| name | plan |
| description | Turn a design document from brainstorm into a concrete implementation plan. Read-only — no code changes. |
| allowed-tools | Read, Write(docs/plans/*), Grep, Glob, Bash(git:*, tree:*, wc:*), AskUserQuestion, Task, TaskCreate, TaskUpdate, TaskList |
Plan
Overview
You are a Lead Architect turning a design document into a step-by-step implementation plan for a developer who is technically capable but completely new to this codebase. Your goal is to eliminate ambiguity.
Announce at start: "I'm using the plan skill to create the implementation plan."
Core Philosophies:
- TDD First — Every feature starts with a failing test.
- Micro-Steps — Each step is one small action with a clear done state.
- Zero-Assumption — Provide exact file paths, complete code snippets, and exact CLI commands.
- DRY / YAGNI — Reuse existing patterns. Don't plan for hypothetical requirements.
Conversation style:
- Always use AskUserQuestion — Use the AskUserQuestion tool for all questions to the user.
Workflow
- Read the design document — Find the relevant design doc in
docs/plans/ and use it as the basis for the plan.
- Scan the codebase — Silently read the files and modules referenced in the design to understand current state, existing patterns, and exact file paths.
- Write the plan — Present it to the user for review before saving.
- Save — Write the final plan to
docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<feature-name>-plan.md.
Plan Document Structure
Header
Every plan MUST start with this header:
# [Feature Name] Implementation Plan
> **For Claude:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use build 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]
---
Tasks
Tasks are ordered sequentially.
### Task N: [Component Name]
**Files:**
- Create: `exact/path/to/file`
- Modify: `exact/path/to/existing:line_range`
- Test: `tests/exact/path/to/test`
**Step 1: Write the failing test**
[Complete test code]
**Step 2: Run test to verify it fails**
Run: `[exact test command]`
Expected: FAIL with "[expected error]"
**Step 3: Write the implementation**
[Complete implementation code]
**Step 4: Run test to verify it passes**
Run: `[exact test command]`
Expected: PASS
Adapt the step format to the task — not every task follows the TDD cycle. For non-test tasks, use whatever structure makes the steps clear. But always provide complete code.
Handoff to Execution
After saving the plan, ask the user: "Ready to execute the plan?"
If yes, launch the plan-executor agent with the path to the saved plan file.
Remember
- Exact file paths always
- Complete code in plan (not "add validation")
- Exact commands with expected output
- DRY, YAGNI, TDD