Agent skill

Brooks Lint

by sickn33 in sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills

AI code reviewer grounded in classic software engineering books for catching design smells, coupling issues, and architectural risks.

MITAuto-check passedDevelopment

Install Brooks Lint

skills CLI
$ npx skills add sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills --skill brooks-lint -a claude-code

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

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills brooks-lint --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/sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/brooks-lint .claude/skills/brooks-lint && 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
brooks-lint
GitHub stars
47k
Used in
1 other repo
Token cost
~1.6k tokens
SKILL.md length
577 words
Files
1
Skills in repo
1,497
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

AI code reviewer grounded in classic software engineering books for catching design smells, coupling issues, and architectural risks.

  • Works in 6 steps: Smell detection: Flags violations of… → Coupling analysis: Identifies tight… → Naming critique: Applies Clean Code… → …
  • Tasks that involve Linting and formatting
  • SKILL.md covers Overview, The 12 Books, When to Use This Skill and How It Works, plus 7 more sections
  • Calls npx

What it does

Brooks Lint is an agent skill from sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills. AI code reviewer grounded in classic software engineering books for catching design smells, coupling issues, and architectural risks.

Its SKILL.md is about 1.6k 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 Linting and formatting, Code review and Refactoring. The repository describes itself as: AAS Core is the local, agent-first control plane for complete catalog discovery, agent-owned selection, stack validation, and planning, backed by 2,400+ agentic skills. Includes… The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Tasks that involve Linting and formatting
  • Tasks that involve Code review
  • Tasks that involve Refactoring

Example prompts

  • “/brooks-lint”

Requirements

  • Node.js

Workflow steps

6 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

  1. Smell detection: Flags violations of DRY, SRP, Law of Demeter, etc.
  2. Coupling analysis: Identifies tight dependencies and missing abstraction layers
  3. Naming critique: Applies Clean Code naming rules to variables, methods, classes
  4. Architecture review: Checks for DDIA-style data consistency and fault tolerance gaps
  5. Stability patterns: Flags missing timeouts, retries, and circuit breakers (Release It!)
  6. Complexity scoring: Applies APOSD complexity metrics to identify over-engineered sections

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit b84d35a. 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

    Shell commands in SKILL.md call:

    • npx

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

  • Network

    Links to these hosts (documentation or services it may open):

    • github.com
    • dev.to

    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

Brooks Lint loads about 1.6k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 36 tokens; SKILL.md has 577 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~36
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~1.6k

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 sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills at commit b84d35a, republished under its MIT licence (© sickn33). 577 words, ~1,584 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/brooks-lint/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).
name
brooks-lint
description
AI code reviewer grounded in classic software engineering books for catching design smells, coupling issues, and architectural risks.
category
development
risk
safe
source
community
source_repo
hyhmrright/brooks-lint
source_type
community
license
MIT
license_source
https://github.com/hyhmrright/brooks-lint/blob/main/LICENSE
date_added
2026-04-29
author
hyhmrright
tags
code-review, architecture, software-design, refactoring, claude-code

Brooks Lint

Overview

Brooks Lint is a Claude Code skill that reviews your code through the lens of 12 classic software engineering books. Instead of checking style rules, it asks: "What would the authors of The Pragmatic Programmer, Clean Code, and Designing Data-Intensive Applications say about this code?"

It synthesizes the principles from landmark engineering books into actionable, structured feedback — catching design smells, tight coupling, missing abstractions, and architectural risks that linters and AI tools typically miss.

Named after Fred Brooks, author of The Mythical Man-Month — because the hardest bugs are conceptual, not syntactic.

The 12 Books

BookKey Principles Applied
The Pragmatic ProgrammerDRY, orthogonality, tracer bullets
Clean CodeNaming, function size, comment clarity
The Mythical Man-MonthConceptual integrity, second-system effect
Designing Data-Intensive ApplicationsData consistency, fault tolerance, scalability
A Philosophy of Software DesignDeep modules, information hiding, complexity
RefactoringCode smells, extract method, encapsulation
Working Effectively with Legacy CodeSeams, characterization tests, dependency breaking
Domain-Driven DesignUbiquitous language, bounded contexts, aggregates
Release It!Stability patterns, timeouts, bulkheads, circuit breakers
Structure and Interpretation of Computer ProgramsAbstraction, recursion, metalinguistic abstraction
The Art of UNIX ProgrammingModularity, composability, rule of least surprise
Extreme Programming ExplainedYAGNI, simple design, collective ownership

When to Use This Skill

  • Use when you want architectural feedback beyond what linters provide
  • Use before major refactors to identify structural debt
  • Use when reviewing code that "works but feels wrong"
  • Use when onboarding to a codebase to quickly map risk areas
  • Use for design reviews before starting a new module or service

How It Works

Brooks Lint applies each book's core principles as a review lens:

  1. Smell detection: Flags violations of DRY, SRP, Law of Demeter, etc.
  2. Coupling analysis: Identifies tight dependencies and missing abstraction layers
  3. Naming critique: Applies Clean Code naming rules to variables, methods, classes
  4. Architecture review: Checks for DDIA-style data consistency and fault tolerance gaps
  5. Stability patterns: Flags missing timeouts, retries, and circuit breakers (Release It!)
  6. Complexity scoring: Applies APOSD complexity metrics to identify over-engineered sections

Installation

bash
# Install via Claude Code plugin marketplace
# Search: "brooks-lint" in Claude Code > Extensions

# Or install via NPX (Antigravity)
npx agentic-awesome-skills --claude
# Then invoke: @brooks-lint

Examples

Example 1: Review a Service Class
@brooks-lint review src/services/PaymentService.ts

Brooks Lint output:

[Pragmatic Programmer] DRY violation: payment validation logic duplicated in 3 places
[Clean Code] Method processPayment() does 4 things — violates Single Responsibility
[Release It!] No timeout on external payment gateway call — risk of cascade failure
[DDIA] No idempotency key — retry on network error will double-charge
[APOSD] PaymentService knows too much about UserRepository — high coupling
Show full SKILL.md (229 more words)Show less
Example 2: Full Codebase Architecture Review
@brooks-lint analyze the overall architecture of this codebase
Example 3: Pre-Refactor Review
@brooks-lint what are the biggest design smells in this module before I refactor it?

Review Categories

CategoryBooks AppliedWhat It Catches
DRY / DuplicationPP, RefactoringCopy-paste code, shared logic not extracted
NamingClean Code, DDDUnclear names, domain language violations
CouplingAPOSD, PPTight dependencies, missing interfaces
StabilityRelease It!Missing timeouts, no retry logic, no circuit breakers
Data IntegrityDDIARace conditions, non-idempotent operations
ComplexityAPOSD, SICPOver-engineering, unnecessary abstraction
Legacy DebtWELCHard-to-test code, missing seams
Domain ClarityDDD, XPAnemic models, missing bounded contexts

Best Practices

  • Run @brooks-lint after writing new service layers or data pipelines
  • Combine with @logic-lens for full coverage: logic bugs + design smells
  • Use @brooks-lint analyze architecture weekly on growing codebases
  • Focus on CRITICAL and HIGH findings first — LOW findings are style suggestions
  • @logic-lens — Complementary: catches logic bugs; brooks-lint catches design issues
  • @security-auditor — Specialized security-only deep scan
  • @lint-and-validate — Style/syntax linting to run alongside design review

Additional Resources

Limitations

Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above (design review and architectural analysis). Brooks Lint applies AI-powered analysis grounded in established engineering principles. It should complement — not replace — human design review for production-critical decisions. Results reflect the principles of the 12 source books and may not apply to all architectural styles or domains.

© sickn33, 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/brooks-lint of sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit b84d35a

Used in 1 other repository

We found 5 copies of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 1 other GitHub owner. This page covers the copy in sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.

Compare with similar skills

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Brooks Lint compared with similar skills
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Dignified Python Standardsdocling-project/docling69k—~1.5kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0
Clean Code GuardamElnagdy/guard-skills1.3k2 repos~4.3kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Maintainable Code for iPolloWorkDevin-AXIS/iPolloWork6.8k—~2.7kAutomated safety check: PassCustom licence
Qt Cpp ReviewSerial-Studio/Serial-Studio7.2k—~4.3kAutomated safety check: PassCustom licence

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Categories

Questions about Brooks Lint

What does Brooks Lint do?

AI code reviewer grounded in classic software engineering books for catching design smells, coupling issues, and architectural risks. Brooks Lint is an agent skill from sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills. AI code reviewer grounded in classic software engineering books for catching design smells, coupling issues, and architectural risks.

When should I use Brooks Lint?

Brooks Lint fits situations like: tasks that involve Linting and formatting; tasks that involve Code review; tasks that involve Refactoring.

How do I install Brooks Lint in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills --skill brooks-lint -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/brooks-lint in sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills) into .claude/skills/brooks-lint in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Brooks Lint in Codex?

Run `npx skills add sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills --skill brooks-lint -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/brooks-lint in sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills) into .agents/skills/brooks-lint in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Brooks Lint 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 sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills --skill brooks-lint -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/brooks-lint, .gemini/skills/brooks-lint, .github/skills/brooks-lint and .opencode/skills/brooks-lint in your project.

What does Brooks Lint need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Brooks Lint needs the command-line tools its instructions call (npx). Our summary lists: Node.js.

Does Brooks Lint access the network?

SKILL.md names 2 domains. As links in the text: github.com and dev.to. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Brooks Lint 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 Brooks Lint use?

Brooks Lint is published under the MIT licence (declared in SKILL.md). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Brooks Lint use?

About 1.6k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 6.3k 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 Brooks Lint?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Brooks Lint: Rust Best Practices (farm-fe/farm, 5.6k stars), Dignified Python Standards (docling-project/docling, 69k stars), Clean Code Guard (amElnagdy/guard-skills, 1.3k stars) and Maintainable Code for iPolloWork (Devin-AXIS/iPolloWork, 6.8k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Brooks Lint?

sickn33 (a GitHub user) maintains it in sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills, which has 47,405 GitHub stars. The repository holds 1,497 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 9, 2026.

Source: sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.