cqrs-implementation
Install this skill
npx skills add wshobson/agentsWorks across Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Copilot & Antigravity
The CQRS (Command Query Responsibility Segregation) implementation skill provides a structured framework to split read and write logic within an application. By treating state mutations (commands) as distinct from state retrieval (queries), this pattern avoids the performance bottlenecks inherent in monolithic models where the same object handles both operational tasks and data fetching. The implementation requires defining distinct command buses, specific handlers for state transitions, and a projection mechanism to keep read models synchronized with underlying event stores or write databases. This separation allows developers to scale read throughput independently from write operations and provides the flexibility to create read-optimized schemas for complex reporting or UI views, ultimately decoupling the data model from the application's intent.
When to Use This Skill
- β’High-traffic e-commerce systems where read volume significantly exceeds write volume
- β’Complex domain models requiring multiple, customized views of the same data
- β’Applications implementing audit logging or event-driven state history
- β’Systems requiring specialized reporting databases separated from operational transaction stores
How to Invoke This Skill
Example prompts that trigger this skill in Claude Code, Cursor, or Antigravity:
- βImplement CQRS architecture for my service
- βCreate a command handler pattern for handling state changes
- βSet up a command bus and query dispatcher
- βGenerate code for event sourcing and projection
- βRefactor my monolithic service to follow command and query separation
Pro Tips
- π‘Start with a bounded context: Apply CQRS to specific, complex domains rather than the entire application to manage complexity effectively.
- π‘Consider eventual consistency: Understand that read models might lag slightly behind write models and design your UI/UX accordingly to handle this.
- π‘Choose your persistence wisely: Use appropriate data stores for your read models (e.g., NoSQL for speed) and write models (e.g., relational for transactions).
What this skill does
- β’Defines a structured Command Bus for routing state change requests
- β’Implements asynchronous projection patterns to update read models from write-side events
- β’Separates business validation logic from retrieval logic using specific handler classes
- β’Supports event sourcing to maintain a granular history of system changes
- β’Decouples data schemas into specialized read-optimized structures
When not to use it
- βSimple CRUD applications with low complexity
- βSmall-scale projects where extra architectural layers increase development overhead without performance benefits
Example workflow
- Define a concrete Command class for the desired state change
- Implement a CommandHandler that validates the input and modifies the aggregate
- Publish an event confirming the state change to the event store
- Configure a Projector to consume the event and update the query-optimized read model
- Dispatch the command via the CommandBus to initiate the flow
Prerequisites
- βKnowledge of domain-driven design principles
- βBasic understanding of event-driven architecture
- βA messaging or event bus implementation
Pitfalls & limitations
- !Eventual consistency issues between the write model and read models
- !Increased architectural complexity and code volume
- !Debugging difficulty when tracing logic across async boundaries
FAQ
How it compares
Unlike manual CRUD, which couples read and write models, this skill forces a rigid separation that enables independent scaling and specialized schema optimization for read-heavy operations.
π Full skill instructions β original source: wshobson/agents
Comprehensive guide to implementing CQRS (Command Query Responsibility Segregation) patterns.
## When to Use This Skill
- Separating read and write concerns
- Scaling reads independently from writes
- Building event-sourced systems
- Optimizing complex query scenarios
- Different read/write data models needed
- High-performance reporting requirements
## Core Concepts
### 1. CQRS Architecture
βββββββββββββββ
β Client β
ββββββββ¬βββββββ
β
ββββββββββββββ΄βββββββββββββ
β β
βΌ βΌ
βββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββ
β Commands β β Queries β
β API β β API β
ββββββββ¬βββββββ ββββββββ¬βββββββ
β β
βΌ βΌ
βββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββ
β Command β β Query β
β Handlers β β Handlers β
ββββββββ¬βββββββ ββββββββ¬βββββββ
β β
βΌ βΌ
βββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββ
β Write βββββββββββΊβ Read β
β Model β Events β Model β
βββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββ### 2. Key Components
| Component | Responsibility |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| **Command** | Intent to change state |
| **Command Handler** | Validates and executes commands |
| **Event** | Record of state change |
| **Query** | Request for data |
| **Query Handler** | Retrieves data from read model |
| **Projector** | Updates read model from events |
## Templates
### Template 1: Command Infrastructure
from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
from dataclasses import dataclass
from typing import TypeVar, Generic, Dict, Any, Type
from datetime import datetime
import uuid
# Command base
@dataclass
class Command:
command_id: str = None
timestamp: datetime = None
def __post_init__(self):
self.command_id = self.command_id or str(uuid.uuid4())
self.timestamp = self.timestamp or datetime.utcnow()
# Concrete commands
@dataclass
class CreateOrder(Command):
customer_id: str
items: list
shipping_address: dict
@dataclass
class AddOrderItem(Command):
order_id: str
product_id: str
quantity: int
price: float
@dataclass
class CancelOrder(Command):
order_id: str
reason: str
# Command handler base
T = TypeVar('T', bound=Command)
class CommandHandler(ABC, Generic[T]):
@abstractmethod
async def handle(self, command: T) -> Any:
pass
# Command bus
class CommandBus:
def __init__(self):
self._handlers: Dict[Type[Command], CommandHandler] = {}
def register(self, command_type: Type[Command], handler: CommandHandler):
self._handlers[command_type] = handler
async def dispatch(self, command: Command) -> Any:
handler = self._handlers.get(type(command))
if not handler:
raise ValueError(f"No handler for {type(command).__name__}")
return await handler.handle(command)
# Command handler implementation
class CreateOrderHandler(CommandHandler[CreateOrder]):
def __init__(self, order_repository, event_store):
self.order_repository = order_repository
self.event_store = event_store
async def handle(self, command: CreateOrder) -> str:
# Validate
if not command.items:
raise ValueError("Order must have at least one item")
# Create aggregate
order = Order.create(
customer_id=command.customer_id,
items=command.items,
shipping_address=command.shipping_address
)
# Persist events
await self.event_store.append_events(
stream_id=f"Order-{order.id}",
stream_type="Order",
events=order.uncommitted_events
)
return order.id### Template 2: Query Infrastructure
from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
from dataclasses import dataclass
from typing import TypeVar, Generic, List, Optional
# Query base
@dataclass
class Query:
pass
# Concrete queries
@dataclass
class GetOrderById(Query):
order_id: str
@dataclass
class GetCustomerOrders(Query):
customer_id: str
status: Optional[str] = None
page: int = 1
page_size: int = 20
@dataclass
class SearchOrders(Query):
query: str
filters: dict = None
sort_by: str = "created_at"
sort_order: str = "desc"
# Query result types
@dataclass
class OrderView:
order_id: str
customer_id: str
status: str
total_amount: float
item_count: int
created_at: datetime
shipped_at: Optional[datetime] = None
@dataclass
class PaginatedResult(Generic[T]):
items: List[T]
total: int
page: int
page_size: int
@property
def total_pages(self) -> int:
return (self.total + self.page_size - 1) // self.page_size
# Query handler base
T = TypeVar('T', bound=Query)
R = TypeVar('R')
class QueryHandler(ABC, Generic[T, R]):
@abstractmethod
async def handle(self, query: T) -> R:
pass
# Query bus
class QueryBus:
def __init__(self):
self._handlers: Dict[Type[Query], QueryHandler] = {}
def register(self, query_type: Type[Query], handler: QueryHandler):
self._handlers[query_type] = handler
async def dispatch(self, query: Query) -> Any:
handler = self._handlers.get(type(query))
if not handler:
raise ValueError(f"No handler for {type(query).__name__}")
return await handler.handle(query)
# Query handler implementation
class GetOrderByIdHandler(QueryHandler[GetOrderById, Optional[OrderView]]):
def __init__(self, read_db):
self.read_db = read_db
async def handle(self, query: GetOrderById) -> Optional[OrderView]:
async with self.read_db.acquire() as conn:
row = await conn.fetchrow(
"""
SELECT order_id, customer_id, status, total_amount,
item_count, created_at, shipped_at
FROM order_views
WHERE order_id = $1
""",
query.order_id
)
if row:
return OrderView(**dict(row))
return None
class GetCustomerOrdersHandler(QueryHandler[GetCustomerOrders, PaginatedResult[OrderView]]):
def __init__(self, read_db):
self.read_db = read_db
async def handle(self, query: GetCustomerOrders) -> PaginatedResult[OrderView]:
async with self.read_db.acquire() as conn:
# Build query with optional status filter
where_clause = "customer_id = $1"
params = [query.customer_id]
if query.status:
where_clause += " AND status = $2"
params.append(query.status)
# Get total count
total = await conn.fetchval(
f"SELECT COUNT(*) FROM order_views WHERE {where_clause}",
*params
)
# Get paginated results
offset = (query.page - 1) * query.page_size
rows = await conn.fetch(
f"""
SELECT order_id, customer_id, status, total_amount,
item_count, created_at, shipped_at
FROM order_views
WHERE {where_clause}
ORDER BY created_at DESC
LIMIT ${len(params) + 1} OFFSET ${len(params) + 2}
""",
*params, query.page_size, offset
)
return PaginatedResult(
items=[OrderView(**dict(row)) for row in rows],
total=total,
page=query.page,
page_size=query.page_size
)### Template 3: FastAPI CQRS Application
from fastapi import FastAPI, HTTPException, Depends
from pydantic import BaseModel
from typing import List, Optional
app = FastAPI()
# Request/Response models
class CreateOrderRequest(BaseModel):
customer_id: str
items: List[dict]
shipping_address: dict
class OrderResponse(BaseModel):
order_id: str
customer_id: str
status: str
total_amount: float
item_count: int
created_at: datetime
# Dependency injection
def get_command_bus() -> CommandBus:
return app.state.command_bus
def get_query_bus() -> QueryBus:
return app.state.query_bus
# Command endpoints (POST, PUT, DELETE)
@app.post("/orders", response_model=dict)
async def create_order(
request: CreateOrderRequest,
command_bus: CommandBus = Depends(get_command_bus)
):
command = CreateOrder(
customer_id=request.customer_id,
items=request.items,
shipping_address=request.shipping_address
)
order_id = await command_bus.dispatch(command)
return {"order_id": order_id}
@app.post("/orders/{order_id}/items")
async def add_item(
order_id: str,
product_id: str,
quantity: int,
price: float,
command_bus: CommandBus = Depends(get_command_bus)
):
command = AddOrderItem(
order_id=order_id,
product_id=product_id,
quantity=quantity,
price=price
)
await command_bus.dispatch(command)
return {"status": "item_added"}
@app.delete("/orders/{order_id}")
async def cancel_order(
order_id: str,
reason: str,
command_bus: CommandBus = Depends(get_command_bus)
):
command = CancelOrder(order_id=order_id, reason=reason)
await command_bus.dispatch(command)
return {"status": "cancelled"}
# Query endpoints (GET)
@app.get("/orders/{order_id}", response_model=OrderResponse)
async def get_order(
order_id: str,
query_bus: QueryBus = Depends(get_query_bus)
):
query = GetOrderById(order_id=order_id)
result = await query_bus.dispatch(query)
if not result:
raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="Order not found")
return result
@app.get("/customers/{customer_id}/orders")
async def get_customer_orders(
customer_id: str,
status: Optional[str] = None,
page: int = 1,
page_size: int = 20,
query_bus: QueryBus = Depends(get_query_bus)
):
query = GetCustomerOrders(
customer_id=customer_id,
status=status,
page=page,
page_size=page_size
)
return await query_bus.dispatch(query)
@app.get("/orders/search")
async def search_orders(
q: str,
sort_by: str = "created_at",
query_bus: QueryBus = Depends(get_query_bus)
):
query = SearchOrders(query=q, sort_by=sort_by)
return await query_bus.dispatch(query)### Template 4: Read Model Synchronization
class ReadModelSynchronizer:
"""Keeps read models in sync with events."""
def __init__(self, event_store, read_db, projections: List[Projection]):
self.event_store = event_store
self.read_db = read_db
self.projections = {p.name: p for p in projections}
async def run(self):
"""Continuously sync read models."""
while True:
for name, projection in self.projections.items():
await self._sync_projection(projection)
await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
async def _sync_projection(self, projection: Projection):
checkpoint = await self._get_checkpoint(projection.name)
events = await self.event_store.read_all(
from_position=checkpoint,
limit=100
)
for event in events:
if event.event_type in projection.handles():
try:
await projection.apply(event)
except Exception as e:
# Log error, possibly retry or skip
logger.error(f"Projection error: {e}")
continue
await self._save_checkpoint(projection.name, event.global_position)
async def rebuild_projection(self, projection_name: str):
"""Rebuild a projection from scratch."""
projection = self.projections[projection_name]
# Clear existing data
await projection.clear()
# Reset checkpoint
await self._save_checkpoint(projection_name, 0)
# Rebuild
while True:
checkpoint = await self._get_checkpoint(projection_name)
events = await self.event_store.read_all(checkpoint, 1000)
if not events:
break
for event in events:
if event.event_type in projection.handles():
await projection.apply(event)
await self._save_checkpoint(
projection_name,
events[-1].global_position
)### Template 5: Eventual Consistency Handling
class ConsistentQueryHandler:
"""Query handler that can wait for consistency."""
def __init__(self, read_db, event_store):
self.read_db = read_db
self.event_store = event_store
async def query_after_command(
self,
query: Query,
expected_version: int,
stream_id: str,
timeout: float = 5.0
):
"""
Execute query, ensuring read model is at expected version.
Used for read-your-writes consistency.
"""
start_time = time.time()
while time.time() - start_time < timeout:
# Check if read model is caught up
projection_version = await self._get_projection_version(stream_id)
if projection_version >= expected_version:
return await self.execute_query(query)
# Wait a bit and retry
await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
# Timeout - return stale data with warning
return {
"data": await self.execute_query(query),
"_warning": "Data may be stale"
}
async def _get_projection_version(self, stream_id: str) -> int:
"""Get the last processed event version for a stream."""
async with self.read_db.acquire() as conn:
return await conn.fetchval(
"SELECT last_event_version FROM projection_state WHERE stream_id = $1",
stream_id
) or 0## Best Practices
### Do's
- **Separate command and query models** - Different needs
- **Use eventual consistency** - Accept propagation delay
- **Validate in command handlers** - Before state change
- **Denormalize read models** - Optimize for queries
- **Version your events** - For schema evolution
### Don'ts
- **Don't query in commands** - Use only for writes
- **Don't couple read/write schemas** - Independent evolution
- **Don't over-engineer** - Start simple
- **Don't ignore consistency SLAs** - Define acceptable lag
## Resources
- [CQRS Pattern](https://martinfowler.com/bliki/CQRS.html)
- [Microsoft CQRS Guidance](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/architecture/patterns/cqrs)
How to Use This Skill Unit
Option A: Project-Specific (Recommended)
- Click "Download" above
- In your project, create the directory:
.agent/skills/cqrs-implementation/ - Save the file as
SKILL.md - The agent will automatically discover the skill based on its description.
Option B: Global Installation (All Agents)
Save the file to these locations to make it available across all projects:
- Claude Code:
~/.claude/skills/wshobson/agents/cqrs-implementation/SKILL.md - Cursor:
~/.cursor/skills/wshobson/agents/cqrs-implementation/SKILL.md - Antigravity:
~/.gemini/antigravity/skills/wshobson/agents/cqrs-implementation/SKILL.md
π Install with CLI:npx skills add wshobson/agents
