tdg-personal/docker-patterns
Docker and Docker Compose patterns for local development, container security, networking, volume strategies, and multi-service orchestration.
57
57%
Does it follow best practices?
Impact
Pending
No eval scenarios have been run
Passed
No known issues
Quality
Discovery
32%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 identifies the domain (Docker/Docker Compose) and lists relevant topic areas, but reads more like a table of contents than an actionable skill description. It lacks concrete actions (verbs describing what the skill does) and entirely omits a 'Use when...' clause, making it difficult for Claude to know when to select this skill over others.
Suggestions
Add an explicit 'Use when...' clause, e.g., 'Use when the user asks about Dockerfiles, docker-compose.yml configuration, container debugging, or setting up local development environments with Docker.'
Replace topic categories with concrete actions, e.g., 'Writes Dockerfiles, configures docker-compose.yml files, debugs container networking, sets up volume mounts, and implements multi-service orchestration for local development.'
Include additional natural trigger terms users might say, such as 'Dockerfile', 'docker-compose.yml', 'container image', 'docker build', 'docker run', and 'ports'.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Specificity | Names the domain (Docker/Docker Compose) and lists several topic areas (container security, networking, volume strategies, multi-service orchestration), but these are categories rather than concrete actions. It doesn't specify what actions are performed, like 'write Dockerfiles', 'configure compose files', or 'debug container networking'. | 2 / 3 |
Completeness | Describes the 'what' at a high level (Docker patterns for various concerns) but completely lacks a 'Use when...' clause or any explicit trigger guidance for when Claude should select this skill. Per the rubric, a missing 'Use when...' clause caps completeness at 2, and the 'what' itself is also weak (topics rather than actions), warranting a 1. | 1 / 3 |
Trigger Term Quality | Includes good keywords like 'Docker', 'Docker Compose', 'container', 'networking', 'volume', and 'multi-service orchestration' that users might naturally use. However, it misses common variations like 'Dockerfile', 'docker-compose.yml', 'containers', 'ports', 'images', or 'build'. | 2 / 3 |
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk | The Docker/Docker Compose focus provides some distinctiveness, but the broad scope covering security, networking, volumes, and orchestration could overlap with general DevOps, infrastructure, or Kubernetes-related skills. The lack of explicit triggers increases conflict risk. | 2 / 3 |
Total | 7 / 12 Passed |
Implementation
64%Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.
This is a strong reference-style skill with excellent actionability — nearly every section provides complete, executable examples covering Docker Compose, multi-stage builds, networking, volumes, security, and debugging. Its main weaknesses are the monolithic structure (could benefit from progressive disclosure via linked sub-files) and the lack of explicit validation workflows for destructive operations. Minor verbosity in the anti-patterns section and some inline comments could be trimmed.
Suggestions
Add explicit validation/verification steps for destructive operations (e.g., 'docker compose down -v') — suggest checking running containers or confirming volume contents before removal.
Split detailed sections like Container Security, Networking, and Debugging into separate linked reference files to improve progressive disclosure and reduce the monolithic feel.
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Conciseness | The skill is mostly efficient with well-commented YAML/Dockerfile examples, but some sections are slightly verbose. The anti-patterns section restates things already covered (e.g., non-root user, pinning tags), and inline comments sometimes explain things Claude already knows. However, it's generally lean for the breadth of topics covered. | 2 / 3 |
Actionability | Excellent actionability throughout — complete, copy-paste-ready docker-compose.yml files, multi-stage Dockerfiles, bash commands for debugging, and concrete networking/volume configurations. Every section provides executable examples rather than abstract descriptions. | 3 / 3 |
Workflow Clarity | While individual sections are clear, there's no explicit sequenced workflow for setting up a Docker environment from scratch, and destructive operations like 'docker compose down -v' lack validation checkpoints or warnings beyond a parenthetical '(DESTRUCTIVE)'. The content reads more as a reference than a guided workflow. | 2 / 3 |
Progressive Disclosure | The content is well-organized with clear section headers and logical grouping, but it's a monolithic document (~200+ lines) that could benefit from splitting detailed sections (e.g., security hardening, networking patterns) into separate reference files. No external file references are provided for deeper dives. | 2 / 3 |
Total | 9 / 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 |
|---|---|---|
frontmatter_unknown_keys | Unknown frontmatter key(s) found; consider removing or moving to metadata | Warning |
Total | 10 / 11 Passed | |
Reviewed
Table of Contents