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Documentation Index

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Gemini CLI reads GEMINI.md from the root of your project and loads it as persistent context. Combining this steering file with the skills/ directory gives Gemini CLI access to 11 Well-Architected playbooks it can follow step-by-step whenever you mention architecture topics, ask for a review, or invoke a specific assessment.

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What gets installed

GEMINI.md

Steering context that tells Gemini CLI to consider all six Well-Architected pillars, acknowledge trade-offs, and route structured assessment requests to the correct skill file.

skills/ directory

Eleven skill directories, each containing a SKILL.md playbook. Gemini CLI follows these step-by-step when you ask for a specific review or plan.

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Installation

1

Clone or download the source repo

If you haven’t already, clone the sample repository to a local path you can reference:
git clone https://github.com/aws-samples/sample-well-architected-skills-and-steering.git
2

Copy files into your project

Run the commands below from the root of your project directory, substituting path/to/this-repo with the actual clone location.
cp path/to/this-repo/adapters/gemini-cli/GEMINI.md ./GEMINI.md
cp -r path/to/this-repo/skills ./skills
3

Verify the layout

Your project root should now contain:
GEMINI.md
skills/
  wa-review/SKILL.md
  security-assessment/SKILL.md
  reliability-improvement-plan/SKILL.md
  cost-optimization-review/SKILL.md
  performance-efficiency/SKILL.md
  sustainability-optimization/SKILL.md
  operational-excellence/SKILL.md
  migration-readiness/SKILL.md
  architecture-decision-record/SKILL.md
  wa-builder/SKILL.md
  wa-guardrails/SKILL.md

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Install via script

If you prefer the one-command approach from a local clone, the install script handles copying automatically: 
./install.sh ~/my-project --tool gemini-cli

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Usage

With GEMINI.md in your project root, Gemini CLI automatically applies Well-Architected principles whenever architecture topics arise. You can also explicitly invoke a specific skill: 
Run a Well-Architected review of this architecture.
Gemini CLI reads GEMINI.md at session start. When you mention a review topic, it locates the matching skills/{skill-name}/SKILL.md and follows its structured steps.
The GEMINI.md steering instructs Gemini CLI to group findings by pillar and label severity (🔴 High Risk, 🟡 Medium Risk, 🟢 Best Practice). Start with a quick review to identify gaps, then ask for a pillar-scoped deep-dive to keep token usage manageable.

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Available skills

SkillWhat it does
wa-reviewFull 6-pillar review with prioritized findings report
security-assessmentDeep-dive into IAM, detection, data protection, incident response
reliability-improvement-planFind SPOFs, assess recovery, produce remediation plan
cost-optimization-reviewIdentify waste, right-sizing, pricing model improvements
performance-efficiencyResource selection, scaling, caching, optimization
sustainability-optimizationUtilization, architecture efficiency, carbon reduction
operational-excellenceCI/CD, observability, incident management, operational maturity
migration-readiness7 Rs assessment, dependency analysis, migration plan
architecture-decision-recordADR with WA pillar impact analysis
wa-builderLearn WA for your workload and generate visual artifacts
wa-guardrailsGenerate preventive controls (Config rules, SCPs, CI checks)

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