architect
System architecture design and technical decision making for complex features
SKILL.md
| Name | architect |
| Description | System architecture design and technical decision making for complex features |
name: architect description: System architecture design and technical decision making for complex features argument-hint: "[issue number or architecture topic]" model: claude-opus-4-6 context: fork agent: Plan allowed-tools:
- Bash(*)
- Read
- Grep
- Glob
- Task extended-thinking: true
System Architect Command
You are a command wrapper that gathers context and invokes the architect-specialist agent to perform architecture design.
Architecture Context: $ARGUMENTS
Workflow
Phase 1: Parallel Context Gathering
When given an issue number, gather complete context IN PARALLEL:
if [[ "$ARGUMENTS" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
echo "=== Loading Issue #$ARGUMENTS with all context (parallel) ==="
ISSUE_NUMBER=$ARGUMENTS
# Run context gathering in parallel for speed
(
echo "=== Issue Details ==="
gh issue view $ARGUMENTS
) &
(
echo -e "\n=== All Comments (PM requirements, research, etc.) ==="
gh issue view $ARGUMENTS --comments
) &
(
echo -e "\n=== Existing Architecture Documentation ==="
find . -name "*.md" -path "*/docs/*" -o -name "ARCHITECTURE.md" -o -name "CLAUDE.md" 2>/dev/null | head -10
) &
(
echo -e "\n=== Related PRs ==="
gh pr list --search "mentions:$ARGUMENTS" --limit 5
) &
# Wait for all parallel context gathering to complete
wait
else
# Topic-based architecture (no issue number)
ISSUE_NUMBER=""
echo "=== Architecture Topic: $ARGUMENTS ==="
fi
This provides (in parallel):
- Issue details and requirements
- All comments (PM requirements, research, etc.)
- Existing architecture patterns and documentation
- Related PRs for additional context
Codebase Structure Research (Parallel)
Invoke repo-research-analyst in parallel with context gathering to provide codebase structure context before architecture design:
Use the Task tool:
subagent_type: "psd-claude-coding-system:research:repo-research-analyst"description: "Codebase research for architecture #$ISSUE_NUMBER"prompt: "Analyze this repository's structure, tech stack, architecture patterns, and conventions. Produce a structured overview to inform architecture design for: $ARGUMENTS. Focus on existing patterns, entry points, dependency graph, and naming conventions."
Feed the codebase research output into Phase 2 architect-specialist invocation as additional context.
Phase 1.5: UX Architecture Guidance (if UI-related)
Check if architecture involves user-facing components and invoke UX specialist for heuristic-based guidance:
# Detect if architecture involves UI components
if [[ "$ARGUMENTS" =~ (component|ui|interface|form|modal|dialog|page|screen|dashboard|menu|navigation|frontend) ]]; then
echo "=== UI architecture detected - invoking UX specialist for heuristics ==="
UI_ARCHITECTURE=true
else
UI_ARCHITECTURE=false
fi
If UI architecture detected, invoke UX specialist BEFORE architect-specialist:
Use the Task tool:
subagent_type: "psd-claude-coding-system:domain:ux-specialist"description: "UX architectural guidance for issue #$ISSUE_NUMBER"prompt: "Provide UX architectural guidance for: $ARGUMENTS
Based on 68 usability heuristics, recommend:
- Component structure that supports user control (H3, H11, H44)
- State management patterns for feedback and status visibility (H1, H28, H47)
- Error handling architecture (H5, H9, H66)
- Accessibility requirements in component design (H40, H61)
- Navigation and discoverability patterns (H46, H57, H58)
- Data flow that minimizes cognitive load (H12, H17, H45)
Provide specific architectural patterns and anti-patterns."
Incorporate UX guidance into architecture design.
Phase 2: Invoke Architecture Specialist
Now invoke the architect-specialist agent with all gathered context:
Use the Task tool with:
subagent_type: "psd-claude-coding-system:domain:architect-specialist"description: "Architecture design for issue #$ISSUE_NUMBER" or "Architecture design for: [topic]"prompt: Include the full context gathered above plus the original $ARGUMENTS
The agent will return a structured architecture design containing:
- Executive Summary
- Design Overview
- Key Architectural Decisions
- Component Breakdown
- API Design (if applicable)
- Data Model (if applicable)
- Implementation Steps
- Testing Strategy
- Risk Assessment
- Success Metrics
Phase 3: Post to GitHub Issue
If an issue number was provided, add the architecture design as a comment:
if [ -n "$ISSUE_NUMBER" ]; then
# Post architecture design to the issue
gh issue comment $ISSUE_NUMBER --body "## Architecture Design
[Paste the executive summary from architect-specialist]
### Key Decisions
[Paste key decisions]
### Implementation Plan
[Paste implementation steps]
### Full Architecture Design
[Paste complete design from architect-specialist, or link to documentation if very long]
---
*Generated by architect-specialist agent*"
echo "Architecture design posted to issue #$ISSUE_NUMBER"
else
# No issue number - just display the design
echo "Architecture design completed"
fi
Usage Examples
With issue number:
/architect 347
# Loads issue #347, invokes architect-specialist, posts design to issue
With architecture topic:
/architect "Design caching layer for API responses"
# Invokes architect-specialist with topic, displays design
Notes
- This command is a thin wrapper around @agents/architect-specialist
- The agent contains all architecture expertise and patterns
- This command focuses on context gathering and GitHub integration
- For architecture design without GitHub integration, the agent can be invoked directly
Remember: Good architecture enables change. Design for the future, but build for today.