api-patterns
API design principles and decision-making. REST vs GraphQL vs tRPC selection, response formats, versioning, pagination.
Install with Tessl CLI
npx tessl i github:lchenrique/politron-ide --skill api-patterns69
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
47%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 effectively lists relevant API design topics and includes good trigger terms that developers would naturally use. However, it lacks action verbs describing what Claude does with these topics and critically omits any 'Use when...' guidance, making it unclear when this skill should be selected over others.
Suggestions
Add a 'Use when...' clause specifying triggers like 'Use when designing new APIs, choosing between REST/GraphQL/tRPC, or making decisions about API versioning and pagination strategies.'
Convert topic list into concrete actions: 'Guides API design decisions, recommends REST vs GraphQL vs tRPC based on requirements, designs pagination and versioning strategies.'
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Specificity | Names the domain (API design) and lists several specific topics (REST vs GraphQL vs tRPC, response formats, versioning, pagination), but these are topic areas rather than concrete actions Claude would perform. | 2 / 3 |
Completeness | Describes what topics it covers but completely lacks a 'Use when...' clause or any explicit trigger guidance for when Claude should select this skill. Per rubric guidelines, missing explicit trigger guidance caps completeness at 2, and this has no 'when' component at all. | 1 / 3 |
Trigger Term Quality | Includes strong natural keywords users would say: 'API design', 'REST', 'GraphQL', 'tRPC', 'versioning', 'pagination', 'response formats' - these are terms developers naturally use when seeking API guidance. | 3 / 3 |
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk | The specific technologies (REST, GraphQL, tRPC) provide some distinctiveness, but 'API design principles' is broad enough to potentially overlap with general backend development or architecture skills. | 2 / 3 |
Total | 8 / 12 Passed |
Implementation
72%Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.
This skill excels at organization and token efficiency, serving as an effective index/router to detailed content in sub-files. However, the main file itself lacks concrete examples or executable guidance, relying entirely on referenced files for actionable content. The decision checklist is helpful but could benefit from validation checkpoints.
Suggestions
Add one concrete example in the main file (e.g., a quick decision flowchart or sample response envelope format) to demonstrate actionability without requiring file navigation
Include a validation step in the decision checklist, such as 'Validated design against consumer requirements?' with guidance on how to verify API design choices
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Conciseness | Extremely lean and efficient. Uses tables for navigation, bullet points for checklists, and avoids explaining concepts Claude already knows. Every section serves a clear purpose with no padding. | 3 / 3 |
Actionability | Provides good structural guidance (decision checklist, anti-patterns) but lacks concrete code examples or executable commands in the main file. The actionable content is deferred to referenced files rather than demonstrated here. | 2 / 3 |
Workflow Clarity | The decision checklist provides a sequence of considerations, but lacks explicit validation steps or feedback loops. For API design decisions, there's no guidance on how to verify choices are correct or iterate if problems arise. | 2 / 3 |
Progressive Disclosure | Excellent structure with a clear content map table showing exactly when to read each file. References are one level deep, well-signaled, and organized for easy navigation. The selective reading rule at the top is a nice touch. | 3 / 3 |
Total | 10 / 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 |
|---|---|---|
allowed_tools_field | 'allowed-tools' contains unusual tool name(s) | Warning |
Total | 10 / 11 Passed | |
- Reviewed
Table of Contents
Is this your skill?
If you maintain this skill, you can claim it as your own. Once claimed, you can manage eval scenarios, bundle related skills, attach documentation or rules, and ensure cross-agent compatibility.