Agent skill · software engineering · aiskillstore
designing-architecture
Designs software architecture and selects appropriate patterns for projects. Use when designing systems, choosing architecture patterns, structuring projects, making technical decisions, or when asked about microservices, monoliths, or architectural approaches.
Why this skill is useful
Provides specific architectural patterns and decision-making frameworks that the AI wouldn't reliably generate on its own.
What it needs
About 3k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-07. 405 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Designing Architecture When to Load Trigger: System design, module structure, new project scaffolding, choosing architecture patterns Skip: Simple bug fixes or minor code changes that don't affect architecture Architecture Decision Workflow Copy this checklist and track progress: Pattern Selection Guide By Project Size Size Recommended Pattern ----------------- --------------------------------- Small (<10K LOC) Simple MVC/Layered Medium (10K-100K) Clean Architecture Large (>100K) Modular Monolith or Microservices By Team Size Team Recommended --------- ---------------------------- 1-3 devs Monolith with clear modules 4-10 devs Modular Monolith 10+ devs Microservices (if justified) Common Patterns 1. Layered Architecture Use when: Simple CRUD apps, small teams, quick prototypes 2. Clean Architecture Use when: Complex business logic, long-lived projects, testability is key 3. Hexagonal (Ports & Adapters) Use when: Need to swap external dependencies, multiple entry points 4. Event-Driven Architecture Use when: Loose coupling needed, async processing, scalability 5. CQRS (Command Query Responsibility Segregation) Use when: Different read/write scaling, complex domains, event sourcing Directory Structure Patterns Feature-Based (Recommended for medium+) Layer-Based (Simple apps) Decision Framework When making architectural decisions, evaluate against these criteria: 1. Simplicity - Start simple, evolve when needed 2. Team Skills - Match architecture to team capabilities 3. Requirements - Let business needs drive decisions 4. Scalability - Consider growth trajectory 5. Maintainability - Optimize for change Trade-off Analysis Template Use this template to document architectural decisions: Validation Checklist After selecting an architecture, validate against: If validation fails, reconsider the pattern selection or adjust the implementation approach.
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills aiskillstore/designing-architecture