Using Web Backend Skills

Overview

This router directs you to specialized web backend skills. Each specialist provides deep expertise in their domain.

Core principle: Different backend challenges require different specialist knowledge. Routing to the right skill gives better results than generic advice.

When to Use

Use this router when encountering:

• Framework-specific questions: FastAPI, Django, Express implementation details
• API design: REST or GraphQL architecture, versioning, schema design
• Architecture patterns: Microservices, message queues, event-driven systems
• Backend infrastructure: Authentication, database integration, deployment
• Testing & documentation: API testing strategies, documentation approaches

How to Access Reference Sheets

IMPORTANT: All reference sheets are located in the SAME DIRECTORY as this SKILL.md file.

When this skill is loaded from: skills/using-web-backend/SKILL.md

Reference sheets like fastapi-development.md are at: skills/using-web-backend/fastapi-development.md

NOT at: skills/fastapi-development.md ← WRONG PATH

When you see a link like [fastapi-development.md](fastapi-development.md), read the file from the same directory as this SKILL.md.

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Quick Reference - Routing Table

User Question Contains	Route To	Why
FastAPI, Pydantic, async Python APIs	fastapi-development.md	FastAPI-specific patterns, dependency injection, async
Django, ORM, views, middleware	django-development.md	Django conventions, ORM optimization, settings
Express, Node.js backend, middleware	express-development.md	Express patterns, error handling, async flow
REST API, endpoints, versioning, pagination	rest-api-design.md	REST principles, resource design, hypermedia
GraphQL, schema, resolvers, N+1	graphql-api-design.md	Schema design, query optimization, federation
Microservices, service mesh, boundaries	microservices-architecture.md	Service design, communication, consistency
Message queues, RabbitMQ, Kafka, events	message-queues.md	Queue patterns, reliability, event-driven
JWT, OAuth2, API keys, auth	api-authentication.md	Auth patterns, token management, security
Database connections, ORM, migrations	database-integration.md	Connection pooling, query optimization, migrations
API testing, integration tests, mocking	api-testing.md	Testing strategies, contract testing, mocking
OpenAPI, Swagger, API docs	api-documentation.md	API docs (also see: muna-technical-writer)

Cross-References to Other Packs

Before routing, check if these packs are more appropriate:

• Security concerns → ordis-security-architect (threat modeling, OWASP, security patterns)
• API usability/UX → lyra-ux-designer (error messages, API ergonomics)
• Python code patterns → axiom-python-engineering (Python-specific engineering)
• Documentation writing → muna-technical-writer (technical writing, clarity)

How to Route

STOP: Do not attempt to answer web backend questions yourself.

Instead:

1. Identify the specialist domain from the routing table above
2. State which specialist skill you're using: "I'll use the [skill-name] skill for this"
3. Apply the specialist skill to provide deep, expert guidance

Red Flags - Using Generic Knowledge Instead of Specialists

If you catch yourself doing any of these, STOP and route to a specialist:

• ❌ "I'll answer all these diverse backend questions myself"
• ❌ Giving code examples from "general backend knowledge"
• ❌ Providing "competent but broad" answers across multiple domains
• ❌ Not mentioning specialized skills would give better guidance
• ❌ "The specialist skill isn't available right now, so I'll answer myself"

All of these mean: You're being a jack-of-all-trades. Route to the specialist.

Rationalization Table

Excuse	Reality
"I can handle this backend question myself"	Specialists provide deeper expertise than generic knowledge
"These are all backend topics"	Backend spans 11 distinct specialist domains
"I'll just give a quick answer"	Quick answers miss edge cases and production patterns
"The user didn't ask for specialized help"	Better results come from routing to specialists proactively
"Specialist skill not available, I'll answer instead"	State which skill would help, explain routing, guide user to install if needed

Example Routing

User: "I need to build a REST API with FastAPI. How should I structure my dependency injection?"

Your response: "I'll use the fastapi-development.md skill to help you structure dependency injection properly. This specialist skill covers FastAPI patterns in depth."

[Then apply fastapi-development skill]

User: "My GraphQL API has N+1 problems and we're splitting our monolith into microservices."

Your response: "You have two distinct specialist areas:

1. GraphQL optimization → I'll use graphql-api-design.md
2. Microservices architecture → I'll use microservices-architecture.md

Let me address the GraphQL N+1 problem first with the graphql-api-design skill..."

[Apply each specialist skill to its domain]

Why This Matters

Without routing: Surface-level answers covering multiple domains broadly With routing: Deep expertise addressing edge cases, production patterns, and domain-specific best practices

Specialist skills = better results.

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Web Backend Specialist Skills Catalog

After routing, load the appropriate specialist skill for detailed guidance:

Framework-Specific Skills

1. fastapi-development.md - FastAPI patterns, dependency injection, async/await, Pydantic validation, background tasks
2. django-development.md - Django conventions, ORM optimization, middleware, settings, management commands
3. express-development.md - Express patterns, middleware chains, error handling, async flow control

API Design Skills

4. rest-api-design.md - REST principles, resource design, versioning, pagination, HATEOAS, HTTP semantics
5. graphql-api-design.md - GraphQL schema design, resolver patterns, N+1 query optimization, federation

Architecture & Infrastructure

6. microservices-architecture.md - Service boundaries, communication patterns, distributed consistency, service mesh
7. message-queues.md - Queue patterns, reliability guarantees, event-driven architecture, RabbitMQ/Kafka

Cross-Cutting Concerns

8. api-authentication.md - JWT, OAuth2, API keys, token management, auth patterns
9. database-integration.md - Connection pooling, query optimization, migrations, ORM patterns
10. api-testing.md - Testing strategies, contract testing, integration tests, mocking
11. api-documentation.md - OpenAPI/Swagger, API documentation patterns, schema generation