---
name: kata-add-phase
description: Add planned work discovered during execution to the end of the current milestone in the roadmap. This skill appends sequential phases to the current milestone's phase list, automatically calculating the next phase number. Triggers include "add phase", "append phase", "new phase", and "create phase". This skill updates ROADMAP.md and STATE.md accordingly.
metadata:
version: "0.1.0"
---
Add a new integer phase to the end of the current milestone in the roadmap.
This command appends sequential phases to the current milestone's phase list, automatically calculating the next phase number based on existing phases.
Purpose: Add planned work discovered during execution that belongs at the end of current milestone.
IMPORTANT: When showing examples to users, always use `/kata-add-phase` (the command), not the skill name.
@.planning/ROADMAP.md
@.planning/STATE.md
Parse the command arguments:
**With `--issue` flag:**
- `/kata-add-phase --issue .planning/issues/open/2026-02-06-phase-lookup.md`
- Read the issue file to extract title, provenance, and context
- `description` = issue title from frontmatter
- `ISSUE_FILE` = the path argument
- `ISSUE_PROVENANCE` = provenance field from frontmatter (e.g., `github:owner/repo#102`)
- `ISSUE_NUMBER` = extracted from provenance if GitHub-linked (e.g., `102`)
```bash
if echo "$ARGUMENTS" | grep -q "^--issue "; then
ISSUE_FILE=$(echo "$ARGUMENTS" | sed 's/^--issue //')
if [ ! -f "$ISSUE_FILE" ]; then
echo "ERROR: Issue file not found: $ISSUE_FILE"
exit 1
fi
description=$(grep "^title:" "$ISSUE_FILE" | cut -d':' -f2- | xargs)
ISSUE_PROVENANCE=$(grep "^provenance:" "$ISSUE_FILE" | cut -d' ' -f2)
ISSUE_NUMBER=""
if echo "$ISSUE_PROVENANCE" | grep -q "^github:"; then
ISSUE_NUMBER=$(echo "$ISSUE_PROVENANCE" | grep -oE '#[0-9]+' | tr -d '#')
fi
fi
```
**Without `--issue` flag:**
- All arguments become the phase description
- Example: `/kata-add-phase Add authentication` → description = "Add authentication"
- `ISSUE_FILE`, `ISSUE_PROVENANCE`, `ISSUE_NUMBER` are empty
If no arguments provided:
```
ERROR: Phase description required
Usage: /kata-add-phase
/kata-add-phase --issue
Example: /kata-add-phase Add authentication system
```
Exit.
**Pre-flight: Check roadmap format (auto-migration)**
If ROADMAP.md exists, check format and auto-migrate if old:
```bash
if [ -f .planning/ROADMAP.md ]; then
bash "../kata-doctor/scripts/check-roadmap-format.sh" 2>/dev/null
FORMAT_EXIT=$?
if [ $FORMAT_EXIT -eq 1 ]; then
echo "Old roadmap format detected. Running auto-migration..."
fi
fi
```
**If exit code 1 (old format):**
Invoke kata-doctor in auto mode:
```
Skill("kata-doctor", "--auto")
```
Continue after migration completes.
**If exit code 0 or 2:** Continue silently.
Load the roadmap file:
```bash
if [ -f .planning/ROADMAP.md ]; then
ROADMAP=".planning/ROADMAP.md"
else
echo "ERROR: No roadmap found (.planning/ROADMAP.md)"
exit 1
fi
```
Read roadmap content for parsing.
Parse the roadmap to find the current milestone section:
1. Locate the "## Current Milestone:" heading
2. Extract milestone name and version
3. Identify all phases under this milestone (before next "---" separator or next milestone heading)
4. Parse existing phase numbers (including decimals if present)
Example structure:
```
## Current Milestone: v1.0 Foundation
### Phase 4: Focused Command System
### Phase 5: Path Routing & Validation
### Phase 6: Documentation & Distribution
```
Find the highest integer phase number in the current milestone:
1. Extract all phase numbers from phase headings (### Phase N:)
2. Filter to integer phases only (ignore decimals like 4.1, 4.2)
3. Find the maximum integer value
4. Add 1 to get the next phase number
Example: If phases are 4, 5, 5.1, 6 → next is 7
Format as two-digit: `printf "%02d" $next_phase`
Convert the phase description to a kebab-case slug:
```bash
# Example transformation:
# "Add authentication" → "add-authentication"
# "Fix critical performance issues" → "fix-critical-performance-issues"
slug=$(echo "$description" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]' | sed 's/[^a-z0-9]/-/g' | sed 's/--*/-/g' | sed 's/^-//;s/-$//')
```
Phase directory name: `{two-digit-phase}-{slug}`
Example: `07-add-authentication`
Create the phase directory structure:
```bash
phase_dir=".planning/phases/pending/${phase_num}-${slug}"
mkdir -p "$phase_dir"
```
Confirm: "Created directory: $phase_dir"
Add the new phase entry to the roadmap:
1. Find the insertion point (after last phase in current milestone, before "---" separator)
2. Insert new phase heading:
```
### Phase {N}: {Description}
**Goal:** [To be planned]
**Depends on:** Phase {N-1}
{if ISSUE_NUMBER: **Issue:** Closes #{ISSUE_NUMBER}}
**Plans:** 0 plans
Plans:
- [ ] TBD (run /kata-plan-phase {N} to break down)
**Details:**
[To be added during planning]
```
If `ISSUE_NUMBER` is set (from `--issue` flag), include the `**Issue:** Closes #{N}` line.
This ensures PRs referencing this phase will auto-close the GitHub issue.
3. Write updated roadmap back to file
Preserve all other content exactly (formatting, spacing, other phases).
Update STATE.md to reflect the new phase:
1. Read `.planning/STATE.md`
2. Under "## Current Position" → "**Next Phase:**" add reference to new phase
3. Under "## Accumulated Context" → "### Roadmap Evolution" add entry:
```
- Phase {N} added: {description}
```
If "Roadmap Evolution" section doesn't exist, create it.
Present completion summary:
```
Phase {N} added to current milestone:
- Description: {description}
- Directory: .planning/phases/{phase-num}-{slug}/
- Status: Not planned yet
{if ISSUE_NUMBER: - Issue: Closes #${ISSUE_NUMBER} (linked from ${ISSUE_FILE})}
Roadmap updated: {roadmap-path}
Project state updated: .planning/STATE.md
---
## ▶ Next Up
**Phase {N}: {description}**
`/kata-plan-phase {N}`
`/clear` first → fresh context window
---
**Also available:**
- `/kata-add-phase ` — add another phase
- Review roadmap
---
```
- Don't modify phases outside current milestone
- Don't renumber existing phases
- Don't use decimal numbering (that's /kata-insert-phase)
- Don't create plans yet (that's /kata-plan-phase)
- Don't commit changes (user decides when to commit)
Phase addition is complete when:
- [ ] Phase directory created: `.planning/phases/pending/{NN}-{slug}/`
- [ ] Roadmap updated with new phase entry
- [ ] STATE.md updated with roadmap evolution note
- [ ] New phase appears at end of current milestone
- [ ] Next phase number calculated correctly (ignoring decimals)
- [ ] User informed of next steps