": [["chart-container"], ["callout-1", "callout-2"]],
        "transition": "fade"
      },
      "notes": "Highlight the 23% growth figure before showing breakdowns."
    },
    {
      "number": 3,
      "fileName": "slide-3.html",
      "title": "Regional Breakdown",
      "template": "split",
      "slideId": "e5f6a7b8"
    },
    {
      "number": 4,
      "fileName": "slide-4.html",
      "title": "Competitive Wins",
      "template": "content",
      "slideId": "c9d0e1f2",
      "skipped": true,
      "notes": "Skip this slide for the short version of the presentation."
    },
    {
      "number": 5,
      "fileName": "slide-5.html",
      "title": "Next Steps",
      "template": "cta",
      "slideId": "b3c4d5e6"
    }
  ],
  "generatedAt": "2026-03-01T14:22:00Z"
}

How the Manifest Is Used

Consumer	Usage
Slide viewer	Reads `slides` array to display the deck, respecting `skipped` status
Presenter mode	Uses `animations.groups` for progressive reveal; filters out `skipped` slides
PDF export	Iterates `slides` in order, excluding entries where `skipped` is `true`
Build progress	Compares `slideCount` vs. `plannedSlideCount` to show build completion
Slide navigation	Uses `number` and `title` for thumbnail strips and jump-to-slide menus

The manifest is regenerated automatically when you build slides or run /pitchsmith:refresh.

Manifest Structure​

Manifest Fields​

Slide Entry Fields​

Animations Object​

Deprecated Fields​

Example Manifest​

How the Manifest Is Used​