diff --git a/README.chatmodes.md b/README.chatmodes.md
index f54eea7..1077ee9 100644
--- a/README.chatmodes.md
+++ b/README.chatmodes.md
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ Custom chat modes define specific behaviors and tools for GitHub Copilot Chat, e
| [Prompt Builder Instructions](chatmodes/prompt-builder.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fprompt-builder.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fprompt-builder.chatmode.md) | Expert prompt engineering and validation system for creating high-quality prompts - Brought to you by microsoft/edge-ai |
| [Prompt Engineer](chatmodes/prompt-engineer.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fprompt-engineer.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fprompt-engineer.chatmode.md) | A specialized chat mode for analyzing and improving prompts. Every user input is treated as a propt to be improved. It first provides a detailed analysis of the original prompt within a tag, evaluating it against a systematic framework based on OpenAI's prompt engineering best practices. Following the analysis, it generates a new, improved prompt. |
| [Refine Requirement or Issue Chat Mode](chatmodes/refine-issue.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Frefine-issue.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Frefine-issue.chatmode.md) | Refine the requirement or issue with Acceptance Criteria, Technical Considerations, Edge Cases, and NFRs |
+| [Technical spike research mode](chatmodes/research-technical-spike.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fresearch-technical-spike.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fresearch-technical-spike.chatmode.md) | Systematically research and validate technical spike documents through exhaustive investigation and controlled experimentation. |
| [Rust Beast Mode](chatmodes/rust-gpt-4.1-beast-mode.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Frust-gpt-4.1-beast-mode.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Frust-gpt-4.1-beast-mode.chatmode.md) | Rust GPT-4.1 Coding Beast Mode for VS Code |
| [Semantic Kernel .NET mode instructions](chatmodes/semantic-kernel-dotnet.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fsemantic-kernel-dotnet.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fsemantic-kernel-dotnet.chatmode.md) | Create, update, refactor, explain or work with code using the .NET version of Semantic Kernel. |
| [Semantic Kernel Python mode instructions](chatmodes/semantic-kernel-python.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fsemantic-kernel-python.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fsemantic-kernel-python.chatmode.md) | Create, update, refactor, explain or work with code using the Python version of Semantic Kernel. |
diff --git a/README.collections.md b/README.collections.md
index 08e8f45..e1fc53f 100644
--- a/README.collections.md
+++ b/README.collections.md
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Curated collections of related prompts, instructions, and chat modes organized a
| [Database & Data Management](collections/database-data-management.md) | Database administration, SQL optimization, and data management tools for PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and general database development best practices. | 8 items | database, sql, postgresql, sql-server, dba, optimization, queries, data-management |
| [DevOps On-Call](collections/devops-oncall.md) | A focused set of prompts, instructions, and a chat mode to help triage incidents and respond quickly with DevOps tools and Azure resources. | 5 items | devops, incident-response, oncall, azure |
| [Frontend Web Development](collections/frontend-web-dev.md) | Essential prompts, instructions, and chat modes for modern frontend web development including React, Angular, Vue, TypeScript, and CSS frameworks. | 11 items | frontend, web, react, typescript, javascript, css, html, angular, vue |
-| [Project Planning & Management](collections/project-planning.md) | Tools and guidance for software project planning, feature breakdown, epic management, implementation planning, and task organization for development teams. | 15 items | planning, project-management, epic, feature, implementation, task, architecture |
+| [Project Planning & Management](collections/project-planning.md) | Tools and guidance for software project planning, feature breakdown, epic management, implementation planning, and task organization for development teams. | 17 items | planning, project-management, epic, feature, implementation, task, architecture, technical-spike |
| [Security & Code Quality](collections/security-best-practices.md) | Security frameworks, accessibility guidelines, performance optimization, and code quality best practices for building secure, maintainable, and high-performance applications. | 6 items | security, accessibility, performance, code-quality, owasp, a11y, optimization, best-practices |
+| [Technical Spike](collections/technical-spike.md) | Tools for creation, management and research of technical spikes to reduce unknowns and assumptions before proceeding to specification and implementation of solutions. | 2 items | technical-spike, assumption-testing, validation, research |
| [Testing & Test Automation](collections/testing-automation.md) | Comprehensive collection for writing tests, test automation, and test-driven development including unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end testing strategies. | 11 items | testing, tdd, automation, unit-tests, integration, playwright, jest, nunit |
diff --git a/README.prompts.md b/README.prompts.md
index f0e9d9e..55bbb07 100644
--- a/README.prompts.md
+++ b/README.prompts.md
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ Ready-to-use prompt templates for specific development scenarios and tasks, defi
| [Create Specification](prompts/create-specification.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-specification.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-specification.prompt.md) | Create a new specification file for the solution, optimized for Generative AI consumption. |
| [Create Spring Boot Java project prompt](prompts/create-spring-boot-java-project.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-spring-boot-java-project.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-spring-boot-java-project.prompt.md) | Create Spring Boot Java Project Skeleton |
| [Create Spring Boot Kotlin project prompt](prompts/create-spring-boot-kotlin-project.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-spring-boot-kotlin-project.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-spring-boot-kotlin-project.prompt.md) | Create Spring Boot Kotlin Project Skeleton |
+| [Create Technical Spike Document](prompts/create-technical-spike.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-technical-spike.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-technical-spike.prompt.md) | Create time-boxed technical spike documents for researching and resolving critical development decisions before implementation. |
| [C# Async Programming Best Practices](prompts/csharp-async.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcsharp-async.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcsharp-async.prompt.md) | Get best practices for C# async programming |
| [C# Documentation Best Practices](prompts/csharp-docs.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcsharp-docs.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcsharp-docs.prompt.md) | Ensure that C# types are documented with XML comments and follow best practices for documentation. |
| [MSTest Best Practices](prompts/csharp-mstest.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcsharp-mstest.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcsharp-mstest.prompt.md) | Get best practices for MSTest unit testing, including data-driven tests |
diff --git a/chatmodes/research-technical-spike.chatmode.md b/chatmodes/research-technical-spike.chatmode.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d2623cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chatmodes/research-technical-spike.chatmode.md
@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+---
+description: 'Systematically research and validate technical spike documents through exhaustive investigation and controlled experimentation.'
+tools: ['runCommands', 'runTasks', 'edit', 'runNotebooks', 'search', 'extensions', 'usages', 'vscodeAPI', 'think', 'problems', 'changes', 'testFailure', 'openSimpleBrowser', 'fetch', 'githubRepo', 'todos', 'Microsoft Docs', 'search']
+---
+# Technical spike research mode
+
+Systematically validate technical spike documents through exhaustive investigation and controlled experimentation.
+
+## Requirements
+
+**CRITICAL**: User must specify spike document path before proceeding. Stop if no spike document provided.
+
+## Research Methodology
+
+### Tool Usage Philosophy
+- Use tools **obsessively** and **recursively** - exhaust all available research avenues
+- Follow every lead: if one search reveals new terms, search those terms immediately
+- Cross-reference between multiple tool outputs to validate findings
+- Never stop at first result - use #search #fetch #githubRepo #extensions in combination
+- Layer research: docs → code examples → real implementations → edge cases
+
+### Todo Management Protocol
+- Create comprehensive todo list using #todos at research start
+- Break spike into granular, trackable investigation tasks
+- Mark todos in-progress before starting each investigation thread
+- Update todo status immediately upon completion
+- Add new todos as research reveals additional investigation paths
+- Use todos to track recursive research branches and ensure nothing is missed
+
+### Spike Document Update Protocol
+- **CONTINUOUSLY update spike document during research** - never wait until end
+- Update relevant sections immediately after each tool use and discovery
+- Add findings to "Investigation Results" section in real-time
+- Document sources and evidence as you find them
+- Update "External Resources" section with each new source discovered
+- Note preliminary conclusions and evolving understanding throughout process
+- Keep spike document as living research log, not just final summary
+
+## Research Process
+
+### 0. Investigation Planning
+- Create comprehensive todo list using #todos with all known research areas
+- Parse spike document completely using #codebase
+- Extract all research questions and success criteria
+- Prioritize investigation tasks by dependency and criticality
+- Plan recursive research branches for each major topic
+
+### 1. Spike Analysis
+- Mark "Parse spike document" todo as in-progress using #todos
+- Use #codebase to extract all research questions and success criteria
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Document initial understanding and research plan in spike document
+- Identify technical unknowns requiring deep investigation
+- Plan investigation strategy with recursive research points
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Add planned research approach to spike document
+- Mark spike analysis todo as complete and add discovered research todos
+
+### 2. Documentation Research
+**Obsessive Documentation Mining**: Research every angle exhaustively
+- Search official docs using #search and Microsoft Docs tools
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Add each significant finding to "Investigation Results" immediately
+- For each result, #fetch complete documentation pages
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Document key insights and add sources to "External Resources"
+- Cross-reference with #search using discovered terminology
+- Research VS Code APIs using #vscodeAPI for every relevant interface
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Note API capabilities and limitations discovered
+- Use #extensions to find existing implementations
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Document existing solutions and their approaches
+- Document findings with source citations and recursive follow-up searches
+- Update #todos with new research branches discovered
+
+### 3. Code Analysis
+**Recursive Code Investigation**: Follow every implementation trail
+- Use #githubRepo to examine relevant repositories for similar functionality
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Document implementation patterns and architectural approaches found
+- For each repository found, search for related repositories using #search
+- Use #usages to find all implementations of discovered patterns
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Note common patterns, best practices, and potential pitfalls
+- Study integration approaches, error handling, and authentication methods
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Document technical constraints and implementation requirements
+- Recursively investigate dependencies and related libraries
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Add dependency analysis and compatibility notes
+- Document specific code references and add follow-up investigation todos
+
+### 4. Experimental Validation
+**ASK USER PERMISSION before any code creation or command execution**
+- Mark experimental `#todos` as in-progress before starting
+- Design minimal proof-of-concept tests based on documentation research
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Document experimental design and expected outcomes
+- Create test files using `#edit` tools
+- Execute validation using `#runCommands` or `#runTasks` tools
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Record experimental results immediately, including failures
+- Use `#problems` to analyze any issues discovered
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Document technical blockers and workarounds in "Prototype/Testing Notes"
+- Document experimental results and mark experimental todos complete
+- **UPDATE SPIKE**: Update conclusions based on experimental evidence
+
+### 5. Documentation Update
+- Mark documentation update todo as in-progress
+- Update spike document sections:
+ - Investigation Results: detailed findings with evidence
+ - Prototype/Testing Notes: experimental results
+ - External Resources: all sources found with recursive research trails
+ - Decision/Recommendation: clear conclusion based on exhaustive research
+ - Status History: mark complete
+- Ensure all todos are marked complete or have clear next steps
+
+## Evidence Standards
+
+- **REAL-TIME DOCUMENTATION**: Update spike document continuously, not at end
+- Cite specific sources with URLs and versions immediately upon discovery
+- Include quantitative data where possible with timestamps of research
+- Note limitations and constraints discovered as you encounter them
+- Provide clear validation or invalidation statements throughout investigation
+- Document recursive research trails showing investigation depth in spike document
+- Track all tools used and results obtained for each research thread
+- Maintain spike document as authoritative research log with chronological findings
+
+## Recursive Research Methodology
+
+**Deep Investigation Protocol**:
+1. Start with primary research question
+2. Use multiple tools: #search #fetch #githubRepo #extensions for initial findings
+3. Extract new terms, APIs, libraries, and concepts from each result
+4. Immediately research each discovered element using appropriate tools
+5. Continue recursion until no new relevant information emerges
+6. Cross-validate findings across multiple sources and tools
+7. Document complete investigation tree in todos and spike document
+
+**Tool Combination Strategies**:
+- `#search` → `#fetch` → `#githubRepo` (docs to implementation)
+- `#githubRepo` → `#search` → `#fetch` (implementation to official docs)
+- Use `#think` between tool calls to analyze findings and plan next recursion
+
+## Todo Management Integration
+
+**Systematic Progress Tracking**:
+- Create granular todos for each research branch before starting
+- Mark ONE todo in-progress at a time during investigation
+- Add new todos immediately when recursive research reveals new paths
+- Update todo descriptions with key findings as research progresses
+- Use todo completion to trigger next research iteration
+- Maintain todo visibility throughout entire spike validation process
+
+## Spike Document Maintenance
+
+**Continuous Documentation Strategy**:
+- Treat spike document as **living research notebook**, not final report
+- Update sections immediately after each significant finding or tool use
+- Never batch updates - document findings as they emerge
+- Use spike document sections strategically:
+ - **Investigation Results**: Real-time findings with timestamps
+ - **External Resources**: Immediate source documentation with context
+ - **Prototype/Testing Notes**: Live experimental logs and observations
+ - **Technical Constraints**: Discovered limitations and blockers
+ - **Decision Trail**: Evolving conclusions and reasoning
+- Maintain clear research chronology showing investigation progression
+- Document both successful findings AND dead ends for future reference
+
+## User Collaboration
+
+Always ask permission for: creating files, running commands, modifying system, experimental operations.
+
+**Communication Protocol**:
+- Show todo progress frequently to demonstrate systematic approach
+- Explain recursive research decisions and tool selection rationale
+- Request permission before experimental validation with clear scope
+- Provide interim findings summaries during deep investigation threads
+
+Transform uncertainty into actionable knowledge through systematic, obsessive, recursive research.
diff --git a/collections/project-planning.collection.yml b/collections/project-planning.collection.yml
index 47b968f..b0d1785 100644
--- a/collections/project-planning.collection.yml
+++ b/collections/project-planning.collection.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
id: project-planning
name: Project Planning & Management
description: Tools and guidance for software project planning, feature breakdown, epic management, implementation planning, and task organization for development teams.
-tags: [planning, project-management, epic, feature, implementation, task, architecture]
+tags: [planning, project-management, epic, feature, implementation, task, architecture, technical-spike]
items:
# Planning Chat Modes
- path: chatmodes/task-planner.chatmode.md
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ items:
kind: chat-mode
- path: chatmodes/implementation-plan.chatmode.md
kind: chat-mode
+ - path: chatmodes/research-technical-spike.chatmode.md
+ kind: chat-mode
# Planning Instructions
- path: instructions/task-implementation.instructions.md
@@ -38,6 +40,8 @@ items:
kind: prompt
- path: prompts/create-github-issues-feature-from-implementation-plan.prompt.md
kind: prompt
+ - path: prompts/create-technical-spike.prompt.md
+ kind: prompt
display:
ordering: alpha
diff --git a/collections/project-planning.md b/collections/project-planning.md
index 87d53d3..5e0a05d 100644
--- a/collections/project-planning.md
+++ b/collections/project-planning.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
Tools and guidance for software project planning, feature breakdown, epic management, implementation planning, and task organization for development teams.
-**Tags:** planning, project-management, epic, feature, implementation, task, architecture
+**Tags:** planning, project-management, epic, feature, implementation, task, architecture, technical-spike
## Items in this Collection
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ Tools and guidance for software project planning, feature breakdown, epic manage
| [Create GitHub Issue from Implementation Plan](../prompts/create-github-issues-feature-from-implementation-plan.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-github-issues-feature-from-implementation-plan.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-github-issues-feature-from-implementation-plan.prompt.md) | Prompt | Create GitHub Issues from implementation plan phases using feature_request.yml or chore_request.yml templates. |
| [Create Implementation Plan](../prompts/create-implementation-plan.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-implementation-plan.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-implementation-plan.prompt.md) | Prompt | Create a new implementation plan file for new features, refactoring existing code or upgrading packages, design, architecture or infrastructure. |
| [Create PRD Chat Mode](../chatmodes/prd.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fprd.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fprd.chatmode.md) | Chat Mode | Generate a comprehensive Product Requirements Document (PRD) in Markdown, detailing user stories, acceptance criteria, technical considerations, and metrics. Optionally create GitHub issues upon user confirmation. |
+| [Create Technical Spike Document](../prompts/create-technical-spike.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-technical-spike.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-technical-spike.prompt.md) | Prompt | Create time-boxed technical spike documents for researching and resolving critical development decisions before implementation. |
| [Epic Architecture Specification Prompt](../prompts/breakdown-epic-arch.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fbreakdown-epic-arch.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fbreakdown-epic-arch.prompt.md) | Prompt | Prompt for creating the high-level technical architecture for an Epic, based on a Product Requirements Document. |
| [Epic Product Requirements Document (PRD) Prompt](../prompts/breakdown-epic-pm.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fbreakdown-epic-pm.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fbreakdown-epic-pm.prompt.md) | Prompt | Prompt for creating an Epic Product Requirements Document (PRD) for a new epic. This PRD will be used as input for generating a technical architecture specification. |
| [Feature Implementation Plan Prompt](../prompts/breakdown-feature-implementation.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fbreakdown-feature-implementation.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fbreakdown-feature-implementation.prompt.md) | Prompt | Prompt for creating detailed feature implementation plans, following Epoch monorepo structure. |
@@ -22,7 +23,8 @@ Tools and guidance for software project planning, feature breakdown, epic manage
| [Task Plan Implementation Instructions](../instructions/task-implementation.instructions.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/instructions?url=vscode%3Achat-instructions%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Finstructions%2Ftask-implementation.instructions.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/instructions?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-instructions%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Finstructions%2Ftask-implementation.instructions.md) | Instruction | Instructions for implementing task plans with progressive tracking and change record - Brought to you by microsoft/edge-ai |
| [Task Planner Instructions](../chatmodes/task-planner.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Ftask-planner.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Ftask-planner.chatmode.md) | Chat Mode | Task planner for creating actionable implementation plans - Brought to you by microsoft/edge-ai |
| [Task Researcher Instructions](../chatmodes/task-researcher.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Ftask-researcher.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Ftask-researcher.chatmode.md) | Chat Mode | Task research specialist for comprehensive project analysis - Brought to you by microsoft/edge-ai |
+| [Technical spike research mode](../chatmodes/research-technical-spike.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fresearch-technical-spike.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fresearch-technical-spike.chatmode.md) | Chat Mode | Systematically research and validate technical spike documents through exhaustive investigation and controlled experimentation. |
| [Update Implementation Plan](../prompts/update-implementation-plan.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fupdate-implementation-plan.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fupdate-implementation-plan.prompt.md) | Prompt | Update an existing implementation plan file with new or update requirements to provide new features, refactoring existing code or upgrading packages, design, architecture or infrastructure. |
---
-*This collection includes 15 curated items for project planning & management.*
\ No newline at end of file
+*This collection includes 17 curated items for project planning & management.*
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/collections/technical-spike.collection.yml b/collections/technical-spike.collection.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..68aae79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collections/technical-spike.collection.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+id: technical-spike
+name: Technical Spike
+description: Tools for creation, management and research of technical spikes to reduce unknowns and assumptions before proceeding to specification and implementation of solutions.
+tags: [technical-spike, assumption-testing, validation, research]
+items:
+ # Planning Chat Modes
+ - path: chatmodes/research-technical-spike.chatmode.md
+ kind: chat-mode
+
+ # Planning Prompts
+ - path: prompts/create-technical-spike.prompt.md
+ kind: prompt
+display:
+ ordering: alpha # or "manual" to preserve the order above
+ show_badge: false # set to true to show collection badge on items
diff --git a/collections/technical-spike.md b/collections/technical-spike.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e3beb93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collections/technical-spike.md
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# Technical Spike
+
+Tools for creation, management and research of technical spikes to reduce unknowns and assumptions before proceeding to specification and implementation of solutions.
+
+**Tags:** technical-spike, assumption-testing, validation, research
+
+## Items in this Collection
+
+| Title | Type | Description |
+| ----- | ---- | ----------- |
+| [Technical spike research mode](../chatmodes/research-technical-spike.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fresearch-technical-spike.chatmode.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/chatmode?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-mode%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fchatmodes%2Fresearch-technical-spike.chatmode.md) | Chat Mode | Systematically research and validate technical spike documents through exhaustive investigation and controlled experimentation. |
+| [Create Technical Spike Document](../prompts/create-technical-spike.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-technical-spike.prompt.md)
[](https://aka.ms/awesome-copilot/install/prompt?url=vscode-insiders%3Achat-prompt%2Finstall%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fgithub%2Fawesome-copilot%2Fmain%2Fprompts%2Fcreate-technical-spike.prompt.md) | Prompt | Create time-boxed technical spike documents for researching and resolving critical development decisions before implementation. |
+
+---
+*This collection includes 2 curated items for technical spike.*
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/prompts/create-technical-spike.prompt.md b/prompts/create-technical-spike.prompt.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6e79c95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prompts/create-technical-spike.prompt.md
@@ -0,0 +1,231 @@
+---
+mode: 'agent'
+description: 'Create time-boxed technical spike documents for researching and resolving critical development decisions before implementation.'
+tools: ['runCommands', 'runTasks', 'edit', 'search', 'extensions', 'usages', 'vscodeAPI', 'think', 'problems', 'changes', 'testFailure', 'openSimpleBrowser', 'fetch', 'githubRepo', 'todos', 'Microsoft Docs', 'search']
+---
+
+# Create Technical Spike Document
+
+Create time-boxed technical spike documents for researching critical questions that must be answered before development can proceed. Each spike focuses on a specific technical decision with clear deliverables and timelines.
+
+## Document Structure
+
+Create individual files in `${input:FolderPath|docs/spikes}` directory. Name each file using the pattern: `[category]-[short-description]-spike.md` (e.g., `api-copilot-integration-spike.md`, `performance-realtime-audio-spike.md`).
+
+```md
+---
+title: "${input:SpikeTitle}"
+category: "${input:Category|Technical}"
+status: "🔴 Not Started"
+priority: "${input:Priority|High}"
+timebox: "${input:Timebox|1 week}"
+created: [YYYY-MM-DD]
+updated: [YYYY-MM-DD]
+owner: "${input:Owner}"
+tags: ["technical-spike", "${input:Category|technical}", "research"]
+---
+
+# ${input:SpikeTitle}
+
+## Summary
+
+**Spike Objective:** [Clear, specific question or decision that needs resolution]
+
+**Why This Matters:** [Impact on development/architecture decisions]
+
+**Timebox:** [How much time allocated to this spike]
+
+**Decision Deadline:** [When this must be resolved to avoid blocking development]
+
+## Research Question(s)
+
+**Primary Question:** [Main technical question that needs answering]
+
+**Secondary Questions:**
+
+- [Related question 1]
+- [Related question 2]
+- [Related question 3]
+
+## Investigation Plan
+
+### Research Tasks
+
+- [ ] [Specific research task 1]
+- [ ] [Specific research task 2]
+- [ ] [Specific research task 3]
+- [ ] [Create proof of concept/prototype]
+- [ ] [Document findings and recommendations]
+
+### Success Criteria
+
+**This spike is complete when:**
+
+- [ ] [Specific criteria 1]
+- [ ] [Specific criteria 2]
+- [ ] [Clear recommendation documented]
+- [ ] [Proof of concept completed (if applicable)]
+
+## Technical Context
+
+**Related Components:** [List system components affected by this decision]
+
+**Dependencies:** [What other spikes or decisions depend on resolving this]
+
+**Constraints:** [Known limitations or requirements that affect the solution]
+
+## Research Findings
+
+### Investigation Results
+
+[Document research findings, test results, and evidence gathered]
+
+### Prototype/Testing Notes
+
+[Results from any prototypes, spikes, or technical experiments]
+
+### External Resources
+
+- [Link to relevant documentation]
+- [Link to API references]
+- [Link to community discussions]
+- [Link to examples/tutorials]
+
+## Decision
+
+### Recommendation
+
+[Clear recommendation based on research findings]
+
+### Rationale
+
+[Why this approach was chosen over alternatives]
+
+### Implementation Notes
+
+[Key considerations for implementation]
+
+### Follow-up Actions
+
+- [ ] [Action item 1]
+- [ ] [Action item 2]
+- [ ] [Update architecture documents]
+- [ ] [Create implementation tasks]
+
+## Status History
+
+| Date | Status | Notes |
+| ------ | -------------- | -------------------------- |
+| [Date] | 🔴 Not Started | Spike created and scoped |
+| [Date] | 🟡 In Progress | Research commenced |
+| [Date] | 🟢 Complete | [Resolution summary] |
+
+---
+
+_Last updated: [Date] by [Name]_
+```
+
+## Categories for Technical Spikes
+
+### API Integration
+
+- Third-party API capabilities and limitations
+- Integration patterns and authentication
+- Rate limits and performance characteristics
+
+### Architecture & Design
+
+- System architecture decisions
+- Design pattern applicability
+- Component interaction models
+
+### Performance & Scalability
+
+- Performance requirements and constraints
+- Scalability bottlenecks and solutions
+- Resource utilization patterns
+
+### Platform & Infrastructure
+
+- Platform capabilities and limitations
+- Infrastructure requirements
+- Deployment and hosting considerations
+
+### Security & Compliance
+
+- Security requirements and implementations
+- Compliance constraints
+- Authentication and authorization approaches
+
+### User Experience
+
+- User interaction patterns
+- Accessibility requirements
+- Interface design decisions
+
+## File Naming Conventions
+
+Use descriptive, kebab-case names that indicate the category and specific unknown:
+
+**API/Integration Examples:**
+
+- `api-copilot-chat-integration-spike.md`
+- `api-azure-speech-realtime-spike.md`
+- `api-vscode-extension-capabilities-spike.md`
+
+**Performance Examples:**
+
+- `performance-audio-processing-latency-spike.md`
+- `performance-extension-host-limitations-spike.md`
+- `performance-webrtc-reliability-spike.md`
+
+**Architecture Examples:**
+
+- `architecture-voice-pipeline-design-spike.md`
+- `architecture-state-management-spike.md`
+- `architecture-error-handling-strategy-spike.md`
+
+## Best Practices for AI Agents
+
+1. **One Question Per Spike:** Each document focuses on a single technical decision or research question
+
+2. **Time-Boxed Research:** Define specific time limits and deliverables for each spike
+
+3. **Evidence-Based Decisions:** Require concrete evidence (tests, prototypes, documentation) before marking as complete
+
+4. **Clear Recommendations:** Document specific recommendations and rationale for implementation
+
+5. **Dependency Tracking:** Identify how spikes relate to each other and impact project decisions
+
+6. **Outcome-Focused:** Every spike must result in an actionable decision or recommendation
+
+## Research Strategy
+
+### Phase 1: Information Gathering
+
+1. **Search existing documentation** using search/fetch tools
+2. **Analyze codebase** for existing patterns and constraints
+3. **Research external resources** (APIs, libraries, examples)
+
+### Phase 2: Validation & Testing
+
+1. **Create focused prototypes** to test specific hypotheses
+2. **Run targeted experiments** to validate assumptions
+3. **Document test results** with supporting evidence
+
+### Phase 3: Decision & Documentation
+
+1. **Synthesize findings** into clear recommendations
+2. **Document implementation guidance** for development team
+3. **Create follow-up tasks** for implementation
+
+## Tools Usage
+
+- **search/searchResults:** Research existing solutions and documentation
+- **fetch/githubRepo:** Analyze external APIs, libraries, and examples
+- **codebase:** Understand existing system constraints and patterns
+- **runTasks:** Execute prototypes and validation tests
+- **editFiles:** Update research progress and findings
+- **vscodeAPI:** Test VS Code extension capabilities and limitations
+
+Focus on time-boxed research that resolves critical technical decisions and unblocks development progress.