Implementing Plans

Execute approved technical plans from thoughts/shared/plans/ with verification at each phase.

Getting Started

When given a plan path:

1. •Read the plan completely - check for existing checkmarks (- [x])
2. •Read ALL files mentioned in the plan without limit/offset
3. •Understand how the pieces fit together
4. •Create a todo list to track progress
5. •Begin implementation of the first uncompleted phase only

If no plan path provided, ask for one:

Which plan would you like to implement? Please provide the path.
Tip: `ls -lt thoughts/shared/plans/ | head`

Implementation Workflow

Following the Plan

Plans are carefully designed, but reality can be messy:

• •Follow the plan's intent while adapting to discoveries
• •Implement each phase fully before moving to the next
• •Verify work makes sense in the broader codebase context
• •Update checkboxes in the plan as sections complete
• •Maintain a detailed todo list tracking each task step-by-step

Handling Mismatches

When reality doesn't match the plan:

1. •STOP and think deeply about why
2. •Present the issue clearly:

Issue in Phase [N]:
Expected: [what the plan says]
Found: [actual situation]
Why this matters: [explanation]

How should I proceed?

Phase Completion Checklist

After implementing a phase, follow this checklist in order:

1. •Run automated success criteria checks (compile, tests, etc.)
2. •Fix any issues found
3. •Update checkboxes in the plan file for completed automated verification items
4. •Update progress in todos (TodoWrite)
5. •STOP and present the verification message (see below)
6. •WAIT for user confirmation before starting next phase

Verification Message Template

Phase [N] Complete - Ready for Manual Verification

Automated verification passed:
- [List automated checks that passed]

Please perform the manual verification steps listed in the plan:
- [List manual verification items from the plan]

Let me know when manual testing is complete so I can proceed to Phase [N+1].

Before Starting Any New Phase - Ask Yourself:

1. •Did the user explicitly confirm the previous phase is complete?
2. •Did the user explicitly request multiple phases?

If BOTH answers are NO → Do not proceed. Wait for user input.

Do NOT check off manual testing steps in the plan until confirmed by the user

Resuming Work

If the plan has existing checkmarks:

• •Trust that completed work is done
• •Pick up from the first unchecked item
• •Verify previous work only if something seems off

When Stuck

When something isn't working as expected:

1. •Read and understand all relevant code first
2. •Consider if the codebase evolved since the plan was written
3. •Present the mismatch clearly and ask for guidance

Use sub-tasks sparingly - mainly for targeted debugging or exploring unfamiliar territory.

Guidelines

One Phase at a Time: Stop after each phase. Wait for confirmation. This is the default.

Follow Intent: The plan is your guide, but judgment matters. Adapt to discoveries while preserving the plan's goals.

Be Thorough: Read files completely. Understand context before making changes.

Communicate Clearly: When things don't match, explain why and ask for direction.

Track Progress: Update checkboxes in the plan and maintain todo list for visibility.

Path Handling

• •The thoughts/searchable/ directory contains hard links for searching
• •Always use canonical paths when referencing or writing files
  • •Use: thoughts/shared/prs/123.md
  • •Not: thoughts/searchable/shared/prs/123.md