Conductor: Context-Driven Development

Conductor is a workflow methodology that transforms Claude Code into a project manager following a strict protocol: Context -> Spec & Plan -> Implement.

Core Philosophy

Measure twice, code once. By treating context as a managed artifact alongside code, you transform your repository into a single source of truth that drives every agent interaction with deep, persistent project awareness.

Key Concepts

Tracks

A track is a high-level unit of work (feature or bug fix). Each track has:

• •spec.md - Detailed requirements and acceptance criteria
• •plan.md - Actionable to-do list with phases, tasks, and sub-tasks
• •metadata.json - Track metadata (ID, type, status, timestamps)

Tracks are stored in conductor/tracks/<track_id>/.

Project Context Files

Located in the conductor/ directory:

• •product.md - Product vision, goals, users, features
• •product-guidelines.md - Prose style, brand messaging, visual identity
• •tech-stack.md - Languages, frameworks, databases, tools
• •workflow.md - Development methodology (TDD, commit strategy)
• •tracks.md - Master list of all tracks and their status
• •code_styleguides/ - Language-specific coding standards

Task Status Markers

• •[ ] - Pending (not started)
• •[~] - In progress (currently being worked on)
• •[x] - Completed (finished and committed)

Workflow Phases

1. •Setup - Initialize project context (run once)
2. •New Track - Create spec and plan for feature/bug
3. •Implement - Execute tasks following TDD workflow
4. •Status - Check progress across tracks
5. •Revert - Git-aware rollback of tracks/phases/tasks

File Locations

When a user mentions "the plan" or "the spec", they likely refer to:

• •Current track's plan: conductor/tracks/<track_id>/plan.md
• •Current track's spec: conductor/tracks/<track_id>/spec.md
• •Master tracks list: conductor/tracks.md

TDD Workflow

Conductor follows Test-Driven Development by default:

1. •Red Phase - Write failing tests first
2. •Green Phase - Implement minimum code to pass tests
3. •Refactor - Clean up with safety of passing tests

Phase Completion Protocol

At the end of each phase:

1. •Ensure test coverage (>80% target)
2. •Manual verification with user
3. •Create checkpoint commit
4. •Attach git notes with verification report
5. •Update plan.md with checkpoint SHA

Commands Reference

Template Location

Templates are bundled with the plugin at ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/templates/:

• •workflow.md - Default workflow configuration
• •code_styleguides/ - Language-specific style guides