Executing Plans

Executing Plans

Announce: "Using executing-plans skill to implement this plan."

Invariant Principles

1. Plan Fidelity: Follow plan steps exactly. Plans encode architect decisions; deviation creates drift. If plan seems wrong, ask - don't silently reinterpret.
2. Evidence Over Claims: Every task completion requires verification output. Never mark complete without proof. "I ran the tests" without showing output is not evidence.
3. Blocking Over Guessing: Uncertainty must halt execution. Wrong guesses compound; asking costs one exchange.
4. Review Before Proceed: No task advances past unaddressed review findings. Spec compliance precedes code quality.
5. Context Completeness: Subagents receive full task text, never file references. Fresh contexts lack your accumulated knowledge.

Inputs

Outputs

Mode Selection

Use batch when: Architect wants review between batches, tasks tightly coupled, plan needs active discussion.

Use subagent when: Tasks mostly independent, faster iteration desired, want automated spec+quality review.

Autonomous Mode

Check for "Mode: AUTONOMOUS" or explicit autonomous instruction.

Skip: Plan concerns (log for later), "ready for feedback" checkpoints, completion confirmations.

Auto-decide: Batch size (default 3), implementation details (document choice), applying review fixes.

OpenCode Agent Inheritance

Detection: Check system prompt for:

• "operating in YOLO mode" → CURRENT_AGENT_TYPE = "yolo"
• "YOLO mode with a focus on precision" → CURRENT_AGENT_TYPE = "yolo-focused"
• Neither → CURRENT_AGENT_TYPE = "general"

All Task tool calls MUST use CURRENT_AGENT_TYPE as subagent_type.

This ensures subagents inherit autonomous permissions when parent is YOLO.

When subagent asks scope question in autonomous mode, MUST use AskUserQuestion:

AskUserQuestion({
  questions: [
    {
      question:
        "Implementer asks: 'Should this also handle X case?' This affects scope.",
      header: "Scope",
      options: [
        { label: "Yes, include X", description: "Expand scope" },
        {
          label: "No, exclude X (Recommended)",
          description: "Keep minimal per YAGNI",
        },
        { label: "Defer to future task", description: "Note for later" },
      ],
    },
  ],
});

Batch Mode Process

Phase 1: Load and Review Plan

1. Read plan file
2. Review critically - identify questions/concerns
3. If concerns:

   AskUserQuestion({
     questions: [
       {
         question: "Found [N] concerns with the plan. How should we proceed?",
         header: "Plan Review",
         options: [
           {
             label: "Discuss concerns",
             description: "Review each before starting",
           },
           {
             label: "Proceed anyway (Recommended if minor)",
             description: "Address as they arise",
           },
           {
             label: "Update plan first",
             description: "Revise to address concerns",
           },
         ],
       },
     ],
   });
   

4. If no concerns: Create TodoWrite and proceed

Phase 2: Execute Batch

Default first 3 tasks. Per task:

1. Mark as in_progress
2. Follow each step exactly (plan has bite-sized steps)
3. Run verifications as specified
4. Mark as completed with evidence

Phase 3: Report

When batch complete:

• Show what was implemented
• Show verification output
• Say: "Ready for feedback."

Phase 4: Continue

Based on feedback:

• Apply changes if needed
• Execute next batch
• Repeat until complete

Phase 5: Complete Development

• Announce: "Using finishing-a-development-branch skill to complete this work."
• REQUIRED: Invoke finishing-a-development-branch skill

Subagent Mode Process

Fresh subagent per task + two-stage review (spec then quality) = high quality, fast iteration.

Phase 1: Extract Tasks

Read plan once. Extract all tasks with full text and context. Create TodoWrite.

Phase 2: Per-Task Execution Loop

For each task:

1. Dispatch implementer subagent (use ./implementer-prompt.md)
2. Answer questions if implementer asks any - answer clearly and completely
3. Implementer implements, tests, commits, self-reviews
4. Dispatch spec reviewer (./spec-reviewer-prompt.md)
   • If issues found: implementer fixes, re-review
   • Loop until spec compliant
5. Dispatch code quality reviewer (./code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md)
   • If issues found: implementer fixes, re-review
   • Loop until approved
6. Mark task complete in TodoWrite

Phase 3: Final Review

Dispatch final code reviewer for entire implementation.

Phase 4: Complete Development

• Announce: "Using finishing-a-development-branch skill to complete this work."
• REQUIRED: Invoke finishing-a-development-branch skill

Stop Conditions

Ask for clarification rather than guessing. The cost of asking is one exchange. The cost of guessing wrong is cascade failure.

Anti-Patterns

Handling Subagent Questions

• Answer clearly and completely before letting them proceed
• Provide additional context if task references things they don't know
• If question affects scope: use AskUserQuestion (see circuit breakers)
• Don't rush implementation; incomplete answers cause rework

Handling Review Issues

• Implementer (same subagent) fixes issues
• Reviewer reviews again (never skip re-review)
• Loop until approved
• If 3+ cycles: escalate to user

Handling Subagent Failure

• Dispatch fix subagent with specific instructions
• Don't fix manually (context pollution)
• Provide failure context and expected behavior

Self-Check

Before marking execution complete:

• Every task has verification output shown (tests, build, runtime)
• No tasks marked complete without evidence
• All review issues addressed (spec and code quality)
• Plan followed exactly or deviations explicitly approved
• finishing-a-development-branch invoked

When to Revisit Earlier Steps

Return to Phase 1 (Load Plan) when:

• User updates plan based on your feedback
• Fundamental approach needs rethinking
• Critical gap discovered mid-execution

Don't force through blockers - stop and ask.

Integration

Required workflow skills:

• writing-plans - Creates the plan this skill executes
• requesting-code-review - Code review template for reviewer subagents
• finishing-a-development-branch - Complete development after all tasks

Subagents should use:

• test-driven-development - Subagents follow TDD for each task