AI Skill
Before You Build Skill
Don't ask AI to build it yet. Ask why it might fail first.
Use this skill in your AI coding tool before starting a product, adding a feature, or expanding something users still have not proven they want.
The skill package is open-source on GitHub. No API key is needed for normal use. Optional Case Memory can query Before You Build with a minimal idea summary.
What it does
- Reviews a product idea before code is written.
- Challenges user, pain, alternative, distribution, pricing, and retention assumptions.
- Produces a short reality check instead of a bloated business plan.
Use it before
- Building a new product idea
- Adding a feature to an existing product
- Turning an AI demo into a real SaaS
- Spending more time on a project with no users, revenue, or retention
Case Memory
- Can query similar public cases when available.
- Sends only a minimal idea summary.
- Still works from failure patterns when Case Memory is unavailable.
Open Source
Available on GitHub
Before You Build Skill lives in its own public GitHub repository. The repository contains the complete installable package: the main skill file, tool configuration, failure-pattern references, evidence-check notes, Case Memory API notes, and usage examples.
Use GitHub when you want the latest source, want to inspect how the skill works, clone the repository, or download a ZIP from GitHub.
Repository contents
- SKILL.md - the main pre-build risk review instructions.
- agents/openai.yaml - configuration for compatible AI tools.
- references/ - failure patterns, evidence checks, and Case Memory API notes.
- examples/ - sample prompts for new ideas, feature changes, and launched projects.
Install
How to use it
The package contains the main skill file plus references for failure patterns, evidence checks, and Case Memory notes.
- Step 1
Open the GitHub repository.
- Step 2
Clone the repository or use GitHub's Download ZIP option.
- Step 3
Add the folder to your AI coding tool's skill or instruction folder.
- Step 4
Start a product or feature request with: before you build.
- Step 5
Let the agent review risk before it writes implementation details.
- Step 6
Use the smallest validation step before committing to a build.
Install location depends on your tool. The package is plain Markdown, so you can also paste the main skill into custom instructions when a tool has no skill folder.
Privacy boundary
Normal use does not require an API key. Case Memory is an optional remote query to Before You Build. When used, it sends only a concise idea summary to retrieve similar public cases.
Do not send secrets, customer names, private financials, credentials, private user data, or unreleased confidential details. The server may record cleaned keywords, IP address, user agent, and short-term network metadata for abuse prevention and product improvement. Full IP addresses are cleared after 90 days.
Read the broader privacy notes.
Source
Open the GitHub repository to inspect the source, clone the package, or download a ZIP from GitHub.
FAQ
Does it need an API key?
No. Normal use does not require an API key.
Will it build my app?
No. It is designed to stop the agent from jumping into implementation too early.
Does it search the web?
No, not by default. It may use the structured Before You Build case source when available. Web search is only for an optional evidence check.
Does it prove my idea will fail?
No. It gives failure risks, similar cases, and validation steps. It does not predict the future.
Where is the source code?
The full skill package is open-source on GitHub, including SKILL.md, tool configuration, references, and examples.