claude-skills-reference/engineering-team/aws-solution-architect/HOW_TO_USE.md

How to Use This Skill

Hey Claude—I just added the "aws-solution-architect" skill. Can you design a scalable serverless architecture for my startup?

Example Invocations

Example 1: Serverless Web Application

Hey Claude—I just added the "aws-solution-architect" skill. Can you design a serverless architecture for a SaaS platform with 10k users, including API, database, and authentication?

Example 2: Microservices Architecture

Hey Claude—I just added the "aws-solution-architect" skill. Can you design an event-driven microservices architecture using Lambda, EventBridge, and DynamoDB for an e-commerce platform?

Example 3: Cost Optimization

Hey Claude—I just added the "aws-solution-architect" skill. Can you analyze my current AWS setup and recommend ways to reduce costs by 30%? I'm currently spending $2000/month.

Example 4: Infrastructure as Code

Hey Claude—I just added the "aws-solution-architect" skill. Can you generate a CloudFormation template for a three-tier web application with auto-scaling and RDS?

Example 5: Mobile Backend

Hey Claude—I just added the "aws-solution-architect" skill. Can you design a scalable mobile backend using AppSync GraphQL, Cognito, and DynamoDB?

Example 6: Data Pipeline

Hey Claude—I just added the "aws-solution-architect" skill. Can you design a real-time data processing pipeline using Kinesis for analytics on IoT sensor data?

What to Provide

Depending on your needs, provide:

For Architecture Design:

• Application type: Web app, mobile backend, data pipeline, microservices, SaaS
• Expected scale: Number of users, requests per second, data volume
• Budget: Monthly AWS spend limit or constraints
• Team context: Team size, AWS experience level
• Requirements: Authentication, real-time features, compliance needs (GDPR, HIPAA)
• Geographic scope: Single region, multi-region, global

For Cost Optimization:

• Current monthly spend: Total AWS bill
• Resource inventory: List of EC2, RDS, S3, etc. resources
• Utilization metrics: CPU, memory, storage usage
• Budget target: Desired monthly spend or savings percentage

For Infrastructure as Code:

• Template type: CloudFormation, CDK (TypeScript/Python), or Terraform
• Services needed: Compute, database, storage, networking
• Environment: dev, staging, production configurations

What You'll Get

Based on your request, you'll receive:

Architecture Designs:

• Pattern recommendation with service selection
• Architecture diagram description (visual representation)
• Service configuration details
• Cost estimates with monthly breakdown
• Pros/cons analysis
• Scaling characteristics and limitations

Infrastructure as Code:

• CloudFormation templates (YAML) - production-ready
• AWS CDK stacks (TypeScript) - modern, type-safe
• Terraform configurations (HCL) - multi-cloud compatible
• Deployment instructions and prerequisites
• Security best practices built-in

Cost Optimization:

• Current spend analysis by service
• Specific recommendations with savings potential
• Priority actions (high/medium/low)
• Implementation checklist with timelines
• Long-term optimization strategies

Best Practices:

• Security hardening checklist
• Scalability patterns and anti-patterns
• Monitoring setup recommendations
• Disaster recovery procedures
• Compliance guidance (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2)

Common Use Cases

1. MVP/Startup Launch

Ask for: "Serverless architecture for MVP with minimal costs"

You'll get:

• Amplify or Lambda + API Gateway + DynamoDB stack
• Cognito authentication setup
• S3 + CloudFront for frontend
• Cost estimate: $20-100/month
• Fast deployment (1-3 days)

2. Scaling Existing Application

Ask for: "Migrate from single server to scalable AWS architecture"

You'll get:

• Migration strategy (phased approach)
• Modern three-tier or containerized architecture
• Load balancing and auto-scaling configuration
• Database migration plan (DMS)
• Zero-downtime deployment strategy

3. Cost Reduction

Ask for: "Analyze and optimize my $5000/month AWS bill"

You'll get:

• Service-by-service cost breakdown
• Right-sizing recommendations
• Savings Plans/Reserved Instance opportunities
• Storage lifecycle optimizations
• Estimated savings: 20-40%

4. Compliance Requirements

Ask for: "HIPAA-compliant architecture for healthcare application"

You'll get:

• Compliant service selection (BAA-eligible only)
• Encryption configuration (at rest and in transit)
• Audit logging setup (CloudTrail, Config)
• Network isolation (VPC private subnets)
• Access control (IAM policies)

5. Global Deployment

Ask for: "Multi-region architecture for global users"

You'll get:

• Route 53 geolocation routing
• DynamoDB Global Tables or Aurora Global
• CloudFront edge caching
• Disaster recovery and failover
• Cross-region cost considerations

Prerequisites

For Using Generated Templates:

AWS Account:

• Active AWS account with appropriate permissions
• IAM user or role with admin access (for initial setup)
• Billing alerts enabled

Tools Required:

# AWS CLI
brew install awscli  # macOS
aws configure

# For CloudFormation
# (AWS CLI includes CloudFormation)

# For AWS CDK
npm install -g aws-cdk
cdk --version

# For Terraform
brew install terraform  # macOS
terraform --version

Knowledge:

• Basic AWS concepts (VPC, IAM, EC2, S3)
• Command line proficiency
• Git for version control

Deployment Steps

CloudFormation:

# Validate template
aws cloudformation validate-template --template-body file://template.yaml

# Deploy stack
aws cloudformation create-stack \
  --stack-name my-app-stack \
  --template-body file://template.yaml \
  --parameters ParameterKey=Environment,ParameterValue=dev \
  --capabilities CAPABILITY_IAM

# Monitor deployment
aws cloudformation describe-stacks --stack-name my-app-stack

AWS CDK:

# Initialize project
cdk init app --language=typescript

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Deploy stack
cdk deploy

# View outputs
cdk outputs

Terraform:

# Initialize
terraform init

# Plan deployment
terraform plan

# Apply changes
terraform apply

# View outputs
terraform output

Best Practices Tips

1. Start Small, Scale Gradually

• Begin with serverless to minimize costs
• Add managed services as you grow
• Avoid over-engineering for hypothetical scale

2. Enable Monitoring from Day One

• Set up CloudWatch dashboards
• Configure alarms for critical metrics
• Enable AWS Cost Explorer
• Create budget alerts

3. Infrastructure as Code Always

• Version control all infrastructure
• Use separate accounts for dev/staging/prod
• Implement CI/CD for infrastructure changes
• Document architecture decisions

4. Security First

• Enable MFA on root and admin accounts
• Use IAM roles, never long-term credentials
• Encrypt everything (S3, RDS, EBS)
• Regular security audits (AWS Security Hub)

5. Cost Management

• Tag all resources for cost allocation
• Review bills weekly
• Delete unused resources promptly
• Use Savings Plans for predictable workloads

Troubleshooting

Common Issues:

"Access Denied" errors:

• Check IAM permissions for your user/role
• Ensure service-linked roles exist
• Verify resource policies (S3, KMS)

High costs unexpectedly:

• Check for undeleted resources (EC2, RDS snapshots)
• Review NAT Gateway data transfer
• Check CloudWatch Logs retention
• Look for unauthorized usage

Deployment failures:

• Validate templates before deploying
• Check service quotas (limits)
• Verify VPC/subnet configuration
• Review CloudFormation/Terraform error messages

Performance issues:

• Enable CloudWatch metrics and X-Ray
• Check database connection pooling
• Review Lambda cold starts (use provisioned concurrency)
• Optimize database queries and indexes

Additional Resources

• AWS Well-Architected Framework: https://aws.amazon.com/architecture/well-architected/
• AWS Architecture Center: https://aws.amazon.com/architecture/
• Serverless Land: https://serverlessland.com/
• AWS Pricing Calculator: https://calculator.aws/
• AWS Free Tier: https://aws.amazon.com/free/
• AWS Startups: https://aws.amazon.com/startups/

Tips for Best Results

1. Be specific about scale and budget constraints
2. Mention team experience level with AWS
3. State compliance requirements upfront (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.)
4. Describe current setup if migrating from existing infrastructure
5. Ask for alternatives if you need options to compare
6. Request explanations for WHY certain services are recommended
7. Specify IaC preference (CloudFormation, CDK, or Terraform)

Support

For AWS-specific questions:

• AWS Support Plans (Developer, Business, Enterprise)
• AWS re:Post community forum
• AWS Documentation: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/
• AWS Training: https://aws.amazon.com/training/