Plan Feature Skill
Plan before you code. Every time.
A structured workflow that helps you think through features before implementation. No more jumping straight into code and realizing halfway through that you missed something.
What It Does
The Plan Feature skill guides Claude through a plan-driven development workflow. Instead of immediately writing code, it first gathers requirements, researches your codebase, and produces a detailed implementation plan.
The key constraint: it never writes implementation code. Planning and coding are separate phases. This forces you to think through the problem before solving it.
The Three Phases
Interview
Claude asks you clarifying questions about what you want to build. It keeps asking until requirements are clear. You say "Go" when ready to proceed.
Research
Claude explores your codebase to understand existing patterns, related code, and potential impact areas. This grounds the plan in your actual project structure.
Plan
Claude creates a detailed plan file in docs/plans/ with objectives, requirements, architecture decisions, and step-by-step implementation instructions.
Why Plan First?
Catch Issues Early
Discover missing requirements and edge cases before you've written hundreds of lines of code.
Shareable Context
Plan files can be reviewed by teammates or referenced in future sessions. The context survives beyond one conversation.
Reduce Rework
A clear plan means fewer "wait, we also need to handle X" moments during implementation.
Better Estimates
When you know exactly what needs to be built, you can better assess the scope of work.
Who Is This For?
- Solo developers who want to think through features before coding
- Teams that want reviewable implementation plans
- Anyone tired of getting halfway through a feature and realizing the approach won't work
Note: This skill is designed for non-trivial features. For quick bug fixes or one-line changes, you probably don't need a full planning phase.
Ready to Start?
Set up the Plan Feature skill in your project and start planning your next feature.