Apply the Iceberg Convention — an asymmetric complexity management framework in which senior-authored code absorbs system complexity below an architectural airgap, exposing a frictionless, hard-to-misuse surface above it for juniors and AI agents. This is a language- and framework-agnostic convention; Claude applies the rules as patterns and picks the idiomatic enforcement mechanism for whatever ecosystem the target code lives in. Use this skill whenever writing, reviewing, or auditing code in a codebase that follows the Iceberg Convention (or should); when setting up a new project's architectural guardrails; when authoring module-boundary rules, AST-level linters, branded/nominal type scaffolding, finite state machines for async workflows, or Architectural Decision Records; when making design-review decisions about API boundaries, state management, type systems, purity, or how to make code hard to misuse. Trigger whenever the user mentions 'iceberg convention,' 'airgap,' 'asymmetric complexity,' 'junior-friendly architecture,' 'compiler-driven mentorship,' 'defensive type engineering,' 'state-machine dictatorship,' 'observability as documentation,' or the five pillars. Also trigger — even without those phrases — when the user asks to reduce cognitive load for less-experienced teammates, make an API hard to misuse, replace ad-hoc boolean flags with a state machine, brand scalar primitives to prevent ID mix-ups, enforce a layered architecture at compile time, build guardrails for AI coding agents, or audit an existing codebase for maintainability and mentorship-quality issues. Do not skip this skill just because the user didn't use the exact name — if the task is about making senior-authored code safe for juniors or AI agents to consume, this skill applies.
Install with
Claude CodeCodexCursorGitHub CopilotGemini CLI
Supported by the Atlas install prompt. Skill-specific requirements vary.
Skill stats
Skills1CategoryDeveloper toolsStars0
About this skill
Apply the Iceberg Convention — an asymmetric complexity management framework in which senior-authored code absorbs system complexity below an architectural airgap, exposing a frictionless, hard-to-misuse surface above it for juniors and AI agents. This is a language- and framework-agnostic convention; Claude applies the rules as patterns and picks the idiomatic enforcement mechanism for whatever ecosystem the target code lives in. Use this skill whenever writing, reviewing, or auditing code in a codebase that follows the Iceberg Convention (or should); when setting up a new project's architectural guardrails; when authoring module-boundary rules, AST-level linters, branded/nominal type scaffolding, finite state machines for async workflows, or Architectural Decision Records; when making design-review decisions about API boundaries, state management, type systems, purity, or how to make code hard to misuse. Trigger whenever the user mentions 'iceberg convention,' 'airgap,' 'asymmetric complexity,' 'junior-friendly architecture,' 'compiler-driven mentorship,' 'defensive type engineering,' 'state-machine dictatorship,' 'observability as documentation,' or the five pillars. Also trigger — even without those phrases — when the user asks to reduce cognitive load for less-experienced teammates, make an API hard to misuse, replace ad-hoc boolean flags with a state machine, brand scalar primitives to prevent ID mix-ups, enforce a layered architecture at compile time, build guardrails for AI coding agents, or audit an existing codebase for maintainability and mentorship-quality issues. Do not skip this skill just because the user didn't use the exact name — if the task is about making senior-authored code safe for juniors or AI agents to consume, this skill applies.
Quick start
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Apply the Iceberg Convention — an asymmetric complexity management framework in which senior-authored code absorbs system complexity below an architectural airgap, exposing a frictionless, hard-to-misuse surface above it for juniors and AI agents. This is a language- and framework-agnostic convention; Claude applies the rules as patterns and picks the idiomatic enforcement mechanism for whatever ecosystem the target code lives in. Use this skill whenever writing, reviewing, or auditing code in a codebase that follows the Iceberg Convention (or should); when setting up a new project's architectural guardrails; when authoring module-boundary rules, AST-level linters, branded/nominal type scaffolding, finite state machines for async workflows, or Architectural Decision Records; when making design-review decisions about API boundaries, state management, type systems, purity, or how to make code hard to misuse. Trigger whenever the user mentions 'iceberg convention,' 'airgap,' 'asymmetric complexity,' 'junior-friendly architecture,' 'compiler-driven mentorship,' 'defensive type engineering,' 'state-machine dictatorship,' 'observability as documentation,' or the five pillars. Also trigger — even without those phrases — when the user asks to reduce cognitive load for less-experienced teammates, make an API hard to misuse, replace ad-hoc boolean flags with a state machine, brand scalar primitives to prevent ID mix-ups, enforce a layered architecture at compile time, build guardrails for AI coding agents, or audit an existing codebase for maintainability and mentorship-quality issues. Do not skip this skill just because the user didn't use the exact name — if the task is about making senior-authored code safe for juniors or AI agents to consume, this skill applies.
About this listing
Category
Developer tools
Reported license
Not specified
Listing language (estimated)
English
Review status
Not individually reviewed
Agent compatibility
Atlas installation supports Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor. Skill-specific dependencies and features are checked during setup.
Claude Code
Codex
Cursor
GitHub Copilot
Gemini CLI