/plan

Create a structured implementation plan for the requested feature or change.

Steps

1. Requirements Analysis

• Clarify the goal: what problem does this solve and for whom?
• List functional requirements (what the system must do).
• List non-functional requirements (performance, security, scalability).
• Identify constraints (timeline, tech stack, backward compatibility).

2. Architecture Review

• Read the existing codebase structure to understand current patterns.
• Identify which modules, services, or components are affected.
• Determine if the change fits the existing architecture or requires structural changes.
• Check for existing utilities, patterns, or abstractions to reuse.

3. Step Breakdown

• Break the work into ordered, independently testable steps.
• Each step should be completable in one session and produce a working state.
• Format each step as:
  • What: The concrete deliverable.
  • Where: Which files or modules to touch.
  • How: Technical approach and key decisions.
  • Test: How to verify this step works.

4. Risk Assessment

• Identify what could go wrong at each step.
• Note dependencies on external systems or teams.
• Call out areas with high uncertainty that may need spikes.
• Suggest fallback approaches for risky steps.

5. Output the Plan

Present as a numbered checklist that can be executed sequentially.

Rules

• Plans should target 3-10 steps. Fewer means the scope might be too narrow, more means break it into phases.
• Each step must leave the system in a deployable state. No half-implemented features.
• Include data migration steps if schema changes are involved.
• Flag anything that requires coordination with other people or teams.
• Estimate relative complexity (small/medium/large) for each step, not time.