Ck Plan

---
name: ck:plan
description: "Plan implementations, design architectures, create technical roadmaps with detailed phases. Use for feature planning, system design, solution architecture, implementation strategy, phase documentation."
argument-hint: "[task] OR [archive|red-team|validate]"
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: claudekit
  version: "1.0.0"
---

# Planning

Create detailed technical implementation plans through research, codebase analysis, solution design, and comprehensive documentation.

**IMPORTANT:** Before you start, scan unfinished plans in the current project at `./plans/` directory, read the `plan.md`, if there are relevant plans with your upcoming plan, update them as well. If you're unsure or need more clarifications, use `AskUserQuestion` tool to ask the user.

### Cross-Plan Dependency Detection

During the pre-creation scan, detect and mark blocking relationships between plans:

1. **Scan** — Read `plan.md` frontmatter of each unfinished plan (status != `completed`/`cancelled`)
2. **Compare scope** — Check overlapping files, shared dependencies, same feature area
3. **Classify relationship:**
   - New plan needs output of existing plan → new plan `blockedBy: [existing-plan-dir]`
   - New plan changes something existing plan depends on → existing plan `blockedBy: [new-plan-dir]`, new plan `blocks: [existing-plan-dir]`
   - Mutual dependency → both plans reference each other in `blockedBy`/`blocks`
4. **Bidirectional update** — When relationship detected, update BOTH `plan.md` files' frontmatter
5. **Ambiguous?** → Use `AskUserQuestion` with header "Plan Dependency", present detected overlap, ask user to confirm relationship type (blocks/blockedBy/none)

**Frontmatter fields** (relative plan dir paths):
```yaml
blockedBy: [260301-1200-auth-system]     # This plan waits on these plans
blocks: [260228-0900-user-dashboard]     # This plan blocks these plans
```

**Status interaction:** A plan with `blockedBy` entries where ANY blocker is not `completed` → plan status should note `blocked` in its overview. When all blockers complete, the blocked plan becomes unblocked automatically on next scan.

## Default (No Arguments)

If invoked with a task description, proceed with planning workflow. If invoked WITHOUT arguments or with unclear intent, use `AskUserQuestion` to present available operations:

| Operation | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| `(default)` | Create implementation plan for a task |
| `archive` | Write journal entry & archive plans |
| `red-team` | Adversarial plan review |
| `validate` | Critical questions interview |

Present as options via `AskUserQuestion` with header "Planning Operation", question "What would you like to do?".

## Workflow Modes

Default: `--auto` (analyze task complexity and auto-pick mode).

| Flag | Mode | Research | Red Team | Validation | Cook Flag |
|------|------|----------|----------|------------|-----------|
| `--auto` | Auto-detect | Follows mode | Follows mode | Follows mode | Follows mode |
| `--fast` | Fast | Skip | Skip | Skip | `--auto` |
| `--hard` | Hard | 2 researchers | Yes | Optional | (none) |
| `--parallel` | Parallel | 2 researchers | Yes | Optional | `--parallel` |
| `--two` | Two approaches | 2+ researchers | After selection | After selection | (none) |

Add `--no-tasks` to skip task hydration in any mode.

Load: `references/workflow-modes.md` for auto-detection logic, per-mode workflows, context reminders.

## When to Use

- Planning new feature implementations
- Architecting system designs
- Evaluating technical approaches
- Creating implementation roadmaps
- Breaking down complex requirements

## Core Responsibilities & Rules

Always honoring **YAGNI**, **KISS**, and **DRY** principles.
**Be honest, be brutal, straight to the point, and be concise.**

### 0. Scope Challenge
Load: `references/scope-challenge.md`
**Skip if:** `--fast` mode or trivial task (single file fix, <20 word description)

### 1. Research & Analysis
Load: `references/research-phase.md`
**Skip if:** Fast mode or provided with researcher reports

### 2. Codebase Understanding
Load: `references/codebase-understanding.md`
**Skip if:** Provided with scout reports

### 3. Solution Design
Load: `references/solution-design.md`

### 4. Plan Creation & Organization
Load: `references/plan-organization.md`

### 5. Task Breakdown & Output Standards
Load: `references/output-standards.md`

## Process Flow (Authoritative)

```mermaid
flowchart TD
    A[Pre-Creation Check] --> B[Cross-Plan Scan]
    B --> C[Scope Challenge]
    C --> D[Mode Detection]
    D -->|fast| E[Skip Research]
    D -->|hard/parallel/two| F[Spawn Researchers]
    E --> G[Codebase Analysis]
    F --> G
    G --> H[Write Plan via Planner]
    H --> I{Red Team?}
    I -->|Yes| J[Red Team Review]
    I -->|No| K{Validate?}
    J --> K
    K -->|Yes| L[Validation Interview]
    K -->|No| M[Hydrate Tasks]
    L --> M
    M --> N[Output Cook Command]
    N --> O[Journal]
```

**This diagram is the authoritative workflow.** Prose sections below provide detail for each node.

## Workflow Process

1. **Pre-Creation Check** → Check Plan Context for active/suggested/none
1b. **Cross-Plan Scan** → Scan unfinished plans, detect `blockedBy`/`blocks` relationships, update both plans
1c. **Scope Challenge** → Run Step 0 scope questions, select mode (see `references/scope-challenge.md`)
    **Skip if:** `--fast` mode or trivial task
2. **Mode Detection** → Auto-detect or use explicit flag (see `workflow-modes.md`)
3. **Research Phase** → Spawn researchers (skip in fast mode)
4. **Codebase Analysis** → Read docs, scout if needed
5. **Plan Documentation** → Write comprehensive plan via planner subagent
6. **Red Team Review** → Run `/ck:plan red-team {plan-path}` (hard/parallel/two modes)
7. **Post-Plan Validation** → Run `/ck:plan validate {plan-path}` (hard/parallel/two modes)
8. **Hydrate Tasks** → Create Claude Tasks from phases (default on, `--no-tasks` to skip)
9. **Context Reminder** → Output cook command with absolute path (MANDATORY)
10. **Journal** → Run `/ck:journal` to write a concise technical journal entry upon completion

## Output Requirements
**IMPORTANT:** Invoke "/ck:project-organization" skill to organize the outputs.

- DO NOT implement code - only create plans
- Respond with plan file path and summary
- Ensure self-contained plans with necessary context
- Include code snippets/pseudocode when clarifying
- Fully respect the `./docs/development-rules.md` file

## Task Management

Plan files = persistent. Tasks = session-scoped. Hydration bridges the gap.

**Default:** Auto-hydrate tasks after plan files are written. Skip with `--no-tasks`.
**3-Task Rule:** <3 phases → skip task creation.
**Fallback:** Task tools (`TaskCreate`/`TaskUpdate`/`TaskGet`/`TaskList`) are CLI-only — unavailable in VSCode extension. If they error, use `TodoWrite` for tracking. Plan files remain the source of truth; hydration is an optimization, not a requirement.

Load: `references/task-management.md` for hydration pattern, TaskCreate patterns, cook handoff protocol.

### Hydration Workflow
1. Write plan.md + phase files (persistent layer)
2. TaskCreate per phase with `addBlockedBy` chain (skip if Task tools unavailable)
3. TaskCreate for critical/high-risk steps within phases (skip if Task tools unavailable)
4. Metadata: phase, priority, effort, planDir, phaseFile
5. Cook picks up via TaskList (same session) or re-hydrates (new session)

## Active Plan State

Check `## Plan Context` injected by hooks:
- **"Plan: {path}"** → Active plan. Ask "Continue? [Y/n]"
- **"Suggested: {path}"** → Branch hint only. Ask if activate or create new.
- **"Plan: none"** → Create new using `Plan dir:` from `## Naming`

After creating plan: `node .claude/scripts/set-active-plan.cjs {plan-dir}`
Reports: Active plans → plan-specific path. Suggested → default path.

### Important
**DO NOT** create plans or reports in USER directory.
**MUST** create plans or reports in **THE CURRENT WORKING PROJECT DIRECTORY**.

## Subcommands

| Subcommand | Reference | Purpose |
|------------|-----------|---------|
| `/ck:plan archive` | `references/archive-workflow.md` | Archive plans + write journal entries |
| `/ck:plan red-team` | `references/red-team-workflow.md` | Adversarial plan review with hostile reviewers |
| `/ck:plan validate` | `references/validate-workflow.md` | Validate plan with critical questions interview |

## Quality Standards

- Thorough and specific, consider long-term maintainability
- Research thoroughly when uncertain
- Address security and performance concerns
- Detailed enough for junior developers
- Validate against existing codebase patterns

**Remember:** Plan quality determines implementation success. Be comprehensive and consider all solution aspects.