
senior-backend
Designs and implements backend systems including REST APIs, microservices, database architectures, authentication flows, and security hardening. Use when the user asks to "design REST APIs", "optimize database queries", "implement authentication", "build microservices", "review backend code", "set up GraphQL", "handle database migrations", or "load test APIs". Covers Node.js/Express/Fastify development, PostgreSQL optimization, API security, and backend architecture patterns.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/alirezarezvani/claude-skills --skill senior-backend- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads senior-backend automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Senior Backend Engineer
Backend development patterns, API design, database optimization, and security practices.
Quick Start
# Generate API routes from OpenAPI spec
python scripts/api_scaffolder.py openapi.yaml --framework express --output src/routes/
# Analyze database schema and generate migrations
python scripts/database_migration_tool.py --connection postgres://localhost/mydb --analyze
# Load test an API endpoint
python scripts/api_load_tester.py https://api.example.com/users --concurrency 50 --duration 30
Tools Overview
1. API Scaffolder
Generates API route handlers, middleware, and OpenAPI specifications from schema definitions.
Input: OpenAPI spec (YAML/JSON) or database schema Output: Route handlers, validation middleware, TypeScript types
Usage:
# Generate Express routes from OpenAPI spec
python scripts/api_scaffolder.py openapi.yaml --framework express --output src/routes/
# Output: Generated 12 route handlers, validation middleware, and TypeScript types
# Generate from database schema
python scripts/api_scaffolder.py --from-db postgres://localhost/mydb --output src/routes/
# Generate OpenAPI spec from existing routes
python scripts/api_scaffolder.py src/routes/ --generate-spec --output openapi.yaml
Supported Frameworks:
- Express.js (
--framework express) - Fastify (
--framework fastify) - Koa (
--framework koa)
2. Database Migration Tool
Analyzes database schemas, detects changes, and generates migration files with rollback support.
Input: Database connection string or schema files Output: Migration files, schema diff report, optimization suggestions
Usage:
# Analyze current schema and suggest optimizations
python scripts/database_migration_tool.py --connection postgres://localhost/mydb --analyze
# Output: Missing indexes, N+1 query risks, and suggested migration files
# Generate migration from schema diff
python scripts/database_migration_tool.py --connection postgres://localhost/mydb \
--compare schema/v2.sql --output migrations/
# Dry-run a migration
python scripts/database_migration_tool.py --connection postgres://localhost/mydb \
--migrate migrations/20240115_add_user_indexes.sql --dry-run
3. API Load Tester
Performs HTTP load testing with configurable concurrency, measuring latency percentiles and throughput.
Input: API endpoint URL and test configuration Output: Performance report with latency distribution, error rates, throughput metrics
Usage:
# Basic load test
python scripts/api_load_tester.py https://api.example.com/users --concurrency 50 --duration 30
# Output: Throughput (req/sec), latency percentiles (P50/P95/P99), error counts, and scaling recommendations
# Test with custom headers and body
python scripts/api_load_tester.py https://api.example.com/orders \
--method POST \
--header "Authorization: Bearer token123" \
--body '{"product_id": 1, "quantity": 2}' \
--concurrency 100 \
--duration 60
# Compare two endpoints
python scripts/api_load_tester.py https://api.example.com/v1/users https://api.example.com/v2/users \
--compare --concurrency 50 --duration 30
Backend Development Workflows
API Design Workflow
Use when designing a new API or refactoring existing endpoints.
Step 1: Define resources and operations
# openapi.yaml
openapi: 3.0.3
info:
title: User Service API
version: 1.0.0
paths:
/users:
get:
summary: List users
parameters:
- name: "limit"
in: query
schema:
type: integer
default: 20
post:
summary: Create user
requestBody:
required: true
content:
application/json:
schema:
$ref: '#/components/schemas/CreateUser'
Step 2: Generate route scaffolding
python scripts/api_scaffolder.py openapi.yaml --framework express --output src/routes/
Step 3: Implement business logic
// src/routes/users.ts (generated, then customized)
export const createUser = async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
const { email, name } = req.body;
// Add business logic
const user = await userService.create({ email, name });
res.status(201).json(user);
};
Step 4: Add validation middleware
# Validation is auto-generated from OpenAPI schema
# src/middleware/validators.ts includes:
# - Request body validation
# - Query parameter validation
# - Path parameter validation
Step 5: Generate updated OpenAPI spec
python scripts/api_scaffolder.py src/routes/ --generate-spec --output openapi.yaml
Database Optimization Workflow
Use when queries are slow or database performance needs improvement.
Step 1: Analyze current performance
python scripts/database_migration_tool.py --connection $DATABASE_URL --analyze
Step 2: Identify slow queries
-- Check query execution plans
EXPLAIN ANALYZE SELECT * FROM orders
WHERE user_id = 123
ORDER BY created_at DESC
LIMIT 10;
-- Look for: Seq Scan (bad), Index Scan (good)
Step 3: Generate index migrations
python scripts/database_migration_tool.py --connection $DATABASE_URL \
--suggest-indexes --output migrations/
Step 4: Test migration (dry-run)
python scripts/database_migration_tool.py --connection $DATABASE_URL \
--migrate migrations/add_indexes.sql --dry-run
Step 5: Apply and verify
# Apply migration
python scripts/database_migration_tool.py --connection $DATABASE_URL \
--migrate migrations/add_indexes.sql
# Verify improvement
python scripts/database_migration_tool.py --connection $DATABASE_URL --analyze
Security Hardening Workflow
Use when preparing an API for production or after a security review.
Step 1: Review authentication setup
// Verify JWT configuration
const jwtConfig = {
secret: process.env.JWT_SECRET, // Must be from env, never hardcoded
expiresIn: '1h', // Short-lived tokens
algorithm: 'RS256' // Prefer asymmetric
};
Step 2: Add rate limiting
import rateLimit from 'express-rate-limit';
const apiLimiter = rateLimit({
windowMs: 15 * 60 * 1000, // 15 minutes
max: 100, // 100 requests per window
standardHeaders: true,
legacyHeaders: false,
});
app.use('/api/', apiLimiter);
Step 3: Validate all inputs
import { z } from 'zod';
const CreateUserSchema = z.object({
email: z.string().email().max(255),
name: z.string().min(1).max(100),
age: z.number().int().positive().optional()
});
// Use in route handler
const data = CreateUserSchema.parse(req.body);
Step 4: Load test with attack patterns
# Test rate limiting
python scripts/api_load_tester.py https://api.example.com/login \
--concurrency 200 --duration 10 --expect-rate-limit
# Test input validation
python scripts/api_load_tester.py https://api.example.com/users \
--method POST \
--body '{"email": "not-an-email"}' \
--expect-status 400
Step 5: Review security headers
import helmet from 'helmet';
app.use(helmet({
contentSecurityPolicy: true,
crossOriginEmbedderPolicy: true,
crossOriginOpenerPolicy: true,
crossOriginResourcePolicy: true,
hsts: { maxAge: 31536000, includeSubDomains: true },
}));
Reference Documentation
| File | Contains | Use When |
|---|---|---|
references/api_design_patterns.md | REST vs GraphQL, versioning, error handling, pagination | Designing new APIs |
references/database_optimization_guide.md | Indexing strategies, query optimization, N+1 solutions | Fixing slow queries |
references/backend_security_practices.md | OWASP Top 10, auth patterns, input validation | Security hardening |
Common Patterns Quick Reference
REST API Response Format
{
"data": { "id": 1, "name": "John" },
"meta": { "requestId": "abc-123" }
}
Error Response Format
{
"error": {
"code": "VALIDATION_ERROR",
"message": "Invalid email format",
"details": [{ "field": "email", "message": "must be valid email" }]
},
"meta": { "requestId": "abc-123" }
}
HTTP Status Codes
| Code | Use Case |
|---|---|
| 200 | Success (GET, PUT, PATCH) |
| 201 | Created (POST) |
| 204 | No Content (DELETE) |
| 400 | Validation error |
| 401 | Authentication required |
| 403 | Permission denied |
| 404 | Resource not found |
| 429 | Rate limit exceeded |
| 500 | Internal server error |
Database Index Strategy
-- Single column (equality lookups)
CREATE INDEX idx_users_email ON users(email);
-- Composite (multi-column queries)
CREATE INDEX idx_orders_user_status ON orders(user_id, status);
-- Partial (filtered queries)
CREATE INDEX idx_orders_active ON orders(created_at) WHERE status = 'active';
-- Covering (avoid table lookup)
CREATE INDEX idx_users_email_name ON users(email) INCLUDE (name);
Common Commands
# API Development
python scripts/api_scaffolder.py openapi.yaml --framework express
python scripts/api_scaffolder.py src/routes/ --generate-spec
# Database Operations
python scripts/database_migration_tool.py --connection $DATABASE_URL --analyze
python scripts/database_migration_tool.py --connection $DATABASE_URL --migrate file.sql
# Performance Testing
python scripts/api_load_tester.py https://api.example.com/endpoint --concurrency 50
python scripts/api_load_tester.py https://api.example.com/endpoint --compare baseline.json
Assumptions and Verifiable Success Criteria (Karpathy discipline)
Before this skill scaffolds, recommends a pattern, or modifies a schema, the following four assumptions MUST be surfaced. If any are unknown, the skill stops and walks the Forcing-question library instead.
- Read/write ratio + one-year p99 QPS — drives DB, cache, queue, and partitioning choices. Kleppmann, DDIA (2017).
- Tenancy model — single-tenant, shared multi-tenant, isolated multi-tenant. Drives data-access pattern.
- Data sensitivity tier — public / internal / PII / PHI / PCI. Drives compliance floor.
- SLO + named error-budget consumer — Google SRE Workbook canon. No SLO = no reliability work prioritization.
Verifiable success criteria (Karpathy #4) — every recommendation this skill emits must include:
- Latency targets (p50, p95, p99 in ms)
- Uptime / SLO target
- RPO + RTO
If any of those three is not stated, the recommendation is incomplete — return to Q7 of the forcing-question library.
The scripts/backend_decision_engine.py tool encodes these checks: it refuses to recommend a profile without read/write ratio + QPS + tenancy + data sensitivity + pattern preference.
Customization profiles
Four built-in profiles in profiles/ calibrate every recommendation:
| Profile | When to pick | Pattern | Latency floor (p99) |
|---|---|---|---|
node-express | TS team, < 15 eng, customer-facing SaaS | Modular monolith on Postgres | 600ms |
fastapi-python | Python team, < 20 eng, ML-adjacent | Modular monolith on Postgres (async) | 500ms |
django-monolith | Content-heavy CRUD + admin, < 25 eng | Modular monolith on Postgres | 800ms |
go-or-rust-microservice | Extracted service, ≥ 30 eng, platform team, QPS ≥ 1000 | Extracted service | 200ms |
Pick a profile via:
python scripts/backend_decision_engine.py \
--team-size 8 --qps-p99 50 --read-write-ratio 20 \
--tenancy shared-multi-tenant --data-sensitivity pii \
--pattern modular-monolith --language-preference typescript
The tool returns the best-fit profile, runner-up tradeoff (if within 15%), stack picks, anti-patterns, named approvers, and SLO floor. This tool never auto-approves.
To add a custom profile: copy profiles/node-express.json to profiles/<your-org>.json and adjust constraints + success_thresholds + named_approver_chain.
Composition map
This skill does NOT reimplement scope owned by the POWERFUL-tier specialists. It forks into them. See references/composition_map.md for the full routing table. Key forks:
| Concern | Fork into |
|---|---|
| API contract / breaking-change risk | engineering/skills/api-design-reviewer/ |
| Schema design + ERD + indexing | engineering/skills/database-designer/ |
| Zero-downtime schema migration | engineering/skills/migration-architect/ |
| SLO + SLI + error-budget | engineering/slo-architect/ |
| Observability / golden signals | engineering/skills/observability-designer/ |
| CI/CD pipeline | engineering/skills/ci-cd-pipeline-builder/ |
| Security / threat model | engineering-team/skills/senior-security/, adversarial-reviewer |
| Compliance evidence (HIPAA / ISO 27001) | ra-qm-team/ |
| Pre-commit Karpathy review | engineering/karpathy-coder/ |
| Pre-flight architecture grill | engineering/grill-me/ |
The cs-backend-engineer agent orchestrates these forks via context: fork. Invoke it from another agent with Agent({subagent_type: "cs-backend-engineer", prompt: "..."}) or via /cs-backend-review <your problem>.
Forcing-question library (Matt Pocock grill)
Before locking any backend decision, walk the seven forcing questions in references/forcing_questions.md. Discipline:
- One question per turn. No bundling.
- Always recommend the answer with cited canon.
- Track answers in
/tmp/backend-grill-<date>.md. - If a kill criterion trips, stop. Don't scaffold around an unresolved gap.
- After Q7, run
backend_decision_engine.pywith the seven answers.
Summary:
- Read/write ratio + p99 QPS forecast?
- Tenancy model — single / shared / isolated?
- Sync / async / event-driven — default + exceptions?
- Data sensitivity tier — PII / PHI / PCI?
- Monolith / modular monolith / microservices — team-size justification?
- RPO + RTO?
- SLO + named error-budget consumer?
Invocation from other agents and skills
Three surfaces:
- Slash command:
/cs-backend-review <prompt>— full grill + decision engine + composition routing. - Agent subagent:
Agent({subagent_type: "cs-backend-engineer", prompt: "..."})— forks context, returns ≤ 200-word digest. - Direct tool call:
python scripts/backend_decision_engine.py ...— deterministic profile match when inputs are known.
See agents/engineering/cs-backend-engineer.md for the full invocation contract.
FAQ
What does the senior-backend skill do?
Designs and implements backend systems including REST APIs, microservices, database architectures, authentication flows, and security hardening. Use when the user asks to "design REST APIs", "optimize database queries", "implement authentication", "build microservices", "review backend code", "set up GraphQL", "handle database migrations", or "load test APIs". Covers Node.js/Express/Fastify development, PostgreSQL optimization, API security, and backend architecture patterns.
How do I install senior-backend?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/alirezarezvani/claude-skills --skill senior-backend in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/senior-backend/ (personal) or .claude/skills/senior-backend/ (project).
Which AI agents can use senior-backend?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is senior-backend safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains senior-backend?
It is published by alirezarezvani in alirezarezvani/claude-skills. It has 1,682 recorded installs.
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