Writing Plans

Writing Plans

Create implementation plans assuming the engineer has zero codebase context. Document everything needed: files to touch, code, testing, verification steps.

Task Granularity

Each step is one action (2-5 minutes):

• "Write the failing test" -- step
• "Run it to verify it fails" -- step
• "Implement minimal code to pass" -- step
• "Run tests to verify pass" -- step
• "Commit" -- step

Each task follows the RED-GREEN-REFACTOR cycle: write a failing test first, implement minimal code to pass, then refactor. See test-driven-development for the full discipline, anti-patterns, and rationalization counters.

Plan Header Template

# [Feature Name] Implementation Plan

**Goal:** [One sentence]

**Architecture:** [2-3 sentences about approach]

**Tech Stack:** [Key technologies]

---

Task Template

### Task N: [Component Name]

**Files:**
- Create: `exact/path/to/file.py`
- Modify: `exact/path/to/existing.py`
- Test: `tests/exact/path/to/test.py`

**Step 1: Write failing test**

` ` `python
def test_specific_behavior():
    result = function(input)
    assert result == expected
` ` `

**Step 2: Run test to verify failure**

Run: `pytest tests/path/test.py::test_name -v`
Expected: FAIL with "function not defined"

**Step 3: Write minimal implementation**

` ` `python
def function(input):
    return expected
` ` `

**Step 4: Run test to verify pass**

Run: `pytest tests/path/test.py::test_name -v`
Expected: PASS

**Step 5: Commit**

` ` `bash
git add tests/path/test.py src/path/file.py
git commit -m "feat: add specific feature"
` ` `

Rules

• Exact file paths always
• Complete code in plan (not "add validation")
• Exact commands with expected output
• DRY, YAGNI, TDD, frequent commits

Pipeline

• Previous: Requirements, spec, or design document
• Next: /executing-plans to implement task-by-task
• Quality gate: /verification-before-completion before claiming done

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