The Problem
Most engineering effort is wasted:
- •Building the wrong thing (solving symptoms, not root causes)
- •Over-engineering simple problems
- •Under-engineering complex ones
- •Never finishing what you start
We've all been there. You spend weeks on a feature, then realize it solved the wrong problem.
The GStack Method
A four-phase workflow that catches landmines before code is written.
# Phase 1: Plan (Compass)
Before any code:
- •Is this the right problem?
- •What would YC say about this?
- •Are we solving symptoms or root causes?
- •Is scope expansion needed (cathedral) or reduction (MVP)?
Compass runs a nuclear scope challenge. It asks the questions founders forget.
Output: Clear problem definition, success criteria, scope boundaries.
# Phase 2: Design (Blueprint)
Before implementation:
- •What's the architecture?
- •What are the edge cases?
- •What could go wrong?
- •What are the failure modes?
Blueprint locks architecture before implementation. No "we'll figure it out as we go."
Output: Technical spec, data flow diagrams, edge case matrix.
# Phase 3: Build (Your agents)
Now you spawn coding agents with precise prompts:
- •Context includes only what's needed
- •Acceptance criteria are defined
- •Architecture is locked
- •Edge cases are mapped
This is where Codex, Claude Code, Cursor shine. They get clear instructions, not vague wishes.
# Phase 4: Ship (Liftoff)
The merge checklist:
1. Merge main into branch
2. Run all tests
3. Review the diff
4. Bump version
5. Update changelog
6. Create PR
Liftoff automates this. No more "forgot to update the version" or "tests passed locally."
# Phase 5: Learn (Mirror)
Weekly retrospective:
- •What shipped this week?
- •What patterns emerged?
- •What should we do differently?
- •What's the velocity trend?
Mirror analyzes your commit history, identifies patterns, surfaces insights.
Why This Works
The Stack
All four skills work together:
Each skill loads only the context it needs. No bloat. No confusion.
Getting Started
All four skills are free on ClawMart:
- •[Compass](https://www.shopclawmart.com/listings/gstack-ceo-e1a879c4) — Plan
- •[Blueprint](https://www.shopclawmart.com/listings/gstack-eng-e0c6a11c) — Design
- •[Liftoff](https://www.shopclawmart.com/listings/gstack-ship-e505192d) — Ship
- •[Mirror](https://www.shopclawmart.com/listings/gstack-retro-acc478d9) — Learn
Install one, or install all four. They're designed to work together.