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create-implementation-plan

github/awesome-copilot

Generate structured, machine-readable implementation plans for features, refactoring, upgrades, and architecture work.

What is create-implementation-plan?

This skill creates deterministic implementation plan files designed for AI-to-AI communication and automated execution. Use it when you need to break down complex development work—new features, refactoring, package upgrades, or infrastructure changes—into discrete, verifiable phases with explicit tasks, dependencies, and success criteria.

  • Generates plans with atomic phases containing parallel-executable tasks
  • Produces machine-parseable output with explicit file paths, identifiers, and validation criteria
  • Enforces unique identifier declarations (REQ-, TASK-, GOAL-, etc.) to prevent collisions
  • Structures content for autonomous execution by AI agents or humans without interpretation required
  • Includes built-in validation checks (bash scripts) to verify template compliance and identifier uniqueness
  • Saves plans to `/plan/` directory with standardized naming conventions (purpose-component-version.md)

How to install create-implementation-plan

npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill create-implementation-plan
Prerequisites
  • POSIX-compatible shell (sh/bash) with grep, sed, sort, and uniq for validation checks (or equivalent platform-native commands on Windows)
Claude Code
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How to use create-implementation-plan

  1. 1.Invoke the skill with a plan purpose (e.g., 'upgrade-auth-module', 'feature-payment-integration')
  2. 2.Provide context about what you're planning: scope, constraints, and key requirements
  3. 3.The skill generates a Markdown file in `/plan/` with front matter, phases, tasks, dependencies, and identifiers
  4. 4.Review the generated plan and populate all sections with specific file paths, function names, and implementation details
  5. 5.Run the included validation bash commands to verify no duplicate identifier declarations exist
  6. 6.Share the plan file with your team or pass it to other AI agents for execution

Use cases

Good for
  • Planning a multi-phase feature rollout with clear task dependencies and completion criteria
  • Documenting a large refactoring effort with specific file paths and function names to modify
  • Creating an infrastructure upgrade plan with measurable phases and automated validation steps
  • Breaking down a system architecture redesign into executable tasks for distributed team or agent execution
  • Generating a package upgrade strategy with explicit requirements, constraints, and testing procedures
Who it's for
  • Engineering teams planning complex multi-phase projects
  • AI agents and coding assistants executing deterministic work plans
  • Technical leads documenting architecture or infrastructure changes
  • DevOps engineers planning system upgrades or migrations
  • Project managers needing machine-readable task breakdowns

create-implementation-plan FAQ

What's the difference between a TASK and a GOAL?

A GOAL describes the objective of an entire phase (e.g., 'Implement authentication module'). TASKs are the discrete, atomic work items within that phase that contribute to the goal. Each GOAL can contain multiple TASKs.

Can tasks within a phase run in parallel?

Yes. Tasks are designed to execute in parallel unless explicit dependencies are declared. Use the Dependencies section to specify when one task must complete before another begins.

What happens if I have duplicate identifiers?

The skill includes validation checks (bash scripts) to detect duplicate declarations. Run the provided grep commands to find duplicates, then re-number them so each identifier is declared exactly once. References to identifiers elsewhere in the plan are valid and expected.

How do I know when a plan is complete?

Each task includes measurable completion criteria and a 'Completed' column in the task table. The front matter status field (Completed, In progress, Planned, Deprecated, On Hold) reflects the overall plan state. Validation criteria in task descriptions can be automatically verified.

Can I use this for small tasks or only large projects?

The skill is designed for any scope—small refactors, single-feature rollouts, or large multi-phase initiatives. The template scales; use as many or as few phases and tasks as needed.

Full instructions (SKILL.md)

Source of truth, from github/awesome-copilot.


name: create-implementation-plan description: 'Create a new implementation plan file for new features, refactoring existing code or upgrading packages, design, architecture or infrastructure.'

Create Implementation Plan

Primary Directive

Your goal is to create a new implementation plan file for ${input:PlanPurpose}. Your output must be machine-readable, deterministic, and structured for autonomous execution by other AI systems or humans.

Execution Context

This prompt is designed for AI-to-AI communication and automated processing. All instructions must be interpreted literally and executed systematically without human interpretation or clarification.

Core Requirements

  • Generate implementation plans that are fully executable by AI agents or humans
  • Use deterministic language with zero ambiguity
  • Structure all content for automated parsing and execution
  • Ensure complete self-containment with no external dependencies for understanding

Plan Structure Requirements

Plans must consist of discrete, atomic phases containing executable tasks. Each phase must be independently processable by AI agents or humans without cross-phase dependencies unless explicitly declared.

Phase Architecture

  • Each phase must have measurable completion criteria
  • Tasks within phases must be executable in parallel unless dependencies are specified
  • All task descriptions must include specific file paths, function names, and exact implementation details
  • No task should require human interpretation or decision-making

AI-Optimized Implementation Standards

  • Use explicit, unambiguous language with zero interpretation required
  • Structure all content as machine-parseable formats (tables, lists, structured data)
  • Include specific file paths, line numbers, and exact code references where applicable
  • Define all variables, constants, and configuration values explicitly
  • Provide complete context within each task description
  • Use standardized prefixes for all identifiers (REQ-, TASK-, etc.)
  • Include validation criteria that can be automatically verified

Output File Specifications

  • Save implementation plan files in /plan/ directory
  • Use naming convention: [purpose]-[component]-[version].md
  • Purpose prefixes: upgrade|refactor|feature|data|infrastructure|process|architecture|design
  • Example: upgrade-system-command-4.md, feature-auth-module-1.md
  • File must be valid Markdown with proper front matter structure

Mandatory Template Structure

All implementation plans must strictly adhere to the following template. Each section is required and must be populated with specific, actionable content. AI agents must validate template compliance before execution.

Template Validation Rules

  • All front matter fields must be present and properly formatted
  • All section headers must match exactly (case-sensitive)
  • All identifier prefixes must follow the specified format
  • Tables must include all required columns
  • No placeholder text may remain in the final output
  • Identifiers must be uniquely declared. Every identifier (REQ-NNN, SEC-NNN, CON-NNN, GUD-NNN, PAT-NNN, GOAL-NNN, TASK-NNN, ALT-NNN, DEP-NNN, FILE-NNN, TEST-NNN, RISK-NNN, ASSUMPTION-NNN) must be declared exactly once. A declaration is where the identifier introduces a row: the leading cell in a TASK/GOAL table row, or the bolded prefix in a bullet line like - **REQ-001**: .... The same identifier may then appear any number of times as a reference elsewhere in the plan (a TASK body citing a REQ, one TASK citing another TASK, the Dependencies section pointing at a DEP already declared upstream, etc.). References are expected and not collisions.

Identifier Uniqueness Check

Run these checks before finalizing the plan. Checks (1) and (2) target declarations and must return zero rows. Check (3) is a broad informational scan: it will surface valid references too, so use it for awareness rather than as a gate.

# Set PLAN_FILE to the plan being validated.
PLAN_FILE="/plan/<purpose>-<component>-<version>.md"

# 1) Duplicate TASK / GOAL declarations in table rows.
grep -oE '\| (TASK|GOAL)-[0-9]+ \|' "$PLAN_FILE" \
  | sed -E 's/.*((TASK|GOAL)-[0-9]+).*/\1/' \
  | sort | uniq -d

# 2) Duplicate declaration IDs in bullet-style spec lines.
grep -oE '^- \*\*(REQ|SEC|CON|GUD|RISK|ASSUMPTION|TASK|GOAL|FILE|TEST|PAT|ALT|DEP)-[0-9]+\*\*:' "$PLAN_FILE" \
  | sed -E 's/^- \*\*([A-Z]+-[0-9]+)\*\*:.*/\1/' \
  | sort | uniq -d

# 3) Broad duplicate scan (diagnostic only; may include valid references).
grep -oE '(REQ|SEC|CON|GUD|RISK|ASSUMPTION|TASK|GOAL|FILE|TEST|PAT|ALT|DEP)-[0-9]+' "$PLAN_FILE" \
  | sort | uniq -d

Prerequisites: a POSIX-compatible shell (sh / bash) with grep, sed, sort, and uniq. On Windows without these tools, use equivalent platform-native commands and preserve the same declaration-vs-reference logic.

If check (1) or (2) returns any row, re-number the duplicate so each identifier is declared exactly once, then re-run the checks until both are empty.

Status

The status of the implementation plan must be clearly defined in the front matter and must reflect the current state of the plan. The status can be one of the following (status_color in brackets): Completed (bright green badge), In progress (yellow badge), Planned (blue badge), Deprecated (red badge), or On Hold (orange badge). It should also be displayed as a badge in the introduction section.

---
goal: [Concise Title Describing the Package Implementation Plan's Goal]
version: [Optional: e.g., 1.0, Date]
date_created: [YYYY-MM-DD]
last_updated: [Optional: YYYY-MM-DD]
owner: [Optional: Team/Individual responsible for this spec]
status: 'Completed'|'In progress'|'Planned'|'Deprecated'|'On Hold'
tags: [Optional: List of relevant tags or categories, e.g., `feature`, `upgrade`, `chore`, `architecture`, `migration`, `bug` etc]
---

# Introduction

![Status: <status>](https://img.shields.io/badge/status-<status>-<status_color>)

[A short concise introduction to the plan and the goal it is intended to achieve.]

## 1. Requirements & Constraints

[Explicitly list all requirements & constraints that affect the plan and constrain how it is implemented. Use bullet points or tables for clarity.]

- **REQ-001**: Requirement 1
- **SEC-001**: Security Requirement 1
- **[3 LETTERS]-001**: Other Requirement 1
- **CON-001**: Constraint 1
- **GUD-001**: Guideline 1
- **PAT-001**: Pattern to follow 1

## 2. Implementation Steps

### Implementation Phase 1

- GOAL-001: [Describe the goal of this phase, e.g., "Implement feature X", "Refactor module Y", etc.]

| Task | Description | Completed | Date |
|------|-------------|-----------|------|
| TASK-001 | Description of task 1 | ✅ | 2025-04-25 |
| TASK-002 | Description of task 2 | |  |
| TASK-003 | Description of task 3 | |  |

### Implementation Phase 2

- GOAL-002: [Describe the goal of this phase, e.g., "Implement feature X", "Refactor module Y", etc.]

| Task | Description | Completed | Date |
|------|-------------|-----------|------|
| TASK-004 | Description of task 4 | |  |
| TASK-005 | Description of task 5 | |  |
| TASK-006 | Description of task 6 | |  |

## 3. Alternatives

[A bullet point list of any alternative approaches that were considered and why they were not chosen. This helps to provide context and rationale for the chosen approach.]

- **ALT-001**: Alternative approach 1
- **ALT-002**: Alternative approach 2

## 4. Dependencies

[List any dependencies that need to be addressed, such as libraries, frameworks, or other components that the plan relies on.]

- **DEP-001**: Dependency 1
- **DEP-002**: Dependency 2

## 5. Files

[List the files that will be affected by the feature or refactoring task.]

- **FILE-001**: Description of file 1
- **FILE-002**: Description of file 2

## 6. Testing

[List the tests that need to be implemented to verify the feature or refactoring task.]

- **TEST-001**: Description of test 1
- **TEST-002**: Description of test 2

## 7. Risks & Assumptions

[List any risks or assumptions related to the implementation of the plan.]

- **RISK-001**: Risk 1
- **ASSUMPTION-001**: Assumption 1

## 8. Related Specifications / Further Reading

[Link to related spec 1]
[Link to relevant external documentation]