design-plan

Creates phased implementation plans with architecture decisions for complex multi-file features.

1|1|Updated Dec 18, 2025
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/nexuslabs-ai/nexus --skill design-plan-nexuslabs-ai
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: design-plan
Source: https://github.com/nexuslabs-ai/nexus/tree/main/.agents/skills/design-plan
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/nexuslabs-ai/nexus --skill design-plan-nexuslabs-ai

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Complex features and multi-file changes often fail because implementation starts before the architecture is thought through. This Skill produces a structured implementation plan—covering requirements, technology research, existing patterns, trade-offs, and phased steps—so coding proceeds without guesswork. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Six-phase planning workflow: Fetches the GitHub issue, researches current library versions and best practices, explores existing architecture, evaluates alternative approaches, and breaks work into independently testable phases. - Structured plan output: Produces a standardized plan document with architecture decisions, file structure, per-phase file changes, verification steps, risks, and open questions for user approval. - Convention enforcement: Loads project rules (code quality, ripple effects, composition patterns, docs-MCP usage) so plans align with the Nexus design system codebase. - Use Case: A developer is assigned a GitHub issue to add a new component variant across the React and Tailwind packages. The Skill researches the current Radix UI and CVA patterns, maps affected files, and returns a phased plan the coordinator presents for approval before any code is written. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to create an implementation plan for GitHub issue 42 before writing any code.

Frequently Asked Questions about design-plan

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I create an implementation plan before coding a complex feature?▼

Invoke this Skill with the task or GitHub issue number. It fetches the issue, researches relevant library versions, explores existing architecture, and returns a phased plan with file changes, verification steps, and open questions for approval.

What should a software implementation plan include?▼

A plan should include the chosen approach with alternatives considered, a file structure, phases ordered by dependency with per-phase verification, and explicit risks and decisions. This Skill outputs exactly that structure in Markdown.

Does this Skill write the implementation code?▼

No. The Skill explicitly does not write code—it only plans. Implementation is handled separately after the coordinator presents the plan and the user approves it.

When should I use design planning versus coding directly?▼

Use planning for complex features with architectural decisions, changes spanning multiple files or modules, or new patterns. Skip it for small, single-file changes where the approach is already obvious.

Can the plan fetch GitHub issues automatically?▼

Yes. When an issue number is referenced, the Skill runs gh issue view to pull the title, body, labels, and state, then extracts the problem statement, acceptance criteria, and constraints into the plan.