
Grill With Docs
Stress-test an implementation plan against your repo’s CONTEXT.md, ADRs, and domain language before you commit the agent to coding.
Overview
Grill With Docs is an agent skill most often used in Validate (also Build planning and documentation) that stress-tests your plan against CONTEXT.md, ADRs, and codebase terminology through a one-question-at-a-time grilli
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/mattpocock/skills --skill grill-with-docsWhat is this skill?
- One-question-at-a-time interview with recommended answers per decision
- Codebase exploration when answers live in the repo, including multi-context CONTEXT-MAP.md layouts
- Lazy creation and inline updates to CONTEXT.md and context-specific or system ADRs as decisions crystallize
Adoption & trust: 218k installs on skills.sh; 121k GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You have an implementation plan but worry it clashes with how the repo names domains, events, and boundaries—and you do not want to code against the wrong mental model.
Who is it for?
Solo builders with a written plan and an existing or intended CONTEXT.md / ADR setup who want domain-aligned decisions before the agent writes production code.
Skip if: Throwaway spikes with no domain docs, or when you only need a quick code change with zero planning or terminology risk.
When should I use this skill?
User wants to stress-test a plan against the project's language and documented decisions.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You end with a sharpened, dependency-resolved plan plus updated CONTEXT.md and ADRs that match the language and decisions already in the project.
- Sharpened plan with resolved design dependencies
- Updated or new CONTEXT.md entries
- New or updated ADR markdown files under docs/adr or context-specific adr folders
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
The skill’s entry point is a plan that still needs validation against documented domain decisions—classic Validate work before full Build. Scope subphase covers narrowing and hardening what you will build; grilling resolves design-tree dependencies and terminology before prototype or implementation.
Where it fits
Grill a new billing integration plan against ordering CONTEXT.md before you prototype APIs.
Resolve open design-tree questions one-by-one so your agent implementation plan matches recorded write-model ADRs.
Crystallize a decision on event sourcing and append or create the matching ADR in the same session.
Re-grill a refactor plan so renamed aggregates still match language in CONTEXT-MAP.md before a large PR.
How it compares
Use instead of ad-hoc chat planning that never reconciles your plan with recorded ADRs and CONTEXT.md.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is grill-with-docs for?
It is for solo and indie builders using Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, or similar agents who maintain CONTEXT.md and ADRs and want plans grilled against that documentation before implementation.
When should I use grill-with-docs?
Use it in Validate when scoping a feature or refactor against documented decisions; in Build PM when turning a spec into aligned tasks; and in Build docs when you want ADRs and context files updated as you decide—not after the fact.
Is grill-with-docs safe to install?
Treat it like any third-party skill: review the Security Audits panel on this Prism page and your agent’s file permissions before letting it read or write CONTEXT.md, ADRs, and explore the repo.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Grill With Docs
<what-to-do> Interview me relentlessly about every aspect of this plan until we reach a shared understanding. Walk down each branch of the design tree, resolving dependencies between decisions one-by-one. For each question, provide your recommended answer. Ask the questions one at a time, waiting for feedback on each question before continuing. If a question can be answered by exploring the codebase, explore the codebase instead. </what-to-do> <supporting-info> ## Domain awareness During codebase exploration, also look for existing documentation: ### File structure Most repos have a single context: ``` / ├── CONTEXT.md ├── docs/ │ └── adr/ │ ├── 0001-event-sourced-orders.md │ └── 0002-postgres-for-write-model.md └── src/ ``` If a `CONTEXT-MAP.md` exists at the root, the repo has multiple contexts. The map points to where each one lives: ``` / ├── CONTEXT-MAP.md ├── docs/ │ └── adr/ ← system-wide decisions ├── src/ │ ├── ordering/ │ │ ├── CONTEXT.md │ │ └── docs/adr/ ← context-specific decisions │ └── billing/ │ ├── CONTEXT.md │ └── docs/adr/ ``` Create files lazily — only when you have something to write. If no `CONTEXT.md` exists, create one when the first term is resolved. If no `docs/adr/` exists, create it when the first ADR is needed. ## During the session ### Challenge against the glossary When the user uses a term that conflicts with the existing language in `CONTEXT.md`, call it out immediately. "Your glossary defines 'cancellation' as X, but you seem to mean Y — which is it?" ### Sharpen fuzzy language When the user uses vague or overloaded terms, propose a precise canonical term. "You're saying 'account' — do you mean the Customer or the User? Those are different things." ### Discuss concrete scenarios When domain relationships are being discussed, stress-test them with specific scenarios. Invent scenarios that probe edge cases and force the user to be precise about the boundaries between concepts. ### Cross-reference with code When the user states how something works, check whether the code agrees. If you find a contradiction, surface it: "Your code cancels entire Orders, but you just said partial cancellation is possible — which is right?" ### Update CONTEXT.md inline When a term is resolved, update `CONTEXT.md` right there. Don't batch these up — capture them as they happen. Use the format in [CONTEXT-FORMAT.md](./CONTEXT-FORMAT.md). `CONTEXT.md` should be totally devoid of implementation details. Do not treat `CONTEXT.md` as a spec, a scratch pad, or a repository for implementation decisions. It is a glossary and nothing else. ### Offer ADRs sparingly Only offer to create an ADR when all three are true: 1. **Hard to reverse** — the cost of changing your mind later is meaningful 2. **Surprising without context** — a future reader will wonder "why did they do it this way?" 3. **The result of a real trade-off** — there were genuine alternatives and you picked one for specific reasons If any of the three is missing, skip the ADR. Use the format in [ADR-FORMAT.md](./ADR-FORMAT.md). </supporting-info> # CONTEXT.md Format ## Structure ```md # {Context Name} {One or two sentence description of what this context is and why it exists.} ## Language **Order**: {A one or two sentence description of the term} _Avoid_: Purchase, transaction **Invoice**: A request for payment sent to a customer after delivery. _Avoid_: Bill, payment request **Customer**: A person or organization that places orders. _Avoid_: Client, buyer, account ``` ## Rules - **Be opinionated.** When multiple words exist fo