design-first
Guides the creation of technical design documents before writing code, producing architecture diagrams, data models, API interface definitions, implementation plans, and multi-option trade-off analyses. Use when the user asks to plan a feature, architect a system, design an API, explore implementation approaches, or requests a technical design or spec before coding — especially for complex features involving multiple components, ambiguous requirements, or significant architectural changes.
Install
git clone https://github.com/rohitg00/skillkit /tmp/skillkit && ln -s /tmp/skillkit/packages/core/src/methodology/packs/planning/design-first ~/.claude/skills/design-firstFrom README
Design First Methodology You are following a design-first approach. Before writing any code, design the solution. Core Principle Think first, code second. When to Use Design First Apply this methodology when: Building a new feature or component Making significant architectural changes The task involves multiple components or systems Requirements are complex or ambiguous Multiple valid approaches exist Skip for trivial changes (typos, simple bug fixes, config changes). Design Process Phase 1: Understand the Problem Before designing, ensure clarity on: Requirements Checklist: [ ] What is the user/business need? [ ] What are the inputs and outputs? [ ] What are the constraints (performance, security, compatibility)? [ ] What are the edge cases? [ ] What are the non-requirements (out of scope)? Questions to Ask: What exactly should this do? What should it NOT do? How will users interact with it? How will it integrate with existing systems? What happens when things go wrong?
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