Skip to content
Get packs

Technical Spike Document Creator

Creates time-boxed research documents to settle a critical technical decision before coding starts.

Source Download skill
Repository
github/awesome-copilot
Stars
40,703
Licence
MIT
Files
1 file

What it does

When installed, the agent can turn an open technical question (for example, which API to integrate or whether a design will scale) into a structured Markdown 'spike' document. The document has a clear research question, a time limit, a task checklist, success criteria, a findings section, and a recommendation. The skill also guides the agent to research using search, fetch, and codebase tools and to write its findings into the file, so the team has a written decision before building.

Great for

  • Developers and tech leads who want research on a risky decision documented before implementation begins
  • Teams that use Markdown docs in a repository and want a consistent template for investigations

Skip it if

  • Simple questions that do not need a written decision record, since the template is heavyweight for them
  • Non-technical users, because the output assumes familiarity with software architecture and development workflows

Try asking

  • “Create a technical spike to decide whether we should use WebSockets or Server-Sent Events for live updates”
  • “Write a spike document on the rate limits of the payments API before we design the checkout flow”
  • “Start a time-boxed spike on whether our database can handle 10x write load”
Step-by-step guide: how to use Technical Spike Document CreatorInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

Install in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Download the skill

    The ZIP contains the 1 original files, the MIT licence and an attribution note.

    create-technical-spike.zip
  2. 2

    Add it to your agent

    Claude Code (all projects)

    mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && unzip create-technical-spike.zip -d ~/.claude/skills/

    Claude Code / Agent SDK (this project only)

    mkdir -p .claude/skills && unzip create-technical-spike.zip -d .claude/skills/

    Claude apps (web/desktop): Settings → Capabilities → Skills → Upload skill, and choose the ZIP.

  3. 3

    Ask for the task

    No special command needed — the agent reads the skill's description and loads it when your request matches. Try one of the prompts above.

Get better results

  • Ask for one question per spike, since the skill's own guidance is one decision per document
  • State the timebox and owner up front so the template fields are filled in correctly
  • Review the agent's research claims yourself, because the template asks for evidence but the agent can still make errors

What's inside

  • SKILL.md

Redistributed unmodified from github/awesome-copilot under the MIT licence. The assessment was drafted with AI from the skill's files on 2026-10-29. Skills can instruct your agent to run code — read SKILL.md and any scripts before installing.