Programming Advisor

A Claude Code skill that helps you make informed build vs. buy decisions before writing code.

What It Does

This skill acts as a "Reinventing the Wheel" detector. When you describe something you want to build, it will:

1. Search for existing solutions - Libraries, open source tools, and SaaS options
2. Estimate vibe coding costs - Token burn, development time, maintenance burden
3. Present a comparison table - Side-by-side analysis of all options
4. Calculate total cost of ownership - Year 1 vs Year 3 costs for SaaS vs DIY
5. Make a recommendation - When to use existing solutions vs. build custom
6. Plan the integration - When you accept a recommendation, get complete setup instructions tailored to your project

Installation

As a Plugin (Recommended)

# Add the marketplace
/plugin marketplace add gaupoit/programming-advisor

# Install the plugin
/plugin install programming-advisor

Manual Installation

Clone this repository:

git clone https://github.com/gaupoit/programming-advisor.git
cd programming-advisor

# Install as local plugin
claude --plugin-dir .

Demo

Try the plugin with our sample project:

git clone https://github.com/gaupoit/dont-reinvent-the-wheel-demo.git
cd dont-reinvent-the-wheel-demo
claude

Then ask: "I want to add form validation to my LoginForm component"

Usage

The skill triggers automatically when you describe something you want to build:

• "I want to build a PDF generator"
• "Help me create an authentication system"
• "Can you code a rate limiter?"
• "I need a CLI tool for..."

Or invoke it directly:

/programming-advisor

Example Output

Step 1: You ask to build something

"I want to add form validation to my LoginForm"

## 🔍 Existing Solutions Found

### Libraries/Packages
- **Zod**: TypeScript-first schema validation | 35K+ stars
- **React Hook Form**: Performant form library | 41K+ stars

## 📊 Build vs Buy Comparison

| Option | Type | Cost | Setup | Maintenance | Est. Tokens |
|--------|------|------|-------|-------------|-------------|
| Zod + RHF | Library | Free | 15 min | Updates | ~2K |
| Custom | Build | Free | 1-2 hrs | High | ~15-30K |

## 💡 Recommendation

Use Zod + React Hook Form...

Step 2: You accept the recommendation

"Let's use Zod with React Hook Form"

## 🚀 Integration Plan: Zod + React Hook Form

### Your Project Context
- **Detected**: Next.js 14, pnpm, TypeScript
- **Project structure**: src/app/, src/components/

### Step 1: Install Dependencies
pnpm add zod react-hook-form @hookform/resolvers

### Step 2: Create New Files
📁 src/schemas/login.ts
[starter code with your schema]

### Step 3: Update Existing Files
📝 src/components/LoginForm.tsx
[integration code matching your style]

### ⚠️ Notes
- React Hook Form v7+ requires React 16.8+ ✅

Reference Files

• references/common-solutions.md - Exhaustive list of commonly reinvented wheels
• references/token-estimates.md - Detailed token burn estimates by task type
• references/integration-patterns.md - Project detection and starter code patterns
• references/pricing-data.md - SaaS pricing and cost calculation data

Features

Build vs Buy Analysis

• Searches npm, pip, cargo, and other package ecosystems
• Finds open source tools and SaaS alternatives
• Estimates token burn for custom implementations
• Presents clear comparison tables

Integration Planning (v1.1.0)

When you accept a recommendation, the plugin:

• Detects your project - Package manager, framework, TypeScript/JavaScript
• Generates install commands - Exact commands for npm/yarn/pnpm/pip/etc.
• Creates starter code - Matching your project's style and structure
• Updates existing files - Shows how to integrate with your current code
• Warns about conflicts - Version requirements and peer dependencies

Cost Calculator (v1.2.0)

For significant decisions (auth, payments, email), get TCO analysis:

| Option | Setup | Monthly | Year 1 | Year 3 | Notes |
|--------|-------|---------|--------|--------|-------|
| Auth0 | 10min | $35 | $420 | $1,260 | Free: 7.5K MAU |
| Clerk | 10min | $25 | $300 | $900 | Free: 10K MAU |
| DIY | 8hrs | $0 | ~$1,500 | ~$2,100 | + maintenance |

💡 Break-even: DIY only cheaper at >100K MAU
⚠️ Hidden costs: Security audits, compliance, on-call

Includes pricing data for: Auth, Email, Payments, Database, Storage, Search, Monitoring, Analytics, AI/LLM, Cron jobs

Philosophy

Before writing a single line of code, determine if the wheel already exists.

Vibe coding burns tokens, time, and creates maintenance burden. Existing solutions often provide:

• Better quality through community testing
• Security patches and updates
• Documentation and support

License

MIT