Idea Validator

Critically evaluate ideas with honest feedback on market viability, technical feasibility, and actionable improvements.

Repo Sync Before Edits (mandatory)

Before creating/updating/deleting files in an existing repository, sync the current branch with remote:

branch="$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)"
git fetch origin
git pull --rebase origin "$branch"

If the working tree is not clean, stash first, sync, then restore:

git stash push -u -m "pre-sync"
branch="$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)"
git fetch origin && git pull --rebase origin "$branch"
git stash pop

If origin is missing, pull is unavailable, or rebase/stash conflicts occur, stop and ask the user before continuing.

Setup

Resolve storage location (tool-agnostic, ask once per environment)
- Prefer env var IDEAS_ROOT if set.
- Else use shared marker file: ~/.config/ideas-root.txt.
- Backward compatibility: if shared marker is missing but legacy ~/.openclaw/ideas-root.txt exists, reuse its value and write it into ~/.config/ideas-root.txt.
- If no marker exists (new environment), ask user once where to store generated docs.
- Suggested default: ~/workspace/ideas.
- Save chosen root to ~/.config/ideas-root.txt.
- Only ask again if the user explicitly asks to change location.
Create project folder under resolved root: YYYY_MM_DD_<short_snake_case_name>/
Create idea.md: Document the idea and clarifications
Create validate.md: Document evaluation and recommendations
Echo the absolute project folder path in your response so downstream skills can auto-pick it.

If no idea provided in $ARGUMENTS, ask user to describe their concept.

Phase 1: Clarify the Idea

Ask user (via AskUserQuestion):

What problem does this solve? Who has this pain?
Who is your target user? Be specific.
What makes this different from existing solutions?
What does success look like in 6-12 months?

Update idea.md with responses.

Phase 2: Gather Technical Context

Ask user:

Preferred tech stack?
Timeline and team size?
Budget situation (bootstrapped/funded/side project)?
Existing assets (code, designs, research)?

Update idea.md technical section.

Phase 3: Critical Evaluation

Evaluate honestly and update validate.md:

Market Analysis:

Similar existing products
Market size and competition
Unique differentiation

Demand Assessment:

Evidence people will pay
Problem urgency level

Feasibility:

Can this ship in 2-4 weeks MVP?
Minimum viable features
Complex dependencies?

Monetization:

Clear revenue path?
Willingness to pay?

Technical Risk:

Buildable with stated constraints?
Key technical risks?

Verdict: Build it / Maybe / Skip it

Ratings (1-10):

Creativity
Feasibility
Market Impact
Technical Execution

Phase 4: Improvements

Update validate.md with:

How to Strengthen: Specific, actionable improvements
Enhanced Version: Reworked, optimized concept
Implementation Roadmap: Phased approach (if applicable)

Tone

Brutally honest: Don't sugarcoat fatal flaws
Constructive: Every criticism includes a suggestion
Specific: Concrete examples, not vague feedback
Balanced: Acknowledge strengths alongside weaknesses

README Maintenance (when running inside ideas repo)

If the current working directory looks like the root of an ideas repo (contains README.md + multiple YYYY_MM_DD_* idea folders):

After creating/updating idea.md + validate.md, update the repo index table by running:
- python3 scripts/update_readme_ideas_index.py (if the script exists)

If the script does not exist, update README.md manually by inserting/updating an ## Ideas index table with:

link to each idea.md
PRD/tasks status
verdict link to validate.md

Commit and push (mandatory)

After file updates are complete:

Commit immediately with a clear message.
Push immediately to remote.
If push is rejected: git fetch origin && git rebase origin/main && git push.

Do not ask for additional push permission once this skill is invoked.

Reporting with GitHub links (mandatory)

When reporting completion, include:

GitHub link to idea.md
GitHub link to validate.md
GitHub link to README.md when it was updated
Commit hash

Link format (derive <owner>/<repo> from git remote get-url origin):

https://github.com/<owner>/<repo>/blob/main/<relative-path>

Output Summary

After all phases:

Confirm folder/files created
State verdict and key ratings
Top 3 strengths, top 3 concerns
Single most important next step

File Templates

idea.md

# Idea: [Name]

## Original Concept
[From $ARGUMENTS]

## Clarified Understanding
[After Phase 1]

## Target Audience
[Specific user profile]

## Goals & Objectives
[Success criteria]

## Technical Context
- Stack:
- Timeline:
- Budget:
- Constraints:

## Discussion Notes
[Updates from conversation]

validate.md

# Validation: [Name]

## Quick Verdict
**[Build it / Maybe / Skip it]**

## Why
[2-3 sentence explanation]

## Similar Products
[Competitors]

## Differentiation
[Unique angle]

## Strengths
-

## Concerns
-

## Ratings
- Creativity: /10
- Feasibility: /10
- Market Impact: /10
- Technical Execution: /10

## How to Strengthen
[Actionable improvements]

## Enhanced Version
[Optimized concept]

## Implementation Roadmap
[Phased approach]

idea-validator