Blueprint Skill
Use this skill to plan a new feature or expand an existing one. This skill produces a written plan — it does NOT write implementation code.
Arguments
Pass a description of the feature after the command:
- •
/blueprint add inbound email processing with S3 storage - •
/blueprint expand SMS service with delivery receipts - •
/blueprint add webhook retry with exponential backoff to event processor
Phase 1: Parallel Research (3 agents simultaneously)
Launch ALL THREE of these Task agents in a single message:
Agent A — Code Exploration
- •Identify the area of the codebase this feature touches
- •Read every relevant file end-to-end (entry points, utilities, types, tests, infrastructure)
- •Map the complete execution flow with file:line references
- •Document the current types/interfaces that will be extended
- •List every file that will need to be created or modified
- •Output: file map with descriptions and current execution flow
Agent B — Doc Collection
- •Identify every third-party library, SDK, or service the feature will use
- •Use Context7 (
resolve-library-idthenquery-docs) to fetch current API docs for each - •For AWS services: fetch the specific API actions needed (e.g.,
PutObject,CreateReceiptRule) - •Document: method signatures, required parameters, response shapes, error types, rate limits
- •If Context7 doesn't have the library, use WebSearch + WebFetch to get the relevant docs
- •Output: third-party API reference with all needed methods, params, errors, and gotchas
Agent C — Pattern Mining
- •Find 2-3 existing features in the codebase that are architecturally similar
- •Document the patterns they use: file structure, error handling, state management, testing approach
- •Note the naming conventions, resource prefixes, and tag patterns used
- •Identify any shared utilities or abstractions the new feature should reuse
- •Output: pattern reference with concrete examples from the codebase
Phase 2: Write the Blueprint
After all 3 agents complete, synthesize their findings into a plan file.
Create: .claude/blueprints/<feature-slug>.md
The blueprint MUST include these sections:
markdown
# Blueprint: <Feature Name> **Created**: <timestamp> **Status**: Draft ## Overview <1-2 paragraph description of what this feature does and why> ## Scope - **New files**: list with purpose - **Modified files**: list with what changes and why - **Not touching**: explicitly list related files that should NOT change ## Third-Party APIs For each external API call: - **Service**: name + method - **Required params**: with types - **Response shape**: key fields - **Error types**: every possible error and how to handle it - **Rate limits / gotchas**: from docs ## Implementation Steps Ordered list of steps. Each step includes: 1. What to do (specific, not vague) 2. Which file(s) to touch 3. Which pattern to follow (reference Agent C findings) 4. Which tests to write for this step ## Types TypeScript interfaces/types the feature needs — both new and extensions to existing. ## Error Handling For each error scenario: - What can go wrong - How to detect it (error.name, error.code, status code) - How to handle it (retry, fail with message, fallback) ## Testing Strategy - Unit tests: what to mock, what to assert - Integration tests: which flows to test end-to-end - Edge cases: list explicitly ## Patterns to Follow <Paste the most relevant pattern examples from Agent C> ## Open Questions <Anything that needs user input before implementation can start>
Phase 3: Present for Approval
- •Present a summary of the blueprint to the user (do NOT paste the entire file)
- •Highlight any open questions or decision points
- •Tell the user: "The full blueprint is at
.claude/blueprints/<feature-slug>.md. You can/clearand reference this file when you're ready to implement." - •Do NOT proceed to implementation. The blueprint is the deliverable.
Rules
- •NEVER write implementation code. This skill produces a plan, not code.
- •NEVER skip doc collection. Guessing at API shapes causes bugs. Fetch the real docs.
- •If a third-party API has known quirks (e.g., AWS SDK v3 error handling), document them explicitly in the blueprint.
- •If the feature scope is larger than expected, say so and suggest breaking it into smaller blueprints.
- •The blueprint file must be self-contained — someone reading it after
/clearshould have everything they need to implement. - •Write the blueprint in enough detail that implementation is mechanical, not creative.