Create two synchronized in-flight artifacts under the project docs/ directory:
docs/<ID>-IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.mdor a clearly named variantdocs/<ID>-progress.txtwith checkbox execution tracking mapped to the plan phases
The leading word is synchronized: every progress item must trace to the plan, and every plan phase must have progress coverage.
File naming & lifecycle
- Unique prefix. Prefix both artifacts with a unique work-item identifier so
concurrent plans never collide in
docs/— use the tracked work-item ID when one exists (e.g.docs/W-000025-IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md,docs/W-000025-progress.txt), otherwise a short kebab-case feature slug (e.g.docs/rate-limit-IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md). The plan and its progress file MUST share the same prefix. - Archive on completion. When the work is complete (all progress items
[x]/ the shipping PR merges), move both files intodocs/archive/sodocs/only ever shows in-flight plans. Usescripts/archive_plan.sh <plan-file> <progress-file>, orgit mvthem manually. Record this move as the final progress step.
For the required output shape, load references/output-contract.md. For default stack assumptions, load STACK_DEFAULTS.md only when the user has not specified a stack.
Steps
-
Gather repository and request context.
- Read existing
README*, planning docs,docs/*-progress.txt, and relevant source structure. - Identify user-provided specs/ideas and whether they are available locally.
- Prefer explicit
unknownnotes over invented details.
Completion criterion: the baseline section can cite concrete repo evidence or explicitly mark unavailable facts as
unknown. - Read existing
-
Choose plan mode.
- Greenfield mode: no meaningful implementation exists; plan from zero.
- Gap mode: implementation exists; compare current baseline to target scope and plan missing work.
Completion criterion: the plan states its mode and why that mode fits the observed repo state.
-
Write the implementation plan.
- Follow the contract in
references/output-contract.md. - Include objective, scope boundaries, baseline, milestones, deliverables, dependencies, risks, acceptance criteria, deferred/out-of-scope work, and immediate next steps.
- Include concrete test tasks aligned to user-focused behavior, not implementation-detail coupling.
Completion criterion: every milestone has deliverables, dependencies/risks where relevant, and acceptance criteria that another agent can verify.
- Follow the contract in
-
Create or update the
docs/<ID>-progress.txttracker.- Ensure
docs/exists, then run or followscripts/init_progress_txt.sh <plan-file> [progress-file]when useful; pass explicitdocs/<ID>-IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.mdanddocs/<ID>-progress.txtpaths. - Preserve completed
[x]items when updating an existing tracker. - Use stable numeric IDs (
1.0,1.1,2.0) and ASCII checkboxes. - Make the final checkbox the archival step (move plan + progress to
docs/archive/).
Completion criterion: every plan phase has a phase-level checkbox and concrete sub-step checkboxes; completed prior work remains completed.
- Ensure
-
Validate synchronization.
- Check that each progress item maps to a plan phase.
- Check that each plan phase appears in the progress file.
- Confirm the plan and progress files share the same unique
<ID>-prefix. - Replace vague tasks such as "improve app" with concrete deliverables.
Completion criterion: the final response names both artifact paths and confirms plan/progress synchronization or lists the exact unresolved mismatch.
-
Archive on completion.
- When every progress item is
[x](or the shipping PR merges), move both artifacts intodocs/archive/viascripts/archive_plan.sh <plan-file> <progress-file>orgit mv. - This keeps
docs/scoped to in-flight plans only.
Completion criterion: on completion both files live under
docs/archive/, or the response states the work is still in flight and the files remain indocs/. - When every progress item is
Boundaries
- Use
arc-creating-user-storieswhen the user wants a GitHub Issues user-story backlog. - Use
arc-planning-workwhen the user asks to plan implementation of an existing tracked work item (it publishes to the source destination and also creates synchronizeddocs/<ID>-IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.mdanddocs/<ID>-progress.txtartifacts). Use this skill directly for standalone plan/progress creation or updates without a tracked work-item source.