PRD Start - Begin Implementation Work

Instructions

You are helping initiate active implementation work on a specific Product Requirements Document (PRD). This command sets up the implementation context (validates readiness, creates branch, prepares environment) then hands off to /prd-next for task identification.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT include time estimates or effort estimates in your responses. Focus on setup and readiness without speculating on duration.

Process Overview

1. •Select Target PRD - Identify which PRD to implement
2. •Validate PRD Readiness - Ensure the PRD is ready for implementation
3. •Set Up Implementation Context - Create branch and prepare environment
4. •Hand Off to prd-next - Delegate task identification to the appropriate prompt

Step 0: Check for PRD Argument

If prdNumber argument is provided ({{prdNumber}}):

• •Skip context check and auto-detection
• •Use PRD #{{prdNumber}} directly
• •Proceed to Step 2 (PRD Readiness Validation)

If prdNumber argument is NOT provided:

• •Continue to context awareness check below

Step 0b: Context Awareness Check

Check if PRD context is already clear from recent conversation:

Skip detection if recent conversation shows:

• •Recent PRD work discussed - "We just worked on PRD 29", "Just completed PRD update", etc.
• •Specific PRD mentioned - "PRD #X", "MCP Prompts PRD", etc.
• •PRD-specific commands used - Recent use of /prd-update-progress, /prd-start with specific PRD
• •Clear work context - Discussion of specific features, tasks, or requirements for a known PRD

If context is clear:

• •Skip to Step 2 (PRD Readiness Validation) using the known PRD

If context is unclear:

• •Continue to Step 1 (PRD Detection)

Step 1: Smart PRD Detection (Only if Context Unclear)

Auto-detect the target PRD using these context clues (in priority order):

1. •

   Git Branch Analysis - Check current branch name for PRD patterns:

   • •feature/prd-12-* → PRD 12
   • •prd-13-* → PRD 13
   • •feature/prd-* → Extract PRD number
2. •

   Recent Git Commits - Look at recent commit messages for PRD references:

   • •"fix: PRD 12 documentation" → PRD 12
   • •"feat: implement prd-13 features" → PRD 13
3. •

   Git Status Analysis - Check modified/staged files for PRD clues:

   • •Modified prds/12-*.md → PRD 12
   • •Changes in feature-specific directories
4. •

   Available PRDs Discovery - List all PRDs in prds/ directory

5. •

   Fallback to User Choice - Only if context detection fails, ask user to specify

Detection Logic:

• •High Confidence: Branch name matches PRD pattern (e.g., feature/prd-12-documentation-testing)
• •Medium Confidence: Modified PRD files in git status or recent commits mention PRD
• •Low Confidence: Multiple PRDs available, use heuristics (most recent, largest)
• •No Context: Present available options to user

If context detection fails, ask the user:

## Which PRD would you like to start implementing?

Please provide the PRD number (e.g., "12", "PRD 12", or "36").

**Not sure which PRD to work on?**
Execute `dot-ai:prds-get` prompt to see all available PRDs organized by priority and readiness.

**Your choice**: [Wait for user input]

Once PRD is identified:

• •Read the PRD file from prds/[issue-id]-[feature-name].md

Step 2: PRD Readiness Validation

Before starting implementation, validate that the PRD is ready:

Requirements Validation

• •Functional Requirements: Are core requirements clearly defined and complete?
• •Success Criteria: Are measurable success criteria established?
• •Dependencies: Are all external dependencies identified and available?
• •Risk Assessment: Have major risks been identified and mitigation plans created?

Documentation Analysis

For documentation-first PRDs:

• •Specification completeness: Is the feature fully documented with user workflows?
• •Integration points: Are connections with existing features documented?
• •API/Interface definitions: Are all interfaces and data structures specified?
• •Examples and usage: Are concrete usage examples provided?

Implementation Readiness Checklist

## PRD Readiness Check
- [ ] All functional requirements defined
- [ ] Success criteria measurable
- [ ] Dependencies available
- [ ] Documentation complete
- [ ] Integration points clear
- [ ] Implementation approach decided

If PRD is not ready: Inform the user what's missing and suggest they complete PRD planning first.

Step 3: Implementation Context Setup

⚠️ MANDATORY: Complete this step BEFORE proceeding to Step 4

Git Branch Management

1. •Check current branch: Run git branch --show-current
2. •If on main or master: Create and switch to feature branch:
   bash

   git checkout -b feature/prd-[issue-id]-[feature-name]
   

3. •If already on a feature branch: Verify it's the correct branch for this PRD

Development Environment Setup

• •Dependencies: Install any new dependencies required by the PRD
• •Configuration: Set up any configuration needed for development
• •Test data: Prepare test data or mock services

Step 3 Checkpoint (REQUIRED)

You MUST display this confirmation before proceeding to Step 4:

## Environment Setup ✅
- **Branch**: `[current-branch-name]` ✅
- **Status**: [Created new branch / Already on correct branch / Staying on main (reason)]

DO NOT proceed to Step 4 until branch setup is confirmed.

Step 4: Hand Off to prd-next

Once the implementation context is set up, present this message to the user:

## Ready for Implementation 🚀

**PRD**: [PRD Name] (#[PRD Number])
**Branch**: `[branch-name]`
**Status**: Ready for development

---

To identify and start working on your first task, run `/prd-next`.

⚠️ STOP HERE - DO NOT:

• •Identify or recommend tasks to work on
• •Analyze implementation priorities or critical paths
• •Start any implementation work
• •Continue beyond presenting the handoff message

/prd-next handles all task identification and implementation guidance.

Success Criteria

This command should:

• •✅ Successfully identify the target PRD for implementation
• •✅ Validate that the PRD is ready for development work
• •✅ Set up proper implementation context (branch, environment)
• •✅ Hand off to /prd-next for task identification
• •✅ Bridge the gap between PRD planning and development setup

Notes

• •This command focuses on setup only - it validates readiness, creates the branch, and prepares the environment
• •Once setup is complete, /prd-next handles all task identification, implementation guidance, and progress tracking