/validate

Validate a startup idea end-to-end: search KB, run Manifest alignment, S.E.E.D. niche check, Devil's Advocate inversion, STREAM 6-layer analysis, pick stack, generate PRD.

Philosophy: Validation should be honest, not optimistic. Better to kill a bad idea in 5 minutes than waste 3 months building it. The goal is truth, not encouragement.

MCP Tools (use if available)

If MCP tools are available, prefer them over CLI:

• kb_search(query, n_results) — search knowledge base for related docs
• project_info() — list active projects with stacks
• web_search(query) — search for dead startups, competitor failures

If MCP tools are not available, fall back to Grep/Glob/WebSearch.

Steps

1. Parse the idea from $ARGUMENTS. If empty, ask the user what idea they want to validate.

2. Search for related knowledge: If MCP kb_search tool is available, use it directly:

   • kb_search(query="<idea keywords>", n_results=5) Otherwise search locally:
   • Grep for idea keywords in .md files across the project and knowledge base Summarize any related documents found (existing ideas, frameworks, opportunities).

3. Deep research (optional): Check if research.md exists for this idea (look in docs/ or the current working directory).

   • If it exists: read it and use findings to inform STREAM analysis and PRD filling (competitors, pain points, market size).
   • If it does not exist: ask the user if they want to run deep research first. If yes, tell them to run /research <idea> and come back. If no, continue without it.

4. Manifest Alignment Check (with teeth):

   Consult references/manifest-checklist.md (bundled with this skill) for the full checklist of 9 principles and 6 red flags. Check the idea against EACH one. This is not a formality — a manifest violation is a soft kill flag.

   For each principle, assess: comply or violate? If violating — cite the specific principle.

   Key principles (see checklist for details):

   1. Privacy-first / offline-first
   2. One pain -> one feature -> launch
   3. AI as foundation, not feature
   4. Speed over perfection (MVP in days)
   5. Antifragile architecture
   6. Money without overheating
   7. Against exploitation
   8. Subscription fatigue
   9. Creators, not robots

   Scoring: 0 violations = perfect, 1-2 = caution, 3+ = strong KILL signal.

   Be honest. If the idea conflicts with principles, SAY SO. Don't rationalize alignment.

5. S.E.E.D. niche check (quick, before deep analysis):

   Score the idea on four dimensions:

   • S — Searchability: Can you rank? Forums/Reddit in top-10, few fresh giants, no video blocks?
   • E — Evidence: Real pain with real quotes/URLs? Or hypothetical?
   • E — Ease: MVP in 1-2 days on existing stack? No heavy dependencies?
   • D — Demand: Long-tail keywords exist? Clear monetization path?