Developer tools
Turning repeated development work into reusable workflows
Notes from building ISTMX Skills: making practical software workflows reusable across coding agents without tying them to one stack.
The same work keeps coming back
Building software involves more than writing a feature. I repeatedly need to understand an existing architecture, make a plan, debug a failure, review security, improve performance, and prepare a release. Coding agents can help with those jobs, but starting from a blank prompt every time makes the process uneven.
ISTMX Skills grew from that friction. It packages software-development workflows that can be reused across coding agents and AI-enabled editors, including Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Gemini, Cline, and Roo Code.
Keep the workflow stack-agnostic
A workflow should help an agent think through the task without assuming one framework or repository shape. The package is implemented in JavaScript and provides structured workflows for planning, implementation, debugging, security review, performance work, and release preparation.
That does not remove the need to inspect the actual project. It gives the agent a repeatable route through the work, while the project itself supplies the constraints and details.
Make the entry point easy to remember
The `/istm` command acts as a general prompt router. A developer can describe a task in ordinary language, and the router selects a relevant workflow. This keeps the starting point simple while making more specialized guidance available when the task calls for it.
The package also includes more than 70 production design presets and automated browser QA workflows. Together, these are intended to make common decisions and checks easier to reach from inside an agent workflow.
Build tools from real friction
I like building developer tools that solve problems I run into while building other products. The useful test is whether the tool makes the next task clearer or more repeatable. It should give structure without getting in the way of the developer or the agent.
ISTMX Skills is one experiment in that direction: reusable workflows for the tools people already use, shaped by day-to-day software work and improved as those workflows meet real projects.