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📝 PRD Framework

A framework for writing Product Requirements Documents that are clear, actionable, and developer-friendly.

Overview

This framework captures the patterns we use when defining new projects. A good PRD should answer: What are we building, for whom, and how does it work?

📑 PRD Template

1. Project Summary

Start with a one-liner that explains what the product does.

# [Project Name]

[One sentence describing what it does and for whom]

Example: "An app where stream viewers can propose and vote for projects/features that will be developed live."

2. Tech Stack

Define the tools upfront. Split by concern:

## Tech Stack

**Development:**
- [Frontend framework]
- [Backend/Database]
- [Auth provider]

**Deployment:**
- [Hosting/Infrastructure]

Considerations:

  • Keep it minimal — fewer tools = less complexity
  • Choose based on team expertise and project needs
  • Consider free tiers for MVPs

3. Access Control

Define who can do what before diving into features:

## Access

- **Public:** [What anyone can see/do]
- **Authenticated:** [What logged-in users can do]
- **Admin:** [What admins can do]

Why first? Access levels shape your entire feature set. Define them early.

4. Data Models

List your entities with their key fields and relationships:

## Data Models

All entities have: `createdAt`, `updatedAt`, `archivedAt`

### [Entity Name]
- `id`
- `field1`
- `field2`
- `foreignKey` (FK → OtherEntity)

Best Practices:

  • Include standard timestamps on all entities
  • Use soft deletes (archivedAt) instead of hard deletes
  • Define foreign key relationships explicitly
  • Add unique constraints where needed (e.g., one vote per user per proposal)

5. User Flows

Describe step-by-step what each user type does:

## User Flows

### [User Type]
1. [First action]
2. [Second action]
3. [Decision point → options]

Tips:

  • Write flows as numbered steps
  • Include decision points and alternatives
  • Cover the happy path + key edge cases

6. Features

List features with scope and key details:

## Features

### [Feature Name]
- **Scope:** [Public | Authenticated | Admin]
- [Key detail 1]
- [Key detail 2]

Keep it concise — implementation details go in technical docs, not the PRD.

7. Security & Rate Limiting

Always consider abuse prevention:

## Rate Limiting & Bot Protection

- **Captcha:** [Where and what service]
- **Rate limits:**
  - [Action]: max [N] per user per [time period]
- **Account age:** [Optional restrictions for new accounts]

Common patterns:

  • Captcha on user-generated content (proposals, comments)
  • Rate limits on writes (proposals, votes)
  • Account age requirements to prevent spam accounts
  • Consider privacy-friendly options (e.g., Cloudflare Turnstile)

8. Compliance

Consider legal and regulatory requirements:

## Compliance

- **Data Privacy:** [GDPR, CCPA considerations]
- **Data Storage:** [Where data is stored, retention policies]
- **User Rights:** [Data export, deletion requests]
- **Third-party Services:** [Data shared with external services]

Common considerations:

  • GDPR (EU users) — consent, right to deletion, data portability
  • CCPA (California users) — disclosure, opt-out rights
  • Cookie policies and tracking disclosure
  • Terms of Service and Privacy Policy requirements
  • Age restrictions if applicable

9. Authentication

Define auth methods:

## Authentication
- [Method 1] (e.g., Email magic link)
- [Method 2] (e.g., OAuth provider)

Consider:

  • Your target audience (Twitch viewers → Twitch OAuth makes sense)
  • Friction vs security tradeoffs
  • Email as fallback for account recovery

✅ PRD Checklist

Use this to validate your PRD is complete:

  • Summary — One-liner explaining the product
  • Tech Stack — Development + Deployment tools defined
  • Access Control — Who can do what (Public/Auth/Admin)
  • Data Models — Entities, fields, relationships, constraints
  • User Flows — Step-by-step for each user type
  • Features — Scoped feature list with key details
  • Security — Rate limits, captcha, abuse prevention
  • Authentication — Auth methods and providers

📎 Example

See a complete PRD example: StreamSaga PRD

💡 Tips

  1. Start with access control — it shapes everything else
  2. Use soft deletes — you'll thank yourself later
  3. Define constraints early — "one vote per user per proposal" prevents bugs
  4. Think about abuse — rate limits and captcha from day one
  5. Keep it readable — tables and lists over paragraphs
  6. Version your PRD — it will evolve, that's okay