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.

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

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:

markdown
1# [Feature Name] Implementation Plan
2
3> **For Claude:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task.
4
5**Goal:** [One sentence describing what this builds]
6
7**Architecture:** [2-3 sentences about approach]
8
9**Tech Stack:** [Key technologies/libraries]
10
11---

Task Structure

markdown
1### Task N: [Component Name]
2
3**Files:**
4- Create: `exact/path/to/file.py`
5- Modify: `exact/path/to/existing.py:123-145`
6- Test: `tests/exact/path/to/test.py`
7
8**Step 1: Write the failing test**
9
10```python
11def test_specific_behavior():
12    result = function(input)
13    assert result == expected
14```
15
16**Step 2: Run test to verify it fails**
17
18Run: `pytest tests/path/test.py::test_name -v`
19Expected: FAIL with "function not defined"
20
21**Step 3: Write minimal implementation**
22
23```python
24def function(input):
25    return expected
26```
27
28**Step 4: Run test to verify it passes**
29
30Run: `pytest tests/path/test.py::test_name -v`
31Expected: PASS
32
33**Step 5: Commit**
34
35```bash
36git add tests/path/test.py src/path/file.py
37git commit -m "feat: add specific feature"
38```

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

After saving the plan, offer execution choice:

"Plan complete and saved to docs/plans/<filename>.md. Two execution options:

1. Subagent-Driven (this session) - I dispatch fresh subagent per task, review between tasks, fast iteration

2. Parallel Session (separate) - Open new session with executing-plans, batch execution with checkpoints

Which approach?"

If Subagent-Driven chosen:

• REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers: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:executing-plans