planning-with-files

Persistent planning maintains task progress and findings by storing phase-based plans in the filesystem, ensuring goals survive across multiple tool interactions without losing track. It uses task_plan.md, findings.md, and progress.md for tracking.

External memory manages complex multi-step projects by maintaining a persistent, phase-based plan in .claude/plans/current, automatically tracking investigations, implementation, and delivery workflows through dedicated markdown files.

To start tracking a phase-based workflow for large feature implementation, create .claude/plans/current/task_plan.md to begin recording your plan, which then automatically logs findings and progress across all project phases.

File-backed planning for task management is needed when a task requires more than five tool calls, such as research projects or big feature work, ensuring structured goals and progress survive interruptions across sessions.

Yes, persistent planning works for research projects and delivery workflows by applying a structured, phase-based tracking system that logs investigations, planning, implementation, testing, and delivery phases in markdown files.