spike

Build throwaway prototypes to validate technical feasibility before committing to a real build.

Updated Jul 10, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/AvaTar-ArTs/.Agent-skills --skill spike-avatar-arts
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: spike
Source: https://github.com/AvaTar-ArTs/.Agent-skills/tree/main/skills/software-development/spike
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/AvaTar-ArTs/.Agent-skills --skill spike-avatar-arts

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? It answers feasibility questions that research alone cannot resolve by building small disposable prototypes, so you avoid committing to an approach that turns out not to work. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Decompose and Prioritize: Break an idea into 2-5 independent feasibility questions framed as Given/When/Then, ordered by risk so the idea-killing question runs first. - Comparison Spikes: Build competing approaches side by side (e.g., pdfjs vs camelot for PDF parsing) and produce a head-to-head verdict table. - Structured Verdicts: Each spike closes with a VALIDATED, PARTIAL, or INVALIDATED verdict documenting what worked, what failed, and recommendations for the real build. - Use Case: Before building a real-time chat feature, spike whether websocket streaming delivers LLM tokens to the client under 100ms, then throw the prototype away and start the real implementation with confidence. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to spike whether your idea is feasible, for example: "Spike whether I can stream LLM tokens over websockets with under 100ms latency before I commit to this architecture."

Frequently Asked Questions about spike

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I validate a technical idea before building it?

Decompose the idea into 2-5 independent feasibility questions framed as Given/When/Then, order them by risk, then build a small standalone prototype for each. Close each spike with a VALIDATED, PARTIAL, or INVALIDATED verdict and throw the code away.

How do I compare two libraries or approaches for the same task?

Build comparison spikes with a shared number and letter suffix, such as 002a-pdf-parse-pdfjs and 002b-pdf-parse-camelot, testing the same question with each approach. Finish with a head-to-head table covering quality, setup complexity, and performance, then declare a winner for your use case.

When should I not use a spike?

Skip spiking when the answer is knowable from documentation or reading existing code, when the work is on the production path and needs a real plan, or when the idea is already validated. Spikes exist only for questions research cannot answer.

What makes a good spike question?

A good spike question targets a specific feasibility concern with observable output, such as whether websocket streaming delivers chunks under 100ms. Avoid questions that are too broad, have no observable output, or amount to just reading documentation.

What should a spike prototype include?

Each spike lives in its own directory with a README and minimal runnable code, biased toward something interactive like a CLI, small HTML page, or single-endpoint server. Hardcode configuration, avoid build tools and Docker, and test edge cases rather than stopping at one happy-path run.