# Phx Work

> Execute Elixir/Phoenix plan tasks with progress tracking. Use after /skill:phx-plan to implement features with mix compile and mix test verification after each step, or --continue to resume interrupted work.

- Skill: `oliver-kriska/phx-work` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 6 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add oliver-kriska/phx-work`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/oliver-kriska/phx-work/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: oliver-kriska (https://skillmd.com/u/oliver-kriska)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/oliver-kriska/phx-work

---


# Work

Execute tasks from a plan file with checkpoint tracking and verification.

## Usage

```
/skill:phx-work .claude/plans/user-auth/plan.md
/skill:phx-work .claude/plans/user-auth/plan.md --from P2-T3
/skill:phx-work --skip-blockers
/skill:phx-work  # Resumes most recent plan
```

## Arguments

- `<plan-file>` -- Path to plan file (optional, auto-detects recent)
- `--from <task-id>` -- Resume from specific task (e.g., `P2-T3`)
- `--skip-blockers` -- Continue past blocked tasks
- `--continue` -- Resume IN_PROGRESS plan from checkboxes

## Iron Laws (NON-NEGOTIABLE)

1. **NEVER auto-proceed** to /skill:phx-review or any next workflow
   phase -- always ask the user what to do next
2. **AUTO-CONTINUE between plan phases** -- when Phase N completes,
   immediately start Phase N+1. Do NOT stop or ask for permission
   between phases. Only stop at BLOCKERS or when ALL phases are done.
3. **Plan checkboxes ARE the state** -- `[x]` = done; `[ ]` = pending
   unless the row is visibly tagged `[BLOCKED]`. No separate JSON state files.
   Resume by reading the plan.
4. **Verify after EVERY task** -- never skip verification
5. **Max 3 retries then BLOCKER** -- don't keep retrying forever
6. **Stage specific files** -- never use `git add -A` or `git add .`
7. **Read scratchpad BEFORE implementing** -- scratchpad has dead-ends
   and decisions that prevent rework. Step 2 is not optional.
8. **Clarify ambiguous tasks** -- ask the user rather than guessing
   when a plan task's intent is unclear

## Step 1: Research Decision

Ask the user for plans with >3 tasks:

> This plan has {count} remaining tasks across {count} phases.
>
> 1. **Start working** -- Begin immediately (familiar patterns)
> 2. **Quick research** -- Read source files first (~10 min)
> 3. **Extensive research** -- Web search + docs (~30 min)

Skip for plans with 3 or fewer simple tasks -- just start.

> **Split warning**: Plans with >10 tasks risk 2-3 context
> compactions. Suggest splitting via `/skill:phx-plan` if not already.

## Step 2: Check Context (MANDATORY)

Read scratchpad and compound docs before writing any code — skipping
this causes rework. Read `.claude/plans/{slug}/scratchpad.md` (short,
critical context) for dead-ends and decisions, then Grep `.claude/solutions/`
for solved patterns. Apply findings: skip dead-ends, follow decisions,
reuse patterns. Ask the user when a task's intent is ambiguous — never
guess, corrections are expensive.

## Step 3: Load, Create Task List, and Resume

Read plan file, count `[x]` (completed) vs `[ ]` (remaining).
Select the first unchecked task not tagged `[BLOCKED]`. Stop if an unresolved
`[BLOCKED]` task precedes it unless `--skip-blockers` is explicit.
`--skip-blockers` skips only tagged blocked rows; `--from <blocked-id>`
explicitly retries that row and clears `[BLOCKED]` when starting.

**Use the plan file as the portable task list.** For every unchecked item,
preserve its `- [ ] [Pn-Tm]` row and ordering. At the start of a task, set its
phase to `[IN_PROGRESS]` and append a `Started:` entry to
`.claude/plans/{slug}/progress.md`. Mark the plan checkbox `[x]` only after
verification passes, then append the completion evidence to `progress.md`.

Dependencies remain explicit in phase order: do not start a later phase while
an earlier phase has unchecked non-blocked tasks. This checklist is the progress
UI, durable state, and resume mechanism; no runtime task API is required.

With `--from P2-T3`: Skip to that specific task.

**Stale-plan check**: if the plan predates this session (file mtime), spot-check
2-3 files it references before executing — assumptions may have drifted.

See `references/resume-strategies.md` for all resume modes.

## Step 4: Execute Tasks

Execute each unchecked task (`- [ ] [Pn-Tm][concern] Description`):

1. **Start task**: mark its phase `[IN_PROGRESS]` and log the start in `.claude/plans/{slug}/progress.md`
2. **Apply concern guidance** from the annotation and its required verification (see `references/execution-guide.md`); it never selects a named worker
3. **Implement** the task
4. **Verify**: `mix format` + `mix compile --warnings-as-errors`
   (at phase end, also run `mix test <affected>` — see tiers below)
5. **Complete task**: Mark checkbox `[x]` on pass, **append
   implementation note** inline, and log verification evidence in `progress.md`. Example:
   `- [x] [P1-T3] Add user schema — citext for email, composite index on [user_id, status]`
   This survives context compaction; the plan is re-read on resume.
6. **On failure**: retry up to 3 times, then keep the row unchecked and
   append `[BLOCKED]`, optionally mark its phase `[BLOCKED]`, record the
   blocker in `progress.md`, write a DEAD-END to scratchpad, and stop by
   default. Continue only when `--skip-blockers` was explicitly supplied

**Parallel groups**: Tasks under `### Parallel:` may use native generic workers only when independent; otherwise execute them sequentially in the current session. See `references/execution-guide.md`
for the optional-worker pattern, sequential fallback, and checkpoint flow.

**Verification tiers** (scoped to minimize redundant runs):

- Per-task: `mix compile --warnings-as-errors` only
  and `mix format --check-formatted <changed_files>`
- Per-phase: `mix compile --warnings-as-errors` + `mix test <affected_files>` + `mix credo --strict`
  (scope tests: `mix test test/path/to_affected_test.exs` — NOT full suite)
- Per-feature: when Tidewave tools are independently configured and exposed, use a behavioral runtime smoke test; otherwise run a focused repository test and a local/manual smoke check (see execution-guide.md)
- Final gate: `mix test` (full suite — run ONCE at the end, not per-phase)

**Token efficiency**: Do NOT narrate each verification step. Execute
tool calls directly without "Let me now run..." preamble. Only narrate
when explaining a non-obvious decision or reporting a failure. When
several checkboxes complete together (parallel groups, resume catch-up),
batch them into ONE edit pass — never one Edit call per checkbox.
No hook is assumed. Run `mix format` explicitly during verification and
`mix format --check-formatted <changed_files>` before completing each task.

## Step 5: Completion

Summarize results, then ask the user a normal conversational question:

> Implementation complete! {done}/{total} tasks finished.
> {count} files modified across {count} phases.

Options: 1. **Run review** (`/skill:phx-review`) (Recommended),
2. **Get a briefing** (`/skill:phx-brief` — understand what was built),
3. **Create a git commit** with the platform's native git workflow, 4. **Continue manually**.
If any task fixed a non-obvious bug, also mention `/skill:phx-compound`
to capture the solution.

With blockers: list them, offer **Replan** (`/skill:phx-plan`),
**Review first** (`/skill:phx-review`), or **Handle myself**.

**If blockers remain**, auto-write HANDOFF to scratchpad:

```markdown
### [HH:MM] HANDOFF: {plan name}
Status: {done}/{total} tasks. Blockers: {list}.
Next: {first unchecked task ID and description}.
Key decisions: {brief list from this session}.
```

Include context beyond checkboxes for fresh session resume.

**NEVER** auto-start /skill:phx-review or any other phase.

## Step 6: Check for Additional Plans

After completion, use Glob to find other plan files matching
`.claude/plans/*/plan.md`. If pending plans exist, inform the
user. Do NOT auto-start.

## Integration

```text
/skill:phx-plan → /skill:phx-work (YOU ARE HERE) → /skill:phx-review → /skill:phx-compound
                 ↑ ASK USER before each transition
```

## References

- `references/execution-guide.md` -- Task routing, parallel execution, verification
- `references/resume-strategies.md` -- Resume modes and state persistence
- `references/file-formats.md` -- Plan and progress file formats
- `references/error-recovery.md` -- Error handling and blockers
- `references/harness-patterns.md` -- Critic-refiner pattern for debugging loops