Agent skill
executing-plans
Disciplined plan execution for implementation tasks. Use when executing a saved implementation plan, following step-by-step instructions from a plan document.
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/CodingCossack/agent-skills-library/tree/main/skills/executing-plans
SKILL.md
Executing Plans
Overview
Load plan, review critically, execute tasks in batches, report for review between batches.
Core principle: Batch execution with checkpoints for architect review.
Announce at start: "I'm using the executing-plans skill to implement this plan."
Quick Reference
| Step | Action | Exit Condition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Load + Review | Concerns raised OR TodoWrite created |
| 2 | Execute Batch | 3 tasks complete + verified |
| 3 | Report | Show results, say "Ready for feedback" |
| 4 | Continue | Apply feedback, next batch |
| 5 | Complete | Use finishing-a-development-branch |
The Process
Step 1: Load and Review Plan
- Read plan file
- Review critically - identify any questions or concerns about the plan
- If concerns: Raise them with your human partner before starting
- If no concerns: Create TodoWrite and proceed
Step 2: Execute Batch
Default: First 3 tasks
For each task:
- Mark as in_progress
- Follow each step exactly (plan has bite-sized steps)
- Run verifications as specified
- Mark as completed
Step 3: Report
When batch complete:
- Show what was implemented
- Show verification output
- Say: "Ready for feedback."
Step 4: Continue
Based on feedback:
- Apply changes if needed
- Execute next batch
- Repeat until complete
Step 5: Complete Development
After all tasks complete and verified:
- Announce: "I'm using the finishing-a-development-branch skill to complete this work."
- REQUIRED SUB-SKILL:
finishing-a-development-branch - Follow that skill to verify tests, present options, execute choice
When to Stop and Ask for Help
STOP executing immediately when:
- Hit a blocker mid-batch (missing dependency, test fails, instruction unclear)
- Plan has critical gaps preventing starting
- You don't understand an instruction
- Verification fails repeatedly
Ask for clarification rather than guessing.
When to Revisit Earlier Steps
Return to Review (Step 1) when:
- Partner updates the plan based on your feedback
- Fundamental approach needs rethinking
Don't force through blockers - stop and ask.
Common Mistakes
Executing without critical review
- Problem: Blindly following plan with gaps
- Fix: Step 1 explicitly requires raising concerns first
Batch size drift
- Problem: Doing 5-10 tasks without checkpoint
- Fix: Default is 3. Report after EVERY batch.
Guessing through blockers
- Problem: Making assumptions when stuck
- Fix: STOP immediately, ask for clarification
Skipping verification commands
- Problem: Mark complete without running tests
- Fix: Each task has verification - run it
Integration
Called by:
- writing-plans (Parallel Session choice)
Calls:
- finishing-a-development-branch (Step 5)
Remember
- Review plan critically first
- Follow plan steps exactly
- Don't skip verifications
- Reference skills when plan says to
- Between batches: just report and wait
- Stop when blocked, don't guess
Recommended Agent Skills
Expand your agent's capabilities with these related and highly-rated skills.
brainstorming
Collaborative design exploration that refines ideas into validated specs through iterative questioning. Use before any creative work including creating features, building components, adding functionality, or modifying behavior.
test-driven-development
Red-green-refactor development methodology requiring verified test coverage. Use for feature implementation, bugfixes, refactoring, or any behavior changes where tests must prove correctness.
using-superpowers
Meta-skill enforcing skill discovery and invocation discipline through mandatory workflows. Use when starting any conversation to check for relevant skills before any response, ensuring skill-first workflow before proceeding.
requesting-code-review
Use when you need to request a code review for a PR/MR and want a consistent review brief (context, scope, risk areas, test instructions, acceptance criteria) before merge.
writing-plans
Structured implementation planning for multi-step development tasks. Use when you have a spec or requirements and need to break work into executable steps.
systematic-debugging
Root cause analysis for debugging. Use when bugs, test failures, or unexpected behavior have non-obvious causes, or after multiple fix attempts have failed.
Didn't find tool you were looking for?