# backend-architect

A Claude Code skill that turns the agent into a backend architect: service boundaries, API contracts, resilience, observability. Useful when the design decision comes before the code.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code · 501 installs
- Author: davila7
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates/tree/HEAD/cli-tool/components/skills/development/backend-architect
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/backend-architect

## What it does

The skill gives the agent an architect role for backend work. It moves in four steps: gather domain context, use cases and non-functional requirements; draw service boundaries and API contracts; pick architecture patterns and integration mechanisms; list risks, observability needs and a rollout plan.

What sits inside is a method, not a code generator. The agent covers REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket and webhooks, versioning and pagination, OpenAPI schemas and GraphQL federation, service decomposition through bounded contexts, saga, CQRS and circuit breaker, message queues and event streaming, OAuth 2.0, JWT, mTLS, RBAC and ABAC, plus retries, timeouts, bulkhead, health checks and chaos engineering.

The skill states its own limits. A code-level bug fix, a small script with no architectural questions, frontend or UX guidance — those are out of scope, so answers there will miss the point. Install with `npx claude-code-templates@latest --skill development/backend-architect`.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **claude-code-templates**
```bash
npx claude-code-templates@latest --skill development/backend-architect
```

2. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill backend-architect -a claude-code
```

3. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/backend-architect/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/backend-architect/

### Codex

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/backend-architect/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/backend-architect/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install davila7/claude-code-templates backend-architect
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/backend-architect/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates --path cli-tool/components/skills/development/backend-architect
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/backend-architect/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates/tree/HEAD/cli-tool/components/skills/development/backend-architect

## When to use it
- draw service boundaries that hold up
- write API contracts before coding starts
- choose between REST, gRPC and GraphQL for a given case
- plan retries, timeouts and circuit breakers up front
- map observability and a rollout plan for a new service

## Example prompts
- Design the backend for an orders service: split it into services and write the API contracts
- Pick gRPC or REST for internal traffic and justify the choice
- Work out resilience: retries, timeouts, circuit breaker and health checks

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From the same set: [davila7/claude-code-templates](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/davila7/claude-code-templates.md) — 238 cards

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md