// Executable plans with granular tasks and file precision. Trigger: When creating implementation plans with 2-5 minute tasks.
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| name | writing-plans |
| description | Executable plans with granular tasks and file precision. Trigger: When creating implementation plans with 2-5 minute tasks. |
| license | Apache 2.0 |
| metadata | {"version":"1.0","type":"behavioral"} |
Create executable, granular plans with precise file paths and 2-5 minute tasks.
Don't use for:
Each task must be completable in 2-5 minutes. Break larger work into steps.
# ❌ WRONG: Task too large
- Implement user authentication
# ✅ CORRECT: Granular tasks
1. Create User entity with email/password fields (2 min)
2. Add bcrypt password hashing utility (3 min)
3. Write UserRepository.findByEmail method (2 min)
4. Implement login endpoint POST /auth/login (4 min)
5. Add JWT token generation (3 min)
Why 2-5 minutes?
Specify exact files and line ranges for changes.
# ❌ WRONG: Vague location
- Update the user service
# ✅ CORRECT: Precise file path
- **File**: `src/services/UserService.ts:45-67`
- **Action**: Replace login method with async implementation
- **Lines affected**: 23 lines (delete 15, add 8)
Benefits:
Write tests before implementation when possible.
## Task 1: Write test for user registration
**File**: `tests/auth.test.ts`
**Test case**: POST /auth/register with valid data returns 201 + user object
**Expected behavior**:
- Returns status 201
- Response contains user object with id, email (no password)
- Database has new user record
- Password is hashed (not plain text)
## Task 2: Implement registration endpoint
**File**: `src/routes/auth.ts:12-30`
**Implementation**: Create POST /auth/register handler
**Verify**: Run test from Task 1 (should pass)
TDD Benefits:
Provide full, runnable code examples (not pseudocode).
// ✅ CORRECT: Complete, runnable example
export async function registerUser(data: RegisterDTO): Promise<User> {
// Validate input
const validation = RegisterSchema.safeParse(data);
if (!validation.success) {
throw new ValidationError(validation.error.format());
}
// Check existing user
const existing = await userRepo.findByEmail(data.email);
if (existing) {
throw new ConflictError("Email already registered");
}
// Hash password
const hashedPassword = await bcrypt.hash(data.password, 10);
// Create user
const user = await userRepo.create({
email: data.email,
password: hashedPassword,
createdAt: new Date(),
});
return user;
}
// ❌ WRONG: Pseudocode
// function to register user
// check if exists
// hash password
// save to db
// return user
Group tasks into batches of 3 for checkpoints.
## Batch 1 (Checkpoint after task 3)
### Task 1: Create User entity (2 min)
**File**: `src/entities/User.ts`
[implementation]
### Task 2: Add password hashing utility (3 min)
**File**: `src/utils/crypto.ts`
[implementation]
### Task 3: Write UserRepository.findByEmail (2 min)
**File**: `src/repositories/UserRepository.ts:45-60`
[implementation]
**CHECKPOINT**: Batch 1 Complete
- **Verification**: npm test -- UserEntity.test.ts
- **Expected**: 8/8 tests passed ✅
- **Next**: Proceed to Batch 2
## Batch 2 (Checkpoint after task 6)
### Task 4: Implement login endpoint (4 min)
[implementation]
### Task 5: Add JWT token generation (3 min)
[implementation]
### Task 6: Write integration test for login (2 min)
[implementation]
**CHECKPOINT**: Batch 2 Complete
- **Verification**: npm test -- auth.test.ts
- **Expected**: 12/12 tests passed ✅
- **Next**: Proceed to Batch 3 (deployment)
Batch Execution Benefits:
Creating a plan?
→ Break into 2-5 min tasks
→ Specify file paths with line ranges
→ Provide complete code examples
→ Group into batches of 3
Complex feature (10+ tasks)?
→ Use brainstorming first to evaluate alternatives
→ Then use writing-plans for execution details
Need to debug existing code?
→ Use systematic-debugging (not this skill)
Need UI/UX planning?
→ Use interface-design (not this skill)
Plan has >20 tasks?
→ Consider splitting into multiple features
→ Or create phases: MVP → Enhancement → Polish
Very small changes (<2 min): Group multiple small changes into single task. Example: "Update 3 import statements (2 min)".
Very large features (50+ tasks): Break into phases with clear milestones. Each phase is separate plan.
Refactoring (hard to estimate): Add time buffer. Mark as "3-5 min (refactoring)" to signal uncertainty.
External dependencies (API, database): Separate setup tasks. Example: "Setup local Postgres (5 min, one-time)".
Learning time: For new technologies, add separate learning tasks. Example: "Read Zod docs - basic usage (10 min)".
See references/plan-example.md for a complete multi-batch plan example with a User Registration API feature (9 tasks across 3 batches, full TypeScript code, TDD workflow, and checkpoint verification).