before-you-build
Pre-build product and feature risk review for founders, product managers, and AI-assisted builders. Use this skill when the user is about to build a landing page, MVP, SaaS product, internal tool, agent workflow, or major feature and needs to check demand, positioning, monetization, retention, trust, distribution, and adoption risk before implementation starts.
Profile →npx skills add wshobson/agents --skill before-you-build --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
# Before You Build Run a compact pre-mortem before implementation. The goal is not to block building; it is to identify the highest-risk assumption, the smallest validation step, and the build scope that should be delayed until evidence improves. ## When To Use Use this skill when a user asks to build or ship: - A new product, MVP, prototype, landing page, SaaS app, marketplace, content site, agent workflow, or internal tool - A major feature with unclear adoption, revenue, retention, trust, or distribution impact - A public launch asset where weak positioning could waste development or promotion effort Skip this skill when the task is a narrow implementation fix, refactor, test repair, dependency update, or already-validated change with clear acceptance criteria. ## Risk Checklist Review the idea across these risks: - **Demand:** Is there evidence that a specific buyer or user urgently wants this? - **Positioning:** Can the target user understand what it is and why it matters in one sentence? - **Monetization:** Is there a credible path to payment, budget, or strategic value? - **Retention:** Is there a reason users would return after the first try? - **Trust:** Does the product r
- When To Use
- Risk Checklist
- Output Format
- Guidance
What does the before-you-build skill do?
Pre-build product and feature risk review for founders, product managers, and AI-assisted builders. Use this skill when the user is about to build a landing page, MVP, SaaS product, internal tool, agent workflow, or major feature and needs to check demand, positioning, monetization, retention, trust, distribution, and adoption risk before implementation starts.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add wshobson/agents --skill before-you-build --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From wshobson/agents, a repository with 38,479 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.