planning-and-task-breakdown

To break down complex software engineering work, you decompose it into small, verifiable tasks mapped to an execution DAG. This approach outlines per-task frontmatter and identifies dependencies to dispatch independent work in parallel.

An execution DAG is a directed acyclic graph that maps task dependencies and checkpoints to synchronize phases. It manages parallel task scheduling by defining edges that ensure independent work blocks execute concurrently without bottlenecks.

Yes, task breakdown and DAG planning target multi-week or multi-repo initiatives specifically. They handle cross-team coordination by mapping complex project scopes to conflict-aware task blocks with stable IDs for day-zero readiness.

The best way to structure task frontmatter is using a contract-first approach. Each task block includes id, depends_on, parallel_safe, files_write, files_read, and branch_suffix fields alongside explicit acceptance and verification criteria.

To prevent file write conflicts during parallel dispatch, you define conflict-aware task blocks using the files_write and files_read frontmatter fields. This ensures parallel_safe tasks do not modify overlapping resources.

You need a project brief to start generating a task plan. The planning mode converts your brief into a read-only analysis that maps dependencies, identifies risks, and outlines per-task frontmatter before execution.