plan-feature

name	plan-feature
description	Orchestrates the implementation planning process — generating plan artifacts, architecture decisions, and design documents from a feature specification. Use when running /sddp-plan or when implementation planning is needed.

Software Architect — Plan Feature Workflow

- Report compact progress at major milestones: outcome, key delta, next step - Follow all writing rules in `.github/skills/plan-authoring/SKILL.md` (read in Step 0) — including Instructions Check gate, NEEDS CLARIFICATION resolution, research consolidation, and artifact conventions - **Question batching**: Batch all user-facing questions into a single interaction point. Never issue separate sequential prompts when one combined prompt works. - **Delegation**: Use specialized roles for Data Modeling, API Contracts, and Compliance Auditing - Research before designing — **Delegate: Technical Researcher**; reuse `FEATURE_DIR/research.md` when sufficient - If user attaches/references a technical context document → capture path, persist in `.github/sddp-config.md`

0. Acquire Skills

Read .github/skills/compact-communication/SKILL.md for terse runtime communication rules, exact-preservation boundaries, and auto-clarity exceptions.

1. Resolve Context

Resolve FEATURE_DIR from git branch (specs/<branch>/) or user context.

Delegate: Context Gatherer in quick mode (.github/agents/_context-gatherer.md).

• HAS_SPEC = false → ERROR "Missing spec.md at FEATURE_DIR/spec.md. Run /sddp-specify [description] to create it."
• plan.md missing → read template from .github/skills/plan-authoring/assets/plan-template.md, create FEATURE_DIR/plan.md
• plan.md exists:
  • Autopilot guard (P1): AUTOPILOT = true → default Overwrite. Log a decision row to FEATURE_DIR/autopilot-log.md: Timestamp=now, Phase=Plan, Event=decision, Detail="Existing plan.md found", Outcome="Overwrite", Rationale="autopilot default", Artifacts=[plan.md](plan.md).
  • AUTOPILOT = false → ask overwrite or refine

Load FEATURE_DIR/spec.md. Detect SPEC_TYPE from frontmatter (absent → product).

Spec Maturity Check: Read spec_maturity from frontmatter (absent → draft).

• draft → WARN: "Spec has not been through clarification. Consider running /sddp-clarify first to reduce rework risk."
• clarified or higher → continue without warning.

1.5. Technical Context Document

Check for user-attached file or path in $ARGUMENTS/conversation.

1. Detect: file attachments, explicit paths, mentions of "tech context"/"architecture doc"/"SAD"/etc.
2. Auto-adopt default: HAS_TECH_CONTEXT_DOC = false + no new doc + specs/sad.md exists → read it, persist to .github/sddp-config.md, set TECH_CONTEXT_DOC/TECH_CONTEXT_CONTENT → Step 2
3. Existing registered: HAS_TECH_CONTEXT_DOC = true + no new doc → read TECH_CONTEXT_DOC → TECH_CONTEXT_CONTENT → Step 2
4. New file detected:
   • Validate readable (unreadable → warn, proceed without)
   • If HAS_TECH_CONTEXT_DOC = true + different path:
     • TECH_CONTEXT_DOC is specs/sad.md:
       • Autopilot guard (P2): AUTOPILOT = true → Keep existing, log
       • AUTOPILOT = false → ask "Keep existing" (recommended) / "Replace"
     • TECH_CONTEXT_DOC is not specs/sad.md:
       • Autopilot guard (P2): AUTOPILOT = true → Replace, log
       • AUTOPILOT = false → ask "Replace" (recommended) / "Keep existing"
   • Confirmed or no prior doc → write path to .github/sddp-config.md, store TECH_CONTEXT_CONTENT
5. Nothing detected + no existing: set TECH_CONTEXT_PENDING = true (batched with Step 2 questions)
6. No document: TECH_CONTEXT_CONTENT = empty. Planning proceeds with interactive Q&A.

Tech context path is a reference — original file read on demand. Missing file → graceful error handling.

2. Alignment & Pre-Research Gate

1. Autopilot guard (P3, P4): AUTOPILOT = true:
   • TECH_CONTEXT_CONTENT available → extract all values (language, frameworks, storage, platform, constraints) directly. Log: "Autopilot: Alignment answers derived from Technical Context Document"
   • TECH_CONTEXT_PENDING = true → default "No tech context document", log, set empty

• Skip all alignment questions → proceed to Pre-Research Validation

AUTOPILOT = false:

• TECH_CONTEXT_PENDING = true → include in same batch: "Do you have a technical context document?" Options: "No tech context document" (recommended) + free-form path. If path provided → validate, persist to .github/sddp-config.md, read content.
• TECH_CONTEXT_CONTENT available → pre-fill all Technical Context fields as defaults with source attribution. Present for confirmation, not open-ended Q&A: "Based on [TECH_CONTEXT_DOC]: Language=X, Storage=Y, Platform=Z. Confirm or override for this feature?"
• TECH_CONTEXT_CONTENT empty → ask tech stack, architecture trade-offs, critical constraints

2. Pre-Research Validation (lightweight — no delegation):
   • Verify spec.md has no unresolved [NEEDS CLARIFICATION] markers that block planning
   • Verify project-instructions.md exists and is readable
   • Violations → warn user, do not halt (full compliance check runs post-design in Step 5)

3. Phase 0 — Research

3.0 Research Reuse Gate

FEATURE_DIR/research.md exists:

• Read before launching new research
• Current: covers active tech choices, no material new unknowns → reuse
• Stale: critical tech decisions changed, unresolved clarifications unsupported, or user requests refresh → refresh
• Reuse current sections, refresh only missing/stale
• LIGHTWEIGHT = true → treat all existing as current, skip delegations; refresh only critical unknowns with zero coverage

research.md missing + LIGHTWEIGHT = true → minimal research: resolve only critical unknowns not covered by Technical Context Document.

3a. Resolve Clarifications

Per NEEDS CLARIFICATION in spec/plan: reuse existing findings or research the unknown. Consolidate in FEATURE_DIR/research.md.

3b. Research Best Practices

Report: "🔍 Researching tech stack best practices and architecture patterns..."

Delegate: Technical Researcher (.github/agents/_technical-researcher.md):

• Topics (by SPEC_TYPE, only uncovered/stale):
  • Product: domain architecture, UX-supporting architecture, implementation trade-offs
  • Technical: framework, migration, schema, integration, compatibility, validation patterns
  • Operational: IaC, deployment, CI/CD, observability, environment promotion, reliability patterns
• Context: Feature spec, tech stack from plan.md, TECH_CONTEXT_CONTENT (if available)
• Purpose: "Inform architectural decisions and tech stack configuration"
• File Paths: FEATURE_DIR/spec.md, FEATURE_DIR/plan.md, FEATURE_DIR/research.md (if exists), TECH_CONTEXT_DOC (if registered)

Coverage sufficient → skip delegation. TECH_CONTEXT_CONTENT covers 80%+ of tech decisions → skip Technical Researcher entirely, note "Baseline from Technical Context Document".

Merge into FEATURE_DIR/research.md (full rewrite). Follow plan-authoring skill research.md format: structured fields per topic, no prose paragraphs, max 2 sources/topic, ≤4KB.

Update plan.md Technical Context with resolved values. Populate ## Architecture Decisions table with decisions made during research (AD-001, AD-002...).

• TECH_CONTEXT_CONTENT available → use as baseline, overlay with user choices + research findings, reference source path.

3c. Determine Project Mode

Scan repository for existing source code (excluding specs/, node_modules/, build artifacts):

• Source files found → PROJECT_MODE = brownfield (or mixed if feature adds new top-level directories)
• No source files → PROJECT_MODE = greenfield
• Record in plan.md Technical Context Project Mode field.

3d. Determine Design Artifacts

Scan resolved spec.md and Technical Context to decide Phase 1 artifacts.

Branch by SPEC_TYPE:

• product → apply data/API signal heuristics
• technical/operational → data-model.md and contracts/ are opt-in only when spec explicitly includes Key Entities, interface deliverables, or requirement language clearly calling for persistent data/contracts

Implementation Signals shortcut: If spec.md contains an ## Implementation Signals section, use tagged signals directly:

• NEW-ENTITY or MIGRATION → GENERATE_DATA_MODEL = true
• NEW-API → GENERATE_CONTRACTS = true
• Other tags (NEW-UI, EXTERNAL-SERVICE, BREAKING-CHANGE, NEW-WORKER, NEW-CONFIG) → informational, used to guide architecture decisions in Phase 1
• If Implementation Signals section exists and has explicit tags → skip heuristic detection below, use signals as authoritative

Data signals (any match → generate data-model.md):

• Non-empty "Key Entities" section
• Terms: database, storage, persist, store, CRUD, model, schema, table, collection, record, entity
• Technical Context Storage ≠ N/A

API signals (any match → generate contracts/):

• Terms: API, endpoint, route, REST, GraphQL, HTTP, webhook, request/response, server, client-server, RPC
• Technical Context Project Type is web or mobile

No signals detected:

• SPEC_TYPE = technical/operational → silently default Neither, log
• Project Type = single (or not web/mobile) → silently default Neither, log
• Autopilot guard (P5): AUTOPILOT = true → silently default Neither, log
• Project Type = web/mobile + AUTOPILOT = false → ask: "Design Artifacts" / "No API surface or persistent data detected. Which?" → Data Model only / API Contracts only / Both / Neither (recommended)

Store as GENERATE_DATA_MODEL and GENERATE_CONTRACTS (true/false).

4. Phase 1 — Design Execution

4.1 Data Modeling (skip if GENERATE_DATA_MODEL = false)

• False → replace ## Data Model Summary table with N/A — no persistent data
• True → Delegate: Database Administrator (.github/agents/_database-administrator.md): SpecPath, ResearchPath, OutputPath: FEATURE_DIR/data-model.md → populate ## Data Model Summary table in plan.md

4.2 API Contracts (skip if GENERATE_CONTRACTS = false)

• False → replace ## API Surface Summary table with N/A — no API surface
• True → Delegate: API Designer (.github/agents/_api-designer.md): SpecPath, DataModelPath (if generated), OutputDir: FEATURE_DIR/contracts/ → populate ## API Surface Summary table in plan.md

4.3 High-Level Architecture

• Reuse Technical Context Document terminology/boundaries when available
• Populate ## Architecture Mermaid C4 diagram in plan.md:
  • Default to Container view; use Component view only if internals matter
  • Target 8-12 nodes, hard cap 15
  • Names 1-3 words; short type fields; descriptions optional, max 4 words
  • Relationship labels: short verbs only; omit obvious labels
  • Exclude helpers, shared libraries, and commodity infrastructure unless they define a key boundary
  • No class-level detail. Use <br> only; never \n
• Align with DataModel and Contracts outputs
• Add any remaining Architecture Decisions (AD-###) to the table
• For any decision that has project-wide architectural impact (not feature-local): delegate to the ADR Author subagent (.github/agents/_adr-author.md) with a fully resolved decision payload. The ADR Author creates a standalone MADR file under specs/adrs/ and returns the ADR ID and SAD catalog row. Reference the resulting ADR-NNNN from the plan instead of recording it as an AD row. After the ADR Author returns, update the specs/sad.md ADR catalog table with the returned row.

4.4 Source Code Structure

• Detect PROJECT_MODE from Step 3c.
• Greenfield: fill full layout based on Project Type (ref: plan-authoring SKILL.md Project Structure Options).
• Brownfield/Mixed: scan existing layout, show only new (+) and modified (~) paths. Include Brownfield Notes block.
• Strip all HTML comments, [REPLACE: ...], [REMOVE IF UNUSED] markers.

4.5 Testing Strategy & QC Tooling

• Read Language/Version and Primary Dependencies from plan.md Technical Context
• Scan repo root for existing tool configs (.golangci-lint.yml, eslint.config.*, pyproject.toml with [tool.ruff]/[tool.bandit], clippy.toml, biome.json, etc.)
• Delegate: Technical Researcher (.github/agents/_technical-researcher.md):
  • Topics: "Best QC tools for [Language/Version] [Dependencies]" — test runner, linter/static analysis, security scanner, coverage tool
  • Context: Language, framework, dependency manager, existing configs, project-instructions.md quality mandates
  • Purpose: "Recommend specific QC tools and install commands"
  • Return: tool name, install command, rationale per category
• Populate ## Testing Strategy table in plan.md: one row per tier (Unit, Integration, Security, Coverage) with Tool, Scope, Mock Boundary, Install columns. Existing config → Install = configured; N/A tier → include row with rationale.

4.6 Error Handling Strategy

• If feature has API endpoints, external service calls, or user-facing error states → populate ## Error Handling Strategy table
• Otherwise → replace table with N/A — [reason]

4.7 Integration Points

• If spec has Integration Points section → populate ## Integration Points table mapping each to technical approach
• Otherwise → remove section from plan

4.8 Risk Mitigation

• Read Assumptions & Risks from spec.md → populate ## Risk Mitigation table with concrete technical mitigations
• Every risk from spec must have a row

4.9 Requirement Coverage Map

• Read all requirement IDs (FR-###, TR-###, OR-###, RR-###) from spec.md
• Map each to the component(s) and file path(s) that will implement it
• Populate ## Requirement Coverage Map table
• This table is the primary input for /sddp-tasks

4.10 Implementation Hints

• Populate ## Implementation Hints with max 5 tagged items: gotchas, order-sensitive operations, non-obvious constraints
• Format: - **[HINT-###]** Category: detail

5. Post-Design Gate

5.0 Plan Readiness Self-Check

Before compliance check, validate:

1. Every conditional section is either populated with a table OR replaced with N/A — [reason]
2. No [REPLACE: ...] or template placeholder markers remain
3. Mermaid diagram uses valid C4 syntax
4. Every requirement ID from spec.md appears in Requirement Coverage Map
5. Architecture Decisions table has at least one row (or N/A for trivial features)

Failures → fix inline before proceeding.

5.1 Compliance Check

Delegate: Policy Auditor (.github/agents/_policy-auditor.md):

• Task: "Validate completed FEATURE_DIR/plan.md against project instructions"
• Report pass/fail inline; FAIL → warn user

5.5 Generate Checklist Queue

1. Read MAX_CHECKLIST_COUNT from Context Report. 0 → skip entirely.
2. Analyze plan.md, spec.md, design artifacts for risk/domain signals:
   • Auth/secrets/input validation → Security
   • Data model/storage/migrations → Data Integrity
   • API/endpoints/HTTP → API Quality
   • UI/frontend/accessibility → UX
   • Latency/throughput/caching → Performance
   • Logging/monitoring/metrics → Observability
   • Test strategy/coverage/edge cases → Testing
3. Rank by signal strength, select top N = min(detected, MAX_CHECKLIST_COUNT)
4. Ensure FEATURE_DIR/checklists/ exists
5. Write FEATURE_DIR/checklists/.checklists:

   # Recommended Checklists
   > Auto-generated by /sddp-plan based on risk signals detected in the technical plan.
   
   - [ ] CHL001 Security
   - [ ] CHL002 API Quality
   - [ ] CHL003 Performance
   

   (CHL### IDs, 3-digit zero-padded, sequential. Domain name = /sddp-checklist argument.)
6. .checklists exists:
   • Autopilot guard (P6): AUTOPILOT = true → Overwrite, log
   • AUTOPILOT = false → ask overwrite or keep

5.6 Amend Technical Context Document

Update registered Technical Context document before final reporting.

5.6.1 Preconditions

• HAS_TECH_CONTEXT_DOC = false → skip
• true → read TECH_CONTEXT_DOC (unreadable → warn, continue; non-blocking)

5.6.2 Content Scope (Strict)

Promote only reusable project-level context from planning artifacts (plan.md, research.md, optional data-model.md, contracts/):

• Stable technology baseline decisions
• Cross-cutting architectural constraints/standards
• Reusable integration patterns and system boundaries
• Shared operational expectations (deployment env, observability, security posture)

Do NOT include: feature-specific endpoints/payloads/schema, feature-only component logic, one-off implementation notes.

5.6.3 Merge Strategy (Managed Section Full Rewrite)

1. Maintain ## Project Context Baseline Updates section
2. Parse + normalize existing entries
3. Merge with new reusable technical context
4. De-duplicate semantically
5. Full rewrite of managed section; preserve all other content
6. Section missing → create at end
7. Preserve every narrative architecture section and Mermaid C4 diagram outside managed section verbatim

5.6.4 Failure Handling

• Best-effort, non-blocking. Surface failures as warnings in final report.

6. Report

Output:

• Branch name and plan file path
• Generated artifacts list
• Instructions check status
• Checklist queue summary (if generated): domain count + .checklists path
• Shared document amendment summary (updated/skipped/warnings)
• Suggested next steps with context-specific prompts:
  1. /sddp-checklist (optional — for safety-critical/compliance features; repeatable for queued domains)
  2. /sddp-tasks (required)