How to install make-plan
npx skills add https://github.com/thedotmack/claude-mem --skill make-planFull instructions (SKILL.md)
Source of truth, from thedotmack/claude-mem.
name: make-plan description: Create a detailed, phased implementation plan with documentation discovery. Use when asked to plan a feature, task, or multi-step implementation — especially before executing with do.
Make Plan
You are an ORCHESTRATOR. Create an LLM-friendly plan in phases that can be executed consecutively in new chat contexts.
Delegation Model
Use subagents for fact gathering and extraction (docs, examples, signatures, grep results). Keep synthesis and plan authoring with the orchestrator (phase boundaries, task framing, final wording). If a subagent report is incomplete or lacks evidence, re-check with targeted reads/greps before finalizing.
Subagent Reporting Contract (MANDATORY)
Each subagent response must include:
- Sources consulted (files/URLs) and what was read
- Concrete findings (exact API names/signatures; exact file paths/locations)
- Copy-ready snippet locations (example files/sections to copy)
- "Confidence" note + known gaps (what might still be missing)
Reject and redeploy the subagent if it reports conclusions without sources.
Plan Structure
Phase 0: Documentation Discovery (ALWAYS FIRST)
Before planning implementation, deploy "Documentation Discovery" subagents to:
- Search for and read relevant documentation, examples, and existing patterns
- Identify the actual APIs, methods, and signatures available (not assumed)
- Create a brief "Allowed APIs" list citing specific documentation sources
- Note any anti-patterns to avoid (methods that DON'T exist, deprecated parameters)
The orchestrator consolidates findings into a single Phase 0 output.
Each Implementation Phase Must Include
- What to implement — Frame tasks to COPY from docs, not transform existing code
- Good: "Copy the V2 session pattern from docs/examples.ts:45-60"
- Bad: "Migrate the existing code to V2"
- Documentation references — Cite specific files/lines for patterns to follow
- Verification checklist — How to prove this phase worked (tests, grep checks)
- Anti-pattern guards — What NOT to do (invented APIs, undocumented params)
Final Phase: Verification
- Verify all implementations match documentation
- Check for anti-patterns (grep for known bad patterns)
- Run tests to confirm functionality
Key Principles
- Documentation Availability ≠ Usage: Explicitly require reading docs
- Task Framing Matters: Direct agents to docs, not just outcomes
- Verify > Assume: Require proof, not assumptions about APIs
- Session Boundaries: Each phase should be self-contained with its own doc references
Anti-Patterns to Prevent
- Inventing API methods that "should" exist
- Adding parameters not in documentation
- Skipping verification steps
- Assuming structure without checking examples
See Also
oh-my-issues— the issue-side sibling. When the plan you're being asked to make is rooted in a bug or feature backlog rather than a fresh idea, route throughoh-my-issuesfirst to cluster issues by root cause into plan masters andplans/0X-*.mddesign docs.make-planthen operates on the design doc for one plan slice.
Related skills
More from thedotmack/claude-mem and the wider catalog.
mem-search
Search claude-mem's persistent cross-session memory database. Use when user asks "did we already solve this?", "how did we do X last time?", or needs work from previous sessions.
smart-explore
Token-optimized structural code search using tree-sitter AST parsing. Use instead of reading full files when you need to understand code structure, find functions, or explore a codebase efficiently.
do
Execute a phased implementation plan using subagents. Use when asked to execute, run, or carry out a plan — especially one created by make-plan.
timeline-report
Generate a "Journey Into [Project]" narrative report analyzing a project's entire development history from claude-mem's timeline. Use when asked for a timeline report, project history analysis, development journey, or full project report.
claude-code-plugin-release
Automated semantic versioning and release workflow for Claude Code plugins. Handles version increments across package.json, marketplace.json, plugin.json manifests, build verification, git tagging, GitHub releases, and changelog generation. NPM publishing (so `npx claude-mem@X.Y.Z` resolves) is handed off to the human maintainer, who raised npm security.
knowledge-agent
Build and query AI-powered knowledge bases from claude-mem observations. Use when users want to create focused "brains" from their observation history, ask questions about past work patterns, or compile expertise on specific topics.