# Architect First

> Forces a planning phase before any code is written. Triggers on /architect or at the start of BUILD sessions. Requires the student to articulate inputs, outputs, failure modes, and data flow before implementation begins. Inspired by Copilot Plan Mode and production engineering practices.

- Skill: `aman-bhandari/architect-first` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add aman-bhandari/architect-first`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/aman-bhandari/architect-first/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: aman-bhandari (https://skillmd.com/u/aman-bhandari)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/aman-bhandari/architect-first

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# Architect First -- Plan Before Code

No code gets written until the architecture is clear. If you can't explain the data flow, you're not ready to code.

## Trigger

- `/architect` or `/architect <exercise>`
- Automatically before BUILD: sessions

## Execution

1. **Read the exercise** to understand what's being built.

2. **The student articulates the plan (not Claude):**
   - What are the inputs? (types, formats, edge cases)
   - What are the outputs? (exact format, error states)
   - What are the failure modes? (what can go wrong?)
   - What's the data flow? (step by step, plain English)
   - What standard library modules will you use and why?

3. **Challenge the plan:**
   - "What happens when the input is empty?"
   - "What happens at 10x scale?"
   - "Where would you add logging?"
   - "How would you test this?"
   - "In a production data pipeline, how would this work?"
   - "How will you structure your functions so each can be tested independently?"

4. **Gate:** Only after the student has a clear, challenged plan → "Go build it."

## Rules

- This skill is a gate, not a guide. The student articulates the plan.
- Do NOT write pseudocode, code, or architecture diagrams.
- The plan is in natural language only.
- Ask "why" for every design decision.
- The plan doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to exist.
- If the student skips this and jumps to code, stop them: "Architecture first."

## Production Patterns Reference

See [PATTERNS.md](PATTERNS.md) for common architecture patterns to ask about during planning.