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breakdown-epic-arch

github/awesome-copilot

Turns an Epic PRD into a structured technical architecture specification with system diagrams and sizing.

What is breakdown-epic-arch?

This skill provides a structured prompt that turns an Epic PRD into a high-level technical architecture specification, acting as a Senior Software Architect. It outputs a Markdown document covering architecture overview, a Mermaid system diagram, features/enablers, tech stack, technical value, and sizing estimate.

Generates a complete Epic Architecture Specification in Markdown from an Epic PRD input
Produces a Mermaid system architecture diagram covering user, application, service, data, and infrastructure layers
Lists high-level features and required technical enablers
Identifies the key technology stack for the epic
Estimates technical value and provides a t-shirt size estimate for scope

How to install breakdown-epic-arch

npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill breakdown-epic-arch

Prerequisites

An existing Epic PRD (Product Requirements Document) in markdown format
Familiarity with the assumed stack: TypeScript/Next.js, Turborepo, tRPC, Stack Auth, Docker, PostgreSQL, Qdrant, Redis

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How to use breakdown-epic-arch

1.Have an Epic PRD markdown document ready as input context.
2.Invoke the breakdown-epic-arch prompt and provide the Epic PRD content.
3.Review the generated Epic Architecture Specification, including the system architecture Mermaid diagram, features/enablers list, tech stack, technical value, and t-shirt size estimate.
4.Save or confirm the output is placed at /docs/ways-of-work/plan/{epic-name}/arch.md.
5.Use the specification to guide development planning and technical design discussions for the epic.

Use cases

Good for

Converting a Product Manager's Epic PRD into a technical architecture doc before development starts
Generating a system architecture Mermaid diagram covering user, application, service, data, and infrastructure layers for an epic
Producing a high-level features and technical enablers list to scope an epic
Estimating technical value and t-shirt size for an epic during planning
Standardizing architecture documentation format across multiple epics in a monorepo project

Who it's for

Senior software architects
Engineering leads planning epic-level technical work
Product managers handing off PRDs to engineering
Teams using domain-driven, Turborepo-based monorepo architectures

breakdown-epic-arch FAQ

What input does this prompt require?

An Epic PRD (Product Requirements Document) from a Product Manager, provided as markdown content.

Where does the output get saved?

To /docs/ways-of-work/plan/{epic-name}/arch.md as a complete Epic Architecture Specification in Markdown.

Does it generate actual code?

No, the prompt explicitly instructs not to write code in the output, except pseudocode for technical situations.

What tech stack assumptions does it make?

It assumes TypeScript/Next.js with App Router, Turborepo monorepo, tRPC, Stack Auth, Docker containerization, PostgreSQL, Qdrant, Redis, and n8n for workflows.

Full instructions (SKILL.md)

Source of truth, from github/awesome-copilot.

name: breakdown-epic-arch description: 'Prompt for creating the high-level technical architecture for an Epic, based on a Product Requirements Document.'

Epic Architecture Specification Prompt

Goal

Act as a Senior Software Architect. Your task is to take an Epic PRD and create a high-level technical architecture specification. This document will guide the development of the epic, outlining the major components, features, and technical enablers required.

Context Considerations

The Epic PRD from the Product Manager.
Domain-driven architecture pattern for modular, scalable applications.
Self-hosted and SaaS deployment requirements.
Docker containerization for all services.
TypeScript/Next.js stack with App Router.
Turborepo monorepo patterns.
tRPC for type-safe APIs.
Stack Auth for authentication.

Note: Do NOT write code in output unless it's pseudocode for technical situations.

Output Format

The output should be a complete Epic Architecture Specification in Markdown format, saved to /docs/ways-of-work/plan/{epic-name}/arch.md.

Specification Structure

1. Epic Architecture Overview

A brief summary of the technical approach for the epic.

2. System Architecture Diagram

Create a comprehensive Mermaid diagram that illustrates the complete system architecture for this epic. The diagram should include:

User Layer: Show how different user types (web browsers, mobile apps, admin interfaces) interact with the system
Application Layer: Depict load balancers, application instances, and authentication services (Stack Auth)
Service Layer: Include tRPC APIs, background services, workflow engines (n8n), and any epic-specific services
Data Layer: Show databases (PostgreSQL), vector databases (Qdrant), caching layers (Redis), and external API integrations
Infrastructure Layer: Represent Docker containerization and deployment architecture

Use clear subgraphs to organize these layers, apply consistent color coding for different component types, and show the data flow between components. Include both synchronous request paths and asynchronous processing flows where relevant to the epic.

3. High-Level Features & Technical Enablers

A list of the high-level features to be built.
A list of technical enablers (e.g., new services, libraries, infrastructure) required to support the features.

4. Technology Stack

A list of the key technologies, frameworks, and libraries to be used.

5. Technical Value

Estimate the technical value (e.g., High, Medium, Low) with a brief justification.

6. T-Shirt Size Estimate

Provide a high-level t-shirt size estimate for the epic (e.g., S, M, L, XL).

Context Template

Epic PRD: [The content of the Epic PRD markdown file]

Surgical code refactoring to improve maintainability without changing behavior.

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