Executing Plans

Overview

Load plan, review critically, execute tasks in batches, report for review between batches.

Core principle: Batch execution with checkpoints for architect review.

Announce at start: "I'm using the executing-plans skill to implement this plan."

The Process

Step 1: Load and Review Plan

Plan directory format (.claude/plans/<plan-id>/ ):

• Read orchestration plan at plan.md and manifest at manifest.json

• For each task in the current batch, read its briefing file from briefings/task-NN.md

• Only load briefings for the current batch (default 3), not all tasks at once

• Review critically — identify any questions or concerns about the plan

• If concerns: Raise them with your human partner before starting

• If no concerns: Create TodoWrite and proceed

Legacy monolithic format (docs/plans/*.md ):

• Read the plan file directly

• Follow the same review and batch process below

Format detection: If the path contains manifest.json or points to a directory, use plan directory format. If it points to a .md file, use legacy format. If no path given, check .claude/plans/ for the most recent directory, fall back to docs/plans/ for the most recent .md .

Step 2: Execute Batch

Default: First 3 tasks

For each task:

• Mark as in_progress

• Follow each step exactly (briefing files have bite-sized steps)

• Run verifications as specified in the briefing's Success Criteria

• Mark as completed

Step 3: Report

When batch complete:

• Show what was implemented

• Show verification output

• Say: "Ready for feedback."

Step 4: Continue

Based on feedback:

• Apply changes if needed

• Execute next batch (load next batch's briefing files)

• Repeat until complete

Step 5: Complete Development

After all tasks complete and verified:

• If using plan directory format, clean up:

• Optionally write .claude/plans/<plan-id>/summary.md with execution notes

• Delete the plan directory: rm -rf .claude/plans/<plan-id>/

• If deletion fails, warn but do not block

• Announce: "I'm using the git-workflow skill to complete this work."

• REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use git-workflow stack

• Follow that skill to verify tests, present options, execute choice

Guardrails

Stop and ask when blocked — don't guess. See references/guardrails.md for full stop conditions and checklist.

Integration

Required workflow skills:

• git-workflow - REQUIRED: Worktrees for isolated workspaces, stack for completing development

• writing-plans - Creates the plan this skill executes