writing-plans

A test-driven implementation plan outlines exact actions, tests, and acceptance criteria from a spec to reduce ambiguity. It provides a deterministic, micro-step workflow with explicit file paths, code snippets, and CLI commands for developers unfamiliar with the codebase.

The best way to plan architecture for new developers is using a lead-architect perspective to design end-to-end plans. This approach provides exact file paths, exact code snippets, and exact CLI commands in micro-step workflows, eliminating ambiguity and accelerating onboarding.

Generating step-by-step task plans from a specification involves translating requirements into concrete, verifiable actions. The process creates a deterministic workflow with mandatory acceptance criteria, saving the output to a standardized location for easy archival and auditing.

Test-driven task planning works for onboarding by targeting capable but unfamiliar developers with exact actions and acceptance criteria. It provides explicit file paths and CLI commands in micro-step workflows, reducing confusion and speeding up delivery in complex codebases.

Implementation plans should be saved to docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<feature-name>.md with a fixed header and a mandatory feature name. This standardized location ensures easy archival, tracking, and auditing of detailed, test-driven implementation workflows.

Step-by-step implementation plans use a markdown format saved to docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<feature-name>.md. The files include a fixed header and a mandatory feature name, ensuring structured archival and consistent documentation across development cycles.