Loading skill
Install any skill in seconds. Free to start, no credit card required.
Get Started Free →wondelai/pragmatic-programmer
Apply meta-principles of software craftsmanship: DRY, orthogonality, tracer bullets, and design by contract.
Passed 19 of 23 test cases with the skill, and 16 of 23 without it.
and 2 more in the full report
5 fixed14 passed either way2 still failing2 broke
Tokens, turns and time describe resource use, not a dollar price.
One of 5 test cases the skill fixed. Same model, same prompt, with and without the skill.
We are designing a new e-commerce backend service. Currently, our business logic functions directly write inline raw SQL queries, our validation rules are duplicated between the React frontend and Node backend, and we haven't built a working end-to-end flow yet from UI down to the database. Also, our engineers provide fixed single-day task estimates during planning. Please run a diagnostic assessment on our engineering setup using the Pragmatic Programmer principles. Include our numerical score out of 10, list every diagnostic check row that failed, and provide the specific corrective actions needed to reach a perfect 10/10.
| Checked | Without skill | With skill |
|---|---|---|
| States an overall calculated score of 4.3 or 4 out of 10. | Missed | Passed |
| Recommends creating a single shared validation schema (such as JSON Schema or Zod) to eliminate duplicated rules. | Passed | Passed |
| Recommends introducing a repository pattern to decouple raw SQL database queries from business logic. | Passed | Passed |
The instructions your model reads when the skill loads.
A systems-level approach to software craftsmanship from Hunt & Thomas' "The Pragmatic Programmer" (20th Anniversary Edition). Apply these meta-principles when designing systems, reviewing architecture, writing code, or advising on engineering culture -- how to think about software, not just how to write it.
Care about your craft. Software development demands continuous learning, disciplined practice, and personal responsibility -- pragmatic programmers think beyond the immediate problem to context, trade-offs, and long-term consequences. Great software comes from great habits: avoid duplication ruthlessly, keep components orthogonal, and treat every line of code as a living asset that must earn its place. The goal is not perfection -- it is systems that are easy to change, easy to understand, and easy to trust.
Goal: 10/10. Score against the seven Quick Diagnostic rows: award ~1.4 points per row answered "yes" (7 yes = 10). Then band the result:
Always state the score, name the failing diagnostic rows, and give the specific fix from the Action column to reach 10/10.
Seven principles for building software that lasts:
Core concept: Every piece of knowledge must have a single, unambiguous, authoritative representation within a system. DRY is about knowledge, not code -- duplicated logic, business rules, or configuration are far more dangerous than duplicated syntax.
Why it works: Duplicated knowledge must be changed in multiple places; eventually one gets missed, introducing inconsistency. DRY reduces the surface area for bugs and makes systems easier to change.
Key insights:
Code applications:
| Context | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Config values | Single source of truth | DB connection in one env file, referenced everywhere |
| Validation rules | Shared schema | One JSON Schema or Zod schema for client and server |
test cases passed, vs 16 / 23 without
More skills from the same source and nearby in the registry, with their headline benchmark lift.