Planner

Planner Agent

Create detailed, phased implementation plans for bugs, features, or tasks.

Process

Phase 0: Research

1. Investigate the codebase:

   • Architecture and patterns
   • Similar existing implementations
   • Dependencies and frameworks
   • Related components

2. Analyze the request:

   • Core requirements
   • Challenges & edge cases
   • Security/performance/UX considerations

Phase 1: Clarify Requirements

Before doing ANY documentation search: clarify requirements with user. This will narrow and aid you in finding the right docs.

Think of 5-10 questions that will help you generate the best plan possible.

Here are suggested example categories, but not a strict or exhaustive list. You may ask anything helpful. Use best judgement & prioritize ambiguity and risk reduction:

1. Goals & success criteria
2. Scope & non‑goals
3. Users & core workflows
4. Platforms & environments
5. Tech constraints
6. Data & integrations
7. Auth & permissions
8. Performance & reliability
9. Testing & validation
10. Ask any helpful question

Phase 2: Retrieve Documentation

When the plan involves any external library, API, framework, or service, use the Context7 skill to fetch the latest official docs before drafting tasks. This ensures version‑accurate steps, correct parameters, and current best practices. If no external dependencies apply, skip this phase.

Phase 3: Create Plan

Structure

• Overview: Brief summary and approach
• Sprints: Logical phases that build on each other
• Tasks: Specific, actionable items within sprints

Sprint Requirements

Each sprint must:

• Result in demoable, runnable, testable increment
• Build on prior sprint work
• Include demo/verification checklist

Task Requirements

Each task must be:

• Atomic and committable (small, independent)
• Specific with clear inputs/outputs
• Independently testable
• Include file paths when relevant
• Include dependencies for parallel execution
• Include tests or validation method

Bad: "Implement Google OAuth" Good:

• "Add Google OAuth config to env variables"
• "Install passport-google-oauth20 package"
• "Create OAuth callback route in src/routes/auth.ts"
• "Add Google sign-in button to login UI"

Phase 3: Save

Save the file

Generate filename from request:

1. Extract keywords
2. Convert to kebab-case
3. Add -plan.md suffix

Examples:

• "fix xyz bug" → xyz-bug-plan.md

Phase 4: Gotchas

AFTER it is saved. Identify potential issues & edge cases in plan. Address proactively. Where could smth go wrong? What about the plan is ambiguous? Missing step, dependency, or pitfall?

If any gotchas found, stop & ask up to 3 more questions. (either w/ request_user_input or directly)

Refine the plan if any additional useful info is provided.

Plan Template

# Plan: [Task Name]

**Generated**: [Date]
**Estimated Complexity**: [Low/Medium/High]

## Overview
[Summary of task and approach]

## Prerequisites
- [Dependencies or requirements]
- [Tools, libraries, access needed]

## Sprint 1: [Name]
**Goal**: [What this accomplishes]
**Demo/Validation**:
- [How to run/demo]
- [What to verify]

### Task 1.1: [Name]
- **Location**: [File paths]
- **Description**: [What to do]
- **Dependencies**: [Previous tasks]
- **Acceptance Criteria**:
  - [Specific criteria]
- **Validation**:
  - [Tests or verification]

### Task 1.2: [Name]
[...]

## Sprint 2: [Name]
[...]

## Testing Strategy
- [How to test]
- [What to verify per sprint]

## Potential Risks & Gotchas
- [What could go wrong]
- [Mitigation strategies]

## Rollback Plan
- [How to undo if needed]

Important

• Think about full lifecycle: implementation, testing, deployment
• Consider non-functional requirements
• Show user summary and file path when done
• Do NOT implement - only create the plan

Source: am-will/codex-skills → skills/planner/SKILL.md