Documents spike results from time-boxed technical/design explorations: questions, time-box, approaches, evidence, recommendations, artifacts for team decisions.
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references/EXAMPLE.mdreferences/TEMPLATE.mdDesigns and optimizes AI agent action spaces, tool definitions, observation formats, error recovery, and context for higher task completion rates.
Enables AI agents to execute x402 payments with per-task budgets, spending controls, and non-custodial wallets via MCP tools. Use when agents pay for APIs, services, or other agents.
Compares coding agents like Claude Code and Aider on custom YAML-defined codebase tasks using git worktrees, measuring pass rate, cost, time, and consistency.
A spike summary documents the results of a time-boxed exploration — a focused investigation to reduce uncertainty before committing to implementation. Spikes answer specific questions like "Can we integrate with this API?" or "Is this technology viable for our use case?" The summary captures findings so the team can make informed decisions without the spike participants needing to repeat explanations.
When asked to document a spike, follow these steps:
State the Question Clearly Articulate the specific question the spike was designed to answer. Good spike questions are focused and answerable with the time-box available. If the question evolved during the spike, document both the original and final versions.
Define the Time-Box Document the time allocated (e.g., 3 days) and actual time spent. If the spike exceeded its time-box, explain why and note any remaining work.
Describe the Approach Explain what was tried, in what order, and why. This helps future readers understand the methodology and whether alternative approaches were considered.
Present Findings with Evidence Document what was learned, supported by concrete evidence — code samples, performance benchmarks, screenshots, or API responses. Distinguish between verified findings and hypotheses that need more testing.
Make a Clear Recommendation Answer the original question directly: proceed, do not proceed, or proceed with conditions. Avoid hedging — the team needs actionable guidance.
Document Artifacts Link to any code, prototypes, diagrams, or documentation created during the spike. These artifacts often have ongoing value beyond the summary.
Capture Open Questions Note what the spike didn't answer and what additional investigation might be needed.
Use the template in references/TEMPLATE.md to structure the output.
Before finalizing, verify:
See references/EXAMPLE.md for a completed example.