senior-backend
Designs and implements backend systems including REST APIs, microservices, database architectures, authentication flows, and security hardening. Use when the user asks to "design REST APIs", "optimize database queries", "implement authentication", "build microservices", "review backend code", "set up GraphQL", "handle database migrations", or "load test APIs". Covers Node.js/Express/Fastify development, PostgreSQL optimization, API security, and backend architecture patterns.
87
88%
Does it follow best practices?
Impact
84%
1.29xAverage score across 6 eval scenarios
Risky
Do not use without reviewing
Quality
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, provides explicit trigger phrases in a 'Use when...' clause, and names concrete technologies. Its main weakness is the broad scope covering many backend domains (APIs, databases, auth, microservices, GraphQL), which increases the risk of overlap with more specialized skills. The description uses proper third-person voice throughout.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Specificity | Lists multiple specific concrete actions: 'REST APIs, microservices, database architectures, authentication flows, security hardening' plus specific technologies like 'Node.js/Express/Fastify, PostgreSQL optimization, API security, backend architecture patterns'. | 3 / 3 |
Completeness | Clearly answers both 'what' (designs and implements backend systems including specific capabilities) and 'when' (explicit 'Use when...' clause with multiple concrete trigger phrases). Both are well-articulated. | 3 / 3 |
Trigger Term Quality | Excellent coverage of natural terms users would say: 'design REST APIs', 'optimize database queries', 'implement authentication', 'build microservices', 'review backend code', 'set up GraphQL', 'handle database migrations', 'load test APIs'. These are phrases users would naturally use. | 3 / 3 |
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk | While it specifies backend development clearly, terms like 'review backend code' and 'database queries' could overlap with general code review skills or database-specific skills. The scope is broad enough (REST APIs, microservices, databases, auth, GraphQL) that it could conflict with more specialized skills in any of those areas. | 2 / 3 |
Total | 11 / 12 Passed |
Implementation
85%Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.
This is a well-structured backend engineering skill with strong actionability and clear multi-step workflows including validation checkpoints. The progressive disclosure is excellent with a quick start, detailed sections, and references to external files. The main weakness is some verbosity—redundant command examples across sections and inclusion of basic knowledge Claude already possesses (HTTP status codes, standard REST response formats) that consume tokens without adding value.
Suggestions
Remove the HTTP Status Codes table and basic REST/error response format examples—Claude already knows these conventions and they consume ~30 lines of token budget.
Consolidate tool command examples to avoid repetition between the 'Tools Overview' section and the workflow sections; reference the tools section from workflows instead of re-listing commands.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Conciseness | The skill is reasonably well-structured but includes some redundancy—tool usage examples are repeated in both the 'Tools Overview' section and the workflow sections. The HTTP status codes table and some basic patterns (like REST response format) are things Claude already knows well, adding unnecessary tokens. | 2 / 3 |
Actionability | The skill provides fully executable code examples across multiple languages (bash, TypeScript, SQL, YAML), with concrete commands, specific flags, and copy-paste ready snippets. The workflows include real tool invocations and realistic code patterns. | 3 / 3 |
Workflow Clarity | Multi-step workflows are clearly sequenced with numbered steps. The Database Optimization Workflow includes a dry-run validation step before applying migrations and a verification step afterward. The Security Hardening Workflow includes testing steps to verify rate limiting and input validation are working correctly. | 3 / 3 |
Progressive Disclosure | The skill has a clear Quick Start section, organized tool overviews, detailed workflows, and a reference documentation table pointing to separate files (api_design_patterns.md, database_optimization_guide.md, backend_security_practices.md) with clear 'Use When' guidance. Navigation is straightforward and one level deep. | 3 / 3 |
Total | 11 / 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.
- Repository
- alirezarezvani/claude-skills
- Commit
f567c61
- Reviewed
Table of Contents
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