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involvexinvolvex/youtube-music-cli/.agents/skills/planning-with-files/SKILL.md

planning-with-files

Skill461 starsChanged 3 months agoMITView on GitHub

Implements Manus-style file-based planning for complex tasks. Creates task_plan.md, findings.md, and progress.md. Use when starting complex multi-step tasks, research projects, or any task requirin...

We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent

7 rules. 4 are common, 2 are distinctive, and 1 is very specific to this project.

  • 4

    Common

    Most of the 62 edited versions we read keep these.

  • 2

    Distinctive

    This author's own choices. Worth a look.

  • 1

    Very specific

    Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.

  • Common
  • Distinctive
  • Very specific
  1. Distinctive:

    When using this skill:

    line 15
  2. Common:

    Before ANY complex task:

    line 29
  3. Very specific:

    Never start a complex task without task_plan.md.

    line 59
  4. Common:

    Before major decisions, read the plan file.

    line 67
  5. Common:

    After completing any phase:

    line 70
  6. Common:

    Every error goes in the plan file.

    line 76
  7. Distinctive:

    If you can answer these, your context management is solid:

    line 130

“Common” is measured: kept by at least 6 in 10 of the 62 edited versions of this file we could read. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.

Keep what fits and drop the rest. Your version, ready for your agents.
Files
SKILL.md

Planning with Files

Work like Manus: Use persistent markdown files as your "working memory on disk."

Important: Where Files Go

When using this skill:

  • Templates are stored in the skill directory at ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/templates/
  • Your planning files (task_plan.md, findings.md, progress.md) should be created in your project directory — the folder where you're working
LocationWhat Goes There
Skill directory (${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/)Templates, scripts, reference docs
Your project directorytask_plan.md, findings.md, progress.md

This ensures your planning files live alongside your code, not buried in the skill installation folder.

Quick Start

Before ANY complex task:

  1. Create task_plan.md in your project — Use templates/task_plan.md as reference
  2. Create findings.md in your project — Use templates/findings.md as reference
  3. Create progress.md in your project — Use templates/progress.md as reference
  4. Re-read plan before decisions — Refreshes goals in attention window
  5. Update after each phase — Mark complete, log errors

Note: All three planning files should be created in your current working directory (your project root), not in the skill's installation folder.

The Core Pattern

Context Window = RAM (volatile, limited)
Filesystem = Disk (persistent, unlimited)

→ Anything important gets written to disk.

File Purposes

FilePurposeWhen to Update
task_plan.mdPhases, progress, decisionsAfter each phase
findings.mdResearch, discoveriesAfter ANY discovery
progress.mdSession log, test resultsThroughout session

Critical Rules

1. Create Plan First

Never start a complex task without task_plan.md. Non-negotiable.

2. The 2-Action Rule

"After every 2 view/browser/search operations, IMMEDIATELY save key findings to text files."

This prevents visual/multimodal information from being lost.

3. Read Before Decide

Before major decisions, read the plan file. This keeps goals in your attention window.

4. Update After Act

After completing any phase:

  • Mark phase status: in_progress → complete
  • Log any errors encountered
  • Note files created/modified

5. Log ALL Errors

Every error goes in the plan file. This builds knowledge and prevents repetition.

## Errors Encountered
| Error | Attempt | Resolution |
|-------|---------|------------|
| FileNotFoundError | 1 | Created default config |
| API timeout | 2 | Added retry logic |

6. Never Repeat Failures

if action_failed:
    next_action != same_action

Track what you tried. Mutate the approach.

The 3-Strike Error Protocol

ATTEMPT 1: Diagnose & Fix
  → Read error carefully
  → Identify root cause
  → Apply targeted fix

ATTEMPT 2: Alternative Approach
  → Same error? Try different method
  → Different tool? Different library?
  → NEVER repeat exact same failing action

ATTEMPT 3: Broader Rethink
  → Question assumptions
  → Search for solutions
  → Consider updating the plan

AFTER 3 FAILURES: Escalate to User
  → Explain what you tried
  → Share the specific error
  → Ask for guidance

Read vs Write Decision Matrix

SituationActionReason
Just wrote a fileDON'T readContent still in context
Viewed image/PDFWrite findings NOWMultimodal → text before lost
Browser returned dataWrite to fileScreenshots don't persist
Starting new phaseRead plan/findingsRe-orient if context stale
Error occurredRead relevant fileNeed current state to fix
Resuming after gapRead all planning filesRecover state

The 5-Question Reboot Test

If you can answer these, your context management is solid:

QuestionAnswer Source
Where am I?Current phase in task_plan.md
Where am I going?Remaining phases
What's the goal?Goal statement in plan
What have I learned?findings.md
What have I done?progress.md

When to Use This Pattern

Use for:

  • Multi-step tasks (3+ steps)
  • Research tasks
  • Building/creating projects
  • Tasks spanning many tool calls
  • Anything requiring organization

Skip for:

  • Simple questions
  • Single-file edits
  • Quick lookups

Templates

Copy these templates to start:

  • templates/task_plan.md — Phase tracking
  • templates/findings.md — Research storage
  • templates/progress.md — Session logging

Scripts

Helper scripts for automation:

  • scripts/init-session.sh — Initialize all planning files
  • scripts/check-complete.sh — Verify all phases complete

Advanced Topics

  • Manus Principles: See reference.md
  • Real Examples: See examples.md

Anti-Patterns

Don'tDo Instead
Use TodoWrite for persistenceCreate task_plan.md file
State goals once and forgetRe-read plan before decisions
Hide errors and retry silentlyLog errors to plan file
Stuff everything in contextStore large content in files
Start executing immediatelyCreate plan file FIRST
Repeat failed actionsTrack attempts, mutate approach
Create files in skill directoryCreate files in your project

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