naps62/home/common/programs/claude/skills/planning-with-files

Planning with Files

Use persistent markdown files as your "working memory on disk."

Quick Start

Before ANY complex task:

1. Create task_plan.md in the working directory
2. Define phases with checkboxes
3. Update after each phase - mark [x] and change status
4. Read before deciding - refresh goals in attention window

The 3-File Pattern

For every non-trivial task, create THREE files:

| File | Purpose | When to Update | |------|---------|----------------| | task_plan.md | Track phases and progress | After each phase | | notes.md | Store findings and research | During research | | [deliverable].md | Final output | At completion |

Core Workflow

Loop 1: Create task_plan.md with goal and phases
Loop 2: Research -> save to notes.md -> update task_plan.md
Loop 3: Read notes.md -> create deliverable -> update task_plan.md
Loop 4: Deliver final output

The Loop in Detail

Before each major action:

Read task_plan.md  # Refresh goals in attention window

After each phase:

Edit task_plan.md  # Mark [x], update status

When storing information:

Write notes.md     # Don't stuff context, store in file

task_plan.md Template

# Task Plan: [Brief Description]

## Goal
[One sentence describing the end state]

## Phases
- [ ] Phase 1: Plan and setup
- [ ] Phase 2: Research/gather information
- [ ] Phase 3: Execute/build
- [ ] Phase 4: Review and deliver

## Key Questions
1. [Question to answer]

## Decisions Made
- [Decision]: [Rationale]

## Errors Encountered
- [Error]: [Resolution]

## Status
**Currently in Phase X** - [What I'm doing now]

Critical Rules

1. ALWAYS Create Plan First - Never start a complex task without task_plan.md
2. Read Before Decide - Before any major decision, read the plan file
3. Update After Act - After completing any phase, immediately update the plan
4. Store, Don't Stuff - Large outputs go to files, not context
5. Log All Errors - Every error goes in the "Errors Encountered" section

When to Use

Use for: Multi-step tasks (3+ steps), research tasks, building/creating something, tasks spanning multiple tool calls

Skip for: Simple questions, single-file edits, quick lookups

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