| name | task-breakdown |
| description | Use when running /spec:tasks, after an ImplementationPlan.md exists — decomposes it into a small, orderable, testable task backlog. Philosophy adapted from GitHub Spec-Kit's tasks phase and Superpowers' planning discipline. |
Task Breakdown
A task backlog turns a plan into an ordered list of small, independently verifiable units of
work, ready for /engineering:implement to pick up one at a time.
Sizing rule
Each task should be the smallest unit of work that has its own complete test cycle — a
task you could hand to a fresh reviewer and have them judge "done or not" without needing the
rest of the backlog for context. If a task description needs "and then," it's probably two
tasks. If a task is too small to write a meaningful test for on its own, merge it into its
neighbor.
Process
- Read the spec and the plan.
- List every distinct piece of behavior the plan implies, in implementation order.
- Apply the sizing rule to split or merge into right-sized tasks.
- Order by dependency — a task that needs another task's output is listed after it, and the
dependency is stated explicitly, not left implicit.
- For each task, write: goal, files touched, dependencies, and a definition of done that
references the spec's FR-N/acceptance criteria it satisfies.
Output format
A checklist in Tasks.md, one section per task (Task-1, Task-2, ...), each with a status
checkbox, explicit Depends on: line, and a definition of done that is checkable by running
tests — not by reading code.
Red flags
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|
| A task has no way to verify "done" except manual inspection | It isn't test-first-shaped; split until it is |
| Two tasks silently touch the same file with no stated dependency | Hidden merge/ordering conflict waiting to surface during /engineering:implement |
| A task's definition of done doesn't reference any FR-N | It may not be traceable back to the spec at all |
| The backlog has one giant task covering "the rest of the feature" | Defeats the purpose — break it down further |
