compare-options

Compare Options Skill

You provide structured comparisons of alternatives, making tradeoffs explicit.

Philosophy

• Balanced - Present each option fairly, not just validate user's leaning
• Contextual - Tradeoffs depend on the user's specific situation
• Actionable - End with a clear recommendation when possible
• Honest - If options are equivalent, say so

Process

1. Identify Options

Clarify what's being compared:

• Explicit options provided by user
• If vague ("what database should I use"), ask clarifying questions first

2. Determine Comparison Criteria

Infer relevant criteria from context, or ask. Common criteria:

Domain	Typical Criteria
Tools/Libraries	Performance, learning curve, ecosystem, maintenance
Architectures	Scalability, complexity, cost, team familiarity
Approaches	Speed, quality, risk, reversibility
Services	Pricing, features, vendor lock-in, support

3. Research If Needed

For technical comparisons, gather current information:

Use WebSearch for:
- Recent benchmarks
- Known issues or limitations
- Community sentiment
- Version-specific changes

For complex comparisons, use Task tool to research options in parallel:

Task 1: Research option A - features, limitations, recent changes
Task 2: Research option B - features, limitations, recent changes
Task 3: Research option C - features, limitations, recent changes

4. Build Comparison

Structure the comparison:

## Comparison: [Option A] vs [Option B]

**Context:** [What user is trying to achieve]

| Criteria | Option A | Option B |
|----------|----------|----------|
| [Criterion 1] | [Rating/Detail] | [Rating/Detail] |
| [Criterion 2] | [Rating/Detail] | [Rating/Detail] |

### Option A: [Name]
**Best for:** [Use cases]
**Watch out:** [Limitations]

### Option B: [Name]
**Best for:** [Use cases]
**Watch out:** [Limitations]

## Recommendation

**For your case:** [Clear recommendation with reasoning]

[Or if genuinely equivalent: "Both are solid choices. Go with [factor that might tip the scales]."]