concise-planning — Claude Code skill: turn a task into a checklist
Turns a coding request into one plan of atomic steps. Useful when you want the scope agreed before anyone edits files.
npx claude-code-templates@latest --skill productivity/concise-planningWhat concise-planning does
The skill fires when you ask the agent for a plan on a coding task. It starts by reading README.md, the docs and the code files that matter, and notes constraints such as language, framework and tests. Then it asks at most one or two questions, and only when an answer is truly blocking. Everything else it fills in with reasonable assumptions.
The output follows a template: an approach in one to three sentences, In and Out scope bullets, 6–10 ordered action items written verb-first, and at least one item for testing. Up to three open questions close the plan. Steps are meant to be atomic, and it prefers naming specific files or modules.
Nothing here runs or verifies anything for you. It is an instruction set for the agent, not a bundle of scripts. If the task is already clear and you just want the edits, the plan only adds a round of back-and-forth. Ships for Claude, plus Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI and Windsurf, where SKILL.md goes into that platform's skills directory.
What it helps with
- break a large change into separate steps
- state what is in scope and what is out
- get a task list with verbs at the front
- put a testing item into the plan
- collect open questions before work starts
Example prompts for the agent
- plan the work for adding OAuth login
- give me a plan to refactor the payments module, atomic steps
- write a plan for migrating to the new API, with validation
How to install concise-planning
1claude-code-templates
npx claude-code-templates@latest --skill productivity/concise-planning2Skills CLI (Vercel)
npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill concise-planning -a claude-code3Manually: put the files in place
~/.claude/skills/concise-planning/SKILL.mdCopy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/concise-planning/
Manually: put the files in place
.agents/skills/concise-planning/SKILL.mdFor all projects use ~/.agents/skills/
Manually: put the files in place
.cursor/skills/concise-planning/SKILL.mdCursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/
1GitHub CLI
gh skill install davila7/claude-code-templates concise-planning2Manually: put the files in place
.github/skills/concise-planning/SKILL.mdPlatform CLI
gemini skills install https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates --path cli-tool/components/skills/productivity/concise-planningManually: put the files in place
.devin/skills/concise-planning/SKILL.mdThe legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works
Claude.ai
Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to install skills in Claude Code: five ways
Questions about concise-planning
How do I install concise-planning in Claude?
Through the templates: npx claude-code-templates@latest --skill productivity/concise-planning. Or npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill concise-planning -a claude-code. The skill file lands at ~/.claude/skills/concise-planning/SKILL.md.
What does concise-planning do?
It gets the agent to produce a single plan for a coding task: approach, scope, 6–10 atomic steps and a validation item. Along the way it reads docs and code so project constraints are taken into account.
How many questions will it ask before planning?
At most one or two, and only if they are blocking. For everything else it makes assumptions and lists the uncertain points as open questions — no more than three.
