# Brainstorming

Use before implementing a feature, a change in behavior, or a bug fix, however small.

- Repository: https://github.com/JetBrains/thinkrail (6952 stars)
- Category: Writing
- License: Apache-2.0
- Last updated: 2026-11-01
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add JetBrains/thinkrail --skill brainstorming -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add JetBrains/thinkrail --skill brainstorming -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add JetBrains/thinkrail --skill brainstorming -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add JetBrains/thinkrail --skill brainstorming -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Use before implementing a feature, a change in behavior, or a bug fix, however small. Not for questions, checks, or edits that change no behavior (typos, documentation or configuration only, mechanical refactors).

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Brainstorming

## Interview before you build

- Every feature, behavior change, or bug fix goes through this workflow. Depth scales with the
  change and never drops to zero: a small change gets one short round and a few lines of task-spec.
- The aim is a design the user understands and has accepted, recorded in a spec-graph `task-spec`,
  built, and then reflected in the durable specs, not a speculative implementation.
- Do not implement until the design is accepted. An explicit design or acceptance criteria in the
  request count as approval of what they cover; build on them and never re-ask them.

## Doc map

- `fixing-a-bug.md`, the bug branch (step 4).
- `amending-specs.md`, bringing the durable specs in line with what was built (step 9); the tail of
  both paths and where this workflow ends.

## The workflow

The rest: https://github.com/JetBrains/thinkrail/blob/HEAD/packages/pi-thinkrail-workflow/skills/brainstorming/SKILL.md