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principle-model-the-domain

Encodes domain logic in data structures instead of scattered conditionals across code.

6.6k|542|Updated Jan 23, 2026
Search Tags:#abstraction#code structure#Refactoring#Domain Modeling#Software Design#conditionals#State Machine
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/cursor/plugins --skill principle-model-the-domain
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: principle-model-the-domain
Source: https://github.com/cursor/plugins/tree/main/pstack/skills/principle-model-the-domain
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/cursor/plugins --skill principle-model-the-domain

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Codebases accumulate accidental complexity when domain rules are scattered across booleans, if/else chains, and repeated shape assumptions in multiple files. This Skill guides you to encode the domain in a proper structure so invalid states become unrepresentable and branches disappear.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Structure Selection Guidance: Recommends state machines, typed models, lookup tables, discriminated unions, reducers, and domain-organized modules based on the shape of your problem.
  • Complexity Detection: Identifies tells like growing if/else chains, booleans that must stay in sync, and phase-named modules that repeat domain rules.
  • Restraint Against Over-Abstraction: Advises preferring boring, clear code when the current shape is local and unlikely to grow.
  • Use Case: When adding a new lifecycle phase to a feature, instead of extending an if/else chain and adding another boolean flag, model the lifecycle as a state machine so invalid transitions cannot compile.

Quick Start

Ask the AI to review your stateful logic and model the domain with a proper structure instead of scattered conditionals.

Frequently Asked Questions about principle-model-the-domain

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I replace scattered if/else chains with a state machine?▼

Identify the lifecycle phases and valid transitions in your logic, then encode them as explicit states with defined transitions. This makes invalid states unrepresentable and deletes the branches that checked booleans or phase flags.

When should I model the domain instead of adding another conditional?▼

Model the domain when a new feature grows an existing if/else chain, when two booleans must stay in sync, or when the same shape assumption repeats across files. These are tells that the domain is not encoded in a structure.

What structures can replace branching logic in code?▼

Common replacements include state machines for lifecycles, typed models for repeated shape assumptions, lookup tables or discriminated unions for branching, reducers for ad hoc mutations, and modules organized around one body of domain knowledge.

When should I avoid adding a domain abstraction?▼

Avoid abstraction when the current code is already clear, local, and unlikely to grow. Be skeptical of any structure that adds indirection without removing branches, duplicated rules, invalid states, or lifecycle risk.

Why is organizing modules by execution order a problem?▼

Phase-named modules like load, validate, transform, and save repeat the same domain rules across steps, which is temporal decomposition. Organizing a module around one body of domain knowledge keeps ownership and invariants in one place.

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