Agent skill

Documentation And Adrs

by dzhalaevd in dzhalaevd/Donatello

Records decisions and documentation. An agent skill from dzhalaevd/Donatello.

Apache-2.0Auto-check: notesDevelopment

Install Documentation And Adrs

skills CLI
$ npx skills add dzhalaevd/Donatello --skill documentation-and-adrs -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install dzhalaevd/Donatello documentation-and-adrs --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/dzhalaevd/Donatello.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/.agents/skills/documentation-and-adrs .claude/skills/documentation-and-adrs && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
documentation-and-adrs
GitHub stars
135
Used in
8 other repos
Token cost
~2.4k tokens
SKILL.md length
657 words
Files
1
Skills in repo
15
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
Apache-2.0

At a glance

Records decisions and documentation. An agent skill from dzhalaevd/Donatello.

  • Making architectural decisions
  • SKILL.md covers Overview, When to Use, Architecture Decision Records… and Inline Documentation, plus 7 more sections
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
  • Changing public APIs

What it does

Documentation And Adrs is an agent skill from dzhalaevd/Donatello. Records decisions and documentation. Use when making architectural decisions, changing public APIs, shipping features, or when you need to record context that future engineers and agents will need to understand the codebase.

Its SKILL.md is about 2.4k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.

It sits in Development, covering Architecture decision records. The repository describes itself as: Make Dating Great Again. An open source dating platform. The licence is Apache-2.0.

When your agent uses it

  • Making architectural decisions
  • Changing public APIs
  • Shipping features
  • You need to record context that future engineers and agents will need to understand the codebase

Example prompts

  • “Use the documentation-and-adrs skill to record decisions and documentation. An agent skill from dzhalaevd/Donatello”
  • “/documentation-and-adrs”

Requirements

  • Node.js

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit b57816e. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md (its code samples are typescript, markdown and yaml).

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Documentation And Adrs loads about 2.4k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 62 tokens; SKILL.md has 657 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~62
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~2.4k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check: notes

The automated check noted patterns worth knowing about, such as sudo or a known installer.

  • NoteMentions a .env fileSKILL.md:212
    3. Set up environment: `cp .env.example .env`

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from dzhalaevd/Donatello at commit b57816e, republished under its Apache-2.0 licence (© dzhalaevd). 657 words, ~2,437 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/documentation-and-adrs/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).
name
documentation-and-adrs
description
Records decisions and documentation. Use when making architectural decisions, changing public APIs, shipping features, or when you need to record context that future engineers and agents will need to understand the codebase.

Documentation and ADRs

Overview

Document decisions, not just code. The most valuable documentation captures the why — the context, constraints, and trade-offs that led to a decision. Code shows what was built; documentation explains why it was built this way and what alternatives were considered. This context is essential for future humans and agents working in the codebase.

When to Use

  • Making a significant architectural decision
  • Choosing between competing approaches
  • Adding or changing a public API
  • Shipping a feature that changes user-facing behavior
  • Onboarding new team members (or agents) to the project
  • When you find yourself explaining the same thing repeatedly

When NOT to use: Don't document obvious code. Don't add comments that restate what the code already says. Don't write docs for throwaway prototypes.

Architecture Decision Records (ADRs)

ADRs capture the reasoning behind significant technical decisions. They're the highest-value documentation you can write.

When to Write an ADR
  • Choosing a framework, library, or major dependency
  • Designing a data model or database schema
  • Selecting an authentication strategy
  • Deciding on an API architecture (REST vs. GraphQL vs. tRPC)
  • Choosing between build tools, hosting platforms, or infrastructure
  • Any decision that would be expensive to reverse
Match the existing convention first

Before creating an ADR, inspect the available repository context for an established convention — existing ADRs, project instructions, and ADR-related configuration or tooling (e.g. an .adr-dir file). An established convention overrides the defaults below. Match:

  • Location and format — e.g. docs/adr/*.md, Documentation/Decisions/*.rst, a MADR layout, or an adr-tools setup. Match the existing directory, file extension, and markup (Markdown vs reStructuredText).
  • Numbering and naming — continue the existing sequence and filename pattern (ADR-004-Title.rst, 0004-title.md, …); don't restart at 001 or introduce a second scheme.
  • Section headings — reuse the project's heading set rather than imposing this template's.

If the available evidence conflicts, surface the conflict rather than silently introducing another scheme. Only when no convention can be established do you apply the default below.

ADR Template

Store ADRs in docs/decisions/ with sequential numbering (unless the project already uses another location — see above):

markdown
# ADR-001: Use PostgreSQL for primary database

## Status
Accepted | Superseded by ADR-XXX | Deprecated

## Date
2025-01-15

## Context
We need a primary database for the task management application. Key requirements:
- Relational data model (users, tasks, teams with relationships)
- ACID transactions for task state changes
- Support for full-text search on task content
- Managed hosting available (for small team, limited ops capacity)

## Decision
Use PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM.

## Alternatives Considered

### MongoDB
- Pros: Flexible schema, easy to start with
- Cons: Our data is inherently relational; would need to manage relationships manually
- Rejected: Relational data in a document store leads to complex joins or data duplication

### SQLite
- Pros: Zero configuration, embedded, fast for reads
- Cons: Limited concurrent write support, no managed hosting for production
- Rejected: Not suitable for multi-user web application in production

### MySQL
- Pros: Mature, widely supported
- Cons: PostgreSQL has better JSON support, full-text search, and ecosystem tooling
- Rejected: PostgreSQL is the better fit for our feature requirements

## Consequences
- Prisma provides type-safe database access and migration management
- We can use PostgreSQL's full-text search instead of adding Elasticsearch
- Team needs PostgreSQL knowledge (standard skill, low risk)
- Hosting on managed service (Supabase, Neon, or RDS)
ADR Lifecycle
PROPOSED → ACCEPTED → (SUPERSEDED or DEPRECATED)
  • Don't delete old ADRs. They capture historical context.
  • When a decision changes, write a new ADR that references and supersedes the old one.

Inline Documentation

When to Comment

Comment the why, not the what:

typescript
// BAD: Restates the code
// Increment counter by 1
counter += 1;

// GOOD: Explains non-obvious intent
// Rate limit uses a sliding window — reset counter at window boundary,
// not on a fixed schedule, to prevent burst attacks at window edges
if (now - windowStart > WINDOW_SIZE_MS) {
  counter = 0;
  windowStart = now;
}
When NOT to Comment
typescript
// Don't comment self-explanatory code
function calculateTotal(items: CartItem[]): number {
  return items.reduce((sum, item) => sum + item.price * item.quantity, 0);
}

// Don't leave TODO comments for things you should just do now
// TODO: add error handling  ← Just add it

// Don't leave commented-out code
// const oldImplementation = () => { ... }  ← Delete it, git has history
Document Known Gotchas
typescript
/**
 * IMPORTANT: This function must be called before the first render.
 * If called after hydration, it causes a flash of unstyled content
 * because the theme context isn't available during SSR.
 *
 * See ADR-003 for the full design rationale.
 */
export function initializeTheme(theme: Theme): void {
  // ...
}

API Documentation

For public APIs (REST, GraphQL, library interfaces):

Inline with Types (Preferred for TypeScript)
typescript
/**
 * Creates a new task.
 *
 * @param input - Task creation data (title required, description optional)
 * @returns The created task with server-generated ID and timestamps
 * @throws {ValidationError} If title is empty or exceeds 200 characters
 * @throws {AuthenticationError} If the user is not authenticated
 *
 * @example
 * const task = await createTask({ title: 'Buy groceries' });
 * console.log(task.id); // "task_abc123"
 */
export async function createTask(input: CreateTaskInput): Promise<Task> {
  // ...
}
OpenAPI / Swagger for REST APIs
yaml
paths:
  /api/tasks:
    post:
      summary: Create a task
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/CreateTaskInput'
      responses:
        '201':
          description: Task created
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Task'
        '422':
          description: Validation error
Show full SKILL.md (261 more words)Show less

README Structure

Every project should have a README that covers:

markdown
# Project Name

One-paragraph description of what this project does.

## Quick Start
1. Clone the repo
2. Install dependencies: `npm install`
3. Set up environment: `cp .env.example .env`
4. Run the dev server: `npm run dev`

## Commands
| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `npm run dev` | Start development server |
| `npm test` | Run tests |
| `npm run build` | Production build |
| `npm run lint` | Run linter |

## Architecture
Brief overview of the project structure and key design decisions.
Link to ADRs for details.

## Contributing
How to contribute, coding standards, PR process.

Changelog Maintenance

For shipped features:

markdown
# Changelog

## [1.2.0] - 2025-01-20
### Added
- Task sharing: users can share tasks with team members (#123)
- Email notifications for task assignments (#124)

### Fixed
- Duplicate tasks appearing when rapidly clicking create button (#125)

### Changed
- Task list now loads 50 items per page (was 20) for better UX (#126)

Documentation for Agents

Special consideration for AI agent context:

  • CLAUDE.md / rules files — Document project conventions so agents follow them
  • Spec files — Keep specs updated so agents build the right thing
  • ADRs — Help agents understand why past decisions were made (prevents re-deciding)
  • Inline gotchas — Prevent agents from falling into known traps

Common Rationalizations

RationalizationReality
"The code is self-documenting"Code shows what. It doesn't show why, what alternatives were rejected, or what constraints apply.
"We'll write docs when the API stabilizes"APIs stabilize faster when you document them. The doc is the first test of the design.
"Nobody reads docs"Agents do. Future engineers do. Your 3-months-later self does.
"ADRs are overhead"A 10-minute ADR prevents a 2-hour debate about the same decision six months later.
"Comments get outdated"Comments on why are stable. Comments on what get outdated — that's why you only write the former.

Red Flags

  • Architectural decisions with no written rationale
  • Public APIs with no documentation or types
  • README that doesn't explain how to run the project
  • Commented-out code instead of deletion
  • TODO comments that have been there for weeks
  • No ADRs in a project with significant architectural choices
  • Documentation that restates the code instead of explaining intent

Verification

After documenting:

  • ADRs exist for all significant architectural decisions
  • README covers quick start, commands, and architecture overview
  • API functions have parameter and return type documentation
  • Known gotchas are documented inline where they matter
  • No commented-out code remains
  • Rules files (CLAUDE.md etc.) are current and accurate

© dzhalaevd, Apache-2.0. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

Just SKILL.md in .agents/skills/documentation-and-adrs of dzhalaevd/Donatello.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit b57816e

Used in 8 other repositories

We found 13 copies of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 8 other GitHub owners. This page covers the copy in dzhalaevd/Donatello, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.

Compare with similar skills

Documentation And Adrs next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Documentation And Adrs compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Documentation And Adrs this skilldzhalaevd/Donatello1358 repos~2.4kAutomated safety check: NotesApache-2.0
PR Design DocOpenHands/OpenHands90k—~2.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Cto AdvisorIbrahim-3d/orchestrator-supaconductor3814 repos~2.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Architecture DecisionDonchitos/Claude-Code-Game-Studios26k—~1.7kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Improve Codebase Architectureywwynm/EverythingDone14415 repos~1.3kAutomated safety check: PassGPL-3.0
Domain Modelingbrim-borium/spotify_sdk1665 repos~806Automated safety check: PassApache-2.0

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Categories

Questions about Documentation And Adrs

What does Documentation And Adrs do?

Records decisions and documentation. An agent skill from dzhalaevd/Donatello. Documentation And Adrs is an agent skill from dzhalaevd/Donatello. Records decisions and documentation.

When should I use Documentation And Adrs?

Documentation And Adrs fits situations like: making architectural decisions; changing public APIs; shipping features; you need to record context that future engineers and agents will need to understand the codebase.

How do I install Documentation And Adrs in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add dzhalaevd/Donatello --skill documentation-and-adrs -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (.agents/skills/documentation-and-adrs in dzhalaevd/Donatello) into .claude/skills/documentation-and-adrs in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Documentation And Adrs in Codex?

Run `npx skills add dzhalaevd/Donatello --skill documentation-and-adrs -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (.agents/skills/documentation-and-adrs in dzhalaevd/Donatello) into .agents/skills/documentation-and-adrs in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Documentation And Adrs in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add dzhalaevd/Donatello --skill documentation-and-adrs -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/documentation-and-adrs, .gemini/skills/documentation-and-adrs, .github/skills/documentation-and-adrs and .opencode/skills/documentation-and-adrs in your project.

What does Documentation And Adrs need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Documentation And Adrs is instructions for the agent only. Our summary lists: Node.js.

Does Documentation And Adrs access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Documentation And Adrs safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found notes only (mentions a .env file), nothing it rates as a warning. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Documentation And Adrs use?

Documentation And Adrs is published under the Apache-2.0 licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Documentation And Adrs use?

About 2.4k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 9.7k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Documentation And Adrs?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Documentation And Adrs: PR Design Doc (OpenHands/OpenHands, 90k stars), Cto Advisor (Ibrahim-3d/orchestrator-supaconductor, 381 stars), Architecture Decision (Donchitos/Claude-Code-Game-Studios, 26k stars) and Improve Codebase Architecture (ywwynm/EverythingDone, 144 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Documentation And Adrs?

dzhalaevd (a GitHub user) maintains it in dzhalaevd/Donatello, which has 135 GitHub stars. The repository holds 15 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 3, 2026.

Source: dzhalaevd/Donatello on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.