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writing-plans

Writing & research

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Updated 10-16 05:43

About this skill

Writing Plans

Overview

Write comprehensive implementation plans assuming the engineer has zero context for our codebase and questionable taste. Document everything they need to know: which files to touch for each task, code, testing, docs they might need to check, how to test it. Give them the whole plan as bite-sized tasks. DRY. YAGNI. TDD. Frequent commits.

Assume they are a skilled developer, but know almost nothing about our toolset or problem domain. Assume they don't know good test design very well.

Address the user directly; never name this skill, its steps, internal scripts/tools, or named rules ("Scope Check", "no-placeholders rule"). Give the reasoning in plain terms ("this bundles several independent subsystems, so I'll split it") rather than citing the rule.

Context: Optionally runs in a dedicated worktree (user chooses during brainstorming).

Save plans to: .planning/plan.md

Scope Check

If the spec covers multiple independent subsystems, stop and suggest splitting it into separate plans — one per subsystem. Each plan should produce working, testable software on its own.

File Structure First

Before defining tasks, map out which files will be created or modified and what each one is responsible for.

  • Design units with clear boundaries and well-defined interfaces
  • Each file should have one clear responsibility
  • Prefer smaller, focused files over large files that do too much
  • Files that change together should live together
  • Split by responsibility, not by technical layer
  • In existing codebases, follow established patterns, but if a file you are already touching has become unwieldy, a targeted split is reasonable

This file-structure pass should happen before task decomposition.

Historical Archive Check

Before writing the plan, check for relevant historical archives:

${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/archive-search.sh "<keyword>"
  1. If relevant archives are found, read the full archive directory (especially summary.md, findings.md) and incorporate relevant lessons into the plan
  2. If none are relevant or no archives exist, skip silently

Run this silently — don't narrate the script path or the search to the user; just fold any findings into the plan.

Bite-Sized Task Granularity

Each step is one action (2-5 minutes):

  • "Write the failing test" - step
  • "Run it to make sure it fails" - step
  • "Implement the minimal code to make the test pass" - step
  • "Run the tests and make sure they pass" - step
  • "Commit" - step

Plan Document Header

Every plan MUST start with this header:

# [Feature Name] Implementation Plan

> **For Claude:** Execute using the chosen execution mode (see end of plan).
> Planning dir: .planning/

**Goal:** [One sentence describing what this builds]

**Architecture:** [2-3 sentences about approach]

**Tech Stack:** [Key technologies/libraries]

---

Task Structure

### Task N: [Component Name]

**Files:**
- Create: `exact/path/to/file.py`
- Modify: `exact/path/to/existing.py:123-145`
- Test: `tests/exact/path/to/test.py`

- [ ] **Step 1: Write the failing test**

```python
def test_specific_behavior():
    result = function(input)
    assert result == expected
```

- [ ] **Step 2: Run test to verify it fails**

Run: `pytest tests/path/test.py::test_name -v`
Expected: FAIL with "function not defined"

- [ ] **Step 3: Write minimal implementation**

```python
def function(input):
    return expected
```

- [ ] **Step 4: Run test to verify it passes**

Run: `pytest tests/path/test.py::test_name -v`
Expected: PASS

- [ ] **Step 5: Commit**

```bash
git add tests/path/test.py src/path/file.py
git commit -m "feat: add specific feature"
```

> **Note:** Log unexpected discoveries, technical decisions, and implementation insights to `.planning/findings.md` after each task.

No Placeholders

Every step must contain the actual content an engineer needs. These are plan failures — never write them:

  • "TBD", "TODO", "implement later", "fill in details"
  • "Add appropriate error handling" / "add validation" / "handle edge cases"
  • "Write tests for the above" (without actual test code)
  • "Similar to Task N" (repeat the code — the engineer may be reading tasks out of order)
  • Steps that describe what to do without showing how (code blocks required for code steps)
  • References to types, functions, or methods not defined in any task

This bans laziness, not drafting under partial inputs. When the design is summarized, partial, or some paths/signatures are not yet confirmed, still write the full plan — concrete file map, real test code, real commands — using your best inferred values, and tag each unconfirmed value with a [VERIFY] marker plus a one-line note on what to check. A complete plan with explicit [VERIFY] markers is the deliverable; refusing to produce plan artifacts because inputs are imperfect is a worse outcome than a clearly-hedged plan. Only stop short of a plan when the spec is genuinely absent (then say what is missing) or the Scope Check fires.

Auto-Create .planning/ Directory

When writing a plan, automatically create the .planning/ directory if it does not already exist by running:

${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/init-planning-dir.sh

This creates progress.md and findings.md. The canonical template is at planning-foundation/templates/progress.md. Delegated role planning directories (agents/) are created when needed.

Run this silently too — don't surface the script path or describe the setup mechanics to the user.

Note: The plan in .planning/plan.md is the single source of truth for plan content. Execution status is tracked via the Task Status Dashboard in progress.md.

Parallelism Groups

Every plan MUST include a parallelism analysis after the task list. Identify which tasks can run in parallel (no shared files, no sequential dependencies) and group them:

### Parallelism Groups

- **Group A** (parallel): Task 1, Task 2, Task 3
- **Group B** (after Group A): Task 4, Task 5
- **Group C** (after Group B): Task 6

**Parallelism score:** 3/6 tasks can run in parallel in the first group

Tips for maximizing parallelism:

  • Split work along file boundaries (each task edits different files)
  • Split work along module boundaries (each task touches a different subsystem)
  • Extract shared setup into an early serial task, then parallelize the rest
  • If a task can be split into independent subtasks, split it

The parallelism score helps the user choose the right execution mode.

Self-Review

After writing the complete plan, review it yourself with fresh eyes. This is a checklist you run inline — not delegated dispatch.

1. Spec coverage: Skim each section/requirement in the spec. Can you point to a task that implements it? List any gaps.

2. Placeholder scan: Search your plan for red flags — any of the patterns from the "No Placeholders" section above. Fix them.

3. Type consistency: Do the types, method signatures, and property names you used in later tasks match what you defined in earlier tasks? A function called clearLayers() in Task 3 but clearFullLayers() in Task 7 is a bug.

4. Evidence gaps: Are [NEEDS-EVIDENCE] items from the design tracked and properly timed in the Evidence Gap Summary?

If you find issues, fix them inline. No need to re-review — just fix and move on. If you find a spec requirement with no task, add the task.

Evidence Tracking

Before writing tasks, scan the design doc (.planning/design.md) for all [NEEDS-EVIDENCE] markers. For each one:

  1. Classify timing: before implementation (blocking) / during implementation / after MVP
  2. Define what's needed: benchmark, data analysis, reference check, prototype, etc.
  3. Assign to a task: "before implementation" items become prerequisite tasks in the plan; others are noted inline in the relevant task

Include an Evidence Gap Summary section in the plan:

### Evidence Gap Summary

| # | Decision | Evidence Needed | Timing | Task |
|---|----------|----------------|--------|------|
| 1 | ... | ... | Before impl | Task 0 |
| 2 | ... | ... | During impl | Task 3 |

If no [NEEDS-EVIDENCE] markers exist in the design, skip this section silently.

Remember

  • Exact file paths always
  • Complete code in every step — no placeholders (see "No Placeholders" section)
  • Exact commands with expected output
  • Reference relevant skills with @ syntax
  • DRY, YAGNI, TDD, frequent commits
  • Each task reminds: "Log discoveries, decisions, and insights to .planning/findings.md"
  • Always include parallelism groups analysis
  • Lock file boundaries and responsibilities before task decomposition

Execution Handoff

After saving the plan and completing the self-review, you MUST present exactly these three options using AskUserQuestion. Do NOT omit, replace, or invent options. All three MUST always be shown regardless of your analysis.

Use AskUserQuestion with these exact options:

1. Claude Code Dynamic Workflow — Native workflow execution for large, parallel, or cross-checked work. Best when the plan has independent task groups, broad review/audit needs, or would otherwise require many Claude workers.

2. Codex-Driven (this session, sequential) — best when the user wants a second model to implement and review bounded tasks through Codex CLI.

3. Manual Batch Session — best when dynamic workflows are unavailable or the user wants explicit checkpoint summaries between batches.

Keep the option labels and descriptions plain; do not put internal skill identifiers (superpower-planning:...) into the text the user reads. The sub-skill to invoke for each choice is named only in the "If X chosen" branches below, which are internal routing notes, not user-facing.

Include your recommendation in the question text based on the logic below, but never remove options.

Recommendation logic (add "(Recommended)" to the best option's label):

  • High parallelism score + heavy tasks or review/audit fan-out → recommend Claude Code Dynamic Workflow
  • User wants a second-model executor/reviewer → recommend Codex-Driven
  • User wants manual checkpoints or workflow support is unavailable → recommend Manual Batch Session

If Claude Code Dynamic Workflow chosen:

  • Ask Claude to run a workflow that executes .planning/plan.md (include the word "workflow" in the request so Claude writes one), or switch to /effort ultracode when the user wants automatic workflow orchestration.
  • Make the workflow read .planning/design.md, .planning/plan.md, and .planning/findings.md as source context.
  • Ask the workflow to write durable discoveries and final execution evidence back into .planning/findings.md and .planning/progress.md.

If Codex-Driven chosen:

  • REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpower-planning:subagent-driven-codex
  • Stay in this session
  • Route implementer and reviewer roles through Codex CLI via the bridge.

If Manual Batch Session chosen:

  • Guide them to open a new session in a worktree if needed
  • REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: New/manual session uses superpower-planning:executing-plans