Does this skill generate OpenAPI specifications?

No. This skill focuses on the abstract design. OpenAPI specs are protocol-specific (REST) and should be generated later in the development process based on the contracts defined here.

What is the primary benefit of using this skill?

It prevents integration failures discovered late in the development cycle by forcing teams to agree on component interfaces and data structures before any implementation code is written.

Why does this skill avoid HTTP verbs and status codes?

This skill follows the principle that contracts should be defined by the operations and data they exchange, not the transport protocol. This ensures the design remains valid whether you eventually choose REST, gRPC, or GraphQL.

When is the Pre-Dev API Design skill triggered?

It is used in 'Large Track' workflows (features taking 2+ days) after a Technical Requirements Document (TRD) has passed Gate 3 validation and before the physical Data Model is created.

Pre-Dev API Design

Name: Pre-Dev API Design
Author: LerianStudio

byLerianStudio

•

API Development

Defines protocol-agnostic component interfaces and data contracts to ensure integration alignment before implementation begins.

The Pre-Dev API Design skill enforces Gate 4 of the Ring workflow, ensuring that developers define 'what' data and operations components expose before deciding 'how' they are implemented. By focusing on abstract contracts rather than specific protocols like REST or gRPC, this skill prevents integration failures and inconsistent data structures in complex systems. It provides a structured framework for documenting operations, validation rules, error semantics, and event payloads, serving as a critical source of truth for large-track feature development.

Key Features

01Integration point mapping based on previously approved Technical Requirements Documents (TRDs).

02Automated Gate 4 validation checklist for contract completeness and clarity.

03Protocol-agnostic contract definition to prevent technology lock-in during design.

04Abstract error and event specification for robust system communication.

0517 GitHub stars

06Standardized templates for operations, inputs, outputs, and validation rules.

Use Cases

01Standardizing data structures for multi-component integrations in large-scale features.

02Defining communication contracts between microservices before selecting a transport layer.

03Designing event-driven architectures by formalizing event payloads and delivery semantics.

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add lerianstudio/ring pre-dev-api-design

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill