tech-debt

Identify and prioritize technical debt across codebases with impact, risk, and effort scores.

Updated Aug 23, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/mmahalwy/cooper --skill tech-debt-mmahalwy
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: tech-debt
Source: https://github.com/mmahalwy/cooper/tree/main/.agents/skills/tech-debt
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/mmahalwy/cooper --skill tech-debt-mmahalwy

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Systematically identify and reduce technical debt that slows development, introduces bugs, and increases maintenance costs across code, architecture, tests, dependencies, documentation, and infrastructure.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Comprehensive Categorization: Classifies debt into code, architecture, test, dependency, documentation, and infrastructure debt with concrete examples and associated risks.
  • Prioritization Framework: Scores items by Impact, Risk, and Effort and computes priority using the (Impact + Risk) x (6 - Effort) formula to rank remediation work.
  • Actionable Remediation Plans: Produces prioritized lists with estimated effort, business justification, and phased remediation plans suitable for inclusion in sprint planning.
  • Use Cases: Audit a legacy monolith before a refactor, triage flaky tests and low coverage areas, or plan dependency upgrades and infrastructure hardening.

Quick Start

Audit the repository for technical debt and return a prioritized remediation list with impact, risk, and effort estimates plus a phased plan ready for sprint planning.

Frequently Asked Questions about tech-debt

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I prioritize technical debt for a refactoring plan?

Prioritize technical debt by scoring items across code, architecture, tests, dependencies, and infrastructure using a formula of (Impact + Risk) x (6 - Effort) to rank remediation work. This generates a prioritized list with business justifications.

What is the best way to audit a legacy monolith before a refactor?

Auditing a legacy monolith involves categorizing debt into code, architecture, test, dependency, documentation, and infrastructure debt. The audit returns concrete examples, associated risks, and a phased remediation plan suitable for sprint planning.

How do I triage a maintenance backlog with impact and effort estimates?

Triage a maintenance backlog by evaluating each item's impact, risk, and estimated effort. The process calculates a priority score and produces a phased remediation plan with business justifications ready for sprint-based delivery.

Can I plan dependency upgrades and infrastructure hardening using a prioritization framework?

Yes, you can plan dependency upgrades and infrastructure hardening by classifying them as dependency and infrastructure debt. The framework scores each item by impact, risk, and effort to create a phased remediation plan.

When do I need a technical debt audit for my codebase?

You need a technical debt audit when development slows, bugs increase, or maintenance costs rise across your codebase. It systematically identifies debt in tests, dependencies, documentation, architecture, and infrastructure to guide remediation.

Does this technical debt remediation process work for repositories of varying scale?

Yes, the technical debt remediation process applies to software engineering teams conducting code quality audits, refactoring planning, and maintenance backlog triage on repositories and systems of varying scale.