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spike

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

Updated Sep 10, 2026
Search Tags:#planning#validation#feasibility#prototype#proof-of-concept#experiment#spike
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/loteiron/ZeusAgent --skill spike-loteiron
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: spike
Source: https://github.com/loteiron/ZeusAgent/tree/main/skills/software-development/spike
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/loteiron/ZeusAgent --skill spike-loteiron

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Teams often commit to architectures or libraries before knowing whether they actually work, wasting days on dead-end implementations. This Skill structures quick, disposable experiments that answer feasibility questions with real evidence before any production code is written. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Structured Spike Loop: Decompose an idea into 2-5 risk-ordered feasibility questions, research competing approaches, build minimal prototypes, and record a VALIDATED, PARTIAL, or INVALIDATED verdict per spike. - Comparison Spikes: Run parallel variants (e.g., pdfjs vs camelot) with delegated subagents, then produce a head-to-head comparison table across quality, setup, and performance dimensions. - Frontier Mode: Analyze existing spike results to surface integration risks, unproven data handoffs, and gaps worth spiking next. - 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 build with confidence. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to spike out whether your chosen library or approach actually works for your use case before you commit to the full implementation.

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?▼

Run a spike: decompose the idea into 2-5 independent feasibility questions, order them by risk, build a minimal throwaway prototype for each, and record a VALIDATED, PARTIAL, or INVALIDATED verdict with evidence in a README per spike.

How to compare two libraries with a prototype?▼

Create comparison spikes sharing one number with letter suffixes (002a, 002b), build both approaches back to back or in parallel via delegated subagents, then write a head-to-head table covering extraction quality, setup complexity, and performance.

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 real planning, or when the idea is already validated and you can jump straight to implementation.

What makes a good spike question?▼

A good spike question targets specific feasibility with observable output, such as whether websocket streaming delivers chunks under 100ms. Avoid questions that are too broad, lack measurable output, or amount to just reading documentation.

What is the difference between this spike skill and gsd-spike?▼

This is the lightweight standalone version. If gsd-spike is installed via the full GSD system, prefer it for persistent .planning/spikes/ state, MANIFEST tracking across sessions, and integration with the broader GSD pipeline.

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