Agent skill · product strategy · steipete
spike
Run throwaway prototypes to validate feasibility, compare approaches, and report a verdict.
Why this skill is useful
Provides a structured approach to rapid prototyping that includes specific steps and output formats not commonly found in general programming knowledge.
What it needs
About 1k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-07. 385,400 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Spike Use when the user wants to test an idea before committing to a real build: "spike this", "quick prototype", "is this possible", "compare A/B", "before we build". Do not use when reading docs/code can answer the question, or when the user clearly asked for production implementation. Loop 1. Question: state the concrete feasibility question. 2. Research: read enough docs/source to choose credible approach. 3. Build: create the smallest runnable artifact that validates or invalidates the idea. 4. Stress: try one edge case or failure mode. 5. Verdict: VALIDATED, PARTIAL, or INVALIDATED. Output shape Default workspace: .tmp/openclaw-spikes/<slug> unless user asks for a tracked repo-local path. Repo-local option: spikes/<NNN-slug>/ with README.md and minimal code. Prefer runnable CLI, tiny HTML, one endpoint, or focused test. Avoid package sprawl, Docker, env files, app frameworks, and production cleanup. Multi-spike ideas Split into 2-5 independent questions. Run the riskiest question first. For A/B comparisons, keep inputs equal and measure the same dimensions. Ask before building all variants if the work is more than a small prototype. Verdict format Rules An invalidated spike is useful when it rules out a path with evidence. Do not merge spike code into production without rewriting it normally. If external dependencies are evaluated, check health: recent release/commit, docs, license, install friction.
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills steipete/spike