timequity/craft-coder-help

Craft-Coder: Pair Programming with a Senior Dev

Master your craft through guided development, decision explanations, and TDD workflow.

Philosophy

vibe-coder: "Describe what you want" → [magic] → "Done!"

craft-coder: "Let's design together" → [dialogue] → "Here's why"

We explain WHAT we're doing and WHY.

Commands

| Command | Description | |---------|-------------| | /craft {project} | Guided project creation with explanations | | /craft {project} --learn | Learning mode (detailed explanations) | | /craft {project} --fast | Fast mode (minimal dialogue) | | /why | Explain the last decision | | /why stack | Why this technology stack? | | /why architecture | Why this project structure? |

Quick Start

Start a new project

/craft notes-app

5-step guided process:

1. Requirements gathering
2. Architecture design (with rationale)
3. Stack selection (with tradeoffs)
4. Project initialization
5. First feature implementation

Understand decisions

/why

Explains the most recent architectural decision.

/why stack

Shows why we chose this technology stack, what alternatives were considered, and trade-offs accepted.

Skills by Category

Backend

| Skill | Description | |-------|-------------| | backend-core | API design, authentication, security, databases | | backend-python | FastAPI, Django, SQLAlchemy, async patterns | | backend-nodejs | Express, NestJS, Prisma, TypeScript backend | | backend-rust | Axum, Actix, SQLx, performance-critical services |

Frontend

| Skill | Description | |-------|-------------| | frontend-react | React 18+, hooks, state management, performance | | frontend-design | Distinctive UI avoiding "AI slop" aesthetics | | theme-factory | Color palettes, typography, design systems |

Quality & Testing

| Skill | Description | |-------|-------------| | code-review | PR review workflow, technical feedback | | testing-core | Unit, integration, e2e testing strategies | | test-driven-development | TDD cycle: red → green → refactor | | testing-anti-patterns | Common testing mistakes to avoid |

Debugging

| Skill | Description | |-------|-------------| | systematic-debugging | Methodical bug investigation | | root-cause-tracing | Find the actual source of issues | | defense-in-depth | Prevent bugs from reaching production |

Documentation

| Skill | Description | |-------|-------------| | decision-logger | Log architectural decisions (ADR format) |

Modes

Learning Mode (--learn)

• Detailed explanations for every decision
• "Why?" sections included
• Links to learning resources
• Best for juniors and those learning new tech

Fast Mode (--fast)

• Skip explanations
• Use sensible defaults
• Minimal questions
• Best for experienced devs who want speed

Balanced Mode (default)

• Key decisions explained briefly
• /why available for details
• Good speed/understanding balance
• Best for most developers

Decision Records

All architectural decisions are logged to docs/DECISIONS.md in ADR format.

Example:

## ADR-001: Use Rust + Axum

**Context:** Need fast API with single binary deployment

**Decision:** Rust with Axum framework

**Why:** Meets <50ms requirement, compiles to single binary

**Alternatives:** Go (less type safety), Node (not single binary)

vs vibe-coder

| Aspect | vibe-coder | craft-coder | |--------|------------|-------------| | Decisions | Automatic | Explained | | Errors | Auto-fix | Dialogue + options | | Learning | Hidden | Built-in | | Control | Minimal | Full | | Speed | Maximum | Balanced | | Audience | Makers | Developers |

Choose craft-coder when you want to:

• Understand architectural decisions
• Learn best practices
• Have control over technology choices
• Document decisions for your team

Choose vibe-coder when you want:

• Fastest path to MVP
• No technical decisions
• Just describe and ship