<!-- SYNC:understand-code-first -->[IMPORTANT] Use
TaskCreateto break ALL work into small tasks BEFORE starting — including tasks for each file read. This prevents context loss from long files. For simple tasks, AI MUST ATTENTION ask user whether to skip.
<!-- /SYNC:understand-code-first --> <!-- SYNC:estimation-framework -->Understand Code First — HARD-GATE: Do NOT write, plan, or fix until you READ existing code.
- Search 3+ similar patterns (
grep/glob) — citefile:lineevidence- Read existing files in target area — understand structure, base classes, conventions
- Run
python .claude/scripts/code_graph trace <file> --direction both --jsonwhen.code-graph/graph.dbexists- Map dependencies via
connectionsorcallers_of— know what depends on your target- Write investigation to
.ai/workspace/analysis/for non-trivial tasks (3+ files)- Re-read analysis file before implementing — never work from memory alone
- NEVER invent new patterns when existing ones work — match exactly or document deviation
BLOCKED until:
- [ ]Read target files- [ ]Grep 3+ patterns- [ ]Graph trace (if graph.db exists)- [ ]Assumptions verified with evidence
<!-- /SYNC:estimation-framework --> <!-- SYNC:plan-quality -->Estimation — Modified Fibonacci: 1(trivial) → 2(small) → 3(medium) → 5(large) → 8(very large) → 13(epic, SHOULD split) → 21(MUST ATTENTION split). Output
story_pointsandcomplexityin plan frontmatter. Complexity auto-derived: 1-2=Low, 3-5=Medium, 8=High, 13+=Critical.
<!-- /SYNC:plan-quality --> <!-- SYNC:iterative-phase-quality -->Plan Quality — Every plan phase MUST ATTENTION include test specifications.
- Add
## Test Specificationssection with TC-{FEAT}-{NNN} IDs to every phase file- Map every functional requirement to ≥1 TC (or explicit
TBDwith rationale)- TC IDs follow
TC-{FEATURE}-{NNN}format — reference by ID, never embed full content- Before any new workflow step: call
TaskListand re-read the phase file- On context compaction: call
TaskListFIRST — never create duplicate tasks- Verify TC satisfaction per phase before marking complete (evidence must be
file:line, not TBD)Mode: TDD-first → reference existing TCs with
Evidence: TBD. Implement-first → use TBD →/tdd-specfills after.
<!-- /SYNC:iterative-phase-quality -->Iterative Phase Quality — Score complexity BEFORE planning.
Complexity signals: >5 files +2, cross-service +3, new pattern +2, DB migration +2 Score >=6 → MUST ATTENTION decompose into phases. Each phase:
- ≤5 files modified
- ≤3h effort
- Follows cycle: plan → implement → review → fix → verify
- Do NOT start Phase N+1 until Phase N passes VERIFY
Phase success = all TCs pass + code-reviewer agent approves + no CRITICAL findings.
docs/test-specs/— Test specifications by module (read existing TCs to include test strategy in plan)
Skill Variant: Variant of
/plan— creates two alternative implementation approaches for comparison.
Quick Summary
Goal: Research and create an implementation plan with 2 distinct approaches for the user to compare and choose.
Workflow:
- Research — Deep investigation of the problem space
- Approach A — Design first implementation approach with trade-offs
- Approach B — Design alternative approach with trade-offs
- Compare — Present side-by-side comparison for user decision
Key Rules:
- PLANNING-ONLY: do not implement, only create comparison plan
- Both approaches must be genuinely viable, not strawman vs real
- Always offer
/plan-reviewafter plan creation
Be skeptical. Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence percentages (Idea should be more than 80%).
Activate planning skill.
PLANNING-ONLY — Collaboration Required
DO NOT use the
EnterPlanModetool — you are ALREADY in a planning workflow. DO NOT implement or execute any code changes. COLLABORATE with the user: ask decision questions, present options with recommendations. After plan creation, ALWAYS run/plan-reviewto validate the plan. ASK user to confirm the plan before any next step.
Your mission
Use the planner subagent to create 2 detailed implementation plans for this following task:
<task>
$ARGUMENTS
</task>
Workflow
- First: Create a directory using naming pattern from
## Namingsection in injected context. Make sure you pass the directory path to every subagent during the process. - Follow strictly to the "Plan Creation & Organization" rules of
planningskill. - Use multiple
researcheragents in parallel to research for this task, each agent research for a different aspect of the task and perform max 5 researches (max 5 tool calls). - Use
scoutagent to search the codebase for files needed to complete the task. - Main agent gathers all research and scout report filepaths, and pass them to
plannersubagent with the detailed instructions prompt to create an implementation plan of this task. Output: Provide at least 2 implementation approaches with clear trade-offs, and explain the pros and cons of each approach, and provide a recommended approach. - Main agent receives the implementation plan from
plannersubagent, and ask user to review the plan
Plan File Specification
-
Every
plan.mdMUST ATTENTION start with YAML frontmatter:--- title: '{Brief title}' description: '{One sentence for card preview}' status: pending priority: P2 story_points: { 1-21 modified fibonacci } effort: { sum of phases, e.g., 4h } branch: { current git branch } tags: [relevant, tags] created: { YYYY-MM-DD } ---
IMPORTANT Task Planning Notes (MUST ATTENTION FOLLOW)
- Always plan and break work into many small todo tasks using
TaskCreate - Always add a final review todo task to verify work quality and identify fixes/enhancements
- MANDATORY FINAL TASKS: After creating all planning todo tasks, ALWAYS add these three final tasks:
- Task: "Write test specifications for each phase" — Add
## Test Specificationswith TC-{FEAT}-{NNN} IDs to every phase file. Use/tdd-specif feature docs exist. UseEvidence: TBDfor TDD-first mode. - Task: "Run /plan-validate" — Trigger
/plan-validateskill to interview the user with critical questions and validate plan assumptions - Task: "Run /plan-review" — Trigger
/plan-reviewskill to auto-review plan for validity, correctness, and best practices
- Task: "Write test specifications for each phase" — Add
Important Notes
IMPORTANT: Analyze the skills catalog and activate the skills that are needed for the task during the process. IMPORTANT: Sacrifice grammar for the sake of concision when writing reports. IMPORTANT: Ensure token efficiency while maintaining high quality. IMPORTANT: In reports, list any unresolved questions at the end, if any.
Post-Plan Validation
After plan creation, use the AskUserQuestion tool to ask: "Want me to run /plan-review to validate, or proceed to implementation?" with options:
- "Run /plan-review (Recommended)" — Execute
/plan-reviewto validate the plan - "Proceed to implementation" — Skip validation and start implementing
REMINDER — Planning-Only Command
DO NOT use
EnterPlanModetool. DO NOT start implementing. ALWAYS validate with/plan-reviewafter plan creation. ASK user to confirm the plan before any implementation begins. ASK user decision questions with your recommendations when multiple approaches exist.
Next Steps (Standalone: MUST ATTENTION ask user via AskUserQuestion. Skip if inside workflow.)
MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — NO EXCEPTIONS: If this skill was called outside a workflow, you MUST ATTENTION use
AskUserQuestionto present these options. Do NOT skip because the task seems "simple" or "obvious" — the user decides:
- "Proceed with full workflow (Recommended)" — I'll detect the best workflow to continue from here (plan created). This ensures review, validation, implementation, and testing steps aren't skipped.
- "/plan-review" — Auto-review plan for validity and best practices
- "/plan-validate" — Interview user to confirm plan decisions
- "Skip, continue manually" — user decides
If already inside a workflow, skip — the workflow handles sequencing.
Closing Reminders
- IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION break work into small todo tasks using
TaskCreateBEFORE starting - IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION search codebase for 3+ similar patterns before creating new code
- IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION cite
file:lineevidence for every claim (confidence >80% to act) - IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION add a final review todo task to verify work quality
- IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION include Test Specifications section and story_points in plan frontmatter <!-- SYNC:understand-code-first:reminder -->
- IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION search 3+ existing patterns and read code BEFORE any modification. Run graph trace when graph.db exists. <!-- /SYNC:understand-code-first:reminder --> <!-- SYNC:estimation-framework:reminder -->
- IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION include
story_pointsandcomplexityin plan frontmatter. SP > 8 = split. <!-- /SYNC:estimation-framework:reminder --> <!-- SYNC:plan-quality:reminder --> - IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION include
## Test Specificationswith TC IDs per phase. CallTaskListbefore creating new tasks. <!-- /SYNC:plan-quality:reminder --> <!-- SYNC:iterative-phase-quality:reminder --> - IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION score complexity first. Score >=6 → decompose. Each phase: plan → implement → review → fix → verify. No skipping. <!-- /SYNC:iterative-phase-quality:reminder -->