jbvc/backend-patterns
Backend architecture patterns, API design, database optimization, and server-side best practices for Node.js, Express, and Next.js API routes.
44
44%
Does it follow best practices?
Impact
Pending
No eval scenarios have been run
Passed
No known issues
Quality
Discovery
32%Based on the skill's description, can an agent find and select it at the right time? Clear, specific descriptions lead to better discovery.
The description identifies a reasonable domain and names specific technologies, which helps with targeting. However, it lacks concrete actions (listing categories rather than specific capabilities), misses a 'Use when...' clause entirely, and uses somewhat broad terminology that could overlap with other backend or full-stack skills.
Suggestions
Add an explicit 'Use when...' clause, e.g., 'Use when the user asks about designing REST APIs, optimizing database queries, structuring Express middleware, or building Next.js API routes.'
Replace high-level categories with concrete actions, e.g., 'Designs RESTful and GraphQL APIs, optimizes SQL/NoSQL queries, structures Express middleware pipelines, and implements authentication patterns.'
Include more natural trigger terms users would say, such as 'REST', 'GraphQL', 'SQL', 'MongoDB', 'middleware', 'endpoints', 'server performance', and 'authentication'.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Specificity | Names the domain (backend development) and some areas like 'API design', 'database optimization', and 'server-side best practices', but these are still fairly high-level categories rather than concrete actions. It doesn't list specific actions like 'design RESTful endpoints', 'write database queries', or 'configure middleware'. | 2 / 3 |
Completeness | Describes 'what' at a high level (backend architecture, API design, etc.) but completely lacks any 'when' clause or explicit trigger guidance. Per the rubric, a missing 'Use when...' clause caps completeness at 2, and since the 'what' is also somewhat vague, this scores a 1. | 1 / 3 |
Trigger Term Quality | Includes some relevant keywords users might say like 'API design', 'database optimization', 'Node.js', 'Express', and 'Next.js API routes'. However, it misses common variations like 'REST', 'GraphQL', 'SQL', 'MongoDB', 'middleware', 'authentication', 'endpoints', or 'server' that users would naturally use. | 2 / 3 |
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk | The mention of specific technologies (Node.js, Express, Next.js API routes) helps narrow the scope, but 'backend architecture patterns' and 'server-side best practices' are broad enough to overlap with general coding skills, DevOps skills, or framework-specific skills. | 2 / 3 |
Total | 7 / 12 Passed |
Implementation
29%Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.
This skill is essentially a comprehensive backend patterns reference manual that dumps extensive code examples Claude already knows how to write. While the code is high-quality and executable, the skill fails at conciseness (explaining well-known patterns at length), workflow clarity (no sequencing or decision guidance), and progressive disclosure (everything crammed into one file). It would be far more effective as a brief overview pointing to pattern-specific files, focused on project-specific conventions rather than general backend knowledge.
Suggestions
Drastically reduce content to project-specific conventions and decisions (e.g., 'We use the repository pattern with Supabase; see patterns/repository.md for our base implementation') rather than teaching general patterns Claude already knows.
Add a workflow section that sequences when and how to apply these patterns: e.g., 'When adding a new API endpoint: 1. Define route, 2. Add validation schema, 3. Implement service method, 4. Add error handling, 5. Test endpoint'.
Split into separate reference files (e.g., CACHING.md, AUTH.md, ERROR_HANDLING.md) and keep SKILL.md as a concise overview with links to each.
Remove patterns that are standard knowledge (basic JWT validation, simple rate limiting, structured logging) unless there are project-specific conventions that differ from defaults.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Conciseness | This is extremely verbose at ~400+ lines, covering 10+ patterns with full implementations. Much of this is standard knowledge Claude already possesses (repository pattern, middleware, JWT validation, rate limiting, structured logging). The content reads like a textbook rather than project-specific guidance that adds new information. | 1 / 3 |
Actionability | The code examples are concrete, executable TypeScript with complete implementations. Each pattern includes copy-paste ready code with clear usage examples, specific to the Next.js/Supabase stack. | 3 / 3 |
Workflow Clarity | There is no sequenced workflow or process guidance. The content is a catalog of isolated patterns with no guidance on when to apply which pattern, no decision trees, no validation checkpoints, and no ordering of steps for building a backend system. | 1 / 3 |
Progressive Disclosure | This is a monolithic wall of code examples with no references to external files. All patterns are inlined at full detail, making it a massive single document. Content like the full repository implementation, caching layer, auth patterns, and logging could easily be split into separate reference files. | 1 / 3 |
Total | 6 / 12 Passed |
Validation
90%Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.
Validation — 10 / 11 Passed
Validation for skill structure
| Criteria | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
skill_md_line_count | SKILL.md is long (598 lines); consider splitting into references/ and linking | Warning |
Total | 10 / 11 Passed | |
Reviewed
Table of Contents