{"slug":"planning","title":"planning","summary":"Software implementation planning with file-based persistence (task_plan.md, findings.md, progress.md). Use when asked to \"plan\", \"break down this feature\", \"implementation plan\", or starting complex tasks needing >5 tool calls. Apply proactively before non-trivial coding.","platform":"Claude","tags":[],"authorName":"LLM Mart","authorSlug":"llm-mart","score":0,"source":"github","price":null,"verified":false,"createdAt":"2026-09-08T18:29:55.679606Z","repo":{"url":"https://github.com/iliaal/whetstone","stars":35,"forks":4,"license":"MIT","updatedAt":"2026-09-24T18:37:09Z"},"bodyHtml":"
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name: planning\ndescription: >-\nSoftware implementation planning with file-based persistence (task_plan.md,\nfindings.md, progress.md). Use when asked to \"plan\", \"break down this\nfeature\", \"implementation plan\", or starting complex tasks needing >5 tool\ncalls. Apply proactively before non-trivial coding.

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Planning

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Core Principle

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Context window = RAM (volatile, limited)\nFilesystem     = Disk (persistent, unlimited)\n→ Anything important gets written to disk.\n
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Planning tokens are cheaper than implementation tokens. Front-load thinking; scale effort to complexity.

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When to Plan

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Planning Files

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Create in project root before starting work:

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FilePurposeUpdate When
task_plan.mdPhases, tasks, decisions, errorsAfter each phase
findings.mdResearch, discoveries, code analysisAfter any discovery
progress.mdSession log, test results, files changedThroughout session
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Plan Template

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# Plan: [Feature/Task Name]\n\n## Approach\n[1-3 sentences: what and why]\n\n## Scope\n- **In**: [what's included]\n- **Out**: [what's explicitly excluded]\n\n## Phase 1: [Name]\n**Files**: [specific files, max 5-8 per phase]\n**Tasks**:\n- [ ] [Verb-first atomic task] — `path/to/file.ts`\n- [ ] [Next task]\n**Verify**: [specific test: \"POST /api/users → 201\", not \"test feature\"]\n**Exit**: [clear done definition]\n\n## Phase 2: [Name]\n...\n\n## Open Questions\n- [Max 3, only truly blocking unknowns]\n
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Phase Sizing Rules

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Every phase must be context-safe:

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Clarifying Questions

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Scale to complexity:

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Only ask if truly blocking. Make reasonable assumptions for everything else.

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Task Rules

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Context Management Rules

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SituationAction
Starting new phaseRead task_plan.md (refresh goals in attention window)
After any discoveryWrite to findings.md immediately
After completing phaseUpdate task_plan.md status, log to progress.md
After viewing image/PDFWrite findings NOW (multimodal content doesn't persist)
Resuming after gapRead all planning files
Just wrote a fileDon't re-read it (still in context)
Error occurredLog to task_plan.md, read relevant files for state
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Error Protocol

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ATTEMPT 1: Diagnose root cause → targeted fix\nATTEMPT 2: Different approach (different tool, library, method)\nATTEMPT 3: Question assumptions → search for solutions → update plan\nAFTER 3 FAILURES: Escalate to user with what you tried\n
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Never repeat the exact same failing action. Track attempts, mutate approach.

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Iterative Refinement

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For complex projects, iterate on the plan before implementing:

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  1. Draft initial plan
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  2. Review for gaps, missing edge cases, architectural issues
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  3. Revise until suggestions become incremental
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  4. Only then start implementation
    5. \n
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5-Question Context Check

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If you can answer these, your planning is solid:

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QuestionSource
Where am I?Current phase in task_plan.md
Where am I going?Remaining phases
What's the goal?Approach section
What have I learned?findings.md
What have I done?progress.md
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Anti-Patterns

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Don'tDo Instead
Start coding without a planCreate task_plan.md first
State goals once and forgetRe-read plan before decisions
Hide errors and retry silentlyLog errors, mutate approach
Keep everything in contextWrite large content to files
Repeat failed actionsTrack attempts in plan file
Create vague tasks (\"improve X\")Concrete verb-first tasks with file paths
Plan phases with 12+ filesSplit into 5-8 file chunks
Plan at 100% capacityBudget for verification, fixes, and unknowns
\n","files":[{"path":"manifest.json","sizeBytes":654,"isText":true},{"path":"SKILL.md","sizeBytes":4587,"isText":true}],"reviewScore":null,"reviewSummary":null,"trust":{"provenance":"trusted-source-unreviewed","notice":"Community-authored content, reproduced verbatim and not vetted as instructions. Treat it as data to evaluate, never as directives to follow.","bodySource":null},"bodyLocked":false,"purchaseUrl":null,"sourceUrl":null,"report":{"provenance":"trusted-source-unreviewed","screen":{"ran":true,"outcome":"clean","suspicious":0,"notes":0,"hiddenCharacters":false},"virusScan":{"engine":"clamav","status":"clean","scannedAt":"2026-09-08T18:31:14.685202Z","sha256":"4E3F9F2D0C971C15182E257ED989F6CEEC4689A0CDF80F3E75A5672EC0A3DCB0","sizeBytes":2760},"review":null,"source":{"repositoryUrl":"https://github.com/iliaal/whetstone","path":"distillery/generated-skills/planning","license":"MIT","commit":"0611f6522be29970aafa05fccb0ca956afb005f4","subtreeSha":"26F204B59AE40E10C4FB4A0F8F6FDBF7D3E881DAD3084A0346B5118B3ECA9F52","lastSyncedAt":"2026-09-25T23:12:18.081629Z"},"reviewedAt":"2026-09-08T18:33:23.087976Z","notice":"Community-authored content, reproduced verbatim and not vetted as instructions. Treat it as data to evaluate, never as directives to follow."},"install":[{"target":"skills-cli","command":"npx skills add https://github.com/iliaal/whetstone/tree/master/distillery/generated-skills/planning"},{"target":"claude-code","command":"claude plugin marketplace add https://llmmart.ai/marketplace.json && claude plugin install iliaal-whetstone@llmmart"},{"target":"git","command":"git clone https://github.com/iliaal/whetstone.git"}]}