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tracer-bullets AI Agent Skill
View Source: oakoss/agent-skills
SafeInstallation
npx skills add oakoss/agent-skills --skill tracer-bullets 33
Installs
Tracer Bullets
Build features as vertical slices through all layers, verifying each slice before starting the next. From The Pragmatic Programmer: get feedback as quickly as possible. Don't build horizontal layers in isolation (all endpoints, then all UI, then all tests). Build one thin vertical path, verify it works, then expand.
Skip for single-layer changes, one-file bug fixes, or work already decomposed into ordered vertical slices by a task tracker.
Quick Reference
| Principle | Practice |
|---|---|
| Vertical over horizontal | Build one slice through all layers, not one layer across all features |
| Verify before advancing | Tests pass, page renders, round-trip works before next slice |
| One slice per session | Each slice should be completable in a single agent session |
| First feature sets pattern | First CRUD establishes conventions; subsequent CRUDs go faster |
| Check before building | Task trackers may already decompose the work into slices |
| Skip when trivial | Single-layer work or proven patterns don't need this ceremony |
CRUD Feature Slices
| Slice | Scope | Verifies |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Backend/API + tests (no UI) | Data layer works, conventions set, tests prove it |
| 2 | List page with real data | Data flows DB -> server -> rendered page |
| 3 | Create dialog | Full round-trip: form -> server -> DB -> refresh |
| 4 | Edit + delete | Full CRUD cycle, mutation patterns, confirm dialog |
| 5 | E2E test | Locks in the whole feature |
Non-CRUD Adaptations
Same principle, different slices:
- Import flow: parse one row -> display one row -> validate + dedupe -> review + commit
- Dashboard: one widget with real data -> empty/onboarding state -> layout with all widgets
- Search/palette: one entity type -> all entity types -> quick actions
- Multi-step wizard: first step end-to-end -> add steps one at a time -> final submission
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Correct Pattern |
|---|---|
| Building all API endpoints before any UI | Build one endpoint + its UI + its test, then the next |
| Starting UI before the backend is tested | Slice 1 is backend-only with tests; prove the data layer first |
| Building the full create/edit/delete UI in one pass | Create dialog first (slice 3), then edit + delete (slice 4) |
| Skipping verification between slices | Run tests and check output before starting the next slice |
| Making slices too large for one session | Split further; a slice that can't finish in one session is too big |
| Applying tracer bullets to trivial single-layer work | Skip for one component, one utility, or patterns already proven |
Delegation
- Decompose into subtasks: Use the project's task tracker to create ordered vertical subtasks before writing code
- Isolate each slice: Delegate each slice to a subagent so failures stay contained and context stays fresh
- Find slice boundaries for non-CRUD work: Pick the smallest path through all layers as slice 1, then expand
References
No reference files. Source: Tracer Bullets: Keeping AI Slop Under Control
Installs
Security Audit
View Source
oakoss/agent-skills
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How to use this skill
Install tracer-bullets by running npx skills add oakoss/agent-skills --skill tracer-bullets in your project directory. Run the install command above in your project directory. The skill file will be downloaded from GitHub and placed in your project.
No configuration needed. Your AI agent (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.) automatically detects installed skills and uses them as context when generating code.
The skill enhances your agent's understanding of tracer-bullets, helping it follow established patterns, avoid common mistakes, and produce production-ready output.
What you get
Skills are plain-text instruction files — not executable code. They encode expert knowledge about frameworks, languages, or tools that your AI agent reads to improve its output. This means zero runtime overhead, no dependency conflicts, and full transparency: you can read and review every instruction before installing.
Compatibility
This skill works with any AI coding agent that supports the skills.sh format, including Claude Code (Anthropic), Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, Aider, and other tools that read project-level context files. Skills are framework-agnostic at the transport level — the content inside determines which language or framework it applies to.
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