gh-shakes-tzd-contextune/commands/ctx-design.md

name, description, keywords, executable

name	description	keywords	executable
ctx:design	Design system architecture, APIs, and component interfaces with structured workflow	design architect architecture system design api design design pattern structure	true

Design Architecture - Structured Design Workflow

Systematic architecture design following: Understand → Research → Specify → Decompose → Plan

This command provides a structured approach to system design, API design, and architectural planning.

When to Use

Use /ctx:design when you need to:

• Design a new system or feature
• Plan API architecture
• Structure component interfaces
• Make build vs buy decisions
• Break down complex architectural problems
• Create implementation plans with dependencies

Workflow

1. Understand the Problem

Extract essentials:

• Core problem (what's the real need?)
• Constraints (time, budget, skills, existing systems)
• Success criteria (what does "done" look like?)
• Assumptions (make implicit explicit)

If unclear, ask:

• "What problem does this solve?"
• "What systems must it integrate with?"
• "Expected scale/volume?"
• "Must-haves vs. nice-to-haves?"

2. Research Existing Solutions

Run WebSearch queries (use WebSearch tool):

# Search for best libraries/tools
WebSearch: "best {technology} for {problem} 2025"

# Search for implementation examples
WebSearch: "{problem} implementation examples latest"

# Search for known issues
WebSearch: "{problem} common pitfalls challenges"

# Compare top solutions
WebSearch: "{library A} vs {library B} comparison 2025"

Example for authentication:

WebSearch: "best authentication library Node.js 2025"
WebSearch: "JWT vs Session authentication comparison 2025"
WebSearch: "authentication implementation examples Express"
WebSearch: "authentication security pitfalls 2025"

For each solution found, evaluate:

• Maturity: Check GitHub stars, last commit date, npm weekly downloads
• Fit: Does it solve 80%+ of requirements?
• Integration: Compatible with existing tech stack?
• Cost: License type, hosting requirements, pricing
• Risk: Vendor lock-in, learning curve, community support

Output format:

Solution	Maturity	Fit	Integration	Cost	Risk	Recommendation
Library A	High (10K⭐)	95%	✅	Free (MIT)	Low	✅ Use
Library B	Medium (2K⭐)	85%	✅	$99/mo	Medium	❌ Skip
Build Custom	N/A	100%	✅	Dev time	High	❌ Skip

3. Develop Specifications

Structure:

## Problem Statement
[1-2 sentences]

## Requirements
- [ ] Functional (High/Med/Low priority)
- [ ] Performance (metrics, scale)
- [ ] Security (requirements)

## Constraints
- Technical: [stack, systems]
- Resources: [time, budget, team]

## Success Criteria
- [Measurable outcomes]

4. Decompose into Tasks

Process:

1. Identify major components
2. Break into 1-3 day tasks
3. Classify: Independent | Sequential | Parallel-ready
4. Map dependencies

For each task:

• Prerequisites (what must exist first?)
• Outputs (what does it produce?)
• Downstream (what depends on it?)
• Parallelizable? (can run with others?)

5. Create Execution Plan

Phase structure:

## Phase 1: Foundation (Parallel)
- [ ] Task A - Infrastructure
- [ ] Task B - Data models
- [ ] Task C - CI/CD

## Phase 2: Core (Sequential after Phase 1)
- [ ] Task D - Auth (needs A,B)
- [ ] Task E - API (needs B)

## Phase 3: Features (Mixed)
- [ ] Task F - Feature 1 (needs D,E)
- [ ] Task G - Feature 2 (needs D,E) ← Parallel with F

Build vs. Buy Decision

Factor	Build	Buy
Uniqueness	Core differentiator	Common problem
Fit	Tools don't match	80%+ match
Control	Need full control	Standard OK
Timeline	Have time	Need speed
Expertise	Team has skills	Steep curve
Maintenance	Can maintain	Want support

Integration with ctx:architect Skill

This command is enhanced by the ctx:architect skill, which provides:

• Proactive detection of design opportunities
• Structured workflow guidance
• Research recommendations
• Specification templates

The skill automatically activates when Contextune detects design-related prompts.

Examples

API Design:

/ctx:design Design REST API for user management with auth

System Architecture:

/ctx:design Design microservices architecture for e-commerce platform

Component Planning:

/ctx:design Plan authentication system with OAuth2 and JWT

See Also

• /ctx:research - Research libraries and best practices
• /ctx:plan - Create parallel development plan
• ctx:architect skill - Automated design workflow guidance