./browse/prompts

# Data Storytelling Transform raw data into compelling narratives that drive decisions and inspire action. ## When to Use This Skill - Presenting analytics to executives - Creating quarterly business reviews - Building investor presentations - Writing data-driven reports - Communicating insights to non-technical audiences - Making recommendations based on data ## Core Concepts ### 1. Story Structure ``` Setup → Conflict → Resolution Setup: Context and baseline Conflict: The problem or opportunity Resolution: Insights and recommendations ``` ### 2. Narrative Arc ``` 1. Hook: Grab attention with surprising insight 2. Context: Establish the baseline 3. Rising Action: Build through data points 4. Climax: The key insight 5. Resolution: Recommendations 6. Call to Action: Next steps ``` ### 3. Three Pillars | Pillar | Purpose | Components | | ------------- | -------- | -------------------------------- | | **Data** | Evidence | Numbers, trends, comparisons | | **Narrative** | Meaning | Context, causation, implications | | **Visuals** | Clarity | Charts, diagrams, highlights | ## Story Frameworks ### Framework 1: The Problem-Solution Story ```markdown # Customer Churn Analysis ## The Hook "We're losing $2.4M annually to preventable churn." ## The Context - Current churn rate: 8.5% (industry average: 5%) - Average customer lifetime value: $4,800 - 500 customers churned last quarter ## The Problem Analysis of churned customers reveals a pattern: - 73% churned within first 90 days - Common factor: < 3 support interactions - Low feature adoption in first month ## The Insight [Show engagement curve visualization] Customers who don't engage in the first 14 days are 4x more likely to churn. ## The Solution 1. Implement 14-day onboarding sequence 2. Proactive outreach at day 7 3. Feature adoption tracking ## Expected Impact - Reduce early churn by 40% - Save $960K annually - Payback period: 3 months ## Call to Action Approve $50K budget for onboarding automation. ``` ### Framework 2: The Trend Story ```markdown # Q4 Performance Analysis ## Where We Started Q3 ended with $1.2M MRR, 15% below target. Team morale was low after missed goals. ## What Changed [Timeline visualization] - Oct: Launched self-serve pricing - Nov: Reduced friction in signup - Dec: Added customer success calls ## The Transformation [Before/after comparison chart] | Metric | Q3 | Q4 | Change | |----------------|--------|--------|--------| | Trial → Paid | 8% | 15% | +87% | | Time to Value | 14 days| 5 days | -64% | | Expansion Rate | 2% | 8% | +300% | ## Key Insight Self-serve + high-touch creates compound growth. Customers who self-serve AND get a success call have 3x higher expansion rate. ## Going Forward Double down on hybrid model. Target: $1.8M MRR by Q2. ``` ### Framework 3: The Comparison Story ```markdown # Market Opportunity Analysis ## The Question Should we expand into EMEA or APAC first? ## The Comparison [Side-by-side market analysis] ### EMEA - Market size: $4.2B - Growth rate: 8% - Competition: High - Regulatory: Complex (GDPR) - Language: Multiple ### APAC - Market size: $3.8B - Growth rate: 15% - Competition: Moderate - Regulatory: Varied - Language: Multiple ## The Analysis [Weighted scoring matrix visualization] | Factor | Weight | EMEA Score | APAC Score | | ----------- | ------ | ---------- | ---------- | | Market Size | 25% | 5 | 4 | | Growth | 30% | 3 | 5 | | Competition | 20% | 2 | 4 | | Ease | 25% | 2 | 3 | | **Total** | | **2.9** | **4.1** | ## The Recommendation APAC first. Higher growth, less competition. Start with Singapore hub (English, business-friendly). Enter EMEA in Year 2 with localization ready. ## Risk Mitigation - Timezone coverage: Hire 24/7 support - Cultural fit: Local partnerships - Payment: Multi-currency from day 1 ``` ## Visualization Techniques ### Technique 1: Progressive Reveal ```markdown Start simple, add layers: Slide 1: "Revenue is growing" [single line chart] Slide 2: "But growth is slowing" [add growth rate overlay] Slide 3: "Driven by one segment" [add segment breakdown] Slide 4: "Which is saturating" [add market share] Slide 5: "We need new segments" [add opportunity zones] ``` ### Technique 2: Contrast and Compare ```markdown Before/After: ┌─────────────────┬─────────────────┐ │ BEFORE │ AFTER │ │ │ │ │ Process: 5 days│ Process: 1 day │ │ Errors: 15% │ Errors: 2% │ │ Cost: $50/unit │ Cost: $20/unit │ └─────────────────┴─────────────────┘ This/That (emphasize difference): ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ CUSTOMER A vs B │ │ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │ │ │ ████████ │ │ ██ │ │ │ │ $45,000 │ │ $8,000 │ │ │ │ LTV │ │ LTV │ │ │ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │ │ Onboarded No onboarding │ └─────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` ### Technique 3: Annotation and Highlight ```python import matplotlib.pyplot as plt import pandas as pd fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(12, 6)) # Plot the main data ax.plot(dates, revenue, linewidth=2, color='#2E86AB') # Add annotation for key events ax.annotate( 'Product Launch\n+32% spike', xy=(launch_date, launch_revenue), xytext=(launch_date, launch_revenue * 1.2), fontsize=10, arrowprops=dict(arrowstyle='->', color='#E63946'), color='#E63946' ) # Highlight a region ax.axvspan(growth_start, growth_end, alpha=0.2, color='green', label='Growth Period') # Add threshold line ax.axhline(y=target, color='gray', linestyle='--', label=f'Target: ${target:,.0f}') ax.set_title('Revenue Growth Story', fontsize=14, fontweight='bold') ax.legend() ``` ## Presentation Templates ### Template 1: Executive Summary Slide ``` ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ KEY INSIGHT │ │ ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════│ │ │ │ "Customers who complete onboarding in week 1 │ │ have 3x higher lifetime value" │ │ │ ├──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ │ THE DATA │ THE IMPLICATION │ │ │ │ │ Week 1 completers: │ ✓ Prioritize onboarding UX │ │ • LTV: $4,500 │ ✓ Add day-1 success milestones │ │ • Retention: 85% │ ✓ Proactive week-1 outreach │ │ • NPS: 72 │ │ │ │ Investment: $75K │ │ Others: │ Expected ROI: 8x │ │ • LTV: $1,500 │ │ │ • Retention: 45% │ │ │ • NPS: 34 │ │ │ │ │ └──────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` ### Template 2: Data Story Flow ``` Slide 1: THE HEADLINE "We can grow 40% faster by fixing onboarding" Slide 2: THE CONTEXT Current state metrics Industry benchmarks Gap analysis Slide 3: THE DISCOVERY What the data revealed Surprising finding Pattern identification Slide 4: THE DEEP DIVE Root cause analysis Segment breakdowns Statistical significance Slide 5: THE RECOMMENDATION Proposed actions Resource requirements Timeline Slide 6: THE IMPACT Expected outcomes ROI calculation Risk assessment Slide 7: THE ASK Specific request Decision needed Next steps ``` ### Template 3: One-Page Dashboard Story ```markdown # Monthly Business Review: January 2024 ## THE HEADLINE Revenue up 15% but CAC increasing faster than LTV ## KEY METRICS AT A GLANCE ┌────────┬────────┬────────┬────────┐ │ MRR │ NRR │ CAC │ LTV │ │ $125K │ 108% │ $450 │ $2,200 │ │ ▲15% │ ▲3% │ ▲22% │ ▲8% │ └────────┴────────┴────────┴────────┘ ## WHAT'S WORKING ✓ Enterprise segment growing 25% MoM ✓ Referral program driving 30% of new logos ✓ Support satisfaction at all-time high (94%) ## WHAT NEEDS ATTENTION ✗ SMB acquisition cost up 40% ✗ Trial conversion down 5 points ✗ Time-to-value increased by 3 days ## ROOT CAUSE [Mini chart showing SMB vs Enterprise CAC trend] SMB paid ads becoming less efficient. CPC up 35% while conversion flat. ## RECOMMENDATION 1. Shift $20K/mo from paid to content 2. Launch SMB self-serve trial 3. A/B test shorter onboarding ## NEXT MONTH'S FOCUS - Launch content marketing pilot - Complete self-serve MVP - Reduce time-to-value to < 7 days ``` ## Writing Techniques ### Headlines That Work ```markdown BAD: "Q4 Sales Analysis" GOOD: "Q4 Sales Beat Target by 23% - Here's Why" BAD: "Customer Churn Report" GOOD: "We're Losing $2.4M to Preventable Churn" BAD: "Marketing Performance" GOOD: "Content Marketing Delivers 4x ROI vs. Paid" Formula: [Specific Number] + [Business Impact] + [Actionable Context] ``` ### Transition Phrases ```markdown Building the narrative: • "This leads us to ask..." • "When we dig deeper..." • "The pattern becomes clear when..." • "Contrast this with..." Introducing insights: • "The data reveals..." • "What surprised us was..." • "The inflection point came when..." • "The key finding is..." Moving to action: • "This insight suggests..." • "Based on this analysis..." • "The implication is clear..." • "Our recommendation is..." ``` ### Handling Uncertainty ```markdown Acknowledge limitations: • "With 95% confidence, we can say..." • "The sample size of 500 shows..." • "While correlation is strong, causation requires..." • "This trend holds for [segment], though [caveat]..." Present ranges: • "Impact estimate: $400K-$600K" • "Confidence interval: 15-20% improvement" • "Best case: X, Conservative: Y" ``` ## Best Practices ### Do's - **Start with the "so what"** - Lead with insight - **Use the rule of three** - Three points, three comparisons - **Show, don't tell** - Let data speak - **Make it personal** - Connect to audience goals - **End with action** - Clear next steps ### Don'ts - **Don't data dump** - Curate ruthlessly - **Don't bury the insight** - Front-load key findings - **Don't use jargon** - Match audience vocabulary - **Don't show methodology first** - Context, then method - **Don't forget the narrative** - Numbers need meaning ## Resources - [Storytelling with Data (Cole Nussbaumer)](https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/) - [The Pyramid Principle (Barbara Minto)](https://www.amazon.com/Pyramid-Principle-Logic-Writing-Thinking/dp/0273710516) - [Resonate (Nancy Duarte)](https://www.duarte.com/resonate/)

# KPI Dashboard Design Comprehensive patterns for designing effective Key Performance Indicator (KPI) dashboards that drive business decisions. ## When to Use This Skill - Designing executive dashboards - Selecting meaningful KPIs - Building real-time monitoring displays - Creating department-specific metrics views - Improving existing dashboard layouts - Establishing metric governance ## Core Concepts ### 1. KPI Framework | Level | Focus | Update Frequency | Audience | | --------------- | ---------------- | ----------------- | ---------- | | **Strategic** | Long-term goals | Monthly/Quarterly | Executives | | **Tactical** | Department goals | Weekly/Monthly | Managers | | **Operational** | Day-to-day | Real-time/Daily | Teams | ### 2. SMART KPIs ``` Specific: Clear definition Measurable: Quantifiable Achievable: Realistic targets Relevant: Aligned to goals Time-bound: Defined period ``` ### 3. Dashboard Hierarchy ``` ├── Executive Summary (1 page) │ ├── 4-6 headline KPIs │ ├── Trend indicators │ └── Key alerts ├── Department Views │ ├── Sales Dashboard │ ├── Marketing Dashboard │ ├── Operations Dashboard │ └── Finance Dashboard └── Detailed Drilldowns ├── Individual metrics └── Root cause analysis ``` ## Common KPIs by Department ### Sales KPIs ```yaml Revenue Metrics: - Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) - Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) - Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) - Revenue Growth Rate Pipeline Metrics: - Sales Pipeline Value - Win Rate - Average Deal Size - Sales Cycle Length Activity Metrics: - Calls/Emails per Rep - Demos Scheduled - Proposals Sent - Close Rate ``` ### Marketing KPIs ```yaml Acquisition: - Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) - Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) - Lead Volume - Marketing Qualified Leads (MQL) Engagement: - Website Traffic - Conversion Rate - Email Open/Click Rate - Social Engagement ROI: - Marketing ROI - Campaign Performance - Channel Attribution - CAC Payback Period ``` ### Product KPIs ```yaml Usage: - Daily/Monthly Active Users (DAU/MAU) - Session Duration - Feature Adoption Rate - Stickiness (DAU/MAU) Quality: - Net Promoter Score (NPS) - Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) - Bug/Issue Count - Time to Resolution Growth: - User Growth Rate - Activation Rate - Retention Rate - Churn Rate ``` ### Finance KPIs ```yaml Profitability: - Gross Margin - Net Profit Margin - EBITDA - Operating Margin Liquidity: - Current Ratio - Quick Ratio - Cash Flow - Working Capital Efficiency: - Revenue per Employee - Operating Expense Ratio - Days Sales Outstanding - Inventory Turnover ``` ## Dashboard Layout Patterns ### Pattern 1: Executive Summary ``` ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ EXECUTIVE DASHBOARD [Date Range ▼] │ ├─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────────┤ │ REVENUE │ PROFIT │ CUSTOMERS │ NPS SCORE │ │ $2.4M │ $450K │ 12,450 │ 72 │ │ ▲ 12% │ ▲ 8% │ ▲ 15% │ ▲ 5pts │ ├─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────────┤ │ │ │ Revenue Trend │ Revenue by Product │ │ ┌───────────────────────┐ │ ┌──────────────────┐ │ │ │ /\ /\ │ │ │ ████████ 45% │ │ │ │ / \ / \ /\ │ │ │ ██████ 32% │ │ │ │ / \/ \ / \ │ │ │ ████ 18% │ │ │ │ / \/ \ │ │ │ ██ 5% │ │ │ └───────────────────────┘ │ └──────────────────┘ │ │ │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ 🔴 Alert: Churn rate exceeded threshold (>5%) │ │ 🟡 Warning: Support ticket volume 20% above average │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` ### Pattern 2: SaaS Metrics Dashboard ``` ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ SAAS METRICS Jan 2024 [Monthly ▼] │ ├──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┤ │ ┌────────────────┐ │ MRR GROWTH │ │ │ MRR │ │ ┌────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ $125,000 │ │ │ /── │ │ │ │ ▲ 8% │ │ │ /────/ │ │ │ └────────────────┘ │ │ /────/ │ │ │ ┌────────────────┐ │ │ /────/ │ │ │ │ ARR │ │ │ /────/ │ │ │ │ $1,500,000 │ │ └────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ ▲ 15% │ │ J F M A M J J A S O N D │ │ └────────────────┘ │ │ ├──────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────┤ │ UNIT ECONOMICS │ COHORT RETENTION │ │ │ │ │ CAC: $450 │ Month 1: ████████████████████ 100% │ │ LTV: $2,700 │ Month 3: █████████████████ 85% │ │ LTV/CAC: 6.0x │ Month 6: ████████████████ 80% │ │ │ Month 12: ██████████████ 72% │ │ Payback: 4 months │ │ ├──────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────┤ │ CHURN ANALYSIS │ │ ┌──────────┬──────────┬──────────┬──────────────────────┐ │ │ │ Gross │ Net │ Logo │ Expansion │ │ │ │ 4.2% │ 1.8% │ 3.1% │ 2.4% │ │ │ └──────────┴──────────┴──────────┴──────────────────────┘ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` ### Pattern 3: Real-time Operations ``` ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ OPERATIONS CENTER Live ● Last: 10:42:15 │ ├────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────┤ │ SYSTEM HEALTH │ SERVICE STATUS │ │ ┌──────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ CPU MEM DISK │ │ ● API Gateway Healthy │ │ │ 45% 72% 58% │ │ ● User Service Healthy │ │ │ ███ ████ ███ │ │ ● Payment Service Degraded │ │ │ ███ ████ ███ │ │ ● Database Healthy │ │ │ ███ ████ ███ │ │ ● Cache Healthy │ │ └──────────────────────┘ │ │ ├────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┤ │ REQUEST THROUGHPUT │ ERROR RATE │ │ ┌──────────────────────┐ │ ┌──────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█▇▆▅▄▃▂▁▂▃▄▅ │ │ │ ▁▁▁▁▁▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ │ │ │ └──────────────────────┘ │ └──────────────────────────┘ │ │ Current: 12,450 req/s │ Current: 0.02% │ │ Peak: 18,200 req/s │ Threshold: 1.0% │ ├────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────┤ │ RECENT ALERTS │ │ 10:40 🟡 High latency on payment-service (p99 > 500ms) │ │ 10:35 🟢 Resolved: Database connection pool recovered │ │ 10:22 🔴 Payment service circuit breaker tripped │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` ## Implementation Patterns ### SQL for KPI Calculations ```sql -- Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) WITH mrr_calculation AS ( SELECT DATE_TRUNC('month', billing_date) AS month, SUM( CASE subscription_interval WHEN 'monthly' THEN amount WHEN 'yearly' THEN amount / 12 WHEN 'quarterly' THEN amount / 3 END ) AS mrr FROM subscriptions WHERE status = 'active' GROUP BY DATE_TRUNC('month', billing_date) ) SELECT month, mrr, LAG(mrr) OVER (ORDER BY month) AS prev_mrr, (mrr - LAG(mrr) OVER (ORDER BY month)) / LAG(mrr) OVER (ORDER BY month) * 100 AS growth_pct FROM mrr_calculation; -- Cohort Retention WITH cohorts AS ( SELECT user_id, DATE_TRUNC('month', created_at) AS cohort_month FROM users ), activity AS ( SELECT user_id, DATE_TRUNC('month', event_date) AS activity_month FROM user_events WHERE event_type = 'active_session' ) SELECT c.cohort_month, EXTRACT(MONTH FROM age(a.activity_month, c.cohort_month)) AS months_since_signup, COUNT(DISTINCT a.user_id) AS active_users, COUNT(DISTINCT a.user_id)::FLOAT / COUNT(DISTINCT c.user_id) * 100 AS retention_rate FROM cohorts c LEFT JOIN activity a ON c.user_id = a.user_id AND a.activity_month >= c.cohort_month GROUP BY c.cohort_month, EXTRACT(MONTH FROM age(a.activity_month, c.cohort_month)) ORDER BY c.cohort_month, months_since_signup; -- Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) SELECT DATE_TRUNC('month', acquired_date) AS month, SUM(marketing_spend) / NULLIF(COUNT(new_customers), 0) AS cac, SUM(marketing_spend) AS total_spend, COUNT(new_customers) AS customers_acquired FROM ( SELECT DATE_TRUNC('month', u.created_at) AS acquired_date, u.id AS new_customers, m.spend AS marketing_spend FROM users u JOIN marketing_spend m ON DATE_TRUNC('month', u.created_at) = m.month WHERE u.source = 'marketing' ) acquisition GROUP BY DATE_TRUNC('month', acquired_date); ``` ### Python Dashboard Code (Streamlit) ```python import streamlit as st import pandas as pd import plotly.express as px import plotly.graph_objects as go st.set_page_config(page_title="KPI Dashboard", layout="wide") # Header with date filter col1, col2 = st.columns([3, 1]) with col1: st.title("Executive Dashboard") with col2: date_range = st.selectbox( "Period", ["Last 7 Days", "Last 30 Days", "Last Quarter", "YTD"] ) # KPI Cards def metric_card(label, value, delta, prefix="", suffix=""): delta_color = "green" if delta >= 0 else "red" delta_arrow = "▲" if delta >= 0 else "▼" st.metric( label=label, value=f"{prefix}{value:,.0f}{suffix}", delta=f"{delta_arrow} {abs(delta):.1f}%" ) col1, col2, col3, col4 = st.columns(4) with col1: metric_card("Revenue", 2400000, 12.5, prefix="$") with col2: metric_card("Customers", 12450, 15.2) with col3: metric_card("NPS Score", 72, 5.0) with col4: metric_card("Churn Rate", 4.2, -0.8, suffix="%") # Charts col1, col2 = st.columns(2) with col1: st.subheader("Revenue Trend") revenue_data = pd.DataFrame({ 'Month': pd.date_range('2024-01-01', periods=12, freq='M'), 'Revenue': [180000, 195000, 210000, 225000, 240000, 255000, 270000, 285000, 300000, 315000, 330000, 345000] }) fig = px.line(revenue_data, x='Month', y='Revenue', line_shape='spline', markers=True) fig.update_layout(height=300) st.plotly_chart(fig, use_container_width=True) with col2: st.subheader("Revenue by Product") product_data = pd.DataFrame({ 'Product': ['Enterprise', 'Professional', 'Starter', 'Other'], 'Revenue': [45, 32, 18, 5] }) fig = px.pie(product_data, values='Revenue', names='Product', hole=0.4) fig.update_layout(height=300) st.plotly_chart(fig, use_container_width=True) # Cohort Heatmap st.subheader("Cohort Retention") cohort_data = pd.DataFrame({ 'Cohort': ['Jan', 'Feb', 'Mar', 'Apr', 'May'], 'M0': [100, 100, 100, 100, 100], 'M1': [85, 87, 84, 86, 88], 'M2': [78, 80, 76, 79, None], 'M3': [72, 74, 70, None, None], 'M4': [68, 70, None, None, None], }) fig = go.Figure(data=go.Heatmap( z=cohort_data.iloc[:, 1:].values, x=['M0', 'M1', 'M2', 'M3', 'M4'], y=cohort_data['Cohort'], colorscale='Blues', text=cohort_data.iloc[:, 1:].values, texttemplate='%{text}%', textfont={"size": 12}, )) fig.update_layout(height=250) st.plotly_chart(fig, use_container_width=True) # Alerts Section st.subheader("Alerts") alerts = [ {"level": "error", "message": "Churn rate exceeded threshold (>5%)"}, {"level": "warning", "message": "Support ticket volume 20% above average"}, ] for alert in alerts: if alert["level"] == "error": st.error(f"🔴 {alert['message']}") elif alert["level"] == "warning": st.warning(f"🟡 {alert['message']}") ``` ## Best Practices ### Do's - **Limit to 5-7 KPIs** - Focus on what matters - **Show context** - Comparisons, trends, targets - **Use consistent colors** - Red=bad, green=good - **Enable drilldown** - From summary to detail - **Update appropriately** - Match metric frequency ### Don'ts - **Don't show vanity metrics** - Focus on actionable data - **Don't overcrowd** - White space aids comprehension - **Don't use 3D charts** - They distort perception - **Don't hide methodology** - Document calculations - **Don't ignore mobile** - Ensure responsive design ## Resources - [Stephen Few's Dashboard Design](https://www.perceptualedge.com/articles/visual_business_intelligence/rules_for_using_color.pdf) - [Edward Tufte's Principles](https://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/) - [Google Data Studio Gallery](https://datastudio.google.com/gallery)

# GitOps Workflow Complete guide to implementing GitOps workflows with ArgoCD and Flux for automated Kubernetes deployments. ## Purpose Implement declarative, Git-based continuous delivery for Kubernetes using ArgoCD or Flux CD, following OpenGitOps principles. ## When to Use This Skill - Set up GitOps for Kubernetes clusters - Automate application deployments from Git - Implement progressive delivery strategies - Manage multi-cluster deployments - Configure automated sync policies - Set up secret management in GitOps ## OpenGitOps Principles 1. **Declarative** - Entire system described declaratively 2. **Versioned and Immutable** - Desired state stored in Git 3. **Pulled Automatically** - Software agents pull desired state 4. **Continuously Reconciled** - Agents reconcile actual vs desired state ## ArgoCD Setup ### 1. Installation ```bash # Create namespace kubectl create namespace argocd # Install ArgoCD kubectl apply -n argocd -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/argoproj/argo-cd/stable/manifests/install.yaml # Get admin password kubectl -n argocd get secret argocd-initial-admin-secret -o jsonpath="{.data.password}" | base64 -d ``` **Reference:** See `references/argocd-setup.md` for detailed setup ### 2. Repository Structure ``` gitops-repo/ ├── apps/ │ ├── production/ │ │ ├── app1/ │ │ │ ├── kustomization.yaml │ │ │ └── deployment.yaml │ │ └── app2/ │ └── staging/ ├── infrastructure/ │ ├── ingress-nginx/ │ ├── cert-manager/ │ └── monitoring/ └── argocd/ ├── applications/ └── projects/ ``` ### 3. Create Application ```yaml # argocd/applications/my-app.yaml apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1 kind: Application metadata: name: my-app namespace: argocd spec: project: default source: repoURL: https://github.com/org/gitops-repo targetRevision: main path: apps/production/my-app destination: server: https://kubernetes.default.svc namespace: production syncPolicy: automated: prune: true selfHeal: true syncOptions: - CreateNamespace=true ``` ### 4. App of Apps Pattern ```yaml apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1 kind: Application metadata: name: applications namespace: argocd spec: project: default source: repoURL: https://github.com/org/gitops-repo targetRevision: main path: argocd/applications destination: server: https://kubernetes.default.svc namespace: argocd syncPolicy: automated: {} ``` ## Flux CD Setup ### 1. Installation ```bash # Install Flux CLI curl -s https://fluxcd.io/install.sh | sudo bash # Bootstrap Flux flux bootstrap github \ --owner=org \ --repository=gitops-repo \ --branch=main \ --path=clusters/production \ --personal ``` ### 2. Create GitRepository ```yaml apiVersion: source.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v1 kind: GitRepository metadata: name: my-app namespace: flux-system spec: interval: 1m url: https://github.com/org/my-app ref: branch: main ``` ### 3. Create Kustomization ```yaml apiVersion: kustomize.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v1 kind: Kustomization metadata: name: my-app namespace: flux-system spec: interval: 5m path: ./deploy prune: true sourceRef: kind: GitRepository name: my-app ``` ## Sync Policies ### Auto-Sync Configuration **ArgoCD:** ```yaml syncPolicy: automated: prune: true # Delete resources not in Git selfHeal: true # Reconcile manual changes allowEmpty: false retry: limit: 5 backoff: duration: 5s factor: 2 maxDuration: 3m ``` **Flux:** ```yaml spec: interval: 1m prune: true wait: true timeout: 5m ``` **Reference:** See `references/sync-policies.md` ## Progressive Delivery ### Canary Deployment with ArgoCD Rollouts ```yaml apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1 kind: Rollout metadata: name: my-app spec: replicas: 5 strategy: canary: steps: - setWeight: 20 - pause: { duration: 1m } - setWeight: 50 - pause: { duration: 2m } - setWeight: 100 ``` ### Blue-Green Deployment ```yaml strategy: blueGreen: activeService: my-app previewService: my-app-preview autoPromotionEnabled: false ``` ## Secret Management ### External Secrets Operator ```yaml apiVersion: external-secrets.io/v1beta1 kind: ExternalSecret metadata: name: db-credentials spec: refreshInterval: 1h secretStoreRef: name: aws-secrets-manager kind: SecretStore target: name: db-credentials data: - secretKey: password remoteRef: key: prod/db/password ``` ### Sealed Secrets ```bash # Encrypt secret kubeseal --format yaml < secret.yaml > sealed-secret.yaml # Commit sealed-secret.yaml to Git ``` ## Best Practices 1. **Use separate repos or branches** for different environments 2. **Implement RBAC** for Git repositories 3. **Enable notifications** for sync failures 4. **Use health checks** for custom resources 5. **Implement approval gates** for production 6. **Keep secrets out of Git** (use External Secrets) 7. **Use App of Apps pattern** for organization 8. **Tag releases** for easy rollback 9. **Monitor sync status** with alerts 10. **Test changes** in staging first ## Troubleshooting **Sync failures:** ```bash argocd app get my-app argocd app sync my-app --prune ``` **Out of sync status:** ```bash argocd app diff my-app argocd app sync my-app --force ``` ## Related Skills - `k8s-manifest-generator` - For creating manifests - `helm-chart-scaffolding` - For packaging applications

# Helm Chart Scaffolding Comprehensive guidance for creating, organizing, and managing Helm charts for packaging and deploying Kubernetes applications. ## Purpose This skill provides step-by-step instructions for building production-ready Helm charts, including chart structure, templating patterns, values management, and validation strategies. ## When to Use This Skill Use this skill when you need to: - Create new Helm charts from scratch - Package Kubernetes applications for distribution - Manage multi-environment deployments with Helm - Implement templating for reusable Kubernetes manifests - Set up Helm chart repositories - Follow Helm best practices and conventions ## Helm Overview **Helm** is the package manager for Kubernetes that: - Templates Kubernetes manifests for reusability - Manages application releases and rollbacks - Handles dependencies between charts - Provides version control for deployments - Simplifies configuration management across environments ## Step-by-Step Workflow ### 1. Initialize Chart Structure **Create new chart:** ```bash helm create my-app ``` **Standard chart structure:** ``` my-app/ ├── Chart.yaml # Chart metadata ├── values.yaml # Default configuration values ├── charts/ # Chart dependencies ├── templates/ # Kubernetes manifest templates │ ├── NOTES.txt # Post-install notes │ ├── _helpers.tpl # Template helpers │ ├── deployment.yaml │ ├── service.yaml │ ├── ingress.yaml │ ├── serviceaccount.yaml │ ├── hpa.yaml │ └── tests/ │ └── test-connection.yaml └── .helmignore # Files to ignore ``` ### 2. Configure Chart.yaml **Chart metadata defines the package:** ```yaml apiVersion: v2 name: my-app description: A Helm chart for My Application type: application version: 1.0.0 # Chart version appVersion: "2.1.0" # Application version # Keywords for chart discovery keywords: - web - api - backend # Maintainer information maintainers: - name: DevOps Team email: devops@example.com url: https://github.com/example/my-app # Source code repository sources: - https://github.com/example/my-app # Homepage home: https://example.com # Chart icon icon: https://example.com/icon.png # Dependencies dependencies: - name: postgresql version: "12.0.0" repository: "https://charts.bitnami.com/bitnami" condition: postgresql.enabled - name: redis version: "17.0.0" repository: "https://charts.bitnami.com/bitnami" condition: redis.enabled ``` **Reference:** See `assets/Chart.yaml.template` for complete example ### 3. Design values.yaml Structure **Organize values hierarchically:** ```yaml # Image configuration image: repository: myapp tag: "1.0.0" pullPolicy: IfNotPresent # Number of replicas replicaCount: 3 # Service configuration service: type: ClusterIP port: 80 targetPort: 8080 # Ingress configuration ingress: enabled: false className: nginx hosts: - host: app.example.com paths: - path: / pathType: Prefix # Resources resources: requests: memory: "256Mi" cpu: "250m" limits: memory: "512Mi" cpu: "500m" # Autoscaling autoscaling: enabled: false minReplicas: 2 maxReplicas: 10 targetCPUUtilizationPercentage: 80 # Environment variables env: - name: LOG_LEVEL value: "info" # ConfigMap data configMap: data: APP_MODE: production # Dependencies postgresql: enabled: true auth: database: myapp username: myapp redis: enabled: false ``` **Reference:** See `assets/values.yaml.template` for complete structure ### 4. Create Template Files **Use Go templating with Helm functions:** **templates/deployment.yaml:** ```yaml apiVersion: apps/v1 kind: Deployment metadata: name: {{ include "my-app.fullname" . }} labels: {{- include "my-app.labels" . | nindent 4 }} spec: {{- if not .Values.autoscaling.enabled }} replicas: {{ .Values.replicaCount }} {{- end }} selector: matchLabels: {{- include "my-app.selectorLabels" . | nindent 6 }} template: metadata: labels: {{- include "my-app.selectorLabels" . | nindent 8 }} spec: containers: - name: {{ .Chart.Name }} image: "{{ .Values.image.repository }}:{{ .Values.image.tag | default .Chart.AppVersion }}" imagePullPolicy: {{ .Values.image.pullPolicy }} ports: - name: http containerPort: {{ .Values.service.targetPort }} resources: {{- toYaml .Values.resources | nindent 12 }} env: {{- toYaml .Values.env | nindent 12 }} ``` ### 5. Create Template Helpers **templates/\_helpers.tpl:** ```yaml {{/* Expand the name of the chart. */}} {{- define "my-app.name" -}} {{- default .Chart.Name .Values.nameOverride | trunc 63 | trimSuffix "-" }} {{- end }} {{/* Create a default fully qualified app name. */}} {{- define "my-app.fullname" -}} {{- if .Values.fullnameOverride }} {{- .Values.fullnameOverride | trunc 63 | trimSuffix "-" }} {{- else }} {{- $name := default .Chart.Name .Values.nameOverride }} {{- if contains $name .Release.Name }} {{- .Release.Name | trunc 63 | trimSuffix "-" }} {{- else }} {{- printf "%s-%s" .Release.Name $name | trunc 63 | trimSuffix "-" }} {{- end }} {{- end }} {{- end }} {{/* Common labels */}} {{- define "my-app.labels" -}} helm.sh/chart: {{ include "my-app.chart" . }} {{ include "my-app.selectorLabels" . }} {{- if .Chart.AppVersion }} app.kubernetes.io/version: {{ .Chart.AppVersion | quote }} {{- end }} app.kubernetes.io/managed-by: {{ .Release.Service }} {{- end }} {{/* Selector labels */}} {{- define "my-app.selectorLabels" -}} app.kubernetes.io/name: {{ include "my-app.name" . }} app.kubernetes.io/instance: {{ .Release.Name }} {{- end }} ``` ### 6. Manage Dependencies **Add dependencies in Chart.yaml:** ```yaml dependencies: - name: postgresql version: "12.0.0" repository: "https://charts.bitnami.com/bitnami" condition: postgresql.enabled ``` **Update dependencies:** ```bash helm dependency update helm dependency build ``` **Override dependency values:** ```yaml # values.yaml postgresql: enabled: true auth: database: myapp username: myapp password: changeme primary: persistence: enabled: true size: 10Gi ``` ### 7. Test and Validate **Validation commands:** ```bash # Lint the chart helm lint my-app/ # Dry-run installation helm install my-app ./my-app --dry-run --debug # Template rendering helm template my-app ./my-app # Template with values helm template my-app ./my-app -f values-prod.yaml # Show computed values helm show values ./my-app ``` **Validation script:** ```bash #!/bin/bash set -e echo "Linting chart..." helm lint . echo "Testing template rendering..." helm template test-release . --dry-run echo "Checking for required values..." helm template test-release . --validate echo "All validations passed!" ``` **Reference:** See `scripts/validate-chart.sh` ### 8. Package and Distribute **Package the chart:** ```bash helm package my-app/ # Creates: my-app-1.0.0.tgz ``` **Create chart repository:** ```bash # Create index helm repo index . # Upload to repository # AWS S3 example aws s3 sync . s3://my-helm-charts/ --exclude "*" --include "*.tgz" --include "index.yaml" ``` **Use the chart:** ```bash helm repo add my-repo https://charts.example.com helm repo update helm install my-app my-repo/my-app ``` ### 9. Multi-Environment Configuration **Environment-specific values files:** ``` my-app/ ├── values.yaml # Defaults ├── values-dev.yaml # Development ├── values-staging.yaml # Staging └── values-prod.yaml # Production ``` **values-prod.yaml:** ```yaml replicaCount: 5 image: tag: "2.1.0" resources: requests: memory: "512Mi" cpu: "500m" limits: memory: "1Gi" cpu: "1000m" autoscaling: enabled: true minReplicas: 3 maxReplicas: 20 ingress: enabled: true hosts: - host: app.example.com paths: - path: / pathType: Prefix postgresql: enabled: true primary: persistence: size: 100Gi ``` **Install with environment:** ```bash helm install my-app ./my-app -f values-prod.yaml --namespace production ``` ### 10. Implement Hooks and Tests **Pre-install hook:** ```yaml # templates/pre-install-job.yaml apiVersion: batch/v1 kind: Job metadata: name: {{ include "my-app.fullname" . }}-db-setup annotations: "helm.sh/hook": pre-install "helm.sh/hook-weight": "-5" "helm.sh/hook-delete-policy": hook-succeeded spec: template: spec: containers: - name: db-setup image: postgres:15 command: ["psql", "-c", "CREATE DATABASE myapp"] restartPolicy: Never ``` **Test connection:** ```yaml # templates/tests/test-connection.yaml apiVersion: v1 kind: Pod metadata: name: "{{ include "my-app.fullname" . }}-test-connection" annotations: "helm.sh/hook": test spec: containers: - name: wget image: busybox command: ['wget'] args: ['{{ include "my-app.fullname" . }}:{{ .Values.service.port }}'] restartPolicy: Never ``` **Run tests:** ```bash helm test my-app ``` ## Common Patterns ### Pattern 1: Conditional Resources ```yaml {{- if .Values.ingress.enabled }} apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1 kind: Ingress metadata: name: {{ include "my-app.fullname" . }} spec: # ... {{- end }} ``` ### Pattern 2: Iterating Over Lists ```yaml env: {{- range .Values.env }} - name: {{ .name }} value: {{ .value | quote }} {{- end }} ``` ### Pattern 3: Including Files ```yaml data: config.yaml: | {{- .Files.Get "config/application.yaml" | nindent 4 }} ``` ### Pattern 4: Global Values ```yaml global: imageRegistry: docker.io imagePullSecrets: - name: regcred # Use in templates: image: {{ .Values.global.imageRegistry }}/{{ .Values.image.repository }} ``` ## Best Practices 1. **Use semantic versioning** for chart and app versions 2. **Document all values** in values.yaml with comments 3. **Use template helpers** for repeated logic 4. **Validate charts** before packaging 5. **Pin dependency versions** explicitly 6. **Use conditions** for optional resources 7. **Follow naming conventions** (lowercase, hyphens) 8. **Include NOTES.txt** with usage instructions 9. **Add labels** consistently using helpers 10. **Test installations** in all environments ## Troubleshooting **Template rendering errors:** ```bash helm template my-app ./my-app --debug ``` **Dependency issues:** ```bash helm dependency update helm dependency list ``` **Installation failures:** ```bash helm install my-app ./my-app --dry-run --debug kubectl get events --sort-by='.lastTimestamp' ``` ## Reference Files - `assets/Chart.yaml.template` - Chart metadata template - `assets/values.yaml.template` - Values structure template - `scripts/validate-chart.sh` - Validation script - `references/chart-structure.md` - Detailed chart organization ## Related Skills - `k8s-manifest-generator` - For creating base Kubernetes manifests - `gitops-workflow` - For automated Helm chart deployments

# Kubernetes Manifest Generator Step-by-step guidance for creating production-ready Kubernetes manifests including Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps, Secrets, and PersistentVolumeClaims. ## Purpose This skill provides comprehensive guidance for generating well-structured, secure, and production-ready Kubernetes manifests following cloud-native best practices and Kubernetes conventions. ## When to Use This Skill Use this skill when you need to: - Create new Kubernetes Deployment manifests - Define Service resources for network connectivity - Generate ConfigMap and Secret resources for configuration management - Create PersistentVolumeClaim manifests for stateful workloads - Follow Kubernetes best practices and naming conventions - Implement resource limits, health checks, and security contexts - Design manifests for multi-environment deployments ## Step-by-Step Workflow ### 1. Gather Requirements **Understand the workload:** - Application type (stateless/stateful) - Container image and version - Environment variables and configuration needs - Storage requirements - Network exposure requirements (internal/external) - Resource requirements (CPU, memory) - Scaling requirements - Health check endpoints **Questions to ask:** - What is the application name and purpose? - What container image and tag will be used? - Does the application need persistent storage? - What ports does the application expose? - Are there any secrets or configuration files needed? - What are the CPU and memory requirements? - Does the application need to be exposed externally? ### 2. Create Deployment Manifest **Follow this structure:** ```yaml apiVersion: apps/v1 kind: Deployment metadata: name: <app-name> namespace: <namespace> labels: app: <app-name> version: <version> spec: replicas: 3 selector: matchLabels: app: <app-name> template: metadata: labels: app: <app-name> version: <version> spec: containers: - name: <container-name> image: <image>:<tag> ports: - containerPort: <port> name: http resources: requests: memory: "256Mi" cpu: "250m" limits: memory: "512Mi" cpu: "500m" livenessProbe: httpGet: path: /health port: http initialDelaySeconds: 30 periodSeconds: 10 readinessProbe: httpGet: path: /ready port: http initialDelaySeconds: 5 periodSeconds: 5 env: - name: ENV_VAR value: "value" envFrom: - configMapRef: name: <app-name>-config - secretRef: name: <app-name>-secret ``` **Best practices to apply:** - Always set resource requests and limits - Implement both liveness and readiness probes - Use specific image tags (never `:latest`) - Apply security context for non-root users - Use labels for organization and selection - Set appropriate replica count based on availability needs **Reference:** See `references/deployment-spec.md` for detailed deployment options ### 3. Create Service Manifest **Choose the appropriate Service type:** **ClusterIP (internal only):** ```yaml apiVersion: v1 kind: Service metadata: name: <app-name> namespace: <namespace> labels: app: <app-name> spec: type: ClusterIP selector: app: <app-name> ports: - name: http port: 80 targetPort: 8080 protocol: TCP ``` **LoadBalancer (external access):** ```yaml apiVersion: v1 kind: Service metadata: name: <app-name> namespace: <namespace> labels: app: <app-name> annotations: service.beta.kubernetes.io/aws-load-balancer-type: nlb spec: type: LoadBalancer selector: app: <app-name> ports: - name: http port: 80 targetPort: 8080 protocol: TCP ``` **Reference:** See `references/service-spec.md` for service types and networking ### 4. Create ConfigMap **For application configuration:** ```yaml apiVersion: v1 kind: ConfigMap metadata: name: <app-name>-config namespace: <namespace> data: APP_MODE: production LOG_LEVEL: info DATABASE_HOST: db.example.com # For config files app.properties: | server.port=8080 server.host=0.0.0.0 logging.level=INFO ``` **Best practices:** - Use ConfigMaps for non-sensitive data only - Organize related configuration together - Use meaningful names for keys - Consider using one ConfigMap per component - Version ConfigMaps when making changes **Reference:** See `assets/configmap-template.yaml` for examples ### 5. Create Secret **For sensitive data:** ```yaml apiVersion: v1 kind: Secret metadata: name: <app-name>-secret namespace: <namespace> type: Opaque stringData: DATABASE_PASSWORD: "changeme" API_KEY: "secret-api-key" # For certificate files tls.crt: | -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- ... -----END CERTIFICATE----- tls.key: | -----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY----- ... -----END PRIVATE KEY----- ``` **Security considerations:** - Never commit secrets to Git in plain text - Use Sealed Secrets, External Secrets Operator, or Vault - Rotate secrets regularly - Use RBAC to limit secret access - Consider using Secret type: `kubernetes.io/tls` for TLS secrets ### 6. Create PersistentVolumeClaim (if needed) **For stateful applications:** ```yaml apiVersion: v1 kind: PersistentVolumeClaim metadata: name: <app-name>-data namespace: <namespace> spec: accessModes: - ReadWriteOnce storageClassName: gp3 resources: requests: storage: 10Gi ``` **Mount in Deployment:** ```yaml spec: template: spec: containers: - name: app volumeMounts: - name: data mountPath: /var/lib/app volumes: - name: data persistentVolumeClaim: claimName: <app-name>-data ``` **Storage considerations:** - Choose appropriate StorageClass for performance needs - Use ReadWriteOnce for single-pod access - Use ReadWriteMany for multi-pod shared storage - Consider backup strategies - Set appropriate retention policies ### 7. Apply Security Best Practices **Add security context to Deployment:** ```yaml spec: template: spec: securityContext: runAsNonRoot: true runAsUser: 1000 fsGroup: 1000 seccompProfile: type: RuntimeDefault containers: - name: app securityContext: allowPrivilegeEscalation: false readOnlyRootFilesystem: true capabilities: drop: - ALL ``` **Security checklist:** - [ ] Run as non-root user - [ ] Drop all capabilities - [ ] Use read-only root filesystem - [ ] Disable privilege escalation - [ ] Set seccomp profile - [ ] Use Pod Security Standards ### 8. Add Labels and Annotations **Standard labels (recommended):** ```yaml metadata: labels: app.kubernetes.io/name: <app-name> app.kubernetes.io/instance: <instance-name> app.kubernetes.io/version: "1.0.0" app.kubernetes.io/component: backend app.kubernetes.io/part-of: <system-name> app.kubernetes.io/managed-by: kubectl ``` **Useful annotations:** ```yaml metadata: annotations: description: "Application description" contact: "team@example.com" prometheus.io/scrape: "true" prometheus.io/port: "9090" prometheus.io/path: "/metrics" ``` ### 9. Organize Multi-Resource Manifests **File organization options:** **Option 1: Single file with `---` separator** ```yaml # app-name.yaml --- apiVersion: v1 kind: ConfigMap ... --- apiVersion: v1 kind: Secret ... --- apiVersion: apps/v1 kind: Deployment ... --- apiVersion: v1 kind: Service ... ``` **Option 2: Separate files** ``` manifests/ ├── configmap.yaml ├── secret.yaml ├── deployment.yaml ├── service.yaml └── pvc.yaml ``` **Option 3: Kustomize structure** ``` base/ ├── kustomization.yaml ├── deployment.yaml ├── service.yaml └── configmap.yaml overlays/ ├── dev/ │ └── kustomization.yaml └── prod/ └── kustomization.yaml ``` ### 10. Validate and Test **Validation steps:** ```bash # Dry-run validation kubectl apply -f manifest.yaml --dry-run=client # Server-side validation kubectl apply -f manifest.yaml --dry-run=server # Validate with kubeval kubeval manifest.yaml # Validate with kube-score kube-score score manifest.yaml # Check with kube-linter kube-linter lint manifest.yaml ``` **Testing checklist:** - [ ] Manifest passes dry-run validation - [ ] All required fields are present - [ ] Resource limits are reasonable - [ ] Health checks are configured - [ ] Security context is set - [ ] Labels follow conventions - [ ] Namespace exists or is created ## Common Patterns ### Pattern 1: Simple Stateless Web Application **Use case:** Standard web API or microservice **Components needed:** - Deployment (3 replicas for HA) - ClusterIP Service - ConfigMap for configuration - Secret for API keys - HorizontalPodAutoscaler (optional) **Reference:** See `assets/deployment-template.yaml` ### Pattern 2: Stateful Database Application **Use case:** Database or persistent storage application **Components needed:** - StatefulSet (not Deployment) - Headless Service - PersistentVolumeClaim template - ConfigMap for DB configuration - Secret for credentials ### Pattern 3: Background Job or Cron **Use case:** Scheduled tasks or batch processing **Components needed:** - CronJob or Job - ConfigMap for job parameters - Secret for credentials - ServiceAccount with RBAC ### Pattern 4: Multi-Container Pod **Use case:** Application with sidecar containers **Components needed:** - Deployment with multiple containers - Shared volumes between containers - Init containers for setup - Service (if needed) ## Templates The following templates are available in the `assets/` directory: - `deployment-template.yaml` - Standard deployment with best practices - `service-template.yaml` - Service configurations (ClusterIP, LoadBalancer, NodePort) - `configmap-template.yaml` - ConfigMap examples with different data types - `secret-template.yaml` - Secret examples (to be generated, not committed) - `pvc-template.yaml` - PersistentVolumeClaim templates ## Reference Documentation - `references/deployment-spec.md` - Detailed Deployment specification - `references/service-spec.md` - Service types and networking details ## Best Practices Summary 1. **Always set resource requests and limits** - Prevents resource starvation 2. **Implement health checks** - Ensures Kubernetes can manage your application 3. **Use specific image tags** - Avoid unpredictable deployments 4. **Apply security contexts** - Run as non-root, drop capabilities 5. **Use ConfigMaps and Secrets** - Separate config from code 6. **Label everything** - Enables filtering and organization 7. **Follow naming conventions** - Use standard Kubernetes labels 8. **Validate before applying** - Use dry-run and validation tools 9. **Version your manifests** - Keep in Git with version control 10. **Document with annotations** - Add context for other developers ## Troubleshooting **Pods not starting:** - Check image pull errors: `kubectl describe pod <pod-name>` - Verify resource availability: `kubectl get nodes` - Check events: `kubectl get events --sort-by='.lastTimestamp'` **Service not accessible:** - Verify selector matches pod labels: `kubectl get endpoints <service-name>` - Check service type and port configuration - Test from within cluster: `kubectl run debug --rm -it --image=busybox -- sh` **ConfigMap/Secret not loading:** - Verify names match in Deployment - Check namespace - Ensure resources exist: `kubectl get configmap,secret` ## Next Steps After creating manifests: 1. Store in Git repository 2. Set up CI/CD pipeline for deployment 3. Consider using Helm or Kustomize for templating 4. Implement GitOps with ArgoCD or Flux 5. Add monitoring and observability ## Related Skills - `helm-chart-scaffolding` - For templating and packaging - `gitops-workflow` - For automated deployments - `k8s-security-policies` - For advanced security configurations

# Startup Metrics Framework Comprehensive guide to tracking, calculating, and optimizing key performance metrics for different startup business models from seed through Series A. ## Overview Track the right metrics at the right stage. Focus on unit economics, growth efficiency, and cash management metrics that matter for fundraising and operational excellence. ## Universal Startup Metrics ### Revenue Metrics **MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)** ``` MRR = Σ (Active Subscriptions × Monthly Price) ``` **ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue)** ``` ARR = MRR × 12 ``` **Growth Rate** ``` MoM Growth = (This Month MRR - Last Month MRR) / Last Month MRR YoY Growth = (This Year ARR - Last Year ARR) / Last Year ARR ``` **Target Benchmarks:** - Seed stage: 15-20% MoM growth - Series A: 10-15% MoM growth, 3-5x YoY - Series B+: 100%+ YoY (Rule of 40) ### Unit Economics **CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)** ``` CAC = Total S&M Spend / New Customers Acquired ``` Include: Sales salaries, marketing spend, tools, overhead **LTV (Lifetime Value)** ``` LTV = ARPU × Gross Margin% × (1 / Churn Rate) ``` Simplified: ``` LTV = ARPU × Average Customer Lifetime × Gross Margin% ``` **LTV:CAC Ratio** ``` LTV:CAC = LTV / CAC ``` **Benchmarks:** - LTV:CAC > 3.0 = Healthy - LTV:CAC 1.0-3.0 = Needs improvement - LTV:CAC < 1.0 = Unsustainable **CAC Payback Period** ``` CAC Payback = CAC / (ARPU × Gross Margin%) ``` **Benchmarks:** - < 12 months = Excellent - 12-18 months = Good - > 24 months = Concerning ### Cash Efficiency Metrics **Burn Rate** ``` Monthly Burn = Monthly Revenue - Monthly Expenses ``` Negative burn = losing money (typical early-stage) **Runway** ``` Runway (months) = Cash Balance / Monthly Burn Rate ``` **Target:** Always maintain 12-18 months runway **Burn Multiple** ``` Burn Multiple = Net Burn / Net New ARR ``` **Benchmarks:** - < 1.0 = Exceptional efficiency - 1.0-1.5 = Good - 1.5-2.0 = Acceptable - > 2.0 = Inefficient Lower is better (spending less to generate ARR) ## SaaS Metrics ### Revenue Composition **New MRR** New customers × ARPU **Expansion MRR** Upsells and cross-sells from existing customers **Contraction MRR** Downgrades from existing customers **Churned MRR** Lost customers **Net New MRR Formula:** ``` Net New MRR = New MRR + Expansion MRR - Contraction MRR - Churned MRR ``` ### Retention Metrics **Logo Retention** ``` Logo Retention = (Customers End - New Customers) / Customers Start ``` **Dollar Retention (NDR - Net Dollar Retention)** ``` NDR = (ARR Start + Expansion - Contraction - Churn) / ARR Start ``` **Benchmarks:** - NDR > 120% = Best-in-class - NDR 100-120% = Good - NDR < 100% = Needs work **Gross Retention** ``` Gross Retention = (ARR Start - Churn - Contraction) / ARR Start ``` **Benchmarks:** - > 90% = Excellent - 85-90% = Good - < 85% = Concerning ### SaaS-Specific Metrics **Magic Number** ``` Magic Number = Net New ARR (quarter) / S&M Spend (prior quarter) ``` **Benchmarks:** - > 0.75 = Efficient, ready to scale - 0.5-0.75 = Moderate efficiency - < 0.5 = Inefficient, don't scale yet **Rule of 40** ``` Rule of 40 = Revenue Growth Rate% + Profit Margin% ``` **Benchmarks:** - > 40% = Excellent - 20-40% = Acceptable - < 20% = Needs improvement **Example:** 50% growth + (10%) margin = 40% ✓ **Quick Ratio** ``` Quick Ratio = (New MRR + Expansion MRR) / (Churned MRR + Contraction MRR) ``` **Benchmarks:** - > 4.0 = Healthy growth - 2.0-4.0 = Moderate - < 2.0 = Churn problem ## Marketplace Metrics ### GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) **Total Transaction Volume:** ``` GMV = Σ (Transaction Value) ``` **Growth Rate:** ``` GMV Growth Rate = (Current Period GMV - Prior Period GMV) / Prior Period GMV ``` **Target:** 20%+ MoM early-stage ### Take Rate ``` Take Rate = Net Revenue / GMV ``` **Typical Ranges:** - Payment processors: 2-3% - E-commerce marketplaces: 10-20% - Service marketplaces: 15-25% - High-value B2B: 5-15% ### Marketplace Liquidity **Time to Transaction** How long from listing to sale/match? **Fill Rate** % of requests that result in transaction **Repeat Rate** % of users who transact multiple times **Benchmarks:** - Fill rate > 80% = Strong liquidity - Repeat rate > 60% = Strong retention ### Marketplace Balance **Supply/Demand Ratio:** Track relative growth of supply and demand sides. **Warning Signs:** - Too much supply: Low fill rates, frustrated suppliers - Too much demand: Long wait times, frustrated customers **Goal:** Balanced growth (1:1 ratio ideal, but varies by model) ## Consumer/Mobile Metrics ### Engagement Metrics **DAU (Daily Active Users)** Unique users active each day **MAU (Monthly Active Users)** Unique users active each month **DAU/MAU Ratio** ``` DAU/MAU = DAU / MAU ``` **Benchmarks:** - > 50% = Exceptional (daily habit) - 20-50% = Good - < 20% = Weak engagement **Session Frequency** Average sessions per user per day/week **Session Duration** Average time spent per session ### Retention Curves **Day 1 Retention:** % users who return next day **Day 7 Retention:** % users active 7 days after signup **Day 30 Retention:** % users active 30 days after signup **Benchmarks (Day 30):** - > 40% = Excellent - 25-40% = Good - < 25% = Weak **Retention Curve Shape:** - Flattening curve = good (users becoming habitual) - Steep decline = poor product-market fit ### Viral Coefficient (K-Factor) ``` K-Factor = Invites per User × Invite Conversion Rate ``` **Example:** 10 invites/user × 20% conversion = 2.0 K-factor **Benchmarks:** - K > 1.0 = Viral growth - K = 0.5-1.0 = Strong referrals - K < 0.5 = Weak virality ## B2B Metrics ### Sales Efficiency **Win Rate** ``` Win Rate = Deals Won / Total Opportunities ``` **Target:** 20-30% for new sales team, 30-40% mature **Sales Cycle Length** Average days from opportunity to close **Shorter is better:** - SMB: 30-60 days - Mid-market: 60-120 days - Enterprise: 120-270 days **Average Contract Value (ACV)** ``` ACV = Total Contract Value / Contract Length (years) ``` ### Pipeline Metrics **Pipeline Coverage** ``` Pipeline Coverage = Total Pipeline Value / Quota ``` **Target:** 3-5x coverage (3-5x pipeline needed to hit quota) **Conversion Rates by Stage:** - Lead → Opportunity: 10-20% - Opportunity → Demo: 50-70% - Demo → Proposal: 30-50% - Proposal → Close: 20-40% ## Metrics by Stage ### Pre-Seed (Product-Market Fit) **Focus Metrics:** 1. Active users growth 2. User retention (Day 7, Day 30) 3. Core engagement (sessions, features used) 4. Qualitative feedback (NPS, interviews) **Don't worry about:** - Revenue (may be zero) - CAC (not optimizing yet) - Unit economics ### Seed ($500K-$2M ARR) **Focus Metrics:** 1. MRR growth rate (15-20% MoM) 2. CAC and LTV (establish baseline) 3. Gross retention (> 85%) 4. Core product engagement **Start tracking:** - Sales efficiency - Burn rate and runway ### Series A ($2M-$10M ARR) **Focus Metrics:** 1. ARR growth (3-5x YoY) 2. Unit economics (LTV:CAC > 3, payback < 18 months) 3. Net dollar retention (> 100%) 4. Burn multiple (< 2.0) 5. Magic number (> 0.5) **Mature tracking:** - Rule of 40 - Sales efficiency - Pipeline coverage ## Metric Tracking Best Practices ### Data Infrastructure **Requirements:** - Single source of truth (analytics platform) - Real-time or daily updates - Automated calculations - Historical tracking **Tools:** - Mixpanel, Amplitude (product analytics) - ChartMogul, Baremetrics (SaaS metrics) - Looker, Tableau (BI dashboards) ### Reporting Cadence **Daily:** - MRR, active users - Sign-ups, conversions **Weekly:** - Growth rates - Retention cohorts - Sales pipeline **Monthly:** - Full metric suite - Board reporting - Investor updates **Quarterly:** - Trend analysis - Benchmarking - Strategy review ### Common Mistakes **Mistake 1: Vanity Metrics** Don't focus on: - Total users (without retention) - Page views (without engagement) - Downloads (without activation) Focus on actionable metrics tied to value. **Mistake 2: Too Many Metrics** Track 5-7 core metrics intensely, not 50 loosely. **Mistake 3: Ignoring Unit Economics** CAC and LTV are critical even at seed stage. **Mistake 4: Not Segmenting** Break down metrics by customer segment, channel, cohort. **Mistake 5: Gaming Metrics** Optimize for real business outcomes, not dashboard numbers. ## Investor Metrics ### What VCs Want to See **Seed Round:** - MRR growth rate - User retention - Early unit economics - Product engagement **Series A:** - ARR and growth rate - CAC payback < 18 months - LTV:CAC > 3.0 - Net dollar retention > 100% - Burn multiple < 2.0 **Series B+:** - Rule of 40 > 40% - Efficient growth (magic number) - Path to profitability - Market leadership metrics ### Metric Presentation **Dashboard Format:** ``` Current MRR: $250K (↑ 18% MoM) ARR: $3.0M (↑ 280% YoY) CAC: $1,200 | LTV: $4,800 | LTV:CAC = 4.0x NDR: 112% | Logo Retention: 92% Burn: $180K/mo | Runway: 18 months ``` **Include:** - Current value - Growth rate or trend - Context (target, benchmark) ## Additional Resources ### Reference Files - **`references/metric-definitions.md`** - Complete definitions and formulas for 50+ metrics - **`references/benchmarks-by-stage.md`** - Target ranges for each metric by company stage - **`references/calculation-examples.md`** - Step-by-step calculation examples ### Example Files - **`examples/saas-metrics-dashboard.md`** - Complete metrics suite for B2B SaaS company - **`examples/marketplace-metrics.md`** - Marketplace-specific metrics with examples - **`examples/investor-metrics-deck.md`** - How to present metrics for fundraising ## Quick Start To implement startup metrics framework: 1. **Identify business model** - SaaS, marketplace, consumer, B2B 2. **Choose 5-7 core metrics** - Based on stage and model 3. **Establish tracking** - Set up analytics and dashboards 4. **Calculate unit economics** - CAC, LTV, payback 5. **Set targets** - Use benchmarks for goals 6. **Review regularly** - Weekly for core metrics 7. **Share with team** - Align on goals and progress 8. **Update investors** - Monthly/quarterly reporting For detailed definitions, benchmarks, and examples, see `references/` and `examples/`.

# Team Composition Analysis Design optimal team structures, hiring plans, compensation strategies, and equity allocation for early-stage startups from pre-seed through Series A. ## Overview Build the right team at the right time with appropriate compensation and equity. Plan role-by-role hiring aligned with revenue milestones, budget constraints, and market benchmarks. ## Team Structure by Stage ### Pre-Seed (0-$500K ARR) **Team Size: 2-5 people** **Core Roles:** - Founders (2-3): Product, engineering, business - First engineer (if needed) - Contract roles: Design, marketing **Focus:** Build and validate product-market fit ### Seed ($500K-$2M ARR) **Team Size: 5-15 people** **Key Hires:** - Engineering lead + 2-3 engineers - First sales/business development - Product manager - Marketing/growth lead **Focus:** Scale product and prove repeatable sales ### Series A ($2M-$10M ARR) **Team Size: 15-50 people** **Department Build-Out:** - Engineering (40%): 6-20 people - Sales & Marketing (30%): 5-15 people - Customer Success (10%): 2-5 people - G&A (10%): 2-5 people - Product (10%): 2-5 people **Focus:** Scale revenue and build repeatable processes ## Role-by-Role Planning ### Engineering Team **Pre-Seed:** - Founders write code - 0-1 contract developers **Seed:** - Engineering Lead (first $150K-$180K) - 2-3 Full-Stack Engineers ($120K-$150K) - 1 Frontend or Backend Specialist ($130K-$160K) **Series A:** - VP Engineering ($180K-$250K + equity) - 2-3 Senior Engineers ($150K-$180K) - 3-5 Mid-Level Engineers ($120K-$150K) - 1-2 Junior Engineers ($90K-$120K) - 1 DevOps/Infrastructure ($140K-$170K) ### Sales & Marketing **Pre-Seed:** - Founders do sales - Contract marketing help **Seed:** - First Sales Hire / Head of Sales ($120K-$150K + commission) - Marketing/Growth Lead ($100K-$140K) - SDR or BDR (if B2B) ($50K-$70K + commission) **Series A:** - VP Sales ($150K-$200K + commission + equity) - 3-5 Account Executives ($80K-$120K + commission) - 2-3 SDRs/BDRs ($50K-$70K + commission) - Marketing Manager ($90K-$130K) - Content/Demand Gen ($70K-$100K) ### Product Team **Pre-Seed:** - Founder as product lead **Seed:** - First Product Manager ($120K-$150K) - Contract designer **Series A:** - Head of Product ($150K-$180K) - 1-2 Product Managers ($120K-$150K) - Product Designer ($100K-$140K) - UX Researcher (optional) ($90K-$130K) ### Customer Success **Pre-Seed:** - Founders handle support **Seed:** - First CS hire (optional) ($60K-$90K) **Series A:** - CS Manager ($100K-$130K) - 2-4 CS Representatives ($60K-$90K) - Support Engineer (technical) ($80K-$120K) ### G&A (General & Administrative) **Pre-Seed:** - Contractors (accounting, legal) **Seed:** - Operations/Office Manager ($70K-$100K) - Contract CFO **Series A:** - CFO or Finance Lead ($150K-$200K) - Recruiter ($80K-$120K) - Office Manager / EA ($60K-$90K) ## Compensation Strategy ### Base Salary Benchmarks (US, 2024) **Engineering:** - Junior: $90K-$120K - Mid-Level: $120K-$150K - Senior: $150K-$180K - Staff/Principal: $180K-$220K - Engineering Manager: $160K-$200K - VP Engineering: $180K-$250K **Sales:** - SDR/BDR: $50K-$70K base + $50K-$70K commission - Account Executive: $80K-$120K base + $80K-$120K commission - Sales Manager: $120K-$160K base + $80K-$120K commission - VP Sales: $150K-$200K base + $150K-$200K commission **Product:** - Product Manager: $120K-$150K - Senior PM: $150K-$180K - Head of Product: $150K-$180K - VP Product: $180K-$220K **Marketing:** - Marketing Manager: $90K-$130K - Content/Demand Gen: $70K-$100K - Head of Marketing: $130K-$170K - VP Marketing: $150K-$200K **Customer Success:** - CS Representative: $60K-$90K - CS Manager: $100K-$130K - VP Customer Success: $140K-$180K ### Total Compensation Formula ``` Total Comp = Base Salary × 1.30 (benefits & taxes) + Equity Value ``` **Fully-Loaded Cost:** - Base salary - Payroll taxes (7.65% FICA) - Benefits (health insurance, 401k): $10K-$15K per employee - Other (workspace, equipment, software): $5K-$10K per employee **Rule of Thumb:** Multiply base salary by 1.3-1.4 for fully-loaded cost ### Geographic Adjustments **San Francisco / New York:** +20-30% above benchmarks **Seattle / Boston / Los Angeles:** +10-20% **Austin / Denver / Chicago:** +0-10% **Remote / Other US Cities:** -10-20% **International:** Varies widely by country ## Equity Allocation ### Equity by Role and Stage **Founders:** - First founder: 40-60% - Second founder: 20-40% - Third founder: 10-20% - Vesting: 4 years with 1-year cliff **Early Employees (Pre-Seed):** - First engineer: 0.5-2.0% - First 5 employees: 0.25-1.0% each **Seed Stage Hires:** - VP/Head level: 0.5-1.5% - Senior IC: 0.1-0.5% - Mid-level: 0.05-0.25% - Junior: 0.01-0.1% **Series A Hires:** - C-level (CTO, CFO): 1.0-3.0% - VP level: 0.3-1.0% - Director level: 0.1-0.5% - Senior IC: 0.05-0.2% - Mid-level: 0.01-0.1% - Junior: 0.005-0.05% ### Equity Pool Sizing **Option Pool by Round:** - Pre-Seed: 10-15% reserved - Seed: 10-15% top-up - Series A: 10-15% top-up - Series B+: 5-10% per round **Pre-Funding Dilution:** Investors often require option pool creation before investment, diluting founders. **Example:** ``` Pre-money: $10M Investors want 15% option pool post-money Calculation: Post-money: $15M ($10M + $5M investment) Option pool: $2.25M (15% × $15M) Founders diluted by pool creation before new money ``` ## Organizational Design ### Reporting Structure **Pre-Seed:** ``` Founders (flat structure) ├── Contractors └── First hires (report to founders) ``` **Seed:** ``` CEO ├── Engineering Lead (2-4 engineers) ├── Sales/Growth Lead (1-2 reps) ├── Product Manager └── Operations ``` **Series A:** ``` CEO ├── CTO / VP Engineering (6-20 people) │ ├── Engineering Manager(s) │ └── Individual Contributors ├── VP Sales (5-15 people) │ ├── Sales Manager │ ├── Account Executives │ └── SDRs ├── Head of Product (2-5 people) │ ├── Product Managers │ └── Designers ├── Head of Customer Success (2-5 people) └── CFO / Finance Lead (2-5 people) ├── Recruiter └── Operations ``` ### Span of Control **Manager Ratios:** - First-line managers: 4-8 direct reports - Directors: 3-5 direct reports (managers) - VPs: 3-5 direct reports (directors) - CEO: 5-8 direct reports (executive team) ## Full-Time vs. Contract ### Use Full-Time for: - Core product development - Sales (revenue-generating roles) - Mission-critical operations - Institutional knowledge roles ### Use Contractors for: - Specialized short-term needs (legal, accounting) - Variable workload (design, marketing campaigns) - Skills outside core competency - Testing role before FTE hire - Geographic expansion before permanent presence ### Cost Comparison **Full-Time:** - Lower hourly cost - Benefits and overhead - Long-term commitment - Cultural fit matters **Contract:** - Higher hourly rate ($75-$200/hour vs. $40-$100/hour FTE equivalent) - No benefits or overhead - Flexible engagement - Easier to scale up/down ## Hiring Velocity ### Realistic Timeline **Role Opening to Hire:** - Junior: 6-8 weeks - Mid-Level: 8-12 weeks - Senior: 12-16 weeks - Executive: 16-24 weeks **Time to Productivity:** - Junior: 4-6 months - Mid-Level: 2-4 months - Senior: 1-3 months - Executive: 3-6 months ### Planning Buffer Always add 2-3 months buffer to hiring plans. **Example:** If need engineer by July 1: - Start recruiting: April 1 (12 weeks) - Productivity: September 1 (2 months ramp) ## Budget Planning ### Compensation as % of Revenue **Early Stage (Seed):** - Total comp: 120-150% of revenue (burning cash to grow) - Engineering: 50-60% - Sales: 30-40% - Other: 20-30% **Growth Stage (Series A):** - Total comp: 70-100% of revenue - Engineering: 35-45% - Sales: 25-35% - Other: 20-30% ### Headcount Budget Formula ``` Total Comp Budget = Σ (Role Count × Fully-Loaded Cost × % of Year) Example: 3 Engineers × $202K × 100% = $606K 2 AEs × $230K × 75% (mid-year start) = $345K 1 PM × $162K × 100% = $162K Total: $1.1M ``` ## Additional Resources ### Reference Files - **`references/compensation-benchmarks.md`** - Detailed salary data by role, level, and location - **`references/equity-calculator.md`** - Equity sizing formulas and dilution scenarios ### Example Files - **`examples/seed-stage-hiring-plan.md`** - Complete hiring plan for seed-stage SaaS company - **`examples/org-chart-evolution.md`** - Organizational design from 5 to 50 people ## Quick Start To plan team composition: 1. **Identify stage** - Pre-seed, seed, or Series A 2. **Define roles** - What functions are needed now 3. **Prioritize hires** - Critical path for business goals 4. **Set compensation** - Base salary + equity by level 5. **Plan timeline** - Account for recruiting and ramp time 6. **Calculate budget** - Fully-loaded cost × headcount 7. **Design org chart** - Reporting structure and span of control 8. **Allocate equity** - Fair allocation that preserves pool For detailed compensation benchmarks and hiring plan templates, see `references/` and `examples/`.