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Agents48k · #3697

not-a-vibe-coder

Turns vague ideas into structured plans for new projects. Great for organizing the start of work, not for existing codebases.

What it does

This AI assistant helps turn project ideas, even vague ones, into 8 detailed planning documents. It acts as the project's memory, ensuring all important details are recorded and followed.

When to use it

  • ✓When starting a completely new project with a vague idea.
  • ✓When you need a clear structure for a new app or system.
  • ✓If you want to ensure all project details are documented before building starts.

Example of what to ask your AI

“I want to build a to-do list app. Can you help me plan it?”

Want more? Open the sections below.

How to use

The easiest way: copy the message below and paste it into Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any AI. It reads the skill and follows the instructions.

Skill link

https://github.com/sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/blob/main/plugins/agentic-awesome-skills-claude/skills/not-a-vibe-coder/SKILL.md

Ready-to-paste message

Use this skill to help me: https://github.com/sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/blob/main/plugins/agentic-awesome-skills-claude/skills/not-a-vibe-coder/SKILL.md Read the SKILL.md file at that link and follow its instructions for my task.
How it works

It creates 8 planning files that serve as a guide. First, it understands your idea and asks for details to create the main document (PRD). Then, it creates the other documents one by one, asking for your approval at each step.

Installation

Easiest way: copy the skill link and paste it into Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor asking it to follow the instructions.

In the terminal (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor), in your project folder:

npx skills add sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills --skill not-a-vibe-coder

Or download just the file:

curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/main/plugins/agentic-awesome-skills-claude/skills/not-a-vibe-coder/SKILL.md -o SKILL.md
Technical content (original SKILL.md)

Original text by the author, straight from GitHub.

Not-a-Vibe-Coder

A skill that turns any project idea — no matter how vague — into 8 living planning documents that act as the project's persistent memory across a long context window. The documents are the source of truth for "what we agreed on"; the user's live instructions are always the final authority and can override the docs at any time.

When to Use

  • Use this skill when the task matches this description: Turns vague prompts into 8 structured planning files for brand new projects. DO NOT use on existing codebases.

Core Principles (never violate these)

  1. User command > files > AI assumptions. If the user says something that contradicts a file, the user wins — and the relevant file(s) should then be updated to reflect the new instruction.
  2. No silent additions. Never add features, tech choices, pages, tables, or rules the user did not ask for or approve. If something seems missing, ask — don't assume. Exception: when the user explicitly says "fill it in", "brainstorm the rest", "you decide", etc. — see Phase 3.
  3. Design.md is special. NEVER fill Design.md with your own taste. Always ask the user for style direction (e.g. minimal, playful, corporate, dark mode, neumorphic, etc.) and a color palette (or offer 2-3 palette options to pick from) before writing anything into it.
  4. One file at a time, in order, during initial planning — don't dump all 8 files at once unless the user explicitly asks for that.
  5. Tracker.md is append-only progress tracking — update it whenever work is completed, never rewrite history, just check items off and add new ones as they emerge.
  6. Mid-project changes ripple. If the user requests a change mid-build that affects earlier decisions (e.g. "actually let's use Postgres instead of Firebase", "add a booking feature"), update ALL affected files yourself, without being asked file-by-file. Then summarize what changed.
  7. Read before you write. At the start of any session, if these files already exist in the project, read all 8 before doing anything else — they are your memory.

The 8 Files

File Purpose
PRD.md What the app does, features, goals, user requirements
TechSpec.md Architecture, tech stack, APIs, database choices
AppFlow.md User flows and navigation
Design.md UI/UX guidelines, layout, style, color palette
Schema.md Database tables, relationships, data models
ImplementationPlan.md Step-by-step development roadmap
Tracker.md Completed work, pending tasks, progress
Rules.md Coding standards, constraints, project rules

Workflow

Phase 0 — Detect intent

  • ONLY for brand new projects. If project has existing code files, ABORT and do not use this skill.
  • If the user gives a one-liner idea ("build me a restaurant ordering app") for a new project, this is the trigger to start Phase 1.
  • If the user gives a fully detailed spec already, you can still create the files but populate them directly from what they said — skip redundant questions.

Phase 1 — PRD.md first

This is the foundation. Everything else depends on it.

  • Take whatever the user gave you (even just "restaurant app") and ask a small number of clarifying questions to flesh out the PRD — target audience, core features, platforms (web/mobile/both), must-haves vs nice-to-haves, monetization if any, etc. Use ask_user_input_v0 for quick multiple-choice clarifications where natural.
  • The user can also choose to skip Q&A and just write directly into PRD.md themselves — if they say "I'll fill it in", create a skeleton PRD.md with section headers and placeholders, and wait for them.
  • Do not invent features. If the user's answer is vague, ask again or offer options — don't fill gaps with assumptions.
  • Once the PRD feels solid, write PRD.md, show it to the user, and get confirmation before moving to the next file.

Phase 2 — Remaining files, one by one (except Design.md)

In this order: TechSpec.md → AppFlow.md → Schema.md → ImplementationPlan.md → Rules.md → Tracker.md → Design.md (last, see Phase 2.5).

For each file:

  • Propose a draft based on the PRD and any prior files, OR ask the user questions if there's a real decision to make (e.g. "Should this use PostgreSQL or a simpler option like SQLite/Firebase?").
  • Show the draft, ask for confirmation or edits.

…

FAQ

Can I use this on an existing project?

No, this tool is only for brand new projects. Using it on existing projects can cause confusion.

What if I don't like something the AI wrote?

You always have the final say. If something the AI wrote contradicts what you want, your instruction takes precedence, and the documents will be updated to reflect it.

Can the AI add features without asking me?

No. The AI should never add features, technologies, or rules that you haven't asked for or approved. If something seems missing, it should ask you first.

Details

Original description by the author

Turns vague prompts into 8 structured planning files for brand new projects. DO NOT use on existing codebases.

repo: sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills

Popularity

GitHub stars
48k
Ranking position
#3697
License
MIT
Updated
10/15/2026

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