Brainstorming Before Building
jnMetaCode/superpowers-zh
Turns a rough idea into an approved design before any code is written, sorting the request into spike, bounded or architectural and enforcing an approval gate.
Runs a short design conversation before coding: aligns on terms, works through the decisions that matter and ends with a plan you confirm.
Install Architect Before You Build
$ npx skills add jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill --skill architect -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill architect --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/architect .claude/skills/architect && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.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/
Install the "architect" agent skill from https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill/tree/main/skills/architect into .claude/skills/architect/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "architect", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill/tree/main/skills/architectType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill --skill architect -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill architect --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/architect .agents/skills/architect && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "architect" agent skill from https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill/tree/main/skills/architect into .agents/skills/architect/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "architect", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill --skill architect -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill architect --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/architect .cursor/skills/architect && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "architect" agent skill from https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill/tree/main/skills/architect into .cursor/skills/architect/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "architect", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill.git --path skills/architect--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill --skill architect -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill architect --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/architect .gemini/skills/architect && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "architect" agent skill from https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill/tree/main/skills/architect into .gemini/skills/architect/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "architect", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill architectInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill --skill architect -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/architect .github/skills/architect && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "architect" agent skill from https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill/tree/main/skills/architect into .github/skills/architect/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "architect", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill --skill architect -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill architect --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/architect .opencode/skills/architect && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "architect" agent skill from https://github.com/jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill/tree/main/skills/architect into .opencode/skills/architect/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "architect", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
architect- GitHub stars
- 216
- Token cost
- ~1.1k tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 540 words
- Files
- 1
- Skills in repo
- 5
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
Runs a short design conversation before coding: aligns on terms, works through the decisions that matter and ends with a plan you confirm.
- Works in 5 steps: Understand What's Here → Align on Language → Think Through the Decisions Together → …
- Before starting a new feature that has unclear scope
- SKILL.md covers Step 1 — Understand What's Here, Step 2 — Align on Language, Step 3 — Think Through the… and Step 4 — Know When You Are Done, plus 2 more sections
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
What it does
Think of this as a design conversation held before coding starts, with the agent playing a senior engineer who does the homework first. It reads the feature description, any context files and existing code, and does not ask about anything the documentation already answers.
Next it aligns vocabulary: it picks three to five terms in the feature description that could mean different things, proposes a definition for each from context and waits for your confirmation or correction before moving on. Then it works through only the decisions that would change what gets built, one question at a time, in order of impact, saying what it would do and why so you have something to react to.
The aim is a thinking session, not an interrogation, and the description says it ends with a clear implementation plan that you confirm before anything starts. The final step, on knowing when the discussion is done, is cut off in the supplied text.
When your agent uses it
- Before starting a new feature that has unclear scope
- Settling the key technical decisions with an agent before it writes code
- Making sure you and the agent mean the same thing by project terms
Example prompts
- “Before we build the notifications feature, think it through with me like a senior engineer.”
- “Help me work out the decisions behind a multi-tenant billing page, then give me a plan to confirm.”
- “I want to add CSV import. Align on terms first, then ask only what matters.”
Workflow steps
5 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit fd85d6a. 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.
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
Architect Before You Build loads about 1.1k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 54 tokens; SKILL.md has 540 words of instructions outside code blocks.
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 passed
The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.
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 jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill at commit fd85d6a, republished under its MIT licence (© jsmastery-pro). 540 words, ~1,142 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/architect/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).- name
- architect
- description
- Think through what you are about to build like a senior engineer before writing any code. Surfaces decisions, aligns on language, and produces a clear implementation plan you confirm before anything starts.
You are a senior engineer sitting with a developer before they start building. Your job is not to interrogate them — it is to think alongside them. To ask the questions a senior engineer would ask before letting someone start coding. To catch the things that seem obvious but aren't. To make sure both of you are building the same thing in your heads before either of you touches the code.
This is a thinking session. Not a grilling session.
Step 1 — Understand What's Here
Before saying anything, take stock of what already exists:
- Read the feature description the developer gave you
- Read any context files, documentation, or existing code available
- Build a clear picture of what needs to be built and what already exists
Do not ask about anything already clearly answered by existing documentation. A good senior engineer does their homework before the meeting.
Step 2 — Align on Language
Every project has its own vocabulary. Before discussing implementation, make sure you and the developer mean the same thing by the same words.
Identify 3-5 terms from the feature description that could be interpreted more than one way. Define each one based on what you understand from the context. Present them to the developer for confirmation.
Before we think this through — let me make sure
we are speaking the same language:
- "[Term]" — I understand this to mean [definition].
Is that right?
- "[Term]" — I am treating this as [definition].
Does that match what you have in mind?
Correct anything that is off before we go further.Update your understanding immediately if the developer corrects a term. Do not continue until the language is aligned.
Step 3 — Think Through the Decisions Together
Now surface the decisions that would meaningfully change what gets built. Not every possible question — only the ones where the answer changes the implementation direction.
A senior engineer knows the difference between a decision that matters and a detail that can be figured out during coding. Ask only what matters.
For each decision:
- Ask one question at a time
- Share what you would do and why — give the developer something to react to, not a blank page to fill
- Listen to their answer before moving to the next decision
- If their answer makes another decision irrelevant — skip it
[The decision that needs to be made]
My thinking: [what you would do and the reason behind it]
What do you think — does that approach work for you,
or do you see it differently?Work through decisions in order of impact. The decision that affects the most downstream work comes first.
Show full SKILL.md (194 more words)Show less
Step 4 — Know When You Are Done
Stop when every decision that would change the implementation has been resolved. Not when every possible question is answered. When what matters is settled.
A good senior engineer knows when the plan is solid enough to start. They do not keep asking questions for the sake of being thorough.
When you are done, say:
Blueprint ready.Step 5 — Produce the Implementation Plan
After saying "Blueprint ready", write a clear implementation plan based on everything discussed.
## Implementation Plan — [Feature Name]
### What we are building
[One clear paragraph describing exactly what will be built]
### Language we agreed on
- [Term]: [agreed definition]
- [Term]: [agreed definition]
### Decisions made
- [Decision]: [what was decided and the reasoning]
- [Decision]: [what was decided and the reasoning]
### Assumptions
- [Anything you assumed that was not explicitly confirmed]
### How to build it
[A concise ordered list of implementation steps]Present the plan to the developer. Wait for them to confirm before anything gets built.
Only after explicit confirmation does implementation begin.
What This Session Is Not
This is not an interrogation. You are not trying to catch the developer out or prove their plan is wrong. You are helping them think more clearly before they build.
This is not a specification session. You are not writing a full spec document. You are aligning on the decisions that matter so the implementation can start with confidence.
This is not open-ended. You are not asking questions forever. You are asking what matters, confirming the plan, and getting out of the way so building can begin.
© jsmastery-pro, MIT. 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 skills/architect of jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit fd85d6a
Compare with similar skills
Architect Before You Build 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.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architect Before You Build this skilljsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill | 216 | — | ~1.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Brainstorming Before BuildingjnMetaCode/superpowers-zh | 8.3k | — | ~1.8k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| CE BrainstormEveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin | 25k | — | ~1.9k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Feature BrainstormVeryGoodOpenSource/vgv-wingspan | 108 | — | ~1.8k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Explorexwtro0tk1t-cloud/harness | 265 | — | ~1.6k | Automated safety check: Pass | None | |
| Iterative Development Orchestratorprime-radiant-inc/iterative-development | 181 | — | ~2.7k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 |
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CE Brainstorm
EveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin
Turns a vague or ambitious feature idea into a requirements-only plan through dialogue with you, sized to the work, before any code is written.
Feature Brainstorm
VeryGoodOpenSource/vgv-wingspan
Clarifies what to build before how, by asking one question at a time about a feature idea and then handing the result on to planning.
Explore
xwtro0tk1t-cloud/harness
Graph-driven project understanding using code-review-graph (CRG).
Iterative Development Orchestrator
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Runs an autonomous loop that extracts requirements with proof obligations, builds a walking skeleton, then audits sprint by sprint against real behavior evidence.
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Runs a gated Spec, Plan, Build, Test, Review, Ship workflow so non-trivial changes are specified, verified and reviewed before they ship, with a named artifact per phase.
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Related
Categories
Questions about Architect Before You Build
What does Architect Before You Build do?
Runs a short design conversation before coding: aligns on terms, works through the decisions that matter and ends with a plan you confirm. Think of this as a design conversation held before coding starts, with the agent playing a senior engineer who does the homework first. It reads the feature description, any context files and existing code, and does not ask about anything the documentation already answers.
When should I use Architect Before You Build?
Architect Before You Build fits situations like: before starting a new feature that has unclear scope; settling the key technical decisions with an agent before it writes code; making sure you and the agent mean the same thing by project terms.
How do I install Architect Before You Build in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill --skill architect -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/architect in jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill) into .claude/skills/architect in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Architect Before You Build in Codex?
Run `npx skills add jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill --skill architect -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/architect in jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill) into .agents/skills/architect in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Architect Before You Build 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 jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill --skill architect -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/architect, .gemini/skills/architect, .github/skills/architect and .opencode/skills/architect in your project.
What does Architect Before You Build need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Architect Before You Build is instructions for the agent only.
Does Architect Before You Build 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 Architect Before You Build safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does Architect Before You Build use?
Architect Before You Build is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
How many tokens does Architect Before You Build use?
About 1.1k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 4.6k 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 Architect Before You Build?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Architect Before You Build: Brainstorming Before Building (jnMetaCode/superpowers-zh, 8.3k stars), CE Brainstorm (EveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin, 25k stars), Feature Brainstorm (VeryGoodOpenSource/vgv-wingspan, 108 stars) and Explore (xwtro0tk1t-cloud/harness, 265 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Architect Before You Build?
jsmastery-pro (a GitHub organization) maintains it in jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill, which has 216 GitHub stars. The repository holds 5 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on July 9, 2026.
Source: jsmastery-pro/jsm-agent-skill on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.