define-problem

define-problem

Stop solving the wrong problem.

An agent skill that asks you questions until your problem is sharp — then searches the web, papers, and repos for how others framed and solved it.

Runs in Claude Code, Codex CLI, Cursor, Zed, Windsurf, and Gemini CLI — anything that reads the AGENTS.md standard.

What it looks like

You:    /define-problem my app feels slow

Claude: Slow where — load, navigation, or a specific action?
You:    the dashboard takes forever

Claude: How long, and on what — first load or every visit?
You:    ~8s every visit, it refetches everything

Claude: So the problem isn't "slow app." It's:
        "The dashboard refetches all data on every visit,
         costing 8s even when nothing changed."

        That's cacheable. Here's how 3 teams solved it →
        [evidence from the wild]

One vague itch → one precise, solvable problem.

Install

Claude Code:

/plugin marketplace add drmarceloclipi-star/define-problem
/plugin install define-problem@define-problem

Restart Claude Code. Done.

Codex CLI · Cursor · Zed · Windsurf · Gemini CLI: grab the portable entrypoint files — no plugin system needed:

curl -fsSLO https://raw.githubusercontent.com/drmarceloclipi-star/define-problem/main/AGENTS.md
curl -fsSLO https://raw.githubusercontent.com/drmarceloclipi-star/define-problem/main/GEMINI.md

Drop in your project root, or in ~/.codex/ / ~/.gemini/ to enable it everywhere. Details below.

cargo install --git https://github.com/drmarceloclipi-star/define-problem
define-problem

# one-liner: grab both files into your current project
curl -fsSLO https://raw.githubusercontent.com/drmarceloclipi-star/define-problem/main/AGENTS.md
curl -fsSLO https://raw.githubusercontent.com/drmarceloclipi-star/define-problem/main/GEMINI.md

Use it

Type /define-problem — or just mention the problem and let it trigger:

what's the problem · frame the problem · problem statement · before I build

It stops only when the problem fits in one sentence and you say "yes, that's exactly it."

How it works

1. Ask — questions until the problem is defined, not assumed.
2. Constrain — a sharp problem statement is the constraint that frees creativity.
3. Evidence — search articles, blogs, repos, and papers for how others solved it.

A vague problem produces a thousand mediocre solutions. A precise problem produces one great one.

/plugin update define-problem@define-problem

Dr. Marcelo Cavalcanti · @drmarceloclipi-star MIT License