| name | ring:using-dev-team |
| description | Guide to the dev-team skills - specialist developer agents and 6-gate development cycle.
Provides backend engineers (Go/TypeScript), frontend engineers, DevOps, SRE, and QA agents.
|
| license | MIT |
| compatibility | {"platforms":["opencode"]} |
| metadata | {"version":"1.0.0","author":"Lerian Studio","category":"workflow","trigger":["Development tasks requiring specialist implementation","Backend, frontend, or infrastructure code changes","Need for structured development workflow"]} |
Using Ring Developer Specialists
The ring-dev-team plugin provides 9 specialized developer agents. Use them via Task tool with subagent_type:.
See CLAUDE.md and ring:using-ring for canonical workflow requirements and ORCHESTRATOR principle. This skill introduces dev-team-specific agents.
Remember: Follow the ORCHESTRATOR principle from ring:using-ring. Dispatch agents to handle complexity; don't operate tools directly.
Blocker Criteria - STOP and Report
<block_condition>
- Technology Stack decision needed (Go vs TypeScript)
- Architecture decision needed (monolith vs microservices)
- Infrastructure decision needed (cloud provider)
- Testing strategy decision needed (unit vs E2E)
</block_condition>
If any condition applies, STOP and ask user.
always pause and report blocker for:
| Decision Type | Examples | Action |
|---|
| Technology Stack | Go vs TypeScript for new service | STOP. Check existing patterns. Ask user. |
| Architecture | Monolith vs microservices | STOP. This is a business decision. Ask user. |
| Infrastructure | Cloud provider choice | STOP. Check existing infrastructure. Ask user. |
| Testing Strategy | Unit vs E2E vs both | STOP. Check QA requirements. Ask user. |
You CANNOT make technology decisions autonomously. STOP and ask.
Common Misconceptions - REJECTED
See shared-patterns/shared-anti-rationalization.md for universal anti-rationalizations (including Specialist Dispatch section).
Self-sufficiency bias check: If you're tempted to implement directly, ask:
- Is there a specialist for this? (Check the 9 specialists below)
- Would a specialist follow standards I might miss?
- Am I avoiding dispatch because it feels like "overhead"?
If any answer is yes → You MUST DISPATCH the specialist. This is NON-NEGOTIABLE.
Anti-Rationalization Table
See shared-patterns/shared-anti-rationalization.md for universal anti-rationalizations (including Specialist Dispatch section and Universal section).
Cannot Be Overridden
<cannot_skip>
- Dispatch to specialist (standards loading required)
- 10-gate development cycle (quality gates)
- Parallel reviewer dispatch (not sequential)
- TDD in Gate 0 (test-first)
- User approval in Gate 9
</cannot_skip>
These requirements are NON-NEGOTIABLE:
| Requirement | Why It Cannot Be Waived |
|---|
| Dispatch to specialist | Specialists have standards loading, you don't |
| 10-gate development cycle | Gates prevent quality regressions |
| Parallel reviewer dispatch | Sequential review = 3x slower, same cost |
| TDD in Gate 0 | Test-first ensures testability |
| User approval in Gate 9 | Only users can approve completion |
User cannot override these. Time pressure cannot override these. "Simple task" cannot override these.
Pressure Resistance
See shared-patterns/shared-pressure-resistance.md for universal pressure scenarios (including Combined Pressure Scenarios and Emergency Response).
Critical Reminder:
- Urgency ≠ Permission to bypass - Emergencies require MORE care, not less
- Authority ≠ Permission to bypass - Ring standards override human preferences
- Sunk Cost ≠ Permission to bypass - Wrong approach stays wrong at 80% completion
Emergency Response Protocol
See shared-patterns/shared-pressure-resistance.md → Emergency Response section for the complete protocol.
Emergency Dispatch Template:
Task tool:
subagent_type: "ring:backend-engineer-golang"
model: "opus"
prompt: "URGENT PRODUCTION INCIDENT: [brief context]. [Your specific request]"
IMPORTANT: Specialist dispatch takes 5-10 minutes, not hours. This is NON-NEGOTIABLE even under CEO pressure.
Combined Pressure Scenarios
See shared-patterns/shared-pressure-resistance.md → Combined Pressure Scenarios section.
9 Developer Specialists
<dispatch_required agent="{specialist}">
Use Task tool to dispatch appropriate specialist based on technology need.
</dispatch_required>
| Agent | Specializations | Use When |
|---|
ring:backend-engineer-golang | Go microservices, PostgreSQL/MongoDB, Kafka/RabbitMQ, OAuth2/JWT, gRPC, concurrency | Go services, DB optimization, auth/authz, concurrency issues |
ring:backend-engineer-typescript | TypeScript/Node.js, Express/Fastify/NestJS, Prisma/TypeORM, async patterns, Jest/Vitest | TS backends, JS→TS migration, NestJS design, full-stack TS |
ring:devops-engineer | Docker/Compose, Terraform/Helm, cloud infra, secrets management | Containerization, local dev setup, IaC provisioning, Helm charts |
ring:frontend-bff-engineer-typescript | Next.js API Routes BFF, Clean/Hexagonal Architecture, DDD patterns, Inversify DI, repository pattern | BFF layer, Clean Architecture, DDD domains, API orchestration |
ring:frontend-designer | Bold typography, color systems, animations, unexpected layouts, textures/gradients | Landing pages, portfolios, distinctive dashboards, design systems |
ring:ui-engineer | Wireframe-to-code, Design System compliance, UX criteria satisfaction, UI states implementation | Implementing from product-designer specs (ux-criteria.md, user-flows.md, wireframes/) |
ring:qa-analyst | Test strategy, coverage analysis, API testing, fuzz/property/integration/chaos testing (Go) | Backend test planning, coverage gaps, quality gates (Go-focused) |
ring:qa-analyst-frontend | Vitest, Testing Library, axe-core, Playwright, Lighthouse, Core Web Vitals, snapshot testing | Frontend test planning, accessibility, visual, E2E, performance testing |
ring:sre | Structured logging, tracing, health checks, observability | Logging validation, tracing setup, health endpoint verification |
Dispatch template:
Task tool:
subagent_type: "ring:{agent-name}"
model: "opus"
prompt: "{Your specific request with context}"
Frontend Agent Selection:
ring:frontend-designer = visual aesthetics, design specifications (no code)ring:frontend-bff-engineer-typescript = business logic/architecture, BFF layerring:ui-engineer = implementing UI from product-designer specs (ux-criteria.md, user-flows.md, wireframes/)
When to use ring:ui-engineer:
Use ring:ui-engineer when product-designer outputs exist in docs/pre-dev/{feature}/. The ring:ui-engineer specializes in translating design specifications into production code while ensuring all UX criteria are satisfied.
When to Use Developer Specialists vs General Review
Use Developer Specialists for:
- ✅ Deep technical expertise needed – Architecture decisions, complex implementations
- ✅ Technology-specific guidance – "How do I optimize this Go service?"
- ✅ Specialized domains – Infrastructure, SRE, testing strategy
- ✅ Building from scratch – New service, new pipeline, new testing framework
Use General Review Agents for:
- ✅ Code quality assessment – Architecture, patterns, maintainability
- ✅ Correctness & edge cases – Business logic verification
- ✅ Security review – OWASP, auth, validation
- ✅ Post-implementation – Before merging existing code
Both can be used together: Get developer specialist guidance during design, then run general reviewers before merge.
Dispatching Multiple Specialists
If you need multiple specialists (e.g., backend engineer + DevOps engineer), dispatch in parallel (single message, multiple Task calls):
✅ CORRECT:
Task #1: ring:backend-engineer-golang
Task #2: ring:devops-engineer
(Both run in parallel)
❌ WRONG:
Task #1: ring:backend-engineer-golang
(Wait for response)
Task #2: ring:devops-engineer
(Sequential = 2x slower)
ORCHESTRATOR Principle
Remember:
- You're the orchestrator – Dispatch specialists, don't implement directly
- Don't read specialist docs yourself – Dispatch to specialist, they know their domain
- Combine with ring:using-ring principle – Skills + Specialists = complete workflow
Good Example (ORCHESTRATOR):
"I need a Go service. Let me dispatch ring:backend-engineer-golang to design it."
Bad Example (OPERATOR):
"I'll manually read Go best practices and design the service myself."
Available in This Plugin
Agents: See "9 Developer Specialists" table above.
Skills: ring:using-dev-team (this), ring:dev-cycle (10-gate backend workflow), ring:dev-cycle-frontend (9-gate frontend workflow), ring:dev-refactor (backend/general codebase analysis), ring:dev-refactor-frontend (frontend codebase analysis)
Commands: /ring:dev-cycle (backend tasks), /ring:dev-cycle-frontend (frontend tasks), /ring:dev-refactor (analyze backend/general codebase), /ring:dev-refactor-frontend (analyze frontend codebase), /ring:dev-status, /ring:dev-cancel, /ring:dev-report
Note: Missing agents? Check .claude-plugin/marketplace.json for ring-dev-team plugin.
Development Workflows
All workflows converge to the 10-gate development cycle:
| Workflow | Entry Point | Output | Then |
|---|
| New Feature | /ring:pre-dev-feature "description" | docs/pre-dev/{feature}/tasks.md | → /ring:dev-cycle tasks.md |
| Direct Tasks | /ring:dev-cycle tasks.md | — | Execute 6 gates directly |
| Refactoring | /ring:dev-refactor | docs/ring:dev-refactor/{timestamp}/tasks.md | → /ring:dev-cycle tasks.md |
| Frontend Refactoring | /ring:dev-refactor-frontend | docs/ring:dev-refactor-frontend/{timestamp}/tasks.md | → /ring:dev-cycle-frontend tasks.md |
6-Gate Development Cycle:
| Gate | Focus | Agent(s) |
|---|
| 0: Implementation | TDD: RED→GREEN→REFACTOR | ring:backend-engineer-*, ring:frontend-bff-engineer-typescript, ring:ui-engineer |
| 1: DevOps | Dockerfile, docker-compose, .env | ring:devops-engineer |
| 2: SRE | Health checks, logging, tracing | ring:sre |
| 3: Testing | Unit tests, coverage ≥85% | ring:qa-analyst |
| 4: Review | 6 reviewers IN PARALLEL | ring:code-reviewer, ring:business-logic-reviewer, ring:security-reviewer, ring:test-reviewer, ring:nil-safety-reviewer, ring:consequences-reviewer |
| 5: Validation | User approval: APPROVED/REJECTED | User decision |
Gate 0 Agent Selection for Frontend:
- If
docs/pre-dev/{feature}/ux-criteria.md exists → use ring:ui-engineer
- Otherwise → use
ring:frontend-bff-engineer-typescript
Key Principle: Backend follows the 10-gate process. Frontend follows the 9-gate process.
Frontend Development Cycle (9 Gates)
Use /ring:dev-cycle-frontend for frontend-specific development:
| Gate | Focus | Agent(s) |
|---|
| 0: Implementation | TDD: RED→GREEN→REFACTOR | ring:frontend-engineer, ring:ui-engineer, ring:frontend-bff-engineer-typescript |
| 1: DevOps | Dockerfile, docker-compose, .env | ring:devops-engineer |
| 2: Accessibility | WCAG 2.1 AA, axe-core, keyboard nav | ring:qa-analyst-frontend |
| 3: Unit Testing | Vitest + Testing Library, ≥85% | ring:qa-analyst-frontend |
| 4: Visual Testing | Snapshots, states, responsive | ring:qa-analyst-frontend |
| 5: E2E Testing | Playwright, cross-browser, user flows | ring:qa-analyst-frontend |
| 6: Performance | Core Web Vitals, Lighthouse > 90 | ring:qa-analyst-frontend |
| 7: Review | 6 reviewers IN PARALLEL | ring:code-reviewer, ring:business-logic-reviewer, ring:security-reviewer, ring:test-reviewer, ring:nil-safety-reviewer, ring:consequences-reviewer |
| 8: Validation | User approval: APPROVED/REJECTED | User decision |
Backend → Frontend Handoff:
When backend dev cycle completes, it produces a handoff with endpoints, types, and contracts. The frontend dev cycle consumes this handoff to verify E2E tests exercise the correct API endpoints.
| Step | Command | Output |
|---|
| 1. Backend | /ring:dev-cycle tasks.md | Backend code + handoff (endpoints, contracts) |
| 2. Frontend | /ring:dev-cycle-frontend tasks-frontend.md | Frontend code consuming backend endpoints |
Integration with Other Plugins
- ring:using-ring (default) – ORCHESTRATOR principle for all agents
- ring:using-pm-team – Pre-dev workflow agents
- ring:using-finops-team – Financial/regulatory agents
Dispatch based on your need:
- General code review → default plugin agents
- Specific domain expertise → ring-dev-team agents
- Feature planning → ring-pm-team agents
- Regulatory compliance → ring-finops-team agents
