# Kata Execute Quick Task

> Execute small ad-hoc tasks with Kata guarantees, running quick tasks without full planning, or handling one-off work outside the roadmap. Triggers include "quick task", "quick mode", "quick fix", "ad-hoc task", "small task", and "one-off task".

- Skill: `gannonh/kata-execute-quick-task` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add gannonh/kata-execute-quick-task`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/gannonh/kata-execute-quick-task/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Product & Planning
- Author: gannonh (https://skillmd.com/u/gannonh)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/gannonh/kata-execute-quick-task

---


<objective>
Execute small, ad-hoc tasks with Kata guarantees (atomic commits, STATE.md tracking) while skipping optional agents (research, plan-checker, verifier).

Quick mode is the same system with a shorter path:

- Spawns kata-planner (quick mode) + kata-executor(s)
- Skips kata-phase-researcher, kata-plan-checker, kata-verifier
- Quick tasks live in `.planning/quick/` separate from planned phases
- Updates STATE.md "Quick Tasks Completed" table (NOT ROADMAP.md)

Use when: You know exactly what to do and the task is small enough to not need research or verification.
</objective>

<execution_context>
Orchestration is inline - no separate workflow file. Quick mode is deliberately simpler than full Kata.
</execution_context>

<context>
@.planning/STATE.md
</context>

<process>
**Step 0: Resolve Model Profile**

Read model profile for agent spawning:

```bash
MODEL_PROFILE=$(node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/kata-execute-quick-task/scripts/kata-lib.cjs" read-config "model_profile" "balanced")
```

Default to "balanced" if not set.

**Model lookup table:**

| Agent         | quality | balanced | budget |
| ------------- | ------- | -------- | ------ |
| kata-planner  | opus    | opus     | sonnet |
| kata-executor | opus    | sonnet   | sonnet |

Store resolved models for use in Task calls below.

---

**Step 1: Pre-flight validation**

Check that an active Kata project exists:

```bash
if [ ! -f .planning/ROADMAP.md ]; then
  echo "Quick mode requires an active project with ROADMAP.md."
  echo "Run /kata-new-project first."
  exit 1
fi
```

If validation fails, stop immediately with the error message.

Quick tasks can run mid-phase - validation only checks ROADMAP.md exists, not phase status.

---

**Step 1.5: Parse issue argument (optional)**

Check for issue file path argument:

```bash
ISSUE_FILE=""
ISSUE_NUMBER=""
ISSUE_TITLE=""
ISSUE_PROBLEM=""

# Check for --issue flag
if echo "$ARGUMENTS" | grep -q -- "--issue"; then
  ISSUE_FILE=$(echo "$ARGUMENTS" | grep -oE '\-\-issue [^ ]+' | cut -d' ' -f2)

  if [ -f "$ISSUE_FILE" ]; then
    # Extract issue metadata
    ISSUE_TITLE=$(grep "^title:" "$ISSUE_FILE" | cut -d':' -f2- | xargs)
    PROVENANCE=$(grep "^provenance:" "$ISSUE_FILE" | cut -d' ' -f2)

    if echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -q "^github:"; then
      ISSUE_NUMBER=$(echo "$PROVENANCE" | grep -oE '#[0-9]+' | tr -d '#')
    fi

    # Extract problem section for context
    ISSUE_PROBLEM=$(sed -n '/^## Problem/,/^## /p' "$ISSUE_FILE" | tail -n +2 | head -n -1)
  fi
fi
```

If `ISSUE_FILE` provided but file not found: error and exit.
If `ISSUE_FILE` provided and valid: Use issue title as description (skip Step 2 prompt).

---

**Step 2: Get task description**

**If `$ISSUE_FILE` is set (issue-driven quick task):**

```bash
DESCRIPTION="$ISSUE_TITLE"
echo "Using issue title: $DESCRIPTION"
```

Skip the AskUserQuestion prompt — use the issue title as the description.

**If no issue context (standard quick task):**

Prompt user interactively for the task description:

```
AskUserQuestion(
  header: "Quick Task",
  question: "What do you want to do?",
  followUp: null
)
```

Store response as `$DESCRIPTION`.

If empty, re-prompt: "Please provide a task description."

**Generate slug from description (both paths):**

Generate slug from description:

```bash
slug=$(echo "$DESCRIPTION" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]' | sed 's/[^a-z0-9]/-/g' | sed 's/--*/-/g' | sed 's/^-//;s/-$//' | cut -c1-40)
```

---

**Step 3: Calculate next quick task number**

Ensure `.planning/quick/` directory exists and find the next sequential number:

```bash
# Ensure .planning/quick/ exists
mkdir -p .planning/quick

# Find highest existing number and increment
last=$(ls -1d .planning/quick/[0-9][0-9][0-9]-* 2>/dev/null | sort -r | head -1 | xargs -I{} basename {} | grep -oE '^[0-9]+')

if [ -z "$last" ]; then
  next_num="001"
else
  next_num=$(printf "%03d" $((10#$last + 1)))
fi
```

---

**Step 4: Create quick task directory**

Create the directory for this quick task:

```bash
QUICK_DIR=".planning/quick/${next_num}-${slug}"
mkdir -p "$QUICK_DIR"
```

Report to user:

```
Creating quick task ${next_num}: ${DESCRIPTION}
Directory: ${QUICK_DIR}
```

Store `$QUICK_DIR` for use in orchestration.

---

**Step 4.5: Read context files**

Read files before spawning agents using the Read tool. The `@` syntax does not work across Task() boundaries - content must be inlined.

**Read these files:**

- `.planning/STATE.md` (required) — store as `STATE_CONTENT`
- `skills/kata-plan-phase/references/planner-instructions.md` (cross-skill reference) — store as `planner_instructions_content`
- `skills/kata-execute-phase/references/executor-instructions.md` (cross-skill reference) — store as `executor_instructions_content`

Store content for use in Task prompts below.

---

**Step 5: Spawn planner (quick mode)**

Spawn kata-planner with quick mode context:

```
Task(
  prompt="<agent-instructions>\n{planner_instructions_content}\n</agent-instructions>\n\n" +
"<planning_context>

**Mode:** quick
**Directory:** ${QUICK_DIR}
**Description:** ${DESCRIPTION}

**Project State:**
${STATE_CONTENT}

**Issue Context (if from issue):**
${ISSUE_FILE:+Issue File: $ISSUE_FILE}
${ISSUE_NUMBER:+GitHub Issue: #$ISSUE_NUMBER}
${ISSUE_PROBLEM:+
Problem:
$ISSUE_PROBLEM}

</planning_context>

<constraints>
- Create a SINGLE plan with 1-3 focused tasks
- Quick tasks should be atomic and self-contained
- No research phase, no checker phase
- Target ~30% context usage (simple, focused)
</constraints>

<output>
Write plan to: ${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-PLAN.md
Return: ## PLANNING COMPLETE with plan path
</output>
",
  subagent_type="general-purpose",
  model="{planner_model}",
  description="Quick plan: ${DESCRIPTION}"
)
```

After planner returns:

1. Verify plan exists at `${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-PLAN.md`
2. Extract plan count (typically 1 for quick tasks)
3. Report: "Plan created: ${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-PLAN.md"

If plan not found, error: "Planner failed to create ${next_num}-PLAN.md"

---

**Step 6: Spawn executor**

Read the plan content before spawning using the Read tool:

- `${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-PLAN.md`

Spawn kata-executor with inlined plan (use the STATE_CONTENT from step 4.5):

```
Task(
  prompt="<agent-instructions>\n{executor_instructions_content}\n</agent-instructions>\n\n" +
"Execute quick task ${next_num}.

<plan>
${PLAN_CONTENT}
</plan>

<project_state>
${STATE_CONTENT}
</project_state>

<constraints>
- Execute all tasks in the plan
- Commit each task atomically
- Create summary at: ${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-SUMMARY.md
- Do NOT update ROADMAP.md (quick tasks are separate from planned phases)
</constraints>
",
  subagent_type="general-purpose",
  model="{executor_model}",
  description="Execute: ${DESCRIPTION}"
)
```

After executor returns:

1. Verify summary exists at `${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-SUMMARY.md`
2. Extract commit hash from executor output
3. Report completion status

If summary not found, error: "Executor failed to create ${next_num}-SUMMARY.md"

Note: For quick tasks producing multiple plans (rare), spawn executors in parallel waves per phase-execute patterns.

---

**Step 7: Update STATE.md**

Update STATE.md with quick task completion record.

**7a. Check if "Quick Tasks Completed" section exists:**

Read STATE.md and check for `### Quick Tasks Completed` section.

**7b. If section doesn't exist, create it:**

Insert after `### Blockers/Concerns` section:

```markdown
### Quick Tasks Completed

| #   | Description | Date | Commit | Directory |
| --- | ----------- | ---- | ------ | --------- |
```

**7c. Append new row to table:**

```markdown
| ${next_num} | ${DESCRIPTION} | $(date +%Y-%m-%d) | ${commit_hash} | [${next_num}-${slug}](./quick/${next_num}-${slug}/) |
```

**7d. Update "Last activity" line:**

Find and update the line:

```
Last activity: $(date +%Y-%m-%d) - Completed quick task ${next_num}: ${DESCRIPTION}
```

Use Edit tool to make these changes atomically

---

**Step 7.5: Create PR with issue closure (if issue-driven)**

**Check pr_workflow config:**

```bash
PR_WORKFLOW=$(node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/kata-execute-quick-task/scripts/kata-lib.cjs" read-config "pr_workflow" "false")
```

**If `$ISSUE_NUMBER` is set (issue-driven quick task):**

**If `PR_WORKFLOW=true`:**

```bash
# Create branch for this quick task
BRANCH="fix/quick-${next_num}-${slug}"
git checkout -b "$BRANCH"

# Push branch
git push -u origin "$BRANCH"

# Build PR body
cat > /tmp/quick-pr-body.md << PR_EOF
## Summary

Completes issue #${ISSUE_NUMBER}: ${ISSUE_TITLE}

## Changes

Quick task ${next_num}: ${DESCRIPTION}

See: ${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-SUMMARY.md

Closes #${ISSUE_NUMBER}
PR_EOF

# Create PR
gh pr create \
  --title "fix: ${ISSUE_TITLE}" \
  --body-file /tmp/quick-pr-body.md

echo "PR created with Closes #${ISSUE_NUMBER}"
```

**If `PR_WORKFLOW=false`:**

```bash
# Close issue directly (no PR workflow)
gh issue close "$ISSUE_NUMBER" --comment "Completed via quick task ${next_num}"
echo "Issue #${ISSUE_NUMBER} closed directly (pr_workflow=false)"
```

**If no `$ISSUE_NUMBER`:**
Skip PR creation (standard quick task, not issue-driven).

---

**Step 8: Final commit and completion**

Stage and commit quick task artifacts:

```bash
# Stage quick task artifacts
git add ${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-PLAN.md
git add ${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-SUMMARY.md
git add .planning/STATE.md

# Commit with quick task format
git commit -m "$(cat <<'EOF'
docs(quick-${next_num}): ${DESCRIPTION}

Quick task completed.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
EOF
)"
```

Get final commit hash:

```bash
commit_hash=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
```

Display completion output:

```
---

Kata > QUICK TASK COMPLETE

Quick Task ${next_num}: ${DESCRIPTION}

Summary: ${QUICK_DIR}/${next_num}-SUMMARY.md
Commit: ${commit_hash}

---

Ready for next task: /kata-execute-quick-task
```

</process>

<success_criteria>

- [ ] ROADMAP.md validation passes
- [ ] User provides task description (or uses issue title if --issue flag)
- [ ] Slug generated (lowercase, hyphens, max 40 chars)
- [ ] Next number calculated (001, 002, 003...)
- [ ] Directory created at `.planning/quick/NNN-slug/`
- [ ] `${next_num}-PLAN.md` created by planner
- [ ] `${next_num}-SUMMARY.md` created by executor
- [ ] STATE.md updated with quick task row
- [ ] Artifacts committed
- [ ] Issue context parsed from --issue flag (if provided)
- [ ] PR created with `Closes #X` (if issue-driven and pr_workflow=true)
- [ ] Issue closed directly (if issue-driven and pr_workflow=false)
      </success_criteria>