Agent skill

Architecture Decision

Architecture decisions in ADR/RFC/RFD format: context, constraints, options, recommendation.

Apache-2.0Auto-check passedDevelopment

Install Architecture Decision

skills CLI

$ npx skills add softspark/ai-toolkit --skill architecture-decision -a claude-code

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

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install softspark/ai-toolkit architecture-decision --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/softspark/ai-toolkit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/app/skills/architecture-decision .claude/skills/architecture-decision && 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/

Paste into Claude Code

Install the "architecture-decision" agent skill from https://github.com/softspark/ai-toolkit/tree/main/app/skills/architecture-decision into .claude/skills/architecture-decision/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "architecture-decision", 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

$skill-installer install https://github.com/softspark/ai-toolkit/tree/main/app/skills/architecture-decision

Type 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.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add softspark/ai-toolkit --skill architecture-decision -a codex

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install softspark/ai-toolkit architecture-decision --agent codex

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/softspark/ai-toolkit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/app/skills/architecture-decision .agents/skills/architecture-decision && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.

Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/

Paste into Codex

Install the "architecture-decision" agent skill from https://github.com/softspark/ai-toolkit/tree/main/app/skills/architecture-decision into .agents/skills/architecture-decision/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "architecture-decision", 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.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add softspark/ai-toolkit --skill architecture-decision -a cursor

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install softspark/ai-toolkit architecture-decision --agent cursor

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/softspark/ai-toolkit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/app/skills/architecture-decision .cursor/skills/architecture-decision && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.

Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/

Paste into Cursor

Install the "architecture-decision" agent skill from https://github.com/softspark/ai-toolkit/tree/main/app/skills/architecture-decision into .cursor/skills/architecture-decision/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "architecture-decision", 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

$ gemini skills install https://github.com/softspark/ai-toolkit.git --path app/skills/architecture-decision

--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add softspark/ai-toolkit --skill architecture-decision -a gemini-cli

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install softspark/ai-toolkit architecture-decision --agent gemini-cli

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/softspark/ai-toolkit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/app/skills/architecture-decision .gemini/skills/architecture-decision && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.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/

Paste into Gemini CLI

Install the "architecture-decision" agent skill from https://github.com/softspark/ai-toolkit/tree/main/app/skills/architecture-decision into .gemini/skills/architecture-decision/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "architecture-decision", 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.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install softspark/ai-toolkit architecture-decision

Installs 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).

skills CLI

$ npx skills add softspark/ai-toolkit --skill architecture-decision -a github-copilot

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/softspark/ai-toolkit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/app/skills/architecture-decision .github/skills/architecture-decision && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.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/

Paste into GitHub Copilot

Install the "architecture-decision" agent skill from https://github.com/softspark/ai-toolkit/tree/main/app/skills/architecture-decision into .github/skills/architecture-decision/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "architecture-decision", 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.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add softspark/ai-toolkit --skill architecture-decision -a opencode

OpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install softspark/ai-toolkit architecture-decision --agent opencode

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/softspark/ai-toolkit.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/app/skills/architecture-decision .opencode/skills/architecture-decision && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.

OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into OpenCode

Install the "architecture-decision" agent skill from https://github.com/softspark/ai-toolkit/tree/main/app/skills/architecture-decision into .opencode/skills/architecture-decision/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "architecture-decision", 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: architecture-decision
GitHub stars: 179
Token cost: ~983 tokens
SKILL.md length: 430 words
Files: 2
Skills in repo: 112
Repo updated: Oct 8, 2026
First seen: Oct 7, 2026
Licence: Apache-2.0

At a glance

Architecture decisions in ADR/RFC/RFD format: context, constraints, options, recommendation.

Works in 5 steps: Context: What is the problem? Why now? → Constraints: Budget, Time, Skillset,… → Options: Propose at least 3 viable… → …
Tasks that involve Architecture decision records
SKILL.md covers Core Philosophy: "Everything…, Decision Making Process (RFD /…, Trade-off Analysis Matrix… and Architecture Note, plus 4 more sections
Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Architecture Decision is an agent skill from softspark/ai-toolkit. Architecture decisions in ADR/RFC/RFD format: context, constraints, options, recommendation. Triggers: ADR, RFC, RFD, trade-offs, design choice, pick between, evaluate approach.

Its SKILL.md is about 980 tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 2 other files (for example `templates/adr-template.md`).

It sits in Development, covering Architecture decision records. The repository describes itself as: Professional-grade AI coding toolkit: 94 skills, 44 agents, multi-platform (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, Copilot, Gemini, Cline, Roo Code, Aider, Augment, Antigravity, Codex CLI… The licence is Apache-2.0.

When your agent uses it

Tasks that involve Architecture decision records

Example prompts

“/architecture-decision”

Requirements

Pre-approved tools (allowed-tools): Read, Write

Workflow steps

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

Context: What is the problem? Why now?
Constraints: Budget, Time, Skillset, Legacy.
Options: Propose at least 3 viable options.
Trade-off Analysis: Compare constraints vs options.
Recommendation: Choose one and justify.

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit e40ed87. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

Tool permissions
Pre-approves these tools, so the agent can use them without asking each time:
- Read
- Write
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 markdown).
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

Architecture Decision loads about 983 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 50 tokens; SKILL.md has 430 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it: ~50
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches: ~983

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 softspark/ai-toolkit at commit e40ed87, republished under its Apache-2.0 licence (© softspark). 430 words, ~983 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/architecture-decision/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 1 other file; get the full folder from GitHub.

name: architecture-decision
description: Architecture decisions in ADR/RFC/RFD format: context, constraints, options, recommendation. Triggers: ADR, RFC, RFD, trade-offs, design choice, pick between, evaluate approach.
allowed-tools: Read, Write
effort: medium
user-invocable: false

Architecture Decision Skill

Core Philosophy: "Everything is a Trade-off"

There are no "best solutions", only solutions with the right set of trade-offs for the specific context.

Decision Making Process (RFD / RFC)

Context: What is the problem? Why now?
Constraints: Budget, Time, Skillset, Legacy.
Options: Propose at least 3 viable options.
Trade-off Analysis: Compare constraints vs options.
Recommendation: Choose one and justify.

Trade-off Analysis Matrix (Template)

Feature	Option A (e.g. SQL)	Option B (e.g. NoSQL)	Option C (e.g. File)
Scalability	Medium (Vertical)	High (Horizontal)	Low
Consistency	Strong (ACID)	Eventual (BASE)	N/A
Complexity	Low (Known)	Medium (New tech)	Low
Cost	$$	$$$	$

Architecture Note

When a decision is made, document it.

markdown

# Architecture Note: Use PostgreSQL for Main Database

## Status
Accepted

## Context
We need a reliable, relational database for user data...

## Decision
We will use PostgreSQL 16.

## Consequences
- Positive: ACID compliance, rich ecosystem.
- Negative: Scaling writes requires sharding later.

Critical Factors to Evaluate

Reliability (Availability, Fault tolerance)
Scalability (Throughput, Latency)
Maintainability (Simple vs Easy, Ecosystem)
Security (AuthN/Z, Encryption)
Cost (Infrastructure, License, Cognitive load)

Rules

MUST present at least 3 viable options, including "status quo / do nothing" when relevant
MUST state constraints (budget, time, team skillset, legacy) before enumerating options — options without constraints are arbitrary
NEVER recommend an option without explicitly naming its failure mode and what would trigger revisiting the decision
CRITICAL: the output is a document (ADR / RFC / RFD), not code changes. Code work belongs in /plan or /refactor-plan.
MANDATORY: Consequences section names both Positive and Negative effects. A decision with only upside is not honestly analysed.

Show full SKILL.md (209 more words)Show less

Gotchas

"Status quo" is a genuine option and often the right one for constrained teams. Omitting it biases the analysis toward change for change's sake.
ADRs are append-only. A reversed decision gets a new ADR with Status: Supersedes ADR-N, not an in-place edit of the original — the history of thinking matters more than the current state.
Qualitative scales (High / Medium / Low) without anchors are hand-waving. When scoring, pin each level to a measurable threshold (e.g., "High scalability = 10k req/s at p95 < 100ms on 2 nodes").
"We might use X" and "We will try X" are not decisions — they are deferrals. A valid ADR states the chosen option unconditionally; if you cannot, the decision is not ready.
Political constraints (team expertise, vendor relationships, executive preferences) are first-class constraints. Hiding them behind technical language produces ADRs that get silently ignored — name them explicitly in the Constraints section.

When NOT to Load

To find what architectural problems exist — use /architecture-audit (discovery) before this skill (decision)
To plan implementation of an already-decided option — use /plan or /refactor-plan
To design a single module's interface — use /design-an-interface
When fewer than 2 options exist — there is no decision to make; document the constraint instead
For runtime configuration choices (flag values, timeouts) — those are operational, not architectural

Files

SKILL.md and 1 other file in app/skills/architecture-decision of softspark/ai-toolkit.

SKILL.md
templates/adr-template.md

Open the folder on GitHubat commit e40ed87

Compare with similar skills

Architecture Decision 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.

Architecture Decision compared with similar skills
Skill	Stars	Used in	Tokens	Auto-check	Licence	Repo updated
Architecture Decision this skillsoftspark/ai-toolkit	179	—	~983	Automated safety check: Pass	Apache-2.0	today
PR Design DocOpenHands/OpenHands	90k	—	~2.4k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	today
Cto AdvisorIbrahim-3d/orchestrator-supaconductor	381	4 repos	~2.4k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	11 days ago
Architecture DecisionDonchitos/Claude-Code-Game-Studios	26k	—	~1.7k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	yesterday
Improve Codebase Architectureywwynm/EverythingDone	144	15 repos	~1.3k	Automated safety check: Pass	GPL-3.0	today
Domain Modelingbrim-borium/spotify_sdk	166	5 repos	~806	Automated safety check: Pass	Apache-2.0	today

Similar skills

PR Design Doc
OpenHands/OpenHands
For a non-trivial pull request, write a self-contained HTML design doc under the temporary .pr/ directory and link a visibility-appropriate preview in the PR description, so maintainers grasp the…
90k GitHub stars~2.4k tokensUpdated today
DevelopmentAuto-check passed
Cto Advisor
Ibrahim-3d/orchestrator-supaconductor
Technical leadership guidance for engineering teams, architecture decisions, and technology strategy.
381 GitHub starsUsed in 4 repos~2.4k tokens
DevelopmentAuto-check passed
Architecture Decision
Donchitos/Claude-Code-Game-Studios
Create an ADR documenting a technical decision: context, alternatives considered, consequences.
26k GitHub stars~1.7k tokensUpdated yesterday
DevelopmentAuto-check passed
Improve Codebase Architecture
ywwynm/EverythingDone
Find deepening opportunities in a codebase, informed by the domain language in CONTEXT.md and the decisions in docs/adr/.
144 GitHub starsUsed in 15 repos~1.3k tokens
DevelopmentAuto-check passed
Domain Modeling
brim-borium/spotify_sdk
Build and sharpen a project's domain model. An agent skill from brim-borium/spotify_sdk.
166 GitHub starsUsed in 5 repos~806 tokens
DevelopmentAuto-check passed
Design Doc Mermaid
SpillwaveSolutions/design-doc-mermaid
Create Mermaid diagrams (flowchart, sequence, class, ER, state, C4, architecture) from text or source code.
176 GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~5.6k tokens
DevelopmentAuto-check passed

Questions about Architecture Decision

What does Architecture Decision do?

Architecture decisions in ADR/RFC/RFD format: context, constraints, options, recommendation. Architecture Decision is an agent skill from softspark/ai-toolkit. Architecture decisions in ADR/RFC/RFD format: context, constraints, options, recommendation.

When should I use Architecture Decision?

Architecture Decision fits situations like: tasks that involve Architecture decision records.

How do I install Architecture Decision in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add softspark/ai-toolkit --skill architecture-decision -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (app/skills/architecture-decision in softspark/ai-toolkit) into .claude/skills/architecture-decision in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Architecture Decision in Codex?

Run `npx skills add softspark/ai-toolkit --skill architecture-decision -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (app/skills/architecture-decision in softspark/ai-toolkit) into .agents/skills/architecture-decision in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Architecture Decision 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 softspark/ai-toolkit --skill architecture-decision -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/architecture-decision, .gemini/skills/architecture-decision, .github/skills/architecture-decision and .opencode/skills/architecture-decision in your project.

What does Architecture Decision need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Architecture Decision is instructions for the agent only. Its frontmatter pre-approves these tools: Read, Write.

Does Architecture Decision 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 Architecture Decision 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 Architecture Decision use?

Architecture Decision 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 Architecture Decision use?

About 983 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 3.9k 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 Architecture Decision?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Architecture Decision: 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 Architecture Decision?

softspark (a GitHub user) maintains it in softspark/ai-toolkit, which has 179 GitHub stars. The repository holds 112 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 8, 2026.

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

Install Architecture Decision

Facts

At a glance

What it does

When your agent uses it

Example prompts

Requirements

Workflow steps

What it can do on your machine

Tool permissions

Runs code

Network

Credentials

Context cost

Safety

SKILL.md

Architecture Decision Skill

Core Philosophy: "Everything is a Trade-off"

Decision Making Process (RFD / RFC)

Trade-off Analysis Matrix (Template)

Architecture Note

Critical Factors to Evaluate

Rules

Gotchas

When NOT to Load

Files

Compare with similar skills

Similar skills

More from softspark/ai-toolkit

Related

Questions about Architecture Decision