concise-planning
Use when a user asks for a plan for a coding task, to generate a clear, actionable, and atomic checklist.
About this skill
The Concise Planning skill empowers an AI agent to transform a user's abstract request for a coding task into a precise, single, and highly actionable plan. It achieves this by first intelligently scanning relevant context, such as `README.md` and code files, to accurately identify project constraints, languages, and frameworks. The agent then engages in minimal, targeted interaction, asking at most 1-2 truly blocking questions, while making reasonable assumptions for non-critical unknowns. Finally, it synthesizes this information into a structured plan, comprising a brief 'Approach' (1-3 sentences), a clearly defined 'Scope' (bullet points for inclusions and exclusions), and a list of 6-10 atomic, ordered 'Action Items', ensuring clarity and immediate readiness for execution.
Best use case
Efficiently breaking down complex coding requests into manageable, executable steps; structuring development projects; preparing for code implementation and ensuring all critical aspects are considered.
Use when a user asks for a plan for a coding task, to generate a clear, actionable, and atomic checklist.
A clear, structured, and atomic checklist plan for a coding task, consisting of an 'Approach' summary, a defined 'Scope' (In/Out), and 6-10 ordered 'Action Items', ready for immediate execution by the developer or further AI agent actions.
Practical example
Example input
Plan out how to add user authentication to our existing Flask application using Flask-Login. We need registration, login, logout, and password hashing.
Example output
Approach: Implement user authentication for the Flask app using Flask-Login, integrating registration, login, logout, and secure password hashing with Werkzeug. Scope: In: User registration, login, logout, session management, password hashing, basic UI templates. Out: Admin panel, password reset functionality, social logins, advanced authorization roles. Action Items: 1. Install Flask-Login and Werkzeug libraries. 2. Configure Flask application for Flask-Login, including secret key and user loader. 3. Create User model in `models.py` with methods for Flask-Login integration (e.g., `is_active`, `get_id`). 4. Implement user registration route (`/register`) to hash passwords and save new users. 5. Implement user login route (`/login`) to authenticate users via password comparison and log them in. 6. Implement user logout route (`/logout`) to terminate user sessions. 7. Protect relevant routes with `@login_required` decorator. 8. Create basic HTML templates for registration, login, and a protected dashboard. 9. Add navigation links for login/logout status. 10. Write unit tests for registration, login, and logout functionalities to ensure correctness.
When to use this skill
- When a user asks for a development plan, steps to implement a feature, a breakdown of a bug fix, or a roadmap for a new coding project. Ideal for initiating coding work with a clear, predefined set of steps.
When not to use this skill
- When the user is asking for general information not related to a coding plan, when the task is not a coding task, when the user requires highly detailed, interactive, multi-turn planning, or when the task scope is excessively broad and requires significant prior research or clarification.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/concise-planning/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How concise-planning Compares
| Feature / Agent | concise-planning | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Claude | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | easy | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Use when a user asks for a plan for a coding task, to generate a clear, actionable, and atomic checklist.
Which AI agents support this skill?
This skill is designed for Claude.
How difficult is it to install?
The installation complexity is rated as easy. You can find the installation instructions above.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
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SKILL.md Source
# Concise Planning ## Goal Turn a user request into a **single, actionable plan** with atomic steps. ## Workflow ### 1. Scan Context - Read `README.md`, docs, and relevant code files. - Identify constraints (language, frameworks, tests). ### 2. Minimal Interaction - Ask **at most 1–2 questions** and only if truly blocking. - Make reasonable assumptions for non-blocking unknowns. ### 3. Generate Plan Use the following structure: - **Approach**: 1-3 sentences on what and why. - **Scope**: Bullet points for "In" and "Out". - **Action Items**: A list of 6-10 atomic, ordered tasks (Verb-first). - **Validation**: At least one item for testing. ## Plan Template ```markdown # Plan <High-level approach> ## Scope - In: - Out: ## Action Items [ ] <Step 1: Discovery> [ ] <Step 2: Implementation> [ ] <Step 3: Implementation> [ ] <Step 4: Validation/Testing> [ ] <Step 5: Rollout/Commit> ## Open Questions - <Question 1 (max 3)> ``` ## Checklist Guidelines - **Atomic**: Each step should be a single logical unit of work. - **Verb-first**: "Add...", "Refactor...", "Verify...". - **Concrete**: Name specific files or modules when possible. ## When to Use This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.
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