planning-and-task-breakdown

name	planning-and-task-breakdown
type	workflow
description	When dealing with a complex issue, epic, or multi-step feature request, break it down into modular, achievable tasks before writing code.
argument-hint	[epic-description-or-issue-url]
user-invocable	true
allowed-tools	Read, Glob, Grep
context	fork
effort	3
agent	lead-programmer
when_to_use	When starting a complex project, when receiving an epic or vague, large-scale request, or when the user invokes /plan.

Planning and Task Breakdown

Purpose

Prevents the agent from hallucinating huge "big bang" code changes that break the system. This skill forces the decomposition of complex requirements into granular, independently verifiable, and atomic units of work. It establishes a shared roadmap between the Agent and the User.

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Workflow

1. Requirements Assessment

• Interpret the overall goal using Read on existing documentation or source code to understand current capabilities.
• Identify missing information and constraints.

2. Task Decomposition

• Break the overarching goal down into logical Phases.
• Inside each Phase, create granular Tasks.
• CRITICAL: Each task must be ATOMIC (handling exactly one logical change, UI update, or API route).

3. Dependency Mapping

• Organize the tasks sequentially. Ensure foundational setup tasks (e.g., Database Schema changes) occur strictly before dependent tasks (e.g., API creation or UI hooks).

4. Create the Plan & Request Approval

• Output the fully structured plan to the user.
• End by unequivocally asking for approval to start the first task.

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Output Format

The output MUST use standard Markdown checklists.

# 🗺️ Implementation Plan: [Epic Name]

### Phase 1: [Phase Name - e.g., Foundation & Database]
- [ ] **Task 1.1**: [Atomic description - e.g., Create User migration]
- [ ] **Task 1.2**: [Atomic description - e.g., Update Prisma schema and seeders]

### Phase 2: [Phase Name - e.g., Backend API]
- [ ] **Task 2.1**: [Atomic description]

### Phase 3: [Phase Name - e.g., Frontend Integration]
- [ ] **Task 3.1**: [Atomic description]

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**Status**: ⏸️ Awaiting plan approval. 
**Next Action**: Shall I execute *Task 1.1*?

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Anti-Rationalizations

Be aware of lazy logic that an Agent typically uses to skip planning. If a thought on the left occurs, YOU MUST apply the rebuttal on the right: