Agent skill
patch-design
Create minimal, surgical patch plans for targeted fixes. Use when fixing specific issues from review, creating focused patches, or avoiding scope creep in fix implementations.
Stars
163
Forks
31
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/majiayu000/claude-skill-registry/tree/main/skills/data/patch-design
SKILL.md
Patch Design Skill
Create minimal, surgical patch plans for targeted fixes.
When to Use
- Fixing specific issues from review
- Creating focused bug fixes
- Addressing blockers without scope creep
- Making targeted improvements
Core Principle
"This is a PATCH - keep the scope minimal. Only fix what's described in the issue and nothing more."
Design Workflow
Step 1: Understand the Specific Issue
Parse the issue clearly:
- What is broken? (specific behavior)
- How should it work? (expected behavior)
- What evidence exists? (screenshots, errors)
Do NOT expand scope beyond the reported issue.
Step 2: Analyze Current State
Review the relevant code:
bash
# Find relevant files
git diff --stat
grep -r "related_function" src/
# Read the specific code
cat src/component/file.ts
Step 3: Determine Minimum Fix
Ask: "What is the smallest change that fixes this?"
| Approach | Lines | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Surgical fix | 1-10 | Low |
| Targeted fix | 10-50 | Medium |
| Refactor | 50+ | High |
Always prefer surgical fixes for patches.
Step 4: Create Patch Plan
Document the precise fix:
markdown
# Patch: [Concise title]
## Issue Summary
**Problem**: [What's broken]
**Solution**: [Minimal fix]
## Files to Modify
- `path/to/file.ts`: [Specific change]
## Implementation Steps
### Step 1: [Specific action]
[Exact code change]
### Step 2: [Specific action]
[Exact code change]
## Validation
- [Command to verify fix]
- [How to confirm success]
## Patch Scope
- Lines of code: ~X
- Risk level: low
- Testing: [minimal/standard]
Step 5: Define Validation
Every patch needs verification:
markdown
## Validation
1. Run specific test: `npm test path/to/test`
2. Manual verification: [steps]
3. Visual check: [if applicable]
Patch Plan Template
markdown
# Patch: [Brief description]
## Metadata
- Issue: [Source of this patch request]
- Severity: [blocker/tech_debt]
## Issue Summary
**Original Spec**: [Link if available]
**Problem**: [Brief description of what's wrong]
**Solution**: [Brief description of the fix]
## Files to Modify
[Only files that need changes - be specific]
- `src/component/Button.tsx`: Fix disabled state
## Implementation Steps
IMPORTANT: Execute every step in order.
### Step 1: [Specific change]
<!-- markdownlint-disable MD033 -->
```jsx
// Before
<button onClick={handleClick}>
// After
<button onClick={handleClick} disabled={isLoading}>
Step 2: [Next change if needed]
[Details]
Validation
Execute to confirm patch is complete:
npm test src/component/Button.test.tsx- Manual: Click button, verify disabled during load
Patch Scope
- Lines changed: ~5
- Risk level: low
- Testing: Run component tests
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
Scope Creep
markdown
# BAD: Expanding scope
While fixing the button, I noticed the form could use
refactoring, so I'll also update the validation logic,
improve the error messages, and add loading states to
all other buttons too.
Vague Changes
markdown
# BAD: Vague plan
## Implementation
- Fix the button issue
- Make it work correctly
- Test to confirm
No Validation
markdown
# BAD: No verification
## Implementation
1. Change the code
2. Done
Best Practices
- One issue, one patch: Don't bundle fixes
- Minimal scope: Only change what's needed
- Specific steps: Exact code changes
- Clear validation: How to verify success
- Risk assessment: Lines changed, testing needed
Integration with Review
Patches typically come from review issues:
text
/review → Identifies blocker
↓
/patch → Creates surgical fix plan
↓
/implement → Executes patch
↓
/review → Verifies fix (re-review)
Memory References
- @issue-severity-classification.md - What triggers patches
- @review-vs-test.md - Review identifies patch needs
- @one-agent-one-purpose.md - Patches are focused by nature
Version History
- v1.0.0 (2025-12-26): Initial release
Last Updated
Date: 2025-12-26 Model: claude-opus-4-5-20251101
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