planning-with-files

You can maintain context for complex agentic workflows by implementing a file-based planning system that uses markdown files like task_plan.md, findings.md, and progress.md as persistent external memory to track phases and prevent information loss across sessions.

To start persistent file-based planning, initiate the process by creating a task_plan.md file in your project directory to define task phases, then use findings.md and progress.md to log discoveries and session progress.

Manus-style context management for tracking task phases requires no specific external dependencies, relying solely on markdown files as persistent memory to ensure critical information is never lost during complex workflows.

You need markdown files for task management when embarking on long, multi-week research projects or developing complex software features, ensuring all decisions and findings are meticulously logged and easily retrievable to prevent AI context loss.

A key limitation of using markdown files for context management in agentic workflows is the necessity of manual file creation and maintenance, requiring consistent updates to task_plan.md, findings.md, and progress.md to prevent information degradation over time.