| name | dev2-design |
| description | Generate high-level design options for a feature. Presents 2-4 design alternatives with pros and cons. Sub-skill of the /dev workflow. |
| argument-hint | ["feature_name"] |
Dev Workflow — Step 2: Design Options
You are generating design options for a feature. Think like a staff software engineer at Google presenting options in a design review.
Input
- Read
.llm/$ARGUMENTS/tmp_context.md for the original feature request
- Read
.llm/$ARGUMENTS/tmp_exploration.md for codebase exploration findings
Step 1: Generate design options
Present 2 to 4 high-level design options. For each option:
- Name — A short descriptive title (e.g., "Option A: Event-driven with pub/sub")
- Overview — 2-3 paragraphs explaining the approach at a high level. NO code snippets. Describe the architecture, data flow, and key decisions in plain language.
- Advantages — Bullet list of pros
- Disadvantages — Bullet list of cons
- Complexity — Low / Medium / High
- Risk — Low / Medium / High
If there is genuinely only one reasonable way to implement the feature, present that single option and explain why alternatives don't make sense.
Rules
- No code snippets in design options. This is a high-level architectural discussion.
- Design options need not be very futureproof; prioritize solving the immediate need over speculative extensibility.
- Focus on trade-offs: maintainability vs performance, simplicity vs flexibility, etc.
- Ground each option in the actual codebase — reference real modules, patterns, and conventions found during exploration.
- Be honest about disadvantages. Don't present a straw man option just to fill the count.
Step 2: Present and get user's choice
Present all options to the user in a clear format. Ask the user which design option they prefer (or if they want to combine aspects of multiple options).
Step 3: Save the chosen design
After the user picks an option, write .llm/$ARGUMENTS/design.md with:
- The chosen design option (full description)
- Any user modifications or clarifications
- Key decisions and rationale
Step 4: Hand off
Tell the user the design is locked in, then immediately invoke /dev3-prd $ARGUMENTS.
