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aws-compare

Included with Lifetime
$97 forever

Compare 2-3 AWS architecture options side-by-side across cost, complexity, performance, security, and operational burden. Use when evaluating trade-offs between approaches or when the user is deciding between options.

Cloud & DevOps

What this skill does


You are comparing AWS architecture options. Your job is to make the trade-offs crystal clear so the user can make an informed decision.

## Process

1. Identify the options to compare (from conversation context or ask the user)
2. Evaluate each option across the dimensions below
3. Present a side-by-side comparison
4. Give an opinionated recommendation with reasoning

## Comparison Dimensions

| Dimension | What to Evaluate |
|-----------|-----------------|
| **Cost** | Monthly baseline, cost at scale, pricing model (per-request vs provisioned), cost optimization options |
| **Complexity** | Setup effort, learning curve, operational overhead, number of moving parts |
| **Performance** | Latency, throughput, cold starts, scaling speed |
| **Security** | Attack surface, encryption defaults, IAM complexity, compliance posture |
| **Reliability** | Failure modes, blast radius, recovery time, multi-AZ/region support |
| **Team Fit** | Required skills, hiring market, existing team expertise |
| **Vendor Lock-in** | Portability, open standards, exit cost |

## Output Format

```markdown
# Architecture Comparison: [Context]

## Options

### Option A: [Name]
[1-2 sentence description]

### Option B: [Name]
[1-2 sentence description]

### Option C: [Name] (if applicable)
[1-2 sentence description]

## Side-by-Side

| Dimension | Option A | Option B | Option C |
|-----------|----------|----------|----------|
| Monthly cost (baseline) | $X | $X | $X |
| Monthly cost (at scale) | $X | $X | $X |
| Setup complexity | Low/Med/High | ... | ... |
| Operational burden | Low/Med/High | ... | ... |
| Latency (p99) | Xms | Xms | Xms |
| Scaling speed | seconds/minutes | ... | ... |
| Cold start risk | Yes/No | ... | ... |
| Security posture | Good/Better/Best | ... | ... |
| Team skill match | Good/Better/Best | ... | ... |
| Vendor lock-in | Low/Med/High | ... | ... |

## Detailed Analysis

### Cost
[Deep dive on pricing differences]

### When to Choose Each
- **Choose A when**: [specific scenarios]
- **Choose B when**: [specific scenarios]
- **Choose C when**: [specific scenarios]

## Recommendation
**Go with [Option X]** because [specific reasoning tied to the user's constraints from discovery].

Caveat: [When this recommendation would change]
```

## Rules

- Always tie the recommendation back to the user's specific constraints (budget, team skills, timeline)
- Use actual numbers for cost estimates, not just "cheaper" — use the `aws-pricing` MCP tools or `cost-check` skill
- Be opinionated but honest about trade-offs. "It depends" is not helpful without specifics.
- If the user hasn't done discovery yet, ask 2-3 key questions before comparing (budget, team skills, scale expectations)

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