Breaks work into ordered tasks. Use when you have a spec or clear requirements and need to break work into implementable tasks. Use when a task feels too large to start, when you need to estimate scope, or when parallel work is possible.
Download SKILL.md or inspect the source before installing.
Step 1
Copy the install command
Copy the command or download SKILL.md, then add it to your AI coding environment.
Step 2
Check source and behavior
Open the source repo and confirm the skill behavior, scope, and fit for the task.
Step 3
Overview
# Planning and Task Breakdown
Overview
Decompose work into small, verifiable tasks with explicit acceptance criteria. Good task breakdown is the difference between an agent that completes work reliably and one that produces a tangled mess. Every task should be small enough to implement, test, and verify in a single focused session.
When to Use
You have a spec and need to break it into implementable units
A task feels too large or vague to start
Work needs to be parallelized across multiple agents or sessions
You need to communicate scope to a human
The implementation order isn't obvious
**When NOT to use:** Single-file changes with obvious scope, or when the spec already contains well-defined tasks.
The Planning Process
Step 1: Enter Plan Mode
Before writing any code, operate in read-only mode:
Read the spec and relevant codebase sections
Identify existing patterns and conventions
Map dependencies between components
Note risks and unknowns
**Do NOT write code during planning.** The output is a plan document, not implementation.
Step 2: Identify the Dependency Graph
Map what depends on what:
```
Database schema
│
├── API models/types
Validate with a real task
Run one small real task before keeping it in your long-term workflow.
│ │
│ ├── API endpoints
│ │ │
│ │ └── Frontend API client
│ │ │
│ │ └── UI components
│ │
│ └── Validation logic
│
└── Seed data / migrations
```
Implementation order follows the dependency graph bottom-up: build foundations first.
Step 3: Slice Vertically
Instead of building all the database, then all the API, then all the UI — build one complete feature path at a time:
**Bad (horizontal slicing):**
```
Task 1: Build entire database schema
Task 2: Build all API endpoints
Task 3: Build all UI components
Task 4: Connect everything
```
**Good (vertical slicing):**
```
Task 1: User can create an account (schema + API + UI for registration)
Task 2: User can log in (auth schema + API + UI for login)
Task 3: User can create a task (task schema + API + UI for creation)
Task 4: User can view task list (query + API + UI for list view)
```
Each vertical slice delivers working, testable functionality.
Step 4: Write Tasks
Each task follows this structure:
```markdown
Task [N]: [Short descriptive title]
**Description:** One paragraph explaining what this task accomplishes.
**Acceptance criteria:**
[ ] [Specific, testable condition]
[ ] [Specific, testable condition]
**Verification:**
[ ] Tests pass: `npm test -- --grep "feature-name"`
[ ] Build succeeds: `npm run build`
[ ] Manual check: [description of what to verify]
**Dependencies:** [Task numbers this depends on, or "None"]
