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: # [Feature Name] Implementation Plan > **For Claude:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers: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
• 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
• 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
• 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