/implement — Plan + Execute

Overview

Break a design into bite-sized TDD tasks, execute each with a fresh subagent, review every task before moving on.

Core principle: Small tasks + fresh subagents + two-stage review = high quality.

When to Use

• Design exists (from /architect or provided by user)
• Ready to write code
• Work can be broken into independent TDD steps

The Process

1. Find Design

Look for the most recent *-design.md in docs/plans/. If none found or multiple exist, ask the user which to use. If no design exists, suggest /architect first.

2. Break Into Tasks

Each task must be:

• One TDD cycle: one test + its implementation
• 2-5 minutes of focused work
• Self-contained: all context provided inline

Template per task:

### Task N: [Title]

**Goal**: [one sentence]
**Test**: [describe the test to write first]
**Implementation**: [describe the code to make it pass]
**Files**: [which files to create/modify]
**Acceptance Criteria**: [specific, testable]

3. Save the Plan

docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<name>-plan.md

4. Execute Each Task

Record base SHA: git rev-parse HEAD

For each task, in order:

a. Dispatch Implementer

Use Task tool with subagent_type: "tdd". In the prompt, include inline:

• Full task text (don't reference plan files — subagent can't read them)
• Relevant code snippets (read and paste the actual file content)
• Patterns to follow (paste examples from existing code)
• Acceptance criteria

Context goes inline. The subagent receives everything it needs in the prompt.

b. Spec Review

When implementer completes, dispatch spec-reviewer via Task tool with subagent_type: "superpowers:code-reviewer". Include:

• The task's acceptance criteria (copy inline)
• List of changed files

If FAIL: resume implementer to fix, then re-review.

c. Quality Review

Dispatch quality-reviewer via Task tool with subagent_type: "superpowers:code-reviewer". Include:

• Base SHA and current HEAD
• Feature context

If critical issues: resume implementer to fix, then re-review.

d. Move On

Only proceed to next task when both reviews pass.

5. After All Tasks

Implementation complete. Use /qa for adversarial testing, or /refactor for a quality pass.

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Fix
Tasks too large (whole features)	One TDD cycle per task. If it takes >10 min, split it.
Expecting subagent to read plan files	Provide ALL context inline in the dispatch prompt.
Skipping review for "simple" tasks	Every task gets spec review + quality review. No exceptions.
Phase-based grouping instead of task list	Flat numbered list. Dependencies noted, not phase boundaries.
No plan file saved	Always save to docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<name>-plan.md.
Moving on despite failed review	Fix first. Never proceed with review failures.
Not referencing next step	End with: "use /qa or /refactor when ready"