| name | plan-before-code |
| description | Restate the problem, surface invariants and edge cases, and cut the work into thin verifiable slices before writing any code. |
| source | zerops-curated |
| version | 1 |
Plan before code
Before the first edit, spend the few minutes that save the rework:
- Restate the problem in your own words — one paragraph: what changes for the user, what must not change. If you can't restate it, ask.
- List the invariants — the things that must still be true afterwards (data shapes, API contracts, performance floors, security boundaries). These become your tests.
- Hunt the edge cases now: empty, missing, duplicate, concurrent, huge, malformed, unauthorized. Write them down; each is a test case, not a surprise.
- Cut thin vertical slices — each slice is independently buildable, testable, and reviewable, and leaves the tree releasable. Prefer a walking skeleton first: the thinnest end-to-end path that proves the wiring.
- Name the seam you'll test through for each slice before building it.
While building: when reality contradicts the plan, stop and update the plan — don't push through on a wrong map. When a step's scope grows past what you planned, split it instead of stretching it.
