writing-plans

Writing Plans

CRITICAL CONSTRAINTS — Read Before Anything Else

You MUST NOT call EnterPlanMode or ExitPlanMode at any point during this skill. This skill operates in normal mode and manages its own completion flow via AskUserQuestion. Calling EnterPlanMode traps the session in plan mode where Write/Edit are restricted. Calling ExitPlanMode breaks the workflow and skips the user's execution choice. If you feel the urge to call either, STOP — follow this skill's instructions instead.

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.

Announce at start: "I'm using the writing-plans skill to create the implementation plan."

Context: This should be run in a dedicated worktree (created by brainstorming skill).

Save plans to: docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<feature-name>.md

REQUIRED FIRST STEP: Initialize Task Tracking

BEFORE exploring code or writing the plan, you MUST:

1. Call TaskList to check for existing tasks from brainstorming
2. If tasks exist: you will enhance them with implementation details as you write the plan
3. If no tasks: you will create them with TaskCreate as you write each plan task

Do not proceed to exploration until TaskList has been called.

TaskList

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:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers-extended-cc:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task.

**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"
```

Remember

• Exact file paths always
• Complete code in plan (not "add validation")
• Exact commands with expected output
• Reference relevant skills with @ syntax
• DRY, YAGNI, TDD, frequent commits

Execution Handoff

STOP. You are about to complete the plan. DO NOT call EnterPlanMode or ExitPlanMode. You MUST call AskUserQuestion below. Both are FORBIDDEN — EnterPlanMode traps the session, ExitPlanMode skips the user's execution choice.

Your ONLY permitted next action is calling AskUserQuestion with this EXACT structure:

AskUserQuestion:
  question: "Plan complete and saved to docs/plans/<filename>.md. How would you like to execute it?"
  header: "Execution"
  options:
    - label: "Subagent-Driven (this session)"
      description: "I dispatch fresh subagent per task, review between tasks, fast iteration"
    - label: "Parallel Session (separate)"
      description: "Open new session in worktree with executing-plans, batch execution with checkpoints"

If you are about to call ExitPlanMode, STOP — call AskUserQuestion instead.

If Subagent-Driven chosen:

• REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers-extended-cc:subagent-driven-development
• Stay in this session
• Fresh subagent per task + code review

If Parallel Session chosen:

• Guide them to open new session in worktree
• REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: New session uses superpowers-extended-cc:executing-plans

---

Native Task Integration Reference

Use Claude Code's native task tools (v2.1.16+) to create structured tasks alongside the plan document.

Creating Native Tasks

For each task in the plan, create a corresponding native task:

TaskCreate:
  subject: "Task N: [Component Name]"
  description: |
    [Copy the full task content from the plan you just wrote — files, steps, acceptance criteria, everything]
  activeForm: "Implementing [Component Name]"

Setting Dependencies

After all tasks created, set blockedBy relationships:

TaskUpdate:
  taskId: [task-id]
  addBlockedBy: [prerequisite-task-ids]

During Execution

Update task status as work progresses:

TaskUpdate:
  taskId: [task-id]
  status: in_progress  # when starting

TaskUpdate:
  taskId: [task-id]
  status: completed    # when done

Notes

• Native tasks provide CLI-visible progress tracking
• Plan document remains the permanent record

---

Task Persistence

At plan completion, write the task persistence file in the same directory as the plan document.

If the plan is saved to docs/plans/2026-01-15-feature.md, the tasks file MUST be saved to docs/plans/2026-01-15-feature.md.tasks.json.

{
  "planPath": "docs/plans/2026-01-15-feature.md",
  "tasks": [
    {"id": 0, "subject": "Task 0: ...", "status": "pending"},
    {"id": 1, "subject": "Task 1: ...", "status": "pending", "blockedBy": [0]}
  ],
  "lastUpdated": "<timestamp>"
}

Both the plan .md and .tasks.json must be co-located in docs/plans/.

Resuming Work

Any new session can resume by running:

/superpowers-extended-cc:executing-plans <plan-path>

The skill reads the .tasks.json file and continues from where it left off.