Octopus Architecture

Host: Codex CLI — This skill was designed for Claude Code and adapted for Codex. Cross-reference commands use installed skill names in Codex rather than /octo:* slash commands. Use the active Codex shell and subagent tools. Do not claim a provider, model, or host subagent is available until the current session exposes it. For host tool equivalents, see skills/blocks/codex-host-adapter.md.

⚠️ EXECUTION CONTRACT (MANDATORY - CANNOT SKIP)

This skill uses ENFORCED execution mode. You MUST follow this exact sequence.

STEP 1: Display Visual Indicators (MANDATORY - BLOCKING)

Check provider availability:

providers_output="$("${HOME}/.claude-octopus/plugin/scripts/helpers/check-providers.sh" 2>/dev/null || true)"
provider_status() {
  provider="$1"
  if printf '%s\n' "$providers_output" | grep -q "^${provider}:available"; then
    echo "Available ✓"
  else
    echo "Not installed ✗"
  fi
}
codex_status="$(provider_status codex)"
gemini_status="$(provider_status gemini)"
agy_status="$(provider_status agy)"

Display this banner BEFORE orchestrate.sh execution:

🐙 **CLAUDE OCTOPUS ACTIVATED** - Architecture design mode
🏗️ Architecture: [Brief description of system to design]

Provider Availability:
🔴 Codex CLI: ${codex_status} - Backend architecture patterns
🟡 Gemini CLI: ${gemini_status} - Alternative approaches
🧭 Antigravity CLI: ${agy_status} - Additional external-model challenge
🔵 Claude: Available ✓ - Synthesis and recommendations

💰 Estimated Cost: $0.02-0.08
⏱️  Estimated Time: 3-7 minutes

Validation:

• If no external providers are available → STOP, suggest: /octo:setup
• If one or more external providers are available → Continue with available provider(s)

DO NOT PROCEED TO STEP 2 until banner displayed.

STEP 2: Execute orchestrate.sh spawn (MANDATORY - Use Bash Tool)

You MUST execute this command via the native shell command tool:

${HOME}/.claude-octopus/plugin/scripts/orchestrate.sh spawn backend-architect "<user's architecture request>"

CRITICAL: You are PROHIBITED from:

• ❌ Designing architecture directly without calling orchestrate.sh
• ❌ Using direct analysis as a substitute
• ❌ Claiming you're "simulating" the workflow
• ❌ Proceeding to Step 3 without running this command

This is NOT optional. You MUST use the native shell command tool to invoke orchestrate.sh.

STEP 3: Verify Execution (MANDATORY - Validation Gate)

After orchestrate.sh completes, verify it succeeded:

# Check for persona output (varies by persona type)
# For spawn commands, check exit code and output
if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
  echo "❌ VALIDATION FAILED: orchestrate.sh spawn failed"
  exit 1
fi

echo "✅ VALIDATION PASSED: Architecture design completed"

If validation fails:

1. Report error to user
2. Show logs from ~/.claude-octopus/logs/
3. DO NOT proceed with presenting results
4. DO NOT substitute with direct design

STEP 4: Present Results (Only After Steps 1-3 Complete)

Present the architecture design from the persona execution.

Include attribution:

*Multi-AI Architecture Design powered by Claude Octopus*
*Providers: available external providers + 🔵 Claude*

Architecture Skill

Invokes the backend-architect persona for system design during the grasp (define) and tangle (develop) phases.

Usage

# Via orchestrate.sh
${HOME}/.claude-octopus/plugin/scripts/orchestrate.sh spawn backend-architect "Design a scalable notification system"

# Via auto-routing (detects architecture intent)
${HOME}/.claude-octopus/plugin/scripts/orchestrate.sh auto "architect the event-driven messaging system"

Capabilities

• API design and RESTful patterns
• Microservices architecture
• Distributed systems design
• Event-driven architecture
• Database schema design
• Scalability planning

Persona Reference

This skill wraps the backend-architect persona defined in:

• agents/personas/backend-architect.md
• CLI: codex
• Model: gpt-5.3-codex
• Phases: grasp, tangle
• Expertise: api-design, microservices, distributed-systems

Example Prompts

"Design the API contract for the user service"
"Plan the event sourcing architecture"
"Design the caching strategy for the product catalog"
"Create a microservices decomposition plan"

LSP Integration (Claude Code 2.1.14+)

For enhanced structural awareness during architecture design, leverage Claude Code's LSP tools:

Recommended LSP Tool Usage

1. Before defining architecture, gather structural context:

   lsp_document_symbols - Understand existing module structure
   lsp_find_references  - Identify current dependencies
   lsp_workspace_symbols - Find related patterns across codebase
   

2. During design validation:

   lsp_goto_definition  - Verify interface contracts
   lsp_hover           - Check type signatures
   lsp_diagnostics     - Identify type/interface mismatches
   

Example Workflow

// Step 1: Understand existing structure
const symbols = await lsp_document_symbols("src/services/user.ts")
const references = await lsp_find_references("UserService", line=5, char=10)

// Step 2: Identify patterns in codebase
const patterns = await lsp_workspace_symbols("Service")

// Step 3: Design new architecture informed by existing patterns
// ... architecture design ...

// Step 4: Validate design with diagnostics
const issues = await lsp_diagnostics("src/services/*.ts")

This ensures architecture recommendations align with existing codebase patterns and type contracts.

Source: hashgraph-online/awesome-codex-plugins → plugins/nyldn/claude-octopus/skills/octopus-architecture/SKILL.md