# writing-plans

This skill turns a finished design into a detailed implementation plan with small tasks, file paths, code, tests, and checks for another engineer.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 335 installs · ★ 78
- Author: bobmatnyc
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills/tree/HEAD/universal/collaboration/writing-plans/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-07-18
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/bobmatnyc-writing-plans

## What it does

writing-plans produces an implementation plan for an engineer who knows little about the repository or its domain. It calls out exact files, includes complete code blocks, and describes tests plus commands with the output to expect. Each task is kept small, with a 2–5 minute granularity guide.

The plan is saved as `docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<feature-name>.md`. Its workflow puts tests before implementation, encourages frequent commits, and applies DRY and YAGNI. Run it in a dedicated worktree, since that is the working context defined for this skill.

Once the plan is saved, the workflow offers either a fresh subagent for each task or a separate session that executes the plan with checkpoints.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill writing-plans -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/writing-plans/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/writing-plans/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill writing-plans -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/writing-plans/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill writing-plans -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/writing-plans/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills writing-plans
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/writing-plans/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill writing-plans -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --path universal/collaboration/writing-plans
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/writing-plans/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill writing-plans -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills/tree/HEAD/universal/collaboration/writing-plans/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- split a feature into small implementation tasks
- map each task to exact repository files
- include complete code and test design
- document commands with expected output
- hand a detailed plan to another engineer

## Example prompts
- Create an implementation plan for this feature for an engineer with no repository context.
- Inspect the repository and save the plan to `docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<feature-name>.md`, including exact paths, code, and tests.
- Break the work into 2–5 minute tasks and add verification commands plus the commit sequence.

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 232399e1b0e56779.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 232399e1b0e56779
```text
---
name: writing-plans
description: Create detailed implementation plans with bite-sized tasks for engineers with zero codebase context
user-invocable: false
disable-model-invocation: true
when_to_use: when design is complete and you need detailed implementation tasks for engineers with zero codebase context
version: 2.2.0
progressive_disclosure:
  level: 1
  references:
    - path: references/plan-structure-templates.md
      title: Plan Structure & Templates
      description: Standard headers, task templates, and structure examples
    - path: references/best-practices.md
      title: Best Practices & Guidelines
      description: Writing for zero-context engineers, code completeness, test design patterns
---

# Writing Plans

## Overview

Write comprehensive implementation plans assuming the engineer has zero context for our codebase and questionable taste. Document everything they need to know: which files to touch for each task, code, testing, docs they might need to check, how to test it. Give them the whole plan as bite-sized tasks. DRY. YAGNI. TDD. Frequent commits.

Assume they are a skilled developer, but know almost nothing about our toolset or problem domain. Assume they don't know good test design very well.

**Announce at start:** "I'm using the Writing Plans skill to create the implementation plan."

**Context:** This should be run in a dedicated worktree (created by brainstorming skill).

**Save plans to:** `docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<feature-name>.md`

## Quick Reference

**Plan header template:** See [Plan Structure & Templates](references/plan-structure-templates.md#standard-plan-document-header)

**Task template:** See [Plan Structure & Templates](references/plan-structure-templates.md#task-template-structure)

**Granularity guide:** Each step = 2-5 minutes. See [Best Practices](references/best-practices.md#bite-sized-task-granularity)

## Core Principles

- **Exact file paths always** - Not "in the user module" but "`src/models/user.py`"
- **Complete code in plan** - Not "add validation" but show the validation code
- **Exact commands with expected output** - "`pytest tests/file.py -v`" with what you'll see
- **Reference relevant skills** - Use @ syntax: `@skills/category/skill-name`
- **DRY, YAGNI, TDD, frequent commits** - Every task follows this pattern

For detailed guidance: [Best Practices & Guidelines](references/best-practices.md)

## Execution Handoff

After saving the plan, offer execution choice:

**"Plan complete and saved to `docs/plans/<filename>.md`. Two execution options:**

**1. Subagent-Driven (this session)** - I dispatch fresh subagent per task, review between tasks, fast iteration

**2. Parallel Session (separate)** - Open new session with executing-plans, batch execution with checkpoints

**Which approach?"**

**If Subagent-Driven chosen:**
- Use @skills/collaboration/subagent-driven-development
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 232399e1b0e56779

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