AI SummaryA skill that generates detailed, bite-sized implementation plans for multi-step tasks before coding begins, designed for engineers unfamiliar with the codebase. Useful for teams wanting structured planning and onboarding guidance.
Install
Copy this and paste it into Claude Code, Cursor, or any AI assistant:
I want to install the "writing-plans" skill in my project. Please run this command in my terminal: # Install skill into your project (2 files) mkdir -p .claude/skills/writing-plans && curl --retry 3 --retry-delay 2 --retry-all-errors -o .claude/skills/writing-plans/SKILL.md "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/obra/superpowers/main/skills/writing-plans/SKILL.md" && curl --retry 3 --retry-delay 2 --retry-all-errors -o .claude/skills/writing-plans/plan-document-reviewer-prompt.md "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/obra/superpowers/main/skills/writing-plans/plan-document-reviewer-prompt.md" Then restart Claude Code (or reload the window in Cursor) so the skill is picked up.
Description
Use when you have a spec or requirements for a multi-step task, before touching code
Overview
Write comprehensive implementation plans assuming the engineer has zero context for our codebase and questionable taste. Document everything they need to know: which files to touch for each task, code, testing, docs they might need to check, how to test it. Give them the whole plan as bite-sized tasks. DRY. YAGNI. TDD. Frequent commits. Assume they are a skilled developer, but know almost nothing about our toolset or problem domain. Assume they don't know good test design very well. Announce at start: "I'm using the writing-plans skill to create the implementation plan." Context: This should be run in a dedicated worktree (created by brainstorming skill). Save plans to: docs/superpowers/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<feature-name>.md • (User preferences for plan location override this default)
Scope Check
If the spec covers multiple independent subsystems, it should have been broken into sub-project specs during brainstorming. If it wasn't, suggest breaking this into separate plans — one per subsystem. Each plan should produce working, testable software on its own.
File Structure
Before defining tasks, map out which files will be created or modified and what each one is responsible for. This is where decomposition decisions get locked in. • Design units with clear boundaries and well-defined interfaces. Each file should have one clear responsibility. • You reason best about code you can hold in context at once, and your edits are more reliable when files are focused. Prefer smaller, focused files over large ones that do too much. • Files that change together should live together. Split by responsibility, not by technical layer. • In existing codebases, follow established patterns. If the codebase uses large files, don't unilaterally restructure - but if a file you're modifying has grown unwieldy, including a split in the plan is reasonable. This structure informs the task decomposition. Each task should produce self-contained changes that make sense independently.
Bite-Sized Task Granularity
Each step is one action (2-5 minutes): • "Write the failing test" - step • "Run it to make sure it fails" - step • "Implement the minimal code to make the test pass" - step • "Run the tests and make sure they pass" - step • "Commit" - step
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