ck:plan-json — Phased JSON Planning

Every mode always creates plans/{slug}/plan.json and one or more phase JSON files. The master stays compact so an AI executor loads step detail only for the active phase.

No legacy or single-file format compatibility is supported.

---

Step 0 — Load Input

Resolve the primary requirement input in this order:

1. --spec <path> — preferred: load the supplied spec.md.
2. If no spec is supplied, use the inline feature description or requirement text.
3. If neither exists, ask for a description or spec path.

Also accept:

• --project {slug} — project ID; default is the current directory name.
• --mode {fast|hard} — override automatic scope detection.
• --output <path> — master entry point; default is plans/{slug}/plan.json. Phase files are siblings beside this master.

---

Step 1 — Analyze Scope and Phases

Report:

Scope:
  Phases: {N}
  Files: {N total, N new, N modify}
  Complexity: {Fast | Hard}

• Fast — one small component and at most three affected files. Fast creates exactly one phase JSON file.
• Hard — two or more phases, at least four files, multiple components, or external integrations.

If Hard has no spec, suggest /ck:brainstorm before continuing.

Decompose work into ordered, dependency-aware phases. Use deterministic kebab-case names and phase-{phase_id:02d}-{name}.json filenames. Maximum 15 steps per phase; add another phase when more steps are needed.

---

Step 2 — Generate Phase Files First

Phase files contain and own detailed steps. Write every complete phase file first, before the master exists or is updated.

Each phase file uses this structure:

{
  "plan_id": "{slug}",
  "phase_id": 1,
  "name": "setup-project",
  "goal": "Initialize the project",
  "status": "pending",
  "current_step": 1,
  "design_constraints": [
    "Cook confirms unit-test and quality-gate choices before each phase"
  ],
  "quality_profile": {
    "repository_conventions": {},
    "boundaries": {},
    "applicable_rules": [],
    "allowed_exceptions": []
  },
  "quality": { "status": "not_evaluated", "report": "", "receipt": "", "remediation_cycles": 0 },
  "testing": { "status": "not_started", "report": "" },
  "steps": [
    {
      "step_id": 1,
      "description": "Create the project structure",
      "status": "pending",
      "input_files": [],
      "output_files": ["src/README.md"],
      "ai_generated_code": "",
      "debug_logs": [],
      "success_criteria": ["The expected file exists"]
    }
  ]
}

Rules:

• Step IDs are unique, sequential, and one-indexed within the phase.
• input_files must already exist or be produced by earlier steps or dependency phases.
• output_files lists every file created or modified.
• success_criteria contains at least one automation-verifiable condition.
• ai_generated_code starts as an empty string and debug_logs starts as an empty array.
• design_constraints, quality_profile, quality, and testing are optional; leave them at their pending-equivalent defaults (empty arrays/objects, not_evaluated, not_started) at plan-creation time — see rules/plan-design.md § Quality and Testing State for what owns each field and when it changes.

---

Step 3 — Generate the Master Last

Write the master last, after all referenced phase files exist. plan.json is the orchestration manifest and contains ordered phase entries; the master must not contain inline steps.

{
  "plan_id": "{slug}",
  "goal": "{one-line deliverable}",
  "status": "pending",
  "current_phase": 1,
  "global_context": {
    "framework": "{detected framework or empty}",
    "architecture": "{detected pattern or empty}",
    "target_folder": "{primary output directory}",
    "constraints": []
  },
  "phases": [
    {
      "phase_id": 1,
      "name": "setup-project",
      "description": "Initialize project structure",
      "file": "phase-01-setup-project.json",
      "status": "pending",
      "depends_on": [],
      "quality_status": "not_evaluated",
      "testing_status": "not_started"
    }
  ]
}

All plan, phase, and step statuses start as pending. current_phase starts at 1, and every phase current_step starts at 1.

Dependencies may reference unique earlier phase IDs only. A step object appears in exactly one phase file and is never duplicated in the master.

quality_status/testing_status are the master's compact mirror of each phase's quality.status/testing.status — never the full profile or report. Both start at not_evaluated/not_started and must match the phase file's values whenever both declare one.

---

Step 4 — Mandatory Bundle Validation

Mandatory validation must use the master path so the bundle validator checks the manifest and every referenced sibling:

python {ck-plan-json-skill-root}/hooks/plan_validator.py plans/{slug}/plan.json

Resolve {ck-plan-json-skill-root} from the SKILL.md currently loaded so the command works in pack-root, Claude, Codex, and Antigravity installations.

If validation fails, fix the relevant phase or master file and rerun validation. Do not report success until the validator exits with code 0.

On success, report exactly these bundle details:

[ck:plan-json] ✓ phased plan bundle written
Master path: plans/{slug}/plan.json
Phase paths:
  - plans/{slug}/phase-01-{name}.json
Mode: {Fast | Hard}
Phase count: {N}
Total step count: {N}

Next: /ck:cook --json plans/{slug}/plan.json

Use references/plan-schema.json, its referenced canonical phase file, and rules/plan-design.md as the detailed contract.