Writing Plans

Writing Plans

Overview

Write implementation plans that are executable prompts, not documents that become prompts. Every word in the plan is read directly by the executor as its instruction set. There is no translation layer.

Core principle: Plans are prompts. If a different agent executed this plan verbatim, they would produce identical results without asking a single clarifying question.

The Iron Laws

1. NO VAGUE STEPS — EVERY TASK HAS <files>, <action>, <verify>, <done>
2. PLANS MUST COMPLETE WITHIN ~50% CONTEXT — if too big, SPLIT
3. 2-3 TASKS PER PLAN MAXIMUM — more plans, smaller scope, consistent quality

Context Engineering (CRITICAL)

Quality degrades as context fills. Plan for this.

Rules:

• Each plan: 2-3 tasks maximum
• Each task: 15-60 minutes of execution time
• Total plan scope: Completable in a fresh context window
• If you need 10 tasks, that's 4-5 plans, not 1 mega-plan
• "Could this plan be completed with peak-quality output?" If NO → split

When to Use

Always after:

• Brainstorming produces an approved design
• A non-trivial feature request is understood
• /discuss captures user preferences (locked decisions)

Skip when:

• Single-file bug fix with clear cause
• Simple configuration change
• Copy editing

When NOT to Use

• You don't have a design yet (use brainstorming first)
• The task is a single-step operation (just do it)
• You're exploring or prototyping (use brainstorming for exploration)

Anti-Shortcut Rules

YOU CANNOT:
- Write a task without <files>, <action>, <verify>, <done> fields
- Include "..." or "TODO" in code blocks — complete, copy-pasteable code always
- Write a task that takes > 60 minutes — break it down further
- Skip verification commands — every step has "Run: X, Expected: Y"
- Assume the executor knows the project — include exact paths and anti-patterns
- Write pseudocode — write real, compilable/runnable code
- Leave the test step as "write appropriate tests" — write the actual tests
- Plan more than what was designed — scope is defined by the design document
- Create a plan with more than 3 tasks — SPLIT into multiple plans
- Ignore user decisions from discuss-phase — locked decisions are NON-NEGOTIABLE

Common Rationalizations (Don't Accept These)

Iron Questions

1. Could someone with ZERO project knowledge follow this plan?
2. Does every task have <files>, <action>, <verify>, <done>?
3. Is every code block complete and copy-pasteable? (no "..." or "TODO")
4. Is each task doable in 15-60 minutes?
5. Are there 2-3 tasks per plan maximum?
6. Does every <action> include WHAT TO AVOID and WHY?
7. Does every <verify> have an exact command with expected output?
8. Does every <done> have measurable acceptance criteria?
9. Would a different agent produce identical results from this plan?
10. Can this plan complete in ~50% of a fresh context window?

Task Anatomy — The Four Required Fields

Every task MUST have these four fields. No exceptions.

1. <files> — Exact file paths created or modified

**Files:**
- Create: `src/auth/jwt-handler.ts`
- Modify: `src/routes/auth.ts` (add login endpoint)
- Create: `tests/auth/jwt-handler.test.ts`

Not "the auth files." Not "relevant files." EXACT PATHS.

2. <action> — Specific implementation with anti-patterns

**Action:**
Create JWT handler using the `jose` library (NOT `jsonwebtoken` — CommonJS
incompatible with Edge runtime). Implement:
- `generateAccessToken(userId)` — 15min expiry, RS256 algorithm
- `generateRefreshToken(userId)` — 7day expiry, stored in httpOnly cookie
- `verifyToken(token)` — Returns decoded payload or throws `TokenExpiredError`

DO NOT:
- Use symmetric algorithms (HS256) — we need key rotation
- Store tokens in localStorage — XSS vulnerability
- Use `any` type for token payload — define `TokenPayload` interface

The <action> tells the executor what to build AND what to avoid. The anti-patterns prevent common mistakes.

3. <verify> — Exact commands to prove it works

**Verify:**
```bash
# Tests pass
npm test -- tests/auth/jwt-handler.test.ts
# Expected: PASS — 5/5 tests passing

# Build passes
npm run build 2>&1 | tail -5
# Expected: Build successful

# Manual verification
curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/auth/login \
  -d '{"email":"test@test.com","password":"test123"}' \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"
# Expected: 200 with Set-Cookie header containing refresh token

### 4. `<done>` — Measurable acceptance criteria

```markdown
**Done when:**
- [ ] Valid credentials return 200 + JWT access token in body
- [ ] Refresh token set as httpOnly cookie (not in response body)
- [ ] Invalid credentials return 401 with generic error message
- [ ] Expired token verification throws `TokenExpiredError`
- [ ] All 5 tests pass, build green, no lint errors

Plan Document Structure

# Plan: [Feature Name]

**Goal:** [One sentence — what this plan achieves]
**Phase:** [Phase number from ROADMAP.md]
**Requires:** [Plans that must complete before this one, or "None"]
**Provides:** [What this plan gives to dependent plans]
**Context budget:** [2-3 tasks, ~X minutes total]

---

### Task 1: [Component Name]

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

**Action:**
[Specific implementation instructions — what to build, how to build it,
what to avoid and WHY. Include complete code blocks.]

```typescript
// exact/path/to/file.ts
export function functionName(input: InputType): OutputType {
  // Complete implementation — no TODOs, no placeholders
  return result;
}

Verify:

npm test -- tests/exact/path/to/test.ts
# Expected: PASS — 3/3 tests passing

Done when:

• Function returns correct output for valid input
• Error thrown for invalid input
• All 3 tests pass, build green

Task 2: [Next Component]

[Same four-field structure]

Dependencies

• This plan depends on: [Plan X — provides database models]
• This plan is required by: [Plan Y — needs these endpoints]

## Task Sizing Rules

| Duration | Verdict |
|----------|---------|
| < 15 min | Too small — combine with another task |
| 15-60 min | ✅ Perfect size |
| 60-120 min | Borderline — consider splitting |
| > 120 min | Too big — MUST split |

## Plan Sizing Rules

| Tasks | Verdict |
|-------|---------|
| 1 task | Acceptable for simple plans |
| 2-3 tasks | ✅ Ideal plan size |
| 4-5 tasks | Too many — split into 2 plans |
| 6+ tasks | Way too many — split into 3+ plans |

## Handling User Decisions (from /discuss)

If a `CONTEXT.md` exists for this phase, it contains **locked decisions**:

```markdown
## Locked Decisions (NON-NEGOTIABLE)
- Card layout (not table) for dashboard
- Use jose library for JWT (not jsonwebtoken)
- Infinite scroll (not pagination)

These are non-negotiable. The plan MUST implement exactly what the user chose. Don't substitute, don't "improve," don't second-guess.

Save Location

.planning/plans/[phase]-[N]-PLAN.md
# Example: .planning/plans/01-01-PLAN.md

For phase-based project:

.planning/phases/01-auth/01-01-PLAN.md

Commit the plan before execution begins:

node planning-tools.cjs state add-decision "Created plan [name]" --rationale "Covers [scope]"
git add .planning/plans/
git commit -m "docs: create plan [name]"

Execution Handoff

After writing the plan:

"Plan complete: [N] tasks, ~[M] minutes estimated.

Ready to execute? Options:
1. Execute now — I'll run the tasks in sequence with verification
2. Review first — Check the plan before executing
3. Split further — If any task feels too large

Run /execute [plan-name] to begin."

Then use executing-plans skill.

Red Flags — STOP

• Task missing any of the 4 required fields (files/action/verify/done)
• Plan has more than 3 tasks
• Task estimated at > 60 minutes
• Code snippets with ... or TODO
• Anti-patterns not documented in <action>
• No verification commands
• Ignoring locked decisions from /discuss
• Assuming knowledge of project structure
• Planning more than what was designed

Integration

• Before: brainstorming produces the design, /discuss captures user preferences
• After: executing-plans implements the plan
• During: test-driven-development governs each task
• Throughout: git-workflow for commit conventions
• Tools: planning-tools.cjs for state management

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