managing-database-sharding

Process use when you need to work with database sharding. This skill provides horizontal sharding strategies with comprehensive guidance and automation. Trigger with phrases like "implement sharding", "shard database", or "distribute data".

Quality

83%

Does it follow best practices?

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Securityby

Passed

No findings from the security scan

Quality

Content

77%Weight 40%Scale 1-3

Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.

The body is a lean, well-sequenced sharding runbook with real SQL and explicit validation plus an error-recovery table. Its gaps are actionability (several steps name tools without executable detail) and progressive disclosure (the body ignores the bundle, whose scripts are mostly missing or stubs).

Suggestions

Add executable detail to the abstract steps — e.g., a sample Citus/Vitess routing config snippet, a concrete hash-routing function, or a mongos connect example — so guidance is copy-paste ready rather than tool-naming.

Wire the body to the bundle: link the actual scripts (init_sharding.py, and create the missing rebalance_shards.py / cross_shard_query.py / validate_sharding_config.py) from the relevant steps, and move the per-database tool guidance or error-handling table into references/ with one-level-deep links.

Replace or remove the stub init_sharding.py (currently a generic project scaffolder that does no sharding) so the referenced bundle file actually supports the workflow.

Dimension	Reasoning	Score
Conciseness	The body is lean and operational — it never explains concepts Claude already knows (no 'sharding is...' preamble) and every section (prerequisites, SQL-embedded steps, error table) earns its place. It is not a 2 because there is no unnecessary explanation or padding to tighten, matching the 'lean and efficient; assumes Claude's competence' anchor.	3 / 3
Actionability	Some steps give concrete executable SQL (`SELECT pg_size_pretty(pg_total_relation_size(...))`, `sh.enableSharding()`) and batch sizes, but others only name tools without executable detail ('configure vitess or ProxySQL routing', 'use Citus extension', 'Implement the routing layer'). It is not a 1 because real commands are present, and not a 3 because guidance is incomplete and not copy-paste ready across the workflow.	2 / 3
Workflow Clarity	A clear 10-step sequence carries explicit validation checkpoints ('Verify row counts match after migration', 'verify with checksums', 'Validate cross-shard queries work correctly') plus a dedicated error-handling table for recovery. It is not a 2 because validation is present (the missing-validation cap does not apply), and the error table supplies feedback loops for the destructive/batch operations.	3 / 3
Progressive Disclosure	The body is well-sectioned but monolithic — it references none of the bundle files, and the bundle itself is weak: scripts/README lists 4 scripts of which only init_sharding.py exists (an unrelated scaffolding stub) and the other 3 are missing; references/ and assets/ hold only placeholder READMEs. It is not a 1 because sections are organized, and not a 3 because no well-signaled one-level-deep references connect the body to the bundle.	2 / 3
	Total	10 / 12 Passed

Description

90%Weight 40%Scale 1-3

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 is strong: it targets a distinct niche, supplies explicit natural trigger phrases, and covers both what and when. Its only weakness is specificity — it leans on vague filler ('comprehensive guidance and automation') instead of naming the concrete sharding actions the skill performs.

Dimension	Reasoning	Score
Specificity	The description names the domain ('work with database sharding', 'horizontal sharding strategies') but pads it with vague fluff ('comprehensive guidance and automation') rather than listing concrete actions like shard key selection or rebalancing, so it stops at 'names domain and some actions, but not comprehensive'. It is not a 1 because it does identify a concrete domain and activity, and not a 3 because no multiple specific concrete actions are enumerated.	2 / 3
Completeness	It answers both 'what' (provides horizontal sharding strategies) and 'when' via an explicit trigger clause ('Process use when you need to work with database sharding' plus 'Trigger with phrases like...'). It is not a 2 because explicit trigger guidance is present (the missing-'Use when' cap does not apply), and not lower because both what and when are explicitly stated.	3 / 3
Trigger Term Quality	It explicitly lists natural trigger phrases a user would say — 'implement sharding', 'shard database', 'distribute data' — giving good coverage of natural terms. It is not a 2 because it provides multiple explicit natural phrases rather than a single generic keyword, matching the 'good coverage of natural terms users would say' anchor.	3 / 3
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk	Database sharding is a clear niche with distinct triggers ('implement sharding', 'shard database') unlikely to fire for unrelated skills. It is not a 2 because the triggers are specific rather than overlapping generic terms like 'works with database files'.	3 / 3
	Total	11 / 12 Passed

Validation

87%

Warnings & errors only

Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.

Validation — 14 / 16 Passed

Validation for skill structure

Criteria	Description	Result
allowed_tools_field	'allowed-tools' contains unusual tool name(s)	Warning
frontmatter_unknown_keys	Unknown frontmatter key(s) found; consider removing or moving to metadata	Warning

	Total	14 / 16 Passed

Repository: jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills
Path: plugins/database/database-sharding-manager/skills/managing-database-sharding/SKILL.md
Commit: be8dd2e

Reviewed: 3 days ago

Table of Contents

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