incremental-implementation

Break the feature into thin vertical slices where each slice delivers working end-to-end functionality across the stack. For each slice, implement the minimal complete piece, run tests, verify the build, commit with a descriptive message, then move to the next slice.

Vertical slicing builds one complete path through the entire technology stack per increment, such as database plus API plus UI for a single operation. Each slice delivers working end-to-end functionality rather than completing one layer at a time.

Skip this approach for single-file, single-function changes where the scope is already small enough. The incremental loop adds overhead that only pays off when a task involves multiple files or more than roughly 100 lines of code.

Use feature flags to gate work-in-progress code, such as an environment variable check that disables the new UI by default. This lets you merge small increments to the main branch while keeping incomplete functionality invisible.

Mixing refactoring with feature changes makes both harder to review and debug, since a failure cannot be attributed to one cause. Separate commits keep each change atomic, easier to review, and independently revertable.