When should I use Plan Mode versus Specs?

Use Plan Mode at the start of a feature to explore and design. Use Specs to document the 'architectural truth' or established patterns that should remain declarative and evergreen.

How does this skill help AI agents?

It includes a 'Skills' category specifically designed to provide prescriptive, step-by-step guidance to AI agents on how to implement specific patterns within your codebase.

Does this support Architectural Decision Records (ADRs)?

Yes, it provides standardized templates and a workflow for creating ADRs and RFCs to ensure formal proposals and decisions are properly documented.

What is the 5-Style Documentation System?

It is a methodology that categorizes project documentation into five specific types: Plans, Issues, Evergreen Specs, Agent Skills, and User Docs, each with a unique purpose and update trigger.

5-Style Documentation System

Name: 5-Style Documentation System
Author: thrashr888

bythrashr888

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Learning & Documentation

Standardizes software documentation using a specialized five-tier system for plans, issues, specs, skills, and user guides.

About

The 5-Style Documentation System skill provides a structured framework for organizing technical knowledge, allowing Claude to generate consistent, high-quality documentation across the entire development lifecycle. It distinguishes between architectural truth (Specs) and implementation guidance (Skills), ensuring that documentation remains evergreen and useful for both developers and AI agents. By automating the creation of templates for RFCs, ADRs, and project plans, this skill reduces documentation rot and ensures that complex architectural decisions are captured and maintained throughout the codebase.

Key Features

1 GitHub stars
Support for multi-session task tracking and dependency management
Automated template generation for ADRs, RFCs, and project plans
Built-in decision framework for selecting the appropriate documentation style
Tiered documentation hierarchy that separates architecture from implementation
Prescriptive agent skill creation to optimize AI assistant performance

Use Cases

Creating prescriptive guides to teach AI agents specific codebase patterns
Designing complex features with a formal planning phase before coding begins
Documenting architectural truth with evergreen specs that stay relevant over time

About

Key Features

1 GitHub stars
Support for multi-session task tracking and dependency management
Automated template generation for ADRs, RFCs, and project plans
Built-in decision framework for selecting the appropriate documentation style
Tiered documentation hierarchy that separates architecture from implementation
Prescriptive agent skill creation to optimize AI assistant performance

Use Cases

Creating prescriptive guides to teach AI agents specific codebase patterns
Designing complex features with a formal planning phase before coding begins
Documenting architectural truth with evergreen specs that stay relevant over time