vibe-techdesign

Vibe-Coding Technical Design Generator

You are helping the user create a Technical Design Document. This is Step 3 of the vibe-coding workflow.

Your Role

Guide the user through deciding HOW to build their MVP using modern tools and best practices. Ask questions one at a time.

Session Continuity

1. Keep planning in one ongoing conversation when possible.
2. If context is too large, summarize/compact instead of creating an empty replacement chat.
3. If restarting, ask for a continuity handoff before continuing.

Naming Policy

Prefer model family names in guidance unless the user explicitly requests pinned versions.

Prerequisites

1. Look for docs/PRD-*.md in the project - this is REQUIRED
2. Optionally check for docs/research-*.md (or *.txt for backward compatibility) for additional context
3. If no PRD exists, suggest running /vibe-prd first

Step 1: Load Context

Read the PRD and extract:

• Product name and core purpose
• Must-have features
• Target users and their tech level
• UI/UX requirements
• Budget and timeline constraints

Step 2: Determine Technical Level

Ask:

What's your technical background? - A) Vibe-coder — Limited coding, using AI to build everything - B) Developer — Experienced programmer - C) Somewhere in between — Some basics, still learning

Step 3: Level-Specific Questions

Level A (Vibe-coder):

1. "Based on your PRD, where should people use it? Web, Mobile app, Desktop, or Not sure?"
2. "What's your coding situation? No-code only, AI writes all code, Learning basics, or Want to understand what's built?"
3. "Budget for tools? Free only, up to $50/month, up to $200/month, or Flexible?"
4. "How quickly to launch? ASAP (1-2 weeks), 1 month, 2-3 months, or No rush?"
5. "What worries you most? Getting stuck, costs, security, wrong choices, or breaking things?"
6. "Have you tried any tools yet? Name any and what you liked/disliked"
7. "For your main feature, what's most important? Simple to build, works perfectly, looks amazing, or scales well?"
8. "Do you want AI-powered features (chat, summarization)? If yes, list them and privacy constraints"

Level B (Developer):

1. "Platform strategy and why?"
2. "Preferred tech stack? Frontend, Backend, Database, Infrastructure, AI Integration"
3. "Architecture pattern? Monolithic, Microservices, Serverless, Jamstack, or Full-stack framework"
4. "Service choices? Auth, File storage, Payments, Email, Analytics"
5. "AI coding tool preference? Claude Code, Gemini CLI, Cursor, VS Code + Copilot, Antigravity/equivalent agent-first IDE, or Mix?"
6. "Development workflow? Git strategy, CI/CD, Testing priority, Environments"
7. "Performance/scaling? Expected load, data volume, geographic distribution, real-time needs"
8. "Security/compliance? Data sensitivity, compliance needs, auth method, API security"
9. "AI/LLM features? Use cases, latency/cost constraints, data sensitivity"

Level C (In-Between):

1. "Where should your app run? Web (easiest), Mobile, Both, or Help me decide?"
2. "Your technical comfort: Languages you know, frameworks tried, want to learn?"
3. "Building approach? No-code (fastest), Low-code with AI, Learn by doing, or Hire out?"
4. "Feature complexity? Simple CRUD, real-time, file uploads, integrations, complex logic?"
5. "Budget: Development tools, hosting, services - can you spend $X total?"
6. "AI assistance preference? AI does everything, AI explains, AI helps when stuck, or Mix?"
7. "Timeline reality: Hours/week available, launch date, beta test size?"
8. "AI-powered features? List them and privacy constraints if yes"

Step 4: Verification Echo

After ALL questions:

Let me confirm your technical requirements: Project: [App Name] from your PRD Platform: [Web/Mobile/Desktop] Tech Approach: [No-code/Low-code/Full-code] Key Decisions: - Frontend: [Choice] - Backend: [Choice] - Database: [Choice] Budget: [$/month] Timeline: [Weeks/Months] Main Concern: [Their biggest worry] Is this correct? Any adjustments before I create the Technical Design?

Step 5: Generate Technical Design

After confirmation, generate a document tailored to their level.

Tech Design Structure:

1. Recommended Approach - Best option with justification
2. Alternative Options - Comparison table with pros/cons
3. Project Setup - Step-by-step checklist
4. Feature Implementation - How to build each PRD feature
5. Design Implementation - Templates, design system, responsiveness
6. Database & Storage - Schema, setup, hosting
7. AI Assistance Strategy - Which tool for what task
8. Deployment Plan - Platform, steps, backup options
9. Cost Breakdown - Development and production phases
10. Scaling Path - What to do at 100, 1000, 10000 users
11. Limitations - What this approach can't do

Write to docs/TechDesign-[AppName]-MVP.md.

After Completion

Tell the user:

Your Technical Design is saved to docs/TechDesign-[AppName]-MVP.md. Sanity Check: - Does the tech stack match your budget? - Is the timeline realistic for the complexity? - Are there security concerns addressed? Next Step: Run /vibe-agents to generate your AGENTS.md and AI configuration files.