prototype

Build throwaway prototypes that answer design questions about logic or UI.

Updated Mar 30, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/ninthday/skills-base --skill prototype-ninthday
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: prototype
Source: https://github.com/ninthday/skills-base/tree/main/skills/prototype
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/ninthday/skills-base --skill prototype-ninthday

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Design questions about state models, business logic, or UI layouts are hard to settle on paper or in discussion. This Skill produces throwaway, runnable prototypes that let you and stakeholders feel the answer before committing to real implementation. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Logic Prototypes: Build a single self-contained HTML file with free-play buttons and guided scenario walkthroughs that drive a pure reducer, state machine, or function set, shareable with non-developers by double-click. - UI Prototypes: Generate 3-5 radically different UI variants on an existing route, switchable via a ?variant= URL param and a floating bottom bar with arrow-key navigation. - Capture Workflow: Fold validated decisions into real code, then preserve the prototype on a throwaway branch as a primary source with a pointer on the implementation issue. - Use Case: You are unsure whether a state machine handles an edge case where action X precedes Y. Build a shareable HTML demo, hand it to a domain expert, and let them discover the flaw by clicking through scenarios. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to prototype whether the current checkout state model handles a cancelled payment followed by a retry, as a shareable HTML demo.

Frequently Asked Questions about prototype

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I prototype a state machine before implementing it?

Build a single self-contained HTML file with a pure reducer or state machine module, free-play action buttons, and tabbed guided walkthroughs for edge cases. Anyone can open it by double-clicking and drive the model without installing anything.

How to compare multiple UI design options in one app?

Render several structurally different variants on the same route, gated by a ?variant= URL search param, with a floating bottom bar to cycle between them. Keep existing data fetching intact so variants are judged against real content and layout context.

Should a prototype use the real database or in-memory state?

Prototypes should use in-memory state by default, since persistence is usually the thing being checked rather than a dependency. Only hit a scratch database or clearly marked local file when the question explicitly involves persistence.

When should I not write a throwaway prototype?

Skip prototyping when the question is already answered or when the code would need tests, error handling, and abstractions to be useful. A prototype that needs tests is no longer a prototype; write the real implementation instead.

What happens to prototype code after the question is answered?

Fold the validated decision into the real code, then commit the full prototype to a throwaway branch kept out of main. Leave a pointer to that branch on the implementation issue so the prototype survives as a primary source.