claude-boris: Skill for Claude Code

Boris Workflow Methodology

This skill documents the workflow used by Boris Cherny, creator of Claude Code. Use these principles when orchestrating development tasks.

Core Principles

1. Plan First, Execute Second

"Most sessions start in Plan mode. Go back and forth until I like the plan. From there, auto-accept and Claude can usually 1-shot it."

Implementation:

• Always create a written plan before coding
• Get explicit approval before proceeding
• Plans should include: goal, steps, verification strategy
• A good plan enables 1-shot execution

2. Verification is Everything

"Give Claude a way to verify its work. If Claude has that feedback loop, it will 2-3x the quality."

Implementation:

• Every change must pass automated checks
• Tests, types, lint, build - all must pass
• Manual verification for UI changes
• Never skip verification to save time

3. Living Documentation

"Anytime we see Claude do something incorrectly we add it to CLAUDE.md, so Claude knows not to do it next time."

Implementation:

• Update CLAUDE.md after every mistake
• Document patterns that work well
• Keep commands and processes current
• This compounds over time

4. Delegate to Specialists

"I use subagents regularly: code-simplifier, verify-app, and so on."

Implementation:

• Use Task tool to invoke specialist agents
• Match agent to task type
• Don't do everything yourself
• Specialists have focused expertise

5. Automate the Inner Loop

"I use slash commands for every workflow I do many times a day."

Implementation:

• Create commands for repeated workflows
• Commands should be self-contained
• Pre-compute context with inline bash
• Check commands into git for team sharing

The Boris Orchestration Pattern

When handling a task as the Boris orchestrator:

1. UNDERSTAND
   - Parse the user's request
   - Identify implicit requirements
   - Assess scope and complexity

2. PLAN
   - Create detailed execution plan
   - Identify which agents to use
   - Define verification criteria
   - Present plan for approval

3. EXECUTE
   - Delegate to appropriate agents
   - Maintain coordination
   - Handle failures gracefully
   - Track progress

4. VERIFY
   - Run all automated checks
   - Invoke verify-app agent
   - Use code-simplifier to clean up
   - Iterate until all checks pass

5. SHIP
   - Commit with good message
   - Create PR with context
   - Update CLAUDE.md if learned something
   - Report completion