system-architect_skill

Overview

This skill designs system architecture that translates product requirements into a concrete, implementable technical blueprint. It selects justified technology stacks, defines components and interfaces, and ensures systematic coverage of non-functional requirements like scalability, security, and availability. The goal is a clear, actionable architecture document and validation report that teams can use for implementation and planning.

How this skill works

I load the project requirements (PRD or tech-spec), extract all functional and non-functional requirements, and identify architectural drivers that shape design choices. I select fitting architecture and data patterns, design components and interfaces, produce data models and API specifications, and map every NFR to concrete architectural decisions. Optionally, I validate existing architecture documents against requirements and generate coverage and validation reports with recommendations.

When to use it

• Design architecture for a new project or major feature
• Choose and justify a technology stack for implementation
• Define components, boundaries, and APIs before development
• Systematically map and cover NFRs (performance, security, availability)
• Validate or audit an existing architecture document for gaps

Best practices

• Always load and review the PRD/tech-spec before designing
• Identify architectural drivers early and let critical NFRs guide major choices
• Prefer the simplest pattern that satisfies requirements (avoid premature microservices)
• Map each NFR to specific decisions (caching, sharding, encryption, etc.)
• Document trade-offs and rationale for every major decision

Example use cases

• Designing an e-commerce platform architecture with high concurrency and PCI constraints
• Choosing between monolith, modular monolith, or microservices for a new product
• Creating API specs and data models for a cross-team integration
• Running an NFR coverage check to identify security or scalability gaps
• Validating a vendor-proposed architecture against the project PRD