Plan (pre-implementation)
Do not write production code in this pass unless the user explicitly asks for a spike.
If the user is already in Cursor Plan mode, follow that mode; otherwise use this checklist.
Checklist
- Apply discover-project if the stack or layout is unclear
- Search the codebase for related code, patterns, and prior art
- Identify gaps between current behavior and the desired outcome
- Produce a plan with:
- Approach — strategy in plain language
- Files to touch — paths and expected change type
- Data / API / UI — only sections that apply
- Out of scope — what this change explicitly will not do
- Test strategy — what to run or add after implement
- Risks — regressions, edge cases, migrations
- Open questions — decisions needing user input
- Wait for approval before implementing
For multi-phase initiatives (several PRs, living progress, backend + browser gates), save the approved plan under docs/plans/ using the plan-driven-implementation skill's plan-template.md, then hand off to plan-driven-implementation for execution.
For completeness vs a spec, suggest audit instead of guessing coverage.
Output style
- Prefer short bullets over long prose
- Ground claims in file paths or symbols you found
- If something is missing, say not implemented — do not assume
Related skills
- discover-project — when stack or layout is unknown
- audit — completeness vs spec before planning
- plan-driven-implementation — after plan is saved to
docs/plans/for phased execution - implement — after user approves a small scoped change without a living plan doc