plan_skill

Overview

This skill analyzes user requirements, breaks them into actionable development steps, and generates structured documentation and a checkable task list. It produces categorized plans covering architecture, frontend, backend, infrastructure, testing, security, and performance. The output is saved into a standardized docs/plans/ folder with a TaskList.md for tracking progress.

How this skill works

When given a task, the skill first asks clarifying questions to ensure scope, constraints, and expected outcomes are clear. It then identifies components, dependencies, edge cases, and error handling needs, and sequences work into discrete, actionable tasks. The plan is organized by category and written into docs/plans/[category]/plan.md and rationale.md files; a consolidated TaskList.md is generated for progress tracking. Each task entry includes description, priority, dependencies, estimated effort, and next steps.

When to use it

• You need a concrete implementation plan before starting development work.
• You want to convert high-level requirements into single-session actionable tasks.
• You need a categorized plan that includes testing, security, and deployment steps.
• You want a reproducible docs/plans/ structure and a checkable TaskList.md for team tracking.
• You must identify dependencies and realistic sequencing for a feature or project.

Best practices

• Start by answering clarifying questions so the plan matches real constraints and scope.
• Break large features into small tasks that can be completed in one focused session.
• Always include testing tasks (unit, integration, E2E) and a clear deployment step.
• Document assumptions and dependencies explicitly to avoid hidden blockers.
• Assign realistic priorities and estimate effort to enable sprint planning.

Example use cases

• Add user authentication: detailed backend endpoints, frontend flows, token storage, tests, and security notes.
• Implement file upload service: API design, storage options, validation, scaling, and CI/CD deployment steps.
• Migrate database schema: analysis, migration plan, rollback strategy, testing, and monitoring tasks.
• Create payment integration: provider selection, secure token handling, webhook processing, and reconciliation tests.
• Build a new feature MVP: scoped tasks for UI, API, infra, tests, and documentation for release.