nodejs-backend-patterns
Build production-ready Node.js backend services with Express/Fastify, implementing middleware patterns, error handling, authentication, database integration, and API design best practices. Use when creating Node.js servers, REST APIs, GraphQL backends, or microservices architectures.
54
61%
Does it follow best practices?
Impact
—
No eval scenarios have been run
Passed
No known issues
Optimize this skill with Tessl
npx tessl skill review --optimize ./skills_all/nodejs-backend-patterns/SKILL.mdQuality
Discovery
92%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 clearly articulates specific capabilities and includes an explicit 'Use when' clause with natural trigger terms. The main weakness is moderate overlap risk with other backend development skills due to broad terms like 'REST APIs' and 'authentication', though the Node.js/Express/Fastify anchoring helps differentiate it. Overall, it follows best practices for skill descriptions.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Specificity | Lists multiple specific concrete actions: middleware patterns, error handling, authentication, database integration, and API design best practices, along with specific frameworks (Express/Fastify). | 3 / 3 |
Completeness | Clearly answers both 'what' (build Node.js backend services with Express/Fastify, implementing middleware, error handling, auth, DB integration, API design) and 'when' (explicit 'Use when creating Node.js servers, REST APIs, GraphQL backends, or microservices architectures'). | 3 / 3 |
Trigger Term Quality | Includes strong natural keywords users would say: 'Node.js', 'Express', 'Fastify', 'REST APIs', 'GraphQL', 'microservices', 'backend', 'servers', 'middleware', 'authentication'. These cover a wide range of terms a developer would naturally use. | 3 / 3 |
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk | While it specifies Node.js and particular frameworks, terms like 'REST APIs', 'authentication', 'database integration', and 'microservices' could overlap with skills for other backend languages/frameworks (e.g., Python/Django, Go). The Node.js/Express/Fastify specificity helps but doesn't fully eliminate conflict risk. | 2 / 3 |
Total | 11 / 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 an extensive but unfocused reference catalog of Node.js backend patterns. While the code examples are high-quality and executable, the skill is far too verbose for a SKILL.md, dumping hundreds of lines of boilerplate that Claude already knows how to produce. It lacks any workflow sequencing, validation steps, or progressive disclosure structure, making it a poor fit for the skill format.
Suggestions
Reduce SKILL.md to a concise overview (~50-80 lines) covering key decisions and constraints (e.g., 'prefer Fastify for new projects', 'always use layered architecture'), and move detailed code examples into separate bundle files like MIDDLEWARE.md, DATABASE.md, AUTH.md.
Remove code patterns Claude already knows (basic CRUD, Express setup, Mongoose models) and focus only on project-specific conventions, non-obvious patterns, or opinionated choices that differ from defaults.
Add a clear workflow section with sequenced steps for setting up a new backend service, including validation checkpoints (e.g., 'verify DB connection before proceeding', 'run health check endpoint after setup').
Replace the 15-item best practices list with a concise decision table or constraint list that captures only non-obvious guidance specific to this project's conventions.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Conciseness | Extremely verbose at ~700+ lines. Massive amounts of boilerplate code that Claude already knows how to write (CRUD controllers, basic Express/Fastify setup, Mongoose models, Redis caching, JWT auth). The 15-item best practices list states obvious things like 'Use TypeScript' and 'Use HTTPS'. Very little here is novel knowledge that Claude doesn't already possess. | 1 / 3 |
Actionability | The code examples are fully executable TypeScript with proper imports, type annotations, and complete implementations. Every pattern includes copy-paste ready code with realistic structure (controllers, services, repositories, middleware). | 3 / 3 |
Workflow Clarity | There is no sequenced workflow for building a backend service. The skill is a reference catalog of patterns with no ordering, no validation checkpoints, and no guidance on when to use which pattern or how to compose them together. For a skill involving database operations and authentication setup, the lack of any verification steps is a significant gap. | 1 / 3 |
Progressive Disclosure | Monolithic wall of text with all content inline. Hundreds of lines of code that should be split into separate reference files (e.g., database patterns, middleware patterns, auth patterns). The only reference is a vague pointer to a 'javascript-testing-patterns' skill. No bundle files exist to support any progressive structure. | 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 (1021 lines); consider splitting into references/ and linking | Warning |
Total | 10 / 11 Passed | |
- Repository
- Microck/ordinary-claude-skills
- Commit
8f5c831
- Reviewed
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