| name | forge:execute |
| hidden | true |
| description | Use when you have a written implementation plan to execute in a separate session with review checkpoints |
Executing Plans
Overview
Load plan, review critically, execute all tasks, report when complete.
Announce at start: "I'm using the forge:execute skill to implement this plan."
Note: Tell your human partner that work of this complexity works much better with subagent access. The quality will be significantly higher if run on a platform with subagent support (such as Claude Code or Codex). If subagents are available, use forge:subagent instead of this skill.
The Process
Step 1: Load and Review Plan
- Read plan file
- Review critically - identify any questions or concerns about the plan
- If concerns: Raise them with your human partner before starting
- If no concerns: Create a task per plan task with the
task tool and proceed
Step 2: Execute Tasks
For each task:
- Mark as in_progress
- Follow each step exactly (plan has bite-sized steps)
- Run verifications as specified
- Mark as completed
- Write back to the plan file — flip the task's
- [ ] checkbox to - [x] and
append a line to the plan's ## Execution Progress section (see forge:plan's
"Living Plan Document" contract). The line MUST include: commit SHA, verify
verdict, ISO-8601 timestamp. If verify failed and you are iterating, leave the
checkbox - [ ] and append an iteration-N line to ## Loop Trace instead.
Skipping the writeback is a false completion. The task is not "done" until the plan
document reflects it.
Step 3: Complete Development
After all tasks complete and verified:
- Call
skill("forge:report") to write the final report (summarizes what was built in human-readable form)
- Report skill will transition to
skill("forge:merge") on completion
When to Stop and Ask for Help
STOP executing immediately when:
- Hit a blocker (missing dependency, test fails, instruction unclear)
- Plan has critical gaps preventing starting
- You don't understand an instruction
- Verification fails repeatedly
Use forge:ask to present the blocker and options rather than describing it in free text. If no user is available, resolve the blocker with your best judgment and continue.
When to Revisit Earlier Steps
Return to Review (Step 1) when:
- Partner updates the plan based on your feedback
- Fundamental approach needs rethinking
Don't force through blockers - stop and ask.
Remember
- Review plan critically first
- Follow plan steps exactly
- Don't skip verifications
- Reference skills when plan says to
- Stop when blocked, don't guess
- Never start implementation on main/master branch without explicit user consent
Integration
Required workflow skills:
- forge:worktree - Ensures isolated workspace (creates one or verifies existing)
- forge:plan - Creates the plan this skill executes
- forge:report - Write final report after all tasks complete
- forge:merge - Complete development (invoked by report skill)