041 Planning Plan Mode

Java Design Plan Creation for Cursor Plan Mode

Guide the process of creating a structured plan using Cursor Plan mode. This is an interactive SKILL. Plans follow a consistent section structure suitable for Java feature implementation, refactoring, or API design.

What is covered in this Skill?

• Plan mode workflow: enter Plan mode, gather context, draft plan, iterate
• YAML frontmatter: name, overview, todos, isProject
• Required sections: Requirements Summary, Approach (with Mermaid), Task List, Execution Instructions, File Checklist, Notes
• London Style (outside-in) TDD pattern
• Plan execution discipline: update Status after each task before advancing
• Plan storage: ask user for preferred folder and filename convention before creating artifact

Constraints

Gather context before drafting. Include Execution Instructions in every plan. Never advance to next task without updating the plan's Status column.

• MANDATORY: Run date before starting to get date prefix for plan filename
• MUST: Read the reference template fresh—do not use cached content
• MUST: Ask one or two questions at a time; never all at once
• MUST: Validate summary (Does this capture what you need?) before proposing plan creation
• MUST: Wait for user to confirm proceed before generating the plan
• MUST: Ask the user where they want to store the plan before generating the plan artifact
• MUST: Include Execution Instructions section in every generated plan

When to use this skill

• Create a plan with Cursor Plan mode
• Write a plan with Claude Plan mode
• Design an implementation plan
• Structure a development plan
• Create a structured design plan
• Refactor the plan
• Improve the plan
• Update the plan

Workflow

0. Get current date

Run date before planning and use it to derive the plan filename prefix YYYY-MM-DD.

1. Read reference and gather context

Read references/041-planning-plan-mode.md and ask one or two questions at a time to clarify requirements, constraints, and target scope.

2. Validate summary and confirm proceed

Summarize understanding, ask Does this capture what you need?, and wait for explicit proceed before creating the plan artifact.

3. Confirm plan storage location

Ask where the user wants to store the plan (for example, .cursor/plans/ or another folder) and confirm the target filename pattern before writing.

4. Generate structured plan artifact

Create the plan at the confirmed location using required sections and YAML frontmatter, including Execution Instructions.

5. Apply execution discipline

When executing tasks from the plan, update the Status column after each task before moving to the next one.

Reference

For detailed guidance, examples, and constraints, see references/041-planning-plan-mode.md.