Can this skill help with automated code reviews?

Yes, you can use the /vanilla-rails:review command to get an automated architectural critique of your current changes based on 37signals best practices.

How does this skill identify over-engineering?

The skill scans for 'fat services,' anemic models, and non-RESTful controllers, suggesting refactors that leverage Rails' native capabilities like concerns and Active Record.

When does this skill recommend using a service object?

Services are suggested only for coordinating multiple models, external API interactions, or complex multi-step workflows that don't naturally belong to a single model.

Does it support 37signals' specific code style?

Yes, it includes preferences for expanded conditionals, specific method ordering, and the 'Fizzy' pattern for asynchronous operations using _later and _now suffixes.

What is the Vanilla Rails philosophy?

It is a design approach popularized by 37signals that prioritizes built-in Rails features, thin controllers, and rich models over external abstractions like service layers.

Vanilla Rails Architect

Name: Vanilla Rails Architect
Author: iuhoay

byiuhoay

•

API Development

Refactors and reviews Ruby on Rails applications using the 37signals philosophy to eliminate over-engineering and bloated service layers.

Vanilla Rails is a specialized Claude Code skill designed to align your codebase with the architectural principles pioneered by 37signals and Basecamp. It helps developers simplify Rails applications by moving business logic from unnecessary service objects into rich domain models, ensuring controllers remain thin and focused on HTTP concerns. By leveraging built-in Rails patterns like concerns, delegated types, and Active Record associations, this skill identifies architectural anti-patterns, automates code reviews for DHH-style compliance, and provides actionable refactoring plans to reduce complexity and improve maintainability.

Key Features

01Analysis of CRUD controllers to ensure adherence to RESTful resource patterns

02Automated architectural reviews to identify over-engineered service layers

03Refactoring guidance to migrate logic from fat services to rich domain models

04Enforcement of 37signals style preferences including method ordering and conditional returns

0541 GitHub stars

06Detection of anemic models and premature abstractions within the codebase

Use Cases

01Refactoring complex multi-step processes into clean, model-based workflows using concerns

02Simplifying a Rails monolith that has become cluttered with redundant service objects

03Performing an architectural audit on a pull request to ensure it follows standard Rails conventions

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add iuhoay/skills vanilla-rails

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill