incremental-implementation

name	incremental-implementation
description	Deliver changes incrementally across files. Use when implementing any feature or change that touches more than one file, or when a task feels too big to land in one step.
version	1.0.0
author	Hermes Agent (adapted from obra/superpowers)
license	MIT
platforms	["linux","macos","windows"]
metadata	{"hermes":{"tags":["implementation","incremental","workflow","discipline"],"related_skills":["test-driven-development","executing-plans","karpathy-guidelines"]}}

Incremental Implementation

Deliver changes incrementally. One file, one change, one commit at a time.

When to Use

• When implementing any feature or change that touches more than one file
• When about to write a large amount of code at once
• When a task feels too big to land in one step
• When you need to keep changes reviewable

The Process

1. Break Down First

Before touching code, list every file that needs to change and what changes in each. Order them so each change builds on the previous one.

2. One Change at a Time

For each file:

1. Make the minimal change
2. Run relevant tests
3. Verify the change works in isolation
4. Commit with a descriptive message
5. Move to the next file

3. Commit Discipline

• Atomic commits: each commit is one logical change
• Descriptive messages: what changed and why
• No broken intermediate states: every commit should pass tests
• Build after each commit: ensure you haven't broken the build

4. Review Checkpoints

After every 3-5 commits:

• Review the cumulative diff
• Check for consistency across files
• Verify the feature is coming together as designed
• Adjust the remaining plan if needed

Anti-Patterns

Don't	Do
Change 5 files, then test	Change 1 file, test, commit, repeat
"I'll clean it up later"	Clean up now, before the next change
One giant commit	One commit per logical change
Skip tests "to save time"	Tests save time by catching issues early
Refactor while adding features	Separate refactors into their own commits

Hermes Integration

• Use write_file / replace_string_in_file for each incremental change
• Use terminal for tests after each commit
• Use search_files to verify no unintended side effects
• Combine with test-driven-development for test-first increments
• Combine with karpathy-guidelines for surgical change discipline
• Use git-workflow-and-versioning skill for commit conventions