writing-plans
Converts a spec into a written implementation plan with ordered steps and checkpoints before any code is touched.
Anatomy
| Parent repo | obra/superpowers |
|---|---|
| Path | skills/writing-plans |
| Trigger conditions | "Use when you have a spec or requirements for a multi-step task, before touching code" |
| Instruction format | yaml-frontmatter-md |
| Required tools | file-edit |
| Reusability | universal |
| Complexity | medium |
| Ships scripts / examples / tests / boundaries | no / yes / no / yes |
Failure modes
Plan quality tracks spec quality; garbage in produces confident, well-formatted garbage out.
Verdict
The plan phase of plan-execute-verify as a skill. Written plans can be reviewed by humans or fresh-context agents before a single file changes; that option only exists because this skill externalizes the plan.
Related skills
Blocks the agent from claiming work is complete, fixed, or passing until it has run verification commands and confirmed output. Evidence…
Forces root-cause investigation before any fix: reproduce, hypothesize one cause at a time, test the hypothesis, then patch. Bans…
Frequently asked questions
What does the writing-plans skill do?
Converts a spec into a written implementation plan with ordered steps and checkpoints before any code is touched.
When does writing-plans trigger?
Its stated trigger: "Use when you have a spec or requirements for a multi-step task, before touching code". Trigger precision is a scored reliability dimension.