---

name: ring:writing-plans description: | Creates comprehensive implementation plans with exact file paths, complete code examples, and verification steps for engineers with zero codebase context.

trigger: |

• Design phase complete (brainstorming/PRD/TRD validated)
• Need to create executable task breakdown
• Creating work for other engineers or AI agents

skip_when: |

• Design not validated → use brainstorming first
• Requirements still unclear → use ring:pre-dev-prd-creation first
• Already have a plan → use ring:executing-plans

sequence: after: [brainstorming, ring:pre-dev-trd-creation] before: [ring:executing-plans, ring:subagent-driven-development]

related: similar: [brainstorming]

Writing Plans

Overview

This skill dispatches a specialized agent to write comprehensive implementation plans for engineers with zero codebase context.

Announce at start: "I'm using the ring:writing-plans skill to create the implementation plan."

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

The Process

Step 1: Dispatch Write-Plan Agent

Dispatch via Task(subagent_type: "ring:write-plan", model: "opus") with:

• Instructions to create bite-sized tasks (2-5 min each)
• Include exact file paths, complete code, verification steps
• Save to docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<feature-name>.md

Step 2: Validate Plan

After the plan is saved, validate it:

Copypython3 default/lib/validate-plan-precedent.py docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<feature>.md

Interpretation:

• PASS → Plan is safe to execute
• WARNING → Plan has issues to address
  • Review the warnings in the output
  • Update plan to address the issues
  • Re-run validation until PASS

Step 3: Ask User About Execution

Ask via AskUserQuestion: "Execute now?" Options:

1. Execute now → ring:subagent-driven-development
2. Parallel session → user opens new session with ring:executing-plans
3. Save for later → report location and end

Why Use an Agent?

Context preservation (reading many files keeps supervisor clean) | Model power (Opus for comprehensive planning) | Separation of concerns (supervisor orchestrates, agent plans)

What the Agent Does

Explore codebase → identify files → break into bite-sized tasks (2-5 min) → write complete code → include exact commands → add review checkpoints → verify Zero-Context Test → save to docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<feature>.md → report back

Requirements for Plans

Every plan: Header (goal, architecture, tech stack) | Verification commands with expected output | Exact file paths (never "somewhere in src") | Complete code (never "add validation here") | Bite-sized steps with verification | Failure recovery | Review checkpoints | Zero-Context Test | Recommended agents per task

Agent Selection

Execution Options Reference

Required Patterns

This skill uses these universal patterns:

• State Tracking: See skills/shared-patterns/state-tracking.md
• Failure Recovery: See skills/shared-patterns/failure-recovery.md
• Exit Criteria: See skills/shared-patterns/exit-criteria.md
• TodoWrite: See skills/shared-patterns/todowrite-integration.md

Apply ALL patterns when using this skill.