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Architect — Sketch the Design Before Coding

A five-phase workflow that sketches types, signatures, and module boundaries before implementation, then scraps the design when the code proves it wrong.

Dev & CodingAdvanced★ 318⑂ 39AI score 8/10Last updated: Sep 9, 2026

What it does

  • Enforces a five-phase loop: Ground (model the existing systems) → Sketch (generate design candidates) → Agree (optional human checkpoint) → Implement (fill in against the sketch) → Scrap (redesign when the shape is wrong).
  • Produces types, function signatures, and a module map first, using not implemented bodies and pseudocode instead of real code.
  • Requires at least two structurally distinct candidates, screens them against a design red-flags list (shallow modules, information leakage, temporal decomposition, pass-through methods), and synthesizes one package.
  • Names concrete "the architecture is wrong" tells during implementation — repeated workarounds, any/cast escape hatches, edge-case branch explosions — and prescribes subtract-then-redesign.
  • Ships a rationale document alongside the sketch, including the synthesis decision.

Who it's for

  • Developers who jump straight to code and end up rewriting the structure later
  • Backend/platform engineers planning cross-module refactors or new subsystems
  • Tech leads who want a design-review step baked into Claude Code
  • Users of the pstack plugin suite (how, why, arena skills)

Example uses

  1. Run /architect before moving a payments module to an event-driven design to get a type and boundary sketch first.
  2. Say "architect this with checkpoint" to force a human sign-off on the synthesized design before any code is written.
  3. When the same workaround shape appears in three unrelated places, apply the Phase E criteria to scrap the sketch and re-run the design phase.

· · · Install guide · · ·

Try it now, no install

Paste this into Claude to use the skill without installing anything.

Read the instructions in this file and follow them to help me:
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/michael-denyer/pstack-claude/HEAD/plugins/pstack/skills/architect/SKILL.md

What I want: (describe your task here)

If Claude can't open the link, open it yourself and paste the contents instead.

↓ If it works for you, download the ZIP below and install it. Then it runs on its own — no pasting each time.

Install in the Claude app (no terminal)
  1. Download the ZIP with the button below.
  2. In Claude, open Settings → Capabilities and turn on 'Code execution and file creation'. (one time)
  3. Go to Customize → Skills → + → 'Upload a skill' and upload the ZIP.
↓ Download ZIP
Install in Claude Code

Let Claude do it — paste this into Claude Code

Install the skill I found on Claude Skill Mart.
Copy the plugins/pstack/skills/architect folder from the GitHub repo michael-denyer/pstack-claude into my ~/.claude/skills/architect/.
When it's done, tell me in one line what this skill can do.

Install with a command instead

git clone https://github.com/michael-denyer/pstack-claude.git && cp -r pstack-claude/plugins/pstack/skills ~/.claude/skills

⚠ This is a third-party skill. Check the source repository before installing.

  1. Open a terminal and make sure the skills folder exists: mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills.
  2. Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/michael-denyer/pstack-claude.git
  3. Because this skill calls sibling skills (how, why, arena), copy the whole skills directory: cp -r pstack-claude/plugins/pstack/skills ~/.claude/skills
  4. If you only want architect: cp -r pstack-claude/plugins/pstack/skills/architect ~/.claude/skills/ — note some phases may be skipped without the referenced skills.
  5. For model roles, follow the repo's /setup-pstack instructions and add an "architect runners" line to ~/.claude/pstack-models.md.
  6. Restart Claude Code, then try /architect or "design this" to confirm the skill triggers.
View source on GitHub ↗License: MIT