aws-cloudformation-auto-scaling
AWS CloudFormation patterns for Auto Scaling including EC2, ECS, and Lambda. Use when creating Auto Scaling groups, launch configurations, launch templates, scaling policies, lifecycle hooks, and predictive scaling. Covers template structure with Parameters, Outputs, Mappings, Conditions, cross-stack references, and best practices for high availability and cost optimization.
Install with Tessl CLI
npx tessl i github:giuseppe-trisciuoglio/developer-kit --skill aws-cloudformation-auto-scaling72
Does it follow best practices?
If you maintain this skill, you can automatically optimize it using the tessl CLI to improve its score:
npx tessl skill review --optimize ./path/to/skillValidation for skill structure
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 well-crafted skill description that excels across all dimensions. It provides specific concrete capabilities, includes natural trigger terms that AWS users would actually say, explicitly states both what the skill does and when to use it, and carves out a distinct niche that minimizes conflict with other potential AWS or infrastructure skills.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Specificity | Lists multiple specific concrete actions and components: 'Auto Scaling groups, launch configurations, launch templates, scaling policies, lifecycle hooks, and predictive scaling' plus template structure elements like 'Parameters, Outputs, Mappings, Conditions, cross-stack references'. | 3 / 3 |
Completeness | Clearly answers both what ('AWS CloudFormation patterns for Auto Scaling...') and when ('Use when creating Auto Scaling groups, launch configurations...') with explicit trigger guidance using the 'Use when' clause. | 3 / 3 |
Trigger Term Quality | Excellent coverage of natural terms users would say: 'AWS CloudFormation', 'Auto Scaling', 'EC2', 'ECS', 'Lambda', 'launch templates', 'scaling policies', 'high availability', 'cost optimization' - these are all terms users naturally use when working with AWS infrastructure. | 3 / 3 |
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk | Highly specific niche combining AWS CloudFormation with Auto Scaling specifically for EC2/ECS/Lambda - unlikely to conflict with general AWS skills or generic infrastructure skills due to the precise scope. | 3 / 3 |
Total | 12 / 12 Passed |
Implementation
50%Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.
This skill provides comprehensive, executable CloudFormation templates for Auto Scaling scenarios with excellent actionability. However, it suffers from severe verbosity - the content could be reduced by 60-70% by consolidating repetitive patterns and moving detailed examples to referenced files. The lack of explicit deployment validation workflows is a notable gap for infrastructure-as-code operations.
Suggestions
Consolidate repetitive template sections into a single base template with variations noted, rather than repeating full templates for each scenario
Move detailed examples (ECS, Lambda, lifecycle hooks) to EXAMPLES.md and keep only essential patterns in the main skill
Add an explicit deployment workflow section: 'validate template -> create change set -> review -> execute -> verify stack status'
Remove explanatory text that describes what CloudFormation features do - Claude knows this; focus only on the specific patterns and gotchas
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Conciseness | Extremely verbose at ~800+ lines with extensive repetition. Many templates repeat similar patterns (Parameters, Resources sections) that could be consolidated. Includes explanations Claude already knows like 'PDF (Portable Document Format)' equivalents for AWS concepts. | 1 / 3 |
Actionability | Provides fully executable CloudFormation templates with complete YAML that can be copy-pasted. Includes specific CLI commands for stack management, drift detection, and change sets. All code examples are production-ready. | 3 / 3 |
Workflow Clarity | Templates are well-structured individually, but lacks explicit validation workflows. No clear sequence for 'create template -> validate -> deploy -> verify' process. Missing validation checkpoints for CloudFormation deployments which can be destructive operations. | 2 / 3 |
Progressive Disclosure | References REFERENCE.md and EXAMPLES.md at the end, but the main file is a monolithic wall of templates. Content that should be in separate files (ECS scaling, Lambda scaling, each policy type) is all inline, making navigation difficult. | 2 / 3 |
Total | 8 / 12 Passed |
Validation
62%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 / 16 Passed
Validation for skill structure
| Criteria | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
skill_md_line_count | SKILL.md is long (1328 lines); consider splitting into references/ and linking | Warning |
allowed_tools_field | 'allowed-tools' contains unusual tool name(s) | Warning |
metadata_version | 'metadata' field is not a dictionary | Warning |
license_field | 'license' field is missing | Warning |
frontmatter_unknown_keys | Unknown frontmatter key(s) found; consider removing or moving to metadata | Warning |
body_steps | No step-by-step structure detected (no ordered list); consider adding a simple workflow | Warning |
Total | 10 / 16 Passed | |
- Reviewed
Table of Contents
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