jbaruch/spring-boot-4
Build Spring Boot 4.0 applications - project setup, REST controllers, dependency injection, configuration, actuator, and testing
91
90%
Does it follow best practices?
Impact
97%
1.79xAverage score across 3 eval scenarios
Passed
No known issues
Quality
Discovery
100%Based on the skill's description, can an agent find and select it at the right time? Clear, specific descriptions lead to better discovery.
This is a strong skill description that concisely covers specific capabilities, includes natural trigger terms developers would use, and clearly delineates both what the skill does and when to use it. The version specificity (Spring Boot 4.0, Spring Framework 7.0) makes it highly distinctive. It uses proper third-person voice and avoids vague language.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Specificity | Lists multiple specific concrete actions: building applications, creating REST APIs, configuring Spring Boot, adding actuator observability, writing tests, and setting up new projects. | 3 / 3 |
Completeness | Clearly answers both 'what' (build applications with Spring Boot 4.0 and Spring Framework 7.0) and 'when' with an explicit 'Use when...' clause listing five specific trigger scenarios. | 3 / 3 |
Trigger Term Quality | Includes strong natural keywords users would say: 'Spring Boot', 'REST APIs', 'actuator', 'observability', 'tests', 'Spring Boot 4', 'Spring Framework 7.0'. These are terms developers naturally use when working in this domain. | 3 / 3 |
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk | Highly distinctive due to specific version numbers (Spring Boot 4.0, Spring Framework 7.0) and domain-specific terms like 'actuator observability'. Unlikely to conflict with generic Java or web development skills. | 3 / 3 |
Total | 12 / 12 Passed |
Implementation
77%Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.
This is a strong, actionable skill that provides Boot 4-specific guidance with executable code examples and a clear startup workflow with validation checkpoints. Its main weaknesses are redundancy (key breaking changes like MockBean removal and Jackson property changes are repeated 2-3 times across sections) and the lack of progressive disclosure for what is a fairly lengthy document. Trimming the repetition and splitting detailed reference material into linked files would significantly improve token efficiency.
Suggestions
Eliminate redundancy by consolidating repeated information (MockBean, Jackson properties, tracing property) — mention each change once in the Breaking Changes section and reference it from other sections rather than restating it.
Split detailed reference content (Jackson 3.0 migration, full actuator configuration, breaking changes table) into separate linked files to improve progressive disclosure and reduce the main skill's token footprint.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Conciseness | The skill is mostly efficient and covers Boot 4-specific changes well, but there's notable redundancy — the same information appears multiple times (e.g., MockMvc/MockBean changes mentioned in Quick-Start, Testing section, AND Breaking Changes; Jackson property changes repeated 3 times; tracing property rename appears twice). The 'REST Controllers' section notes that structure is 'unchanged from Boot 3' which is unnecessary filler. However, it does assume Claude's competence and avoids explaining basic concepts. | 2 / 3 |
Actionability | The skill provides fully executable code examples throughout — Maven/Gradle configs, Java classes with correct imports, property files, and test classes are all copy-paste ready. Specific version numbers, artifact names, and property keys are provided rather than vague descriptions. The migration table from Boot 3 to Boot 4 is particularly actionable. | 3 / 3 |
Workflow Clarity | The Quick-Start Workflow provides a clear 7-step sequence with explicit verification checkpoints (step 3: verify dependencies resolve, step 6: verify startup, step 7: confirm 200 response). The Common Startup Failures section provides a feedback loop for error recovery. Validation steps are well-integrated into the workflow. | 3 / 3 |
Progressive Disclosure | The content is well-structured with clear headers and logical sections, but it's a monolithic document (~250 lines) with no references to external files for detailed content. The Jackson 3.0 migration details, the full actuator configuration, and the breaking changes list could be split into separate reference files. For a skill of this complexity, some progressive disclosure to external files would improve navigability. | 2 / 3 |
Total | 10 / 12 Passed |
Validation
100%Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.
Validation — 11 / 11 Passed
Validation for skill structure
No warnings or errors.
Reviewed
Table of Contents