9-Step Development Workflow

Overview

Standardized 9-step development workflow ensures all feature development goes through planning, review, implementation, testing, and documentation.

Step 1: Plan → Step 2: Review → Step 2.5: User Approval ⭐
    ↓ (worktree creation)
Step 3: Code → Step 4: Review → Step 5: Docs → Step 6: Review
    ↓
Step 7: Test → Step 8: Review → Step 9: Commit

Core Principle: Steps 3-9 all execute within the same worktree.

Core Instructions

Agent Assignments

Step	Agent	Model	Location
1	project-planner	Sonnet	Main
2	plan-reviewer	Sonnet	Main
2.5	User + git-worktree-manager	- / Haiku	Main
3	backend/frontend-developer	Dynamic	Worktree
4	code-reviewer	Sonnet	Worktree
5	documentation-manager	Haiku	Worktree
6	documentation-reviewer	Haiku	Worktree
7	feature-tester	Haiku	Worktree
8	test-reviewer	Dynamic	Worktree
9	git-worktree-manager	Haiku	Worktree

Critical Rules

No Skipping Steps: Every feature goes through all 9 steps
User Approval Required (Step 2.5): No code without user confirming plan ⭐
Worktree Isolation: All Steps 3-9 work in dedicated worktree
Worktree Context: Always provide worktree path to Step 3-9 agents
Quality Gates: Explicit approval before proceeding to next step
Phase-by-Phase: Complete one phase fully before starting next

Special Constraints by Agent

Agent	Constraint
documentation-manager	{{MAX_DOC_LINES}} line response limit - Batch work required
feature-tester	{{TEMP_TEST_DIR}}/ cleanup required - Remove temp files after testing
test-reviewer	{{PERM_TEST_DIR}}/ immutability guardian - Approve {{PERM_TEST_DIR}}/ modifications extremely strictly
git-worktree-manager	4-step cleanup sequence - plan→services→worktree→branch

AskUserQuestion Usage

Required Usage Scenarios:

Step 1: Ambiguous requirements, multiple approaches exist, tech stack selection
Step 2: Architecture concerns, code bloat (30%+), security risks
Step 3: Undefined behavior, performance trade-offs, incomplete API spec (frontend)
Conflicts: Logic/architecture conflicts, multiple resolution methods

Standard Question Format: 3-5 options, pros/cons + estimated effort, recommended option

Quick Reference

Worktree Context Format (Step 3-9)

📍 Working Context
- Worktree Path: .worktree/{{feature-name}}/
- Branch: feature/{{feature-name}}
- Current Phase: Phase X - {{Phase description}}
- Current Step: Step Y ({{Step name}})
- Work Scope: {{Specific files/directories list}}

Quality Gates

After Step 2: Approved/Approved with Changes → Step 2.5
After Step 2.5: User approves → Create worktree → Step 3
After Step 4: Approved/Approved with Minor Issues → Step 5
After Step 6: Approved/Approved with Minor Corrections → Step 7
After Step 8: Testing Valid/Valid with Caveats → Step 9

Integration

Other Skills Used:

@worktree-path-policy - Steps 3-9 working directory policy
@phase-decomposition - Phase breakdown strategy (1-3h units)
@code-minimization - Code addition justification criteria
@git-workflow-policy - Git commit, merge, cleanup policy
@interactive-questions - When user decision needed
@test-file-management - {{PERM_TEST_DIR}}/ vs {{TEMP_TEST_DIR}}/ management

Model Selection:

@agent-model-selection - Sonnet vs Haiku selection criteria

Detailed Step Breakdown

Step 1: Planning (project-planner)

Responsibilities:

Analyze requirements
Break down into 3-8 phases
Identify dependencies
Assess risks
Define success criteria

Deliverable: .plan/{{feature_name}}_plan.md

Skills Used:

@phase-decomposition
@risk-assessment
@code-minimization
@tag-based-search
@interactive-questions (if requirements unclear)

Step 2: Plan Review (plan-reviewer)

Responsibilities:

Verify phase breakdown
Check architecture compliance
Assess code bloat risk
Evaluate security concerns

Deliverable: Approval status (4-tier: APPROVED, APPROVED_WITH_CONDITIONS, NEEDS_REVISION, REJECTED)

Skills Used:

@architecture-principles
@code-minimization
@risk-assessment
@quality-gates
@interactive-questions (if major concerns)

Step 2.5: User Approval ⭐

Responsibilities:

User reviews plan
User approves/requests changes
git-worktree-manager creates worktree (on approval)

Deliverable: .worktree/{{feature-name}}/ directory, feature/{{feature-name}} branch

Critical: No Step 3 without this approval

Step 3: Code Implementation (backend/frontend-developer)

Responsibilities:

Implement code according to plan
Follow architecture principles
Apply YAGNI principle
Add code tags

Deliverable: Working code for current phase

Skills Used:

@architecture-principles
@code-minimization
@security-checklist
@tag-based-search
@worktree-path-policy ⭐

Step 4: Code Review (code-reviewer)

Responsibilities:

Verify plan compliance
Check architecture principles
Security validation
Performance assessment

Deliverable: Approval status with detailed feedback

Skills Used:

@architecture-principles
@security-checklist
@trust-principles
@quality-gates
@worktree-path-policy ⭐

Step 5: Documentation (documentation-manager)

Responsibilities:

Add code comments
Write feature documentation
Update feature catalog
Maintain tag consistency

Deliverable: Complete documentation (< {{MAX_DOC_LINES}} lines)

Skills Used:

@tag-based-search
@documentation-draft (if using TDD approach)
@worktree-path-policy ⭐

Constraint: {{MAX_DOC_LINES}}-line response limit - batch large docs

Step 6: Documentation Review (documentation-reviewer)

Responsibilities:

Verify < {{MAX_DOC_LINES}} lines
Check clarity and conciseness
Ensure code consistency
Validate tag system

Deliverable: Approval status

Skills Used:

@quality-gates
@worktree-path-policy ⭐

Step 7: Testing (feature-tester)

Responsibilities:

Execute test scenarios
Write test code ({{TEMP_TEST_DIR}}/ preferred)
Clean up temporary files

Deliverable: Test results report

Skills Used:

@test-file-management
@worktree-path-policy ⭐

Constraint: Must clean {{TEMP_TEST_DIR}}/ after completion

Step 8: Test Review (test-reviewer)

Responsibilities:

Validate test coverage
Verify test strategy
Guard {{PERM_TEST_DIR}}/ immutability
Approve performance criteria

Deliverable: Approval status

Skills Used:

@test-file-management
@quality-gates
@worktree-path-policy ⭐

Critical: {{PERM_TEST_DIR}}/ modifications approved extremely strictly

Step 9: Commit (git-worktree-manager)

Responsibilities:

Create phase commit
Update plan document
Push to feature branch

Deliverable: Git commit for current phase

Skills Used:

@git-workflow-policy
@worktree-path-policy ⭐

Note: Commit message includes rationale and scope

Phase vs Step Clarification

Phase = Feature/component implementation unit (Phase 1, Phase 2, ...) Step = Workflow stage within each phase (Step 1-9)

Structure:

Phase 1: {{Component Name}}
  Step 1-9 (Complete 9-step workflow)

Phase 2: {{Component Name}}
  Step 1-9 (Repeat 9-step workflow)

Phase 3: {{Component Name}}
  Step 1-9 (Repeat 9-step workflow)

Execution:

Each Phase goes through all 9 Steps
Phase X Step 9 complete → Phase X+1 Step 1 begins
All Phases complete → Merge to main

Merge and Cleanup

After all Phases complete:

User approves merge
git-worktree-manager merges to main

4-step cleanup:

rm .plan/{{feature_name}}_plan.md
cd .worktree/{{feature-name}} && {{cleanup_command}}
git worktree remove .worktree/{{feature-name}}
git branch -d feature/{{feature-name}}

For detailed step-by-step guide, see reference.md For practical examples, see examples.md

nine-step-workflow

9-Step Development Workflow

Overview

Core Instructions

Agent Assignments

Critical Rules

Special Constraints by Agent

AskUserQuestion Usage

Quick Reference

Worktree Context Format (Step 3-9)

Quality Gates

Integration

Detailed Step Breakdown

Step 1: Planning (project-planner)

Step 2: Plan Review (plan-reviewer)

Step 2.5: User Approval ⭐

Step 3: Code Implementation (backend/frontend-developer)

Step 4: Code Review (code-reviewer)

Step 5: Documentation (documentation-manager)

Step 6: Documentation Review (documentation-reviewer)

Step 7: Testing (feature-tester)

Step 8: Test Review (test-reviewer)

Step 9: Commit (git-worktree-manager)

Phase vs Step Clarification

Merge and Cleanup

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