Why does this skill only create the first task instead of a full project tree?

This approach avoids brittle upfront planning. By creating tasks iteratively, the plan adapts to what is learned during coding, preventing the need to delete or rewrite tasks based on false assumptions.

How does the research phase integrate with my existing code?

The skill dispatches a codebase-investigator to find existing patterns (like auth or database models) to ensure new designs are consistent with your current architecture rather than reinventing the wheel.

What is the role of the 'Anti-Patterns' section in the design?

Anti-patterns explicitly forbid specific implementation choices with reasoning (e.g., security risks). This prevents the design from being watered down or compromised when developers face blockers during execution.

What makes an 'Epic' immutable in this workflow?

The Epic serves as a fixed contract. While the implementation tasks are flexible and adaptive, the core requirements and success criteria remain constant to ensure the original vision and quality standards are met.

Brainstorming & Architecture

Name: Brainstorming & Architecture
Author: withzombies

bywithzombies

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Productivity & Workflow

Transforms rough ideas into validated technical designs and immutable requirements through Socratic questioning and deep research.

About

The Brainstorming skill provides a structured framework for the conceptual phase of software development, ensuring that features are well-architected before any code is written. By utilizing Socratic questioning alongside automated codebase and internet research, it helps developers evaluate multiple approaches, identify trade-offs, and establish 'immutable' epics that define success criteria and anti-patterns. This skill prevents architectural drift and technical debt by focusing on iterative task creation, allowing project plans to adapt to real-world discoveries during implementation.

Key Features

Multi-option architectural proposals with detailed pros, cons, and trade-offs
Automated codebase and internet research to identify existing patterns and external APIs
Creation of immutable Epics with explicit anti-patterns to protect design integrity
13 GitHub stars
Socratic questioning to uncover hidden constraints and project requirements
Integrated SRE refinement for edge-case analysis and robust task validation

Use Cases

Defining the architecture and requirements for a complex new feature
Converting vague user requests into testable success criteria and actionable tasks
Exploring and validating multiple technical approaches before implementation

About

Key Features

Multi-option architectural proposals with detailed pros, cons, and trade-offs
Automated codebase and internet research to identify existing patterns and external APIs
Creation of immutable Epics with explicit anti-patterns to protect design integrity
13 GitHub stars
Socratic questioning to uncover hidden constraints and project requirements
Integrated SRE refinement for edge-case analysis and robust task validation

Use Cases

Defining the architecture and requirements for a complex new feature
Converting vague user requests into testable success criteria and actionable tasks
Exploring and validating multiple technical approaches before implementation