Task Executor Skill

Overview

This skill executes development tasks in a structured, sequential manner following a master plan document (00-PLAN.md). It ensures controlled, trackable progress by confirming each task before execution and updating all documentation afterward.

Supports multiple features: When multiple plan files exist, you must specify which feature to work on.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• User says: "execute next task [feature-name]", "continue [feature-name]", "what's next?", "implement the next step"
• You need to implement features following a predefined plan
• You want to maintain execution history and task status
• You need to ensure tasks are completed in the correct order

Usage

With Feature Name (Recommended)

User: "execute next task user-management"
User: "continue user-auth feature"
User: "task-executor payment-system"

Without Feature Name

User: "execute next task"
User: "what's next?"

If multiple features exist, Claude will list them and ask which one to work on.

Workflow

Step 0: Identify Target Plan

If feature parameter provided:

1. Search for plan files matching the feature name:
   • docs/features/{feature-name}/00-PLAN.md
   • docs/{feature-name}/00-PLAN.md
   • Any 00-PLAN.md in directories containing the feature name
2. If no match found, inform user and list available features

If no parameter provided:

1. Search for all 00-PLAN.md files in the project:
   • docs/features/*/00-PLAN.md
   • docs/*/00-PLAN.md
   • **/00-PLAN.md (recursive search)
2. If multiple plans found, present them to user:

   📋 Multiple Features Found:
   
   1. User Management (docs/features/user-management/00-PLAN.md)
      - Status: 3/10 tasks completed
   2. Payment System (docs/features/payment-system/00-PLAN.md)
      - Status: 0/8 tasks completed
   3. Notifications (docs/features/notifications/00-PLAN.md)
      - Status: 5/5 tasks completed ✅
   
   Which feature would you like to work on? (1-3 or type feature name)
   

3. If only one plan found, proceed automatically
4. If no plans found, show error (see Error Handling)

Step 1: Read the Master Plan

• Read the identified 00-PLAN.md file
• Parse the implementation order section to identify all tasks and their current status
• Look for status values: PENDING, COMPLETED, BLOCKED

Step 2: Identify Next Task

• Find the first task with status PENDING
• If no PENDING tasks exist, check for BLOCKED tasks and inform user
• If all tasks are COMPLETED, congratulate user and ask if they want to start a new feature

Step 3: Confirm with User

Present the task to the user in this format:

📋 Next Task Identified:

**Phase:** [Phase Name]
**Task:** [Task Name]
**Description:** [Detailed behavior/business rules]

**Dependencies:** [List any dependencies or prerequisites]

Shall I proceed with this task? (yes/no)

IMPORTANT: Wait for explicit user confirmation before proceeding.

Step 4: Execute the Task

Once confirmed:

1. Follow the task description and business rules exactly
2. Implement the solution following best practices
3. Test the implementation (if applicable)
4. Document any important decisions or deviations

Step 5: Update Documentation

After successful execution, you MUST update the 00-PLAN.md file with the new status:

1. Update the Implementation Order table:

   • Change the completed task status from ⏳ PENDING to ✅ COMPLETED
   • Update the "📌 NEXT TASK TO EXECUTE" line

2. Update the Task List (Detailed) section:

   • Change the completed task status from ⏳ PENDING to ✅ COMPLETED
   • Remove "(NEXT)" marker from completed task
   • Add "(NEXT)" marker to the next pending task

3. Update the individual task file (e.g., 01-domain-layer-setup.md):

   • Mark all objectives as completed: - [x]
   • Mark all checklist items as completed: - [x]

4. Create a brief execution summary

Present completion in this format:

✅ Task Completed Successfully!

**What was done:**
- [Brief bullet points of what was implemented]

**Files modified:**
- [List of files created/modified]

**Next steps:**
- [Preview of next task, if any]

Ready to continue with the next task? (yes/no)

Best Practices

1. Always Confirm: Never execute a task without user confirmation
2. Be Atomic: Complete one task fully before moving to the next
3. Document Changes: Always list modified files
4. Check Dependencies: Verify prerequisites are met before execution
5. Handle Blockers: If a task cannot be completed, mark as BLOCKED and explain why

Error Handling

If 00-PLAN.md doesn't exist:

❌ No master plan found (00-PLAN.md).

Would you like me to:
1. Create a plan from an existing Design Doc
2. Help you create a new plan from scratch
3. Search for plans in other locations

If a task is blocked:

⚠️ Task blocked: [Task Name]

**Blocker:** [Reason]
**Resolution needed:** [What needs to happen]

Options:
1. Resolve the blocker first
2. Skip to next available task
3. Mark as BLOCKED and continue

If task execution fails:

❌ Task execution encountered an error:

**Error:** [Description]
**Impact:** [What couldn't be completed]

Options:
1. Retry the task
2. Mark as BLOCKED for manual review
3. Skip and continue

Example Interactions

Example 1: With Feature Name Specified

User: "Execute next task user-management"

Claude: [Searches for user-management plan]
Claude: [Reads docs/features/user-management/00-PLAN.md]

📋 Next Task Identified:

**Feature:** User Management
**Phase:** Setup
**Task:** Configure Environment Variables
**Description:** Create .env file with API keys for Stripe and SendGrid. Add .env to .gitignore.

Shall I proceed with this task? (yes/no)

User: "yes"

Claude:
[Creates .env file]
[Updates .gitignore]
[Tests configuration]

[Updates 00-PLAN.md - Changes task status from ⏳ PENDING to ✅ COMPLETED]
[Updates 00-PLAN.md - Updates "📌 NEXT TASK TO EXECUTE" to point to task 2]
[Updates 00-PLAN.md - Adds "(NEXT)" marker to task 2 in Task List (Detailed)]
[Updates task file - Marks all objectives and checklist items as [x]]

✅ Task Completed Successfully!

**What was done:**
- Created .env.example with required variables
- Created .env with placeholder values
- Added .env to .gitignore
- Verified environment loading

**Files modified:**
- .env (created)
- .env.example (created)
- .gitignore (updated)
- docs/features/user-management/00-PLAN.md (status updated)
- docs/features/user-management/01-configure-environment.md (marked as complete)

**Next steps:**
- Setup → Install Dependencies

Ready to continue with the next task? (yes/no)

Example 2: Multiple Features Available

User: "Execute next task"

Claude: [Searches for all 00-PLAN.md files]

📋 Multiple Features Found:

1. User Management (docs/features/user-management/00-PLAN.md)
   - Next: Implement login endpoint

2. Payment System (docs/features/payment-system/00-PLAN.md)
   - Next: Setup Stripe SDK

3. Notifications (docs/features/notifications/00-PLAN.md)
   - Finished all tasks ✅

Which feature would you like to work on? (1-3 or type feature name)

User: "1"

Claude: [Proceeds with User Management feature...]

Example 3: No Feature Match

User: "Execute next task shopping-cart"

Claude: [Searches for shopping-cart plan]

❌ Feature not found: "shopping-cart"

Available features:
1. User Management (docs/features/user-management/00-PLAN.md)
2. Payment System (docs/features/payment-system/00-PLAN.md)
3. Notifications (docs/features/notifications/00-PLAN.md)

Would you like to work on one of these instead?

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

❌ Executing tasks without user confirmation ❌ Skipping status updates in documentation ❌ Executing multiple tasks in sequence without pausing ❌ Ignoring task dependencies ❌ Not documenting blockers or issues ❌ Proceeding when prerequisites aren't met

Status Definitions

• PENDING: Task is ready to be executed
• COMPLETED: Task finished successfully
• BLOCKED: Task cannot proceed due to external dependency or issue