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.
A skill your agent uses when creating or developing, before writing code or implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through collaborative questioning, alternative…
Install Brainstorm
$ npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill brainstorm -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit brainstorm --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/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/brainstorm .claude/skills/brainstorm && 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 "brainstorm" agent skill from https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/brainstorm into .claude/skills/brainstorm/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "brainstorm", 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/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/brainstormType 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 NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill brainstorm -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit brainstorm --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/brainstorm .agents/skills/brainstorm && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "brainstorm" agent skill from https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/brainstorm into .agents/skills/brainstorm/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "brainstorm", 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 NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill brainstorm -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit brainstorm --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/brainstorm .cursor/skills/brainstorm && 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 "brainstorm" agent skill from https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/brainstorm into .cursor/skills/brainstorm/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "brainstorm", 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/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git --path skills/brainstorm--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 NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill brainstorm -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit brainstorm --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/brainstorm .gemini/skills/brainstorm && 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 "brainstorm" agent skill from https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/brainstorm into .gemini/skills/brainstorm/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "brainstorm", 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 NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit brainstormInstalls 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 NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill brainstorm -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/brainstorm .github/skills/brainstorm && 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 "brainstorm" agent skill from https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/brainstorm into .github/skills/brainstorm/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "brainstorm", 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 NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill brainstorm -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit brainstorm --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/brainstorm .opencode/skills/brainstorm && 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 "brainstorm" agent skill from https://github.com/NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit/tree/master/skills/brainstorm into .opencode/skills/brainstorm/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "brainstorm", 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
brainstorm- GitHub stars
- 1.7k
- Used in
- 1 other repo
- Token cost
- ~749 tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 383 words
- Files
- 1
- Skills in repo
- 57
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
At a glance
A skill your agent uses when creating or developing, before writing code or implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through collaborative questioning, alternative…
- Before writing code
- SKILL.md covers Overview, The Process, After the Design and Key Principles
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
- Implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through collaborative questioning
What it does
Brainstorm is an agent skill from NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit. Use when creating or developing, before writing code or implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through collaborative questioning, alternative exploration, and incremental validation. Don't use during clear 'mechanical' processes
Its SKILL.md is about 750 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 Agent Workflows, covering Brainstorming and Planning. The repository describes itself as: Hand-crafted Claude Code Skills focused on improving agent results quality. Compatible with OpenCode, Cursor, Antigravity, Gemini CLI, and others. Includes CodeRabbit open-source… The licence is GPL-3.0.
When your agent uses it
- Before writing code
- Implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through collaborative questioning
- Alternative exploration
- Incremental validation
Example prompts
- “t use during clear”
- “/brainstorm”
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 23e2428. 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
Brainstorm loads about 749 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 67 tokens; SKILL.md has 383 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 NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit at commit 23e2428, republished under its GPL-3.0 licence (© NeoLabHQ). 383 words, ~749 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/brainstorm/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).- name
- brainstorm
- description
- Use when creating or developing, before writing code or implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through collaborative questioning, alternative exploration, and incremental validation. Don't use during clear 'mechanical' processes
Brainstorming Ideas Into Designs
Overview
Help turn ideas into fully formed designs and specs through natural collaborative dialogue.
Start by understanding the current project context, then ask questions one at a time to refine the idea. Once you understand what you're building, present the design in small sections (200-300 words), checking after each section whether it looks right so far.
The Process
Understanding the idea:
- Check out the current project state first (files, docs, recent commits)
- Ask questions one at a time to refine the idea
- Prefer multiple choice questions when possible, but open-ended is fine too
- Only one question per message - if a topic needs more exploration, break it into multiple questions
- Focus on understanding: purpose, constraints, success criteria
Exploring approaches:
- Generate 6 possible approaches with trade-offs. Approaches should each include a text and a numeric probability. Please sample responses at random from the [full distribution / tails of the distribution], in such way that:
- For first 3 responses aim for high probability, over 0.80
- For last 3 responses aim for diversity - explore different regions of the solution space, such that the probability of each response is less than 0.10
- Present options conversationally with your recommendation and reasoning
- Lead with your recommended option and explain why
Presenting the design:
- Once you believe you understand what you're building, present the design
- Break it into sections of 200-300 words
- Ask after each section whether it looks right so far
- Cover: architecture, components, data flow, error handling, testing
- Be ready to go back and clarify if something doesn't make sense
Show full SKILL.md (126 more words)Show less
After the Design
if user provided draft specification file, then update it directly, if not then use /add-task skill to create task file for target approach
Important: In specification file, write target approach in sections, in ## Initial User Prompt -> ### Requirements section, before ## Description section. Description will be filled in future stage.
After filling task file, suggest use to run /clear and then /plan-task <task-file-path> to refine the task file.
Key Principles
- One question at a time - Don't overwhelm with multiple questions
- Multiple choice preferred - Easier to answer than open-ended when possible
- YAGNI ruthlessly - Remove unnecessary features from all designs
- Explore alternatives - Always propose 2-3 approaches before settling
- Incremental validation - Present design in sections, validate each
- Be flexible - Go back and clarify when something doesn't make sense
© NeoLabHQ, GPL-3.0. 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 skills/brainstorm of NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 23e2428
Used in 1 other repository
We found 3 copies of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 1 other GitHub owner. This page covers the copy in NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit, which our catalogue first saw on October 8, 2026.
Compare with similar skills
Brainstorm 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brainstorm this skillNeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit | 1.7k | 1 repos | ~749 | Automated safety check: Pass | GPL-3.0 | |
| Brainstorming Before BuildingjnMetaCode/superpowers-zh | 8.3k | — | ~1.8k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| LLM Councilgcpdev/llm-council-skill | 461 | — | ~1k | Automated safety check: Notes | MIT | |
| CE BrainstormEveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin | 25k | — | ~1.9k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Planmhmzdev/the-holy-quran-app | 889 | — | ~957 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Design Reviewxwtro0tk1t-cloud/harness | 265 | — | ~1.6k | Automated safety check: Pass | None |
Similar skills
LLM Council
gcpdev/llm-council-skill
Multi-LLM collaborative brainstorming and planning. An agent skill from gcpdev/llm-council-skill.
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.
Plan
mhmzdev/the-holy-quran-app
Turn an idea or brainstorm into an actionable execution plan for The Holy Qur'an app with phases, file changes, and machine-checkable success criteria.
Design Review
xwtro0tk1t-cloud/harness
Dispatch an independent challenger agent to adversarially review a spec or implementation plan against the actual codebase.
Brainstorming
ed3dai/ed3d-plugins
A skill your agent uses when creating or developing anything, before writing code or implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through structured Socratic questioning…
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Related
Categories
Questions about Brainstorm
What does Brainstorm do?
A skill your agent uses when creating or developing, before writing code or implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through collaborative questioning, alternative…. Brainstorm is an agent skill from NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit. Use when creating or developing, before writing code or implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through collaborative questioning, alternative exploration, and incremental validation.
When should I use Brainstorm?
Brainstorm fits situations like: before writing code; implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through collaborative questioning; alternative exploration; incremental validation.
How do I install Brainstorm in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill brainstorm -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/brainstorm in NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit) into .claude/skills/brainstorm in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Brainstorm in Codex?
Run `npx skills add NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill brainstorm -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/brainstorm in NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit) into .agents/skills/brainstorm in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Brainstorm 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 NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit --skill brainstorm -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/brainstorm, .gemini/skills/brainstorm, .github/skills/brainstorm and .opencode/skills/brainstorm in your project.
What does Brainstorm need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Brainstorm is instructions for the agent only.
Does Brainstorm 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 Brainstorm 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 Brainstorm use?
Brainstorm is published under the GPL-3.0 licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
How many tokens does Brainstorm use?
About 749 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 3k 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 Brainstorm?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Brainstorm: Brainstorming Before Building (jnMetaCode/superpowers-zh, 8.3k stars), LLM Council (gcpdev/llm-council-skill, 461 stars), CE Brainstorm (EveryInc/compound-engineering-plugin, 25k stars) and Plan (mhmzdev/the-holy-quran-app, 889 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Brainstorm?
NeoLabHQ (a GitHub organization) maintains it in NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit, which has 1,749 GitHub stars. The repository holds 57 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on August 26, 2026.
Source: NeoLabHQ/context-engineering-kit on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.